The Ocean at the End of the Lane

Neil Gaiman

Summary:

It began for our narrator forty years ago when the family lodger stole their car and committed suicide in it, stirring up ancient powers best left undisturbed. Dark creatures from beyond this world are on the loose, and it will take everything our narrator has just to stay alive: there is primal horror here, and menace unleashed – within his family and from the forces that have gathered to destroy it.

His only defence is three women, on a farm at the end of the lane. The youngest of them claims that her duckpond is an ocean. The oldest can remember the Big Bang.

In One Word: Mysterious

Plot:

I must be honest, I didn’t get everything in this story, I kept feeling like there was something I’m missing. That doesn’t mean, however, that I didn’t like it. It reads almost like the strange nightmare of a little kid: you don’t understand it, but while you’re reading it it makes sense in a weird way. I loved the way it was written, it’s easy to read and creates a dark mood that sucks you into the story, almost unwillingly.

Characters:

Definitely one of the strong points of this book is its characters. They’re strange and original and I don’t think it will be easy to forget most of them. I liked the main character (whose name the reader isn't told), but he wasn’t the best character in my opinion. I preferred the three Hempstock women, Lettie especially. They’re magical and mysterious, yet they feel comfortable and safe at the same time, which is a weird combination. I would’ve liked a little more clarity about the narrator’s parents, but his memories of them seemed almost hazy to me, which wasn’t very realistic since they play a huge part in his life.

Who should read this:

12+, mainly for some mild sexual content and scary imagery. If you’re looking for something different, short and easy to read I’d definitely suggest this. However, if you’re looking for a simple, happy or light read then this might not be the one for you.

My rating:

I really liked the overall feel of this book, the dark tone and atmosphere that Gaiman brings to life sucked me in and made really hard to put down. I didn’t really get what was happening when I started reading, mainly because I knew nothing about this story, and didn’t know what to expect. 4/5

Quote:

Lettie shrugged. “Nobody actually looks like what they really are on the inside. You don’t. I don’t. People are much more complicated than that. It’s true of everybody.