Book Review: "The Ocean at the End of the Lane" (N. Gaiman)

- by V.L. Locey, 28 June 2013

TrashMutant.com is once again joined by our friend and guest contributor, author V.L. Locey! Sit back, relax, and let Vicki tell you all about Neil Gaiman's latest book!

Oh my goodness, Neil Gaiman does it again. I never doubted that this book would be another wonderful journey into a land of whimsy and fantasy. I mean, it's Gaiman, right? I have yet to read anything by him that didn't sweep me off my feet and take me to a place of glorious fictional delight.

The Ocean at the End of the Lane is a wonderful, magical account of magic, childhood memories, and the rich tang of salt water. We start off with a nameless middle-aged man returning to his home town for a funeral. He stops to visit the farm at the end of the lane, which is where he begins to remember some curious and amazing events from when he was seven.

Neil Gaiman has an amazing gift for being able to make us remember what it was like to be a child, and how much we forget as adults.

In this book our leading lad meets a threesome of females that may be older than the universe itself. I adored Lettie, her mother, and grandmother. Although this book is touted as being for adults, it feels more like some of his other YA novels: The Graveyard Book or Coraline, and less like American Gods. But that's okay! Really it is! Some of Gaiman's YA work is scarier than his adult work, at least in my humble opinion. When you read about Ursula, the hunger birds, and what happened with the young boy's foot, you'll see what I mean.

I did have one gripe, and that was the cost. I know it`s Neil Gaiman, but $24.99 for a novella of only 175 pages is pretty darned steep! Maybe if it were a full-length novel I wouldn't have cringed so badly when told the price. Well, yeah, I would have, but I would have at least had a nice fat book in my hands, and not a skinny little novella. Aside from the price gouge this book is a grand read, steeped with sadness, sweetness, and joy. A definite five star journey that I hope everyone takes at least once.

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V.L. is a self-published and conventionally published author. Her self-published works are the "Gods & Goats" trilogy, a romantic comedy series revolving around Greek gods, rural lifestyles, and a widowed goatherder. I know, but it works, trust me. She is also a proud Torquere Press author with several projects contracted.

She can be found on Facebook, Twitter & Goodreads.


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Tagged: books, Reviews.

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