Sign in with Facebook
emma's Reviews > The Ocean at the End of the Lane
The Ocean at the End of the Lane
by
by
emma's review
bookshelves: owned, non-ya, mystery-thriller-horror-etc, magical-realist-urban-whatever, fantasy, recommend, favorites-2018, reviewed, beautifully-written, 5-stars, to-reread
Dec 22, 2017
bookshelves: owned, non-ya, mystery-thriller-horror-etc, magical-realist-urban-whatever, fantasy, recommend, favorites-2018, reviewed, beautifully-written, 5-stars, to-reread
"I remember my own childhood vividly...I knew terrible things. But I knew I mustn’t let adults know I knew. It would scare them." -Maurice Sendak
Considering how obsessed we are with the idea of childhood as a culture, it’s pretty wild that no one can capture it quite like Neil Gaiman.
https://emmareadstoomuch.wordpress.co...
There are a lot of movies about boring white-straight-male aspiring writers in their 30s being taught how to LIVE WHIMSICALLY by a manic pixie dream girl. There are books about the beautiful wonder of a child’s perspective. There are millions and millions and millions of TV shows depicting the dramatic trials and tribulations of the high school experience (as lived by gorgeous twenty-three year olds).
But none of it feels true. Maybe only Neil Gaiman can remember what it’s like to be a child.
It is wondrous, and beautiful, and whimsical, and even dramatic. But it’s also dark and scary sometimes. Inexplicable things happen, and the world seems uncontrollable, which is magical and horrifying. That’s childhood.
That’s also this book.
The Ocean at the End of the Lane is actually terrifying.
It’s magical, but probably not in the way typically associated with fantasy novels narrated by children. It’s magical in the way that I felt the world was when I was a child. As it turns out, that’s much more magical. And much more amazing to read about.
This book is so, so short, and so devastatingly lovely. It’s beautifully written and emotional. It made me scared and it made my heart hurt and it made me smile.
I want to quote more of it, but really I want to quote everything. Maybe I’ll just excerpt ever-longer passages until I trick you into reading it?
So, better idea, just read it yourself.
Bottom line: It’s 181 pages. What would it hurt to read it read it read it read it read it?
-------------------------
pre-review
things this book has in common with the graveyard book:
a) by neil gaiman
b) first 5 star rating of the year
c) totally f*cking rad
review to come b
Considering how obsessed we are with the idea of childhood as a culture, it’s pretty wild that no one can capture it quite like Neil Gaiman.
https://emmareadstoomuch.wordpress.co...
There are a lot of movies about boring white-straight-male aspiring writers in their 30s being taught how to LIVE WHIMSICALLY by a manic pixie dream girl. There are books about the beautiful wonder of a child’s perspective. There are millions and millions and millions of TV shows depicting the dramatic trials and tribulations of the high school experience (as lived by gorgeous twenty-three year olds).
But none of it feels true. Maybe only Neil Gaiman can remember what it’s like to be a child.
It is wondrous, and beautiful, and whimsical, and even dramatic. But it’s also dark and scary sometimes. Inexplicable things happen, and the world seems uncontrollable, which is magical and horrifying. That’s childhood.
That’s also this book.
The Ocean at the End of the Lane is actually terrifying.
It’s magical, but probably not in the way typically associated with fantasy novels narrated by children. It’s magical in the way that I felt the world was when I was a child. As it turns out, that’s much more magical. And much more amazing to read about.
This book is so, so short, and so devastatingly lovely. It’s beautifully written and emotional. It made me scared and it made my heart hurt and it made me smile.
I want to quote more of it, but really I want to quote everything. Maybe I’ll just excerpt ever-longer passages until I trick you into reading it?
So, better idea, just read it yourself.
Bottom line: It’s 181 pages. What would it hurt to read it read it read it read it read it?
