The Ocean at the End of the Lane -- Neil Gaiman

Short version?

If the books of Ray Bradbury had an affair with the books of Diana Wynne Jones, the resulting lovechild would very probably look something like The Ocean at the End of the Lane.

After that, I don't know if there's a whole lot to say.

So here's the slightly-less short version:

There is terror and there is trust, there is betrayal and there is sacrifice, mistakes are made and stands are taken. It's quiet and strange, and it very definitely won't be for everyone—some readers won't like the strangeness, and others will find the plot extremely slight—but it worked for me. The whole story could have been told in, like, five pages, sure... but it's less about the plot and more about the undercurrents of emotion.

It also felt, to me, like a celebration of women, because—apart from the narrator's mother—the book is filled with larger-than-life female personalities: his sister, Ursula Monkton, and the Hempstocks. And speaking of the Hempstocks... they are a child, a mother, and a grandmother; they are three, but they are also (maybe?) one. They made me think of the Fates, of course, but they also made me think of Madeleine L'Engle's Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who, and Mrs. Which.

It's the story of events that happened during the narrator's childhood—he channels the rawness of the emotions of his seven-year-old self; he describes certain adult events in a way that conveys his lack of understanding about the details of what's going on, but also makes it clear that, in his gut, he understands the wrongness of what is going on—and, across the board, his understanding and descriptions of his experiences comes across as childlike, but never twee. And note that I said childLIKE, not childISH. There's a difference.

Anyway, I liked it. A lot. But I totally understand why some of my patrons have brought it back saying, "WHAAAAAAAAAAA?"

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Author page.

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Amazon.

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Book source: Borrowed from my library.

Comments

[Sarah O'Keefe]

Hmmm. So I did *NOT* particularly like Neverwhere (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/14497.Neverwhere?ac=1) and am wondering whether I should give this one a try given the hype.

Thoughts??

[Chrissy]

I did not particularly like Neverwhere, Anansi Boys, or American Gods (I have no idea, Neil Gaiman is very hit or miss for me and I can't articulate why) but this was wonderful. This was one of those books that made me go "This is a Storyteller's words", which is different to me than just saying someone's a writer.

[dangermom]

I just got it. Gonna have to read it now!

[Beth]

Hmmmm. Honestly I haven't liked any other novel he's written. But I'll give this one a shot - how I could I not, after DWJ, Bradbury, AND L'Engle mentions all in the review?!

[Christa @ More Than Just Magic]

I liked this one a lot - but not as much as his other books. The characters were great as was the writing but it all felt very short and neatly wrapped up. Oh well - I guess you can't have it all everytime