Reviews tagging 'Blood'

The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

21 reviews

jolineliest's review against another edition

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challenging dark mysterious fast-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? Yes

3.75


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michael_richter's review against another edition

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

4.25


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thecandiegirl's review against another edition

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adventurous dark hopeful mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0


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riverofhorton's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

So I went into this book thinking it was a kid's book and would be a fun frolic in a fantasy world. A kid's book it most definitely is not, despite the main character being 7 through the main part of the story. Once I realised and came to terms with my own assumptions being wrong, I found the book to be really enjoyable.

It tackles a few quite mature themes through the wonder of a child's perspective, which is something I don't think I've seen before. It takes place pretty much in our world but with a bit of magic thrown in, some being things that are still magic to us as children, giving the impression that there is magic to be found in the real world, if you look through that child-like lens.

I did also appreciate some of the little call backs to things that previously seemed unimportant.

I also liked that it ends in such a way as to facilitate re-reading.

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chronicacademia's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes

5.0


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antarcticophile's review against another edition

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

4.5

A wonderful sprint through a fantastical but familiar land in the shoes of a child.

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bookthief404's review against another edition

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

4.0

Creepy, dark, thrilling, addicting. 
I loved how the whole thing was written from the perspective of a small child. I enjoyed realising what was really going on, despite only being told of the events through a child's language. 

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franzys_whip's review

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adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective relaxing tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0


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renettereads's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious tense medium-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? It's complicated

5.0

“Lettie shrugged. ‘Nobody looks like what they really are on the inside. You don’t. I don’t. People are much more complicated than that. It’s true of everybody.” 

A man finds himself unexpectedly drawn back to his childhood home and the Hempstock farm at the end of the lane. Once there, he starts to recall a thrilling incident filled with magic and mystery.

This book was my surprising five-star read of 2022. I found it mysterious and ambiguous in the best way in that this entire boy’s world is being turned upside down, and he’s struggling to comprehend it all, and it only felt right that we felt the same reading this story. Though it’s dark, eerie and melancholy almost throughout, there’s a measure of cosiness that reminded me of something like The Witches. I loved the fairytale elements, and Gaiman’s writing, as always, is minimal but expertly done to deliver punchy prose that conjures up the most beautiful imagery. 

It’s a book I can see myself going back to over and over again because, despite the fact that I didn’t grow up in England as a boy, there was such a sense of nostalgia. Being that age, scared of everything and struggling to separate adults from bad deeds. I loved the sense of survival in this book, and the Hempstock family absolutely stole my heart. 

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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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