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niennathebrave's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
A very tense feeling thriller where there's a great appeal to your imagination. I had shivers when reading certain parts and could not put it down. It's the second Gaiman book I've read and I noticed his writing is not always easy to follow, sometimes straight-up confusