Reviews tagging 'Sexual content'

The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

62 reviews

mattyvreads's review against another edition

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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, and Suicide

Moderate: Sexual content and Infidelity

Minor: Animal death

buud_w0rm's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

4.5

I loved this book so so much. It was so whimsical and atmospheric. This really was perfect for October. I fricking looooved the powers and the way they worked with the hempstock family. I wished so badly that I could’ve seen more of that or it was explained better. However, the haziness of the mc’s recollection of the magical and terrifying world makes sense.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and Child abuse

Minor: Sexual content

bumblemee's review against another edition

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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse and Body horror

Moderate: Animal death, Suicide, and Sexual content

reads2cope's review against another edition

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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Grief, Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Suicide

Moderate: Gore, Bullying, Animal death, Child abuse, Abandonment, Sexual content, and Infidelity

Minor: Death of parent

alisonfaith426's review against another edition

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Child abuse

Moderate: Sexual content and Infidelity

Minor: Animal death

itsjoenna's review against another edition

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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Body horror, and Death

Moderate: Infidelity

Minor: Sexual content

karwc's review

adventurous mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Minor: Sexual content and Violence

doomluz's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious 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

5.0

This was a beautiful, dark, sad, and creepy story about childhood trauma. I love how Gaiman writes fantasy, childhood, and horror. I almost liked this more than Coraline.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Body horror, Death, Suicide, Animal death, and Child abuse

Moderate: Sexual content and Infidelity

mpbookreviews's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Child abuse, and Animal death

Minor: Suicide and Sexual content

xta_07's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced

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

5.0

How I feel about this book can best be summed up by a quote from the prologue:
“I make art, sometimes I make true art, and sometimes it fills the empty places in my life.”
This little novel was truly a work of art, silly, scary, and beautiful all at the same time. This has to be the most charming book I’ve ever read that’s been categorized as a “horror novel”.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse and Death

Moderate: Suicide

Minor: Infidelity and Sexual content