Book Review- The Ocean at the End of the Lane

[bedsitter23]

The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I read a review that called Gaiman the Ray Bradbury of this generation. That really struck me. From points artistic and commercial, it's hard to think of a better fitting analogy. Granted, I am old enough that I still think of Gaiman as a Comic Book Guy.

He does really have a magical power in writing fantastical works. I have not done the best job of keeping up with Gaiman's bibliography, though I am closer to the end than the start.

This book was a hit so I don't have anything new to add. Clearly, Gaiman is a master story teller and although this is a pretty simple story, when Gaiman tells it, you hang on every word.

There is a bit of disappointment in that this is a full book price when it falls short of 200 pages (Library borrowing notwithstanding). I can't fault that as Gaiman said it started as a short story and he knew it needed to be a novella.

Even, to a certain extent, I think he went 20 pages overlong.

I will give it four stars which is no slight on Gaiman. It was incredibly readable and a story that will stick with me probably longer and further than most fiction. Perhaps I don't fully appreciate it's beautiful simplicity, but I hesitate on the five star distinction knowing what Gaiman is capable of.



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