Reviews tagging 'Blood'

The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

21 reviews

oliverreeds's review

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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Bullying, Sexual content, Animal death, Blood, Suicide, Emotional abuse, Car accident, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, and Infidelity

batcaves's review

emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Car accident, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, and Violence

remytherat's review

adventurous emotional mysterious 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

4.75

I think it's best to read this knowing nothing at all going in. It's filled with all the magic Gaiman is good at writing, and the characters come to life, just as they do in all his works. The horror elements are fantastic as well, of course. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror

Moderate: Blood

enabditouri_'s review

challenging mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Blood, Child abuse, and Gore

Moderate: Death and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Animal death

aheartofsunflower's review

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Animal cruelty, Blood, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, and Emotional abuse

wiktoria88's review

adventurous dark mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

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

2.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal death, Blood, and Suicide

spinesinaline's review

adventurous dark hopeful sad medium-paced

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

3.75

Not a huge fan of the middle because it was so different from what I was expecting but the beginning and end made up for it. 

The main issue for me with this one is that I was expecting a very creepy adult book. Instead, it most reminded me of The Graveyard Book, Gaiman’s short story collection for children. While I wouldn’t call this one a children’s book because of the adult content, it feels like a children’s book written for adults.

And it is in a way, as it follows an older man who has returned home and suddenly remembered his childhood. We get his adult perspective paired with his memories as a child guiding us through the story.

I wouldn’t say this is necessarily bad but it was so different from what I was anticipating that I was just disappointed that it wasn’t the adult book I was looking for. I did really enjoy the beginning and ending but the middle sagged a bit for me with this childlike story aspect and likely promise of a happy ending tamping down the suspense and creepiness level.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, and Suicide

Moderate: Blood and Sexual content

aviery's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad 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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Death, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Emotional abuse and Physical abuse

Minor: Animal death, Blood, Car accident, Sexual content, and Violence

kylieqrada's review

adventurous dark reflective medium-paced

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

3.5

3.5 ⭐s. This was good! My first from Neil Gaiman, and while I like his writing well enough, this didn't blow me away. The premise was solid, very folktale-esque, and I loved the twist at the end. Will definitely be picking up more from this author. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal death, Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Suicide, and Violence

bekah445's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Grief, Sexual content, and Torture