The Ocean at the End of the Lane in Shut Up & Read

Jul 15, 2016 Carrie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: asked-or-received-for-review, book-tours, fantasy

How does one review a piece of literature that grabs on to you can connects with you with out spoiling the experience for others?

Neil Gaiman is nothing but a pure brilliance each time I read something he has written or hear of some thing he has said I am nothing but drawn and in awe. The Ocean at the End of the Lane is just another example of how amazing this mans mind is.

The story takes places mainly as a string of memory, the point of view of a man who needing sometime for himself after a fun ...more

9 likes · Like · see review

Mar 27, 2013 Jessica rated it really liked it

Shelves: young-adult, almost-read, fantasy

It is a pleasure to see a writer improve his craft over the course of his career. My first Neil Gaiman novel was Neverwhere, and I did not find myself impressed. I wasn't truly struck by his writing until I picked up The Graveyard Book, and then American Gods shortly thereafter. The Ocean at the End of the Lane continues the trend.

To my mind, Gaiman writes modern fairy tales. His stories may be fantastical, but they work because of their firm rooting in reality. This book is more easily accessib ...more

2 likes · Like · see review

Nov 19, 2019 Cooper rated it it was amazing

As always, I'm never disappointed by Neil Gaiman.

This time we're dealing with a middle-aged man's memories of a childhood summer and paranormal events that happened. He recounts this summer he spent with his best friend Lettie, her mother, and her grandmother. I love how Mr. Gaiman creates worlds where only children can see. The creature that is released into our world through a wormhold it created in the foot of "Handsome George". The main characters name is never reveled but he is referred to ...more

Like · see review

Dec 04, 2013 Renuka rated it really liked it

Shelves: young-adult, paranormal, fantasy, magic, e-book, reviewed, what-just-happened, horror, disturbing, bittersweet

Actual rating: 3.5

Man I heard wonderful things about this book. I heard amazing things about all of Neil Gaiman books in general. But I felt like it let me down a little. Don't get me wrong, it was a haunting story, but it was a little random. I think the power is more in the way the story was told.

It was very chilling and creepy. Told from the view of a seven year old, we are missing a lot of information. Things look big and scary. Adults seem all powerful. I connected with the kid easily. He Actual rating: 3.5

Man I heard wonderful things about this book. I heard amazing things about all of Neil Gaiman books in general. But I felt like it let me down a little. Don't get me wrong, it was a haunting story, but it was a little random. I think the power is more in the way the story was told.

It was very chilling and creepy. Told from the view of a seven year old, we are missing a lot of information. Things look big and scary. Adults seem all powerful. I connected with the kid easily. He's scared, shy, and loves books. But the story was also hindered a little, because we are never given many explanations. The child doesn't know much and he is never really told much. He just witnesses the reality. Things are always confused, and they stay muddled. Fleas and varmints, the Hempstocks, the Ocean, and the Universe are all just some things we encounter. But I never really, fully understood their origin.

I guess it was a lot of pretty settings and moods, but not much more. The language and the messages told, were both really beautiful and surreal, even if the story itself was arbitrary. He created a mystical environment in less that 200 pages. It takes some authors three books to get the feeling of the story perfect. His characters were also very bright and clear. The boy, the Hempstocks, Ursula Monkton; they were all very powerful characters and had a lot of impact.

And the one thing I can say with distinction is that, this book contrasted the adult world and the child's world perfectly. It was easy to see that adults are not as infallible as they pretend to be. Children can often perceive more than is believed and they understand things very differently from adults. It reminded me to make sure that adults should also keep a bit of the children they are. Not to grow up to fast. It's also about making sure we appreciate the sacrifices people make for us, and to live our lives accepting that others helped us to get there.

I think that I am very pleased that this book was my first Neil Gaiman story. I got a feel for the fantasy that he writes. It was also very short and strangely pretty, but it was missing some clarifying points. It looped on, adding more supernatural elements, and I guess I was left wanting a little more background. Actually, I was left...feeling a little unsettled and discontented. But maybe that's the point. ...more

Like · see review

Jan 29, 2013 Chompa rated it it was amazing

A great story. There are parts that creeped me out and parts that made me very happy. As discussed in my book club, this story is about perspective. Primarily that of a young boy. Children can perceive things that adults can not. And can view them perhaps with more honesty and less through a filter of experience.

I highly recommend this book.

Like · see review