Reviews tagging 'Death'

The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

133 reviews

mombythebooks's review against another edition

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dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0


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scourtheatlas's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

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smallish_bird's review

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emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This book aches from warmth and pain in equal measure. Reading it, I felt like I was a kid again; it's full of love and hope and fear and loss.  

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jabberwalky's review

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adventurous mysterious relaxing medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No

5.0


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toebeans's review

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dark reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0


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anastasiamakes's review against another edition

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challenging dark mysterious reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

Hmm.

In the acknowledgements of this book, Gaiman mentions that this was meant to be a short story, but it got away from him. And personally, I felt that - I'm not a short story person. 

It also reiterated to me that I don't like horror, which I didn't realise this was. There were some absolutely beautiful, fantastical passages in here, and then I felt those were just ruined by segments of horror and gore.

All a bit "it was all just a dream, or was it?" for my tastes.

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asourceoffiction's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Atmospheric, filled with magic, horror and beings as old as time itself, some of whom gave up all the knowledge of the world so they could simply live in it.

This is a children's book, written for adults. Which is a genre I didn't know I needed, but I absolutely loved. Our unnamed narrator sits at the ocean at the end of the lane as an adult, and tries to make sense of his memories. As a child he seems to have implicit trust in grown ups, and he has to deal with the discovery that their behaviour isn't always right. So it's natural that he clings (both in the story and inexplicably in memory) to the Hempstocks, who really do have all the answers. The Hempstocks are wonderful characters, and I fell for them right away. They take our protagonist into their protection; but when the nightmares begin their absence renders everything that much scarier.

There's something wistful and nostalgic about the writing, and you can tell this was a story drawn from Gaiman's own childhood. It's a brilliant exploration of childhood fears, and how our memories are reshaped as we grow older.

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oliverreeds's review

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medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0


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carbinara's review

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adventurous dark reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No

4.0


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royalty's review against another edition

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dark mysterious reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0


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