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4.04 AVERAGE
4.04 AVERAGE
Looking at the plot objectively, I don't really understand the meaning of the fantasy elements. Then again, I just finished the book today and might need some time to ruminate in it a little. However, I absolutely loved the writing style the author had. I loved how each description of the scenery, the food, the people, etc. reminded me of a childhood memory just as it did to the protagonist. I liked being put in the perspective of a kid and trying to think hypothetically of what I could've done if put in the same situation, especially with all that was going on. I'm still trying to figure out the metaphorical significance of the three women as well as the kid returning as an adult, but I really liked it. Definitely the weirdest book I've ever read.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Gaiman's writing or any fantasy fan who's looking for a quick read.
The Ocean at the End of the Lane is a child's fairytale written for adults. The combination of fantasy and horror elements balance very well, and there are some genuinely terrifying moments in this book. The point of view is very solid as well, with a main character that feels very real in spite of being unnamed. This is one of the few books where I'm okay with not having all of the answers at the end.
The Ocean at the End of the Lane is a child's fairytale written for adults. The combination of fantasy and horror elements balance very well, and there are some genuinely terrifying moments in this book. The point of view is very solid as well, with a main character that feels very real in spite of being unnamed. This is one of the few books where I'm okay with not having all of the answers at the end.
A middle-aged man returns to his childhood home to attend a funeral. The house is long gone but he finds himself drawn to the old farmhouse at the end of the road where his childhood friend lived. Lettie Hempstock wasn't an ordinary little girl and her mother and grandmother weren't ordinary women. He hasn't thought of Lettie in many, many years but as he sits by the pond, the pond Lettie claimed was an ocean, he's taken back to the past. A past so strange it's hard to believe.
I don't honestly know what to say. It took me a while to get into but even so it's still a great book from start to finish. It's creative and magical and weird and real.
I don't honestly know what to say. It took me a while to get into but even so it's still a great book from start to finish. It's creative and magical and weird and real.
I liked this book. I am giving it 3 stars because to me it was Coraline for boys. And it seemed in many ways that it was written in mind to be an animated film. I enjoyed the story but the characters just did seem rather 2 dimensional. I loved the imagery and the writing, it just did not wow me. Still a good fast and interesting read and one that captured my imagination.
Loved it, although it felt a little short (it did start off as a short story after all). It also does have a young voice to it, not just because the remembered childhood is told from a 7 year old's view, but as though the author is writing it for teens & 20-somethings to enjoy & remind them that memories of youth with change and color with age, so much so that they may become magical retellings shrouded in mystery hard to split the truth from the fiction. However, as a storyteller and as a writer who incorporates the researched mythological in his stories, it is a wonderful and fun read. I read it in one night, one sitting, and to hell with sleep that night. :).
This is a book I have read at least twice a year for several years now. Delving into this weird, whimsical, heart-wrenching, and honest story never fails to make me feel at home. It was the first Neil Gaiman book I read and kickstarted my love affair with his works. It’s one of those books that I would recommend to anyone and will continue to come back to for many years to come.
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
Scary. Rich. Dark. Sad. Hopeful. I thought and felt all these things while reading this book. It's short, but it packs an emotional punch. There are some really scary parts and the monsters under your bed are very real, and very dangerous. I rather fell in love with the Hempstocks, and hope that one day, perhaps, Gaiman will write more about them.
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes