A review by clovewinter
The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective 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? Yes

4.5

This was such a fever dream, and a bit different than the rest of Gaiman's works. I had to constantly re-check whether it was actually by Neil. This was, firstly, genuinely scary - the tension was so anxiety-stricken. Secondly, this book discusses the helpnessless we've all felt as children, and is an important discourse for how we all put the idea of adulthood on a pedestal, only to be disappointed or unsatisfied with our lives. We're all children, some of us just have to pretend not to be. This was so good, and I'm genuinely sad that I've to depart from the story.