-------------------------
pre-review
things this book has in common with the graveyard book:
a) by neil gaiman
b) first 5 star rating of the year
c) totally f*cking rad
review to come b
Sign into Goodreads to see if any of your friends have read
The Ocean at the End of the Lane.
Sign In »
Quotes emma Liked
“I do not miss childhood, but I miss the way I took pleasure in small things, even as greater things crumbled. I could not control the world I was in, could not walk away from things or people or moments that hurt, but I took joy in the things that made me happy.”
― The Ocean at the End of the Lane
― The Ocean at the End of the Lane
Reading Progress
December 22, 2017
– Shelved
January 1, 2018
–
Started Reading
January 2, 2018
–
Finished Reading
Comments Showing 1-27 of 27 (27 new)
date
newest »
newest »
message 1:
by
Mary ~Ravager of Tomes~
(new)
Jan 02, 2018 04:05PM
I have high hopes for this one was the graveyard book is one of the only Gaiman reads I have throughly enjoyed!
reply
|
flag
Mary ~Ravager of Tomes~ wrote: "I have high hopes for this one was the graveyard book is one of the only Gaiman reads I have throughly enjoyed!"this is my...5th gaiman? third i've really enjoyed (along with coraline!!). was Not a fan of american gods
I truly love this book.
James wrote: "I truly love this book."it's wonderful
Neil is my favorite author and Ocean is my favorite thing he's ever written
You sold me Emma. Marking it to read right now 😊😂
I’m sold! Great review :)
OK, I am not much of a Gaiman fan, but I can give 180 pages to him.
Liene wrote: "Neil is my favorite author and Ocean is my favorite thing he's ever written"he's been holdin up pretty well for me from what i've read of his!!!
oliver wrote: "Oh my goodness this book is truly amazingly creepy!! Yes for Neil Gaiman because I’ve never been so creeped out by a book in my life!!"it's so creepygood!
Nina ✿ Looseleaf Reviews ✿ wrote: "I’m sold! Great review :)"Mary wrote: "You sold me Emma. Marking it to read right now 😊😂"
WOW i'm pleased as punch and my ego is as big as the moon
izawoodsman wrote: "OK, I am not much of a Gaiman fan, but I can give 180 pages to him."woohoo!!!
Carol ☀ Walking in Sunshine wrote: "Wonderful review!"thank you!!!!
Luvtoread wrote: "Terrific review emma"thank you sm!
Nice review, emma! Gaiman is one of my favorites author and I read all his most famous works. I don't remember all this story's details, but I remember the pleasure reading it and the sadness at the end. This man is a master storyteller!
Fantastic review, Emma! I read it last month and idk why I never got around to reading it before, even tho it's so short and written by a fave author of mine! I love this book so so much!!! T_T
Andrew wrote: "Nice review, emma! Gaiman is one of my favorites author and I read all his most famous works. I don't remember all this story's details, but I remember the pleasure reading it and the sadness at th..."Maliha Tabassum wrote: "Fantastic review, Emma! I read it last month and idk why I never got around to reading it before, even tho it's so short and written by a fave author of mine!
I love this book so so much!!! T_T"
thank you both!!! really want to reread this now
One of my favorite books of all time!!
Hannah wrote: "One of my favorite books of all time!!"such a good one!!!
I LOVED this book!
Brandon wrote: "I LOVED this book!"it's exceptional!
Your review inspired me to read this and I'm sooooo glad I did. Thanks for so eloquently explaining your thoughts, you have described it so well!
Awesome review. In my opinion The Ocean at the End Of The Lane” is the The Little Prince but for adults, if it explored areas in darker more sentimental places.
Zach wrote: "Awesome review. In my opinion The Ocean at the End Of The Lane” is the The Little Prince but for adults, if it explored areas in darker more sentimental places."i love both so makes sense to me!
Jodi wrote: "Your review inspired me to read this and I'm sooooo glad I did. Thanks for so eloquently explaining your thoughts, you have described it so well!"thank you so much!
