Reviews tagging 'Body horror'

The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

108 reviews

mattyvreads's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

I love a magical, mythical story for adults. Gaiman has done it again. 

The story is equal parts horror and mystery and fairytale, while deeply rooted in a grounded reality. This book was strangely moving in parts. I soaked up every word. Enthralling and rich, with beautiful prose. I was absolutely captivated.

One of the most successful parts of the book is how the author uses memory: repression, revelation, unreliability, omission. We read about the narrator’s story in great detail, but never know his name. It’s not important. In the prologue, the narrator is leaving a funeral. He knows whose funeral it is, but we don’t have it. It’s not important for us to know.

The story is thought provoking and wonderful. Time will tell if it will become as big of a classic as “Coraline.” I do hope it does.
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cvbattum's review against another edition

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

4.0

I loved how gripping it was in the beginning, but it did lose me a bit toward the end. The ending itself was stunning though. I found some of the body horror to be a little unnecessarily graphic. The Hempstock family were amazingly mysterious and lovely characters and their story remained interesting throughout. The prose was amazing too, and is childlike-simple while still being a bit poetic. Very lovely.
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nicolinebl's review against another edition

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

4.0

I don't know what to say other than I adore Neil Gaiman and his writing, and this was yet another fantastic novel by him. The beautiful illustrations from Elise Hurst made it even better, and are very fitting to the story. An element of spookiness, but not too spooky.  
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carryonkk's review

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

4.5

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bumblemee's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

3.0

Ich mochte die irgendiwe wunderliche und creepy Atmosphäre der Geschichte, ebenso die Erzählung aus Sicht eines Kindes. Richtig reingekommen bin ich aber irgendwie nicht.
Die Hempstock Frauen sind allerdings super cool! 
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amaliesofie's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious 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? Yes

4.5

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reads2cope's review against another edition

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2.5

Loved the concepts explored, but the story itself and the characters fell flat. There were some beautiful lines, and the horror scene near the beginning really made me gag, but most the book left me feeling meh. 
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gelbu's review

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adventurous emotional reflective medium-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? Yes

5.0

A confidently strange, fantastical, and nostalgic story about a man who revisits his hometown during a funeral and recalls the events that occurred there 40 years ago. The majority of the book is spent reliving this childhood memory (where the events read more like a fairytale, with strange twists and turns seen through the uniquely whimsical and accepting eyes of a child ).  However, towards the end of the book
we come back around to the narrator in the present day, where it is revealed just how much of this childhood magic has faded to time, how much of his perspective on the world has shifted.
 
All in all, I love this book for its masterful balance of fairytale whimsy, and thoughtful meditation on memories and growing up. 

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itsjoenna's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-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? No

4.0

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susannah_knox's review

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

3.25

 Quick and interesting, but less enjoyable than I was hoping. Charming characters and vivid setting, but a bit creepier than I bargained for without much payoff in terms of world-building and plot resolution. 
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