REVIEW: THE OCEAN AT THE END OF THE LANE

Title: The Ocean at the End of the Lane

Author: Neil Gaiman

Published by: Harper Collins

Publication date: 2013

Edition: Paperback

Pages: 181

Genre: Adult fiction, Fantasy

I'll give you a very brief synopsis of this story because I really do think it's best to go into this blind. It's about a middle-aged man who returns to his hometown for a funeral and when he visits his childhood friend's farm, some of his memories from childhood return.  

Like I said, I went into this book not really knowing what it was about and knowing that there is a lot of hype surrounding it. I think it's best to go into this not knowing what it's about because the story immediately sucks you in. It's short enough that you can read it in one sitting which is what you'll want to do because the story is so captivating. 

Gaiman's imagery and his descriptive language makes for a very haunting read and it just feels like one of those books that I'll be thinking about months or years from now. It is a story of childhood fears, sacrifice, and family. There is such a spectrum of emotion in this book and I felt every single one of those emotions alongside our main character. There is so much magic and mystery and sadness and joy packed into this tiny book and it really left an impact on me as both a reader and as a (sort-of) adult. I feel like Gaiman crafted his own twisted fairytale or myth in this book that is really perfect for anyone who is an adult and wants to remember the joys and woes of childhood. This book is also an excellent transition from someone who reads a lot of YA and wants to get into more adult fiction as it's short and captivating and also has a child narrator. 

5/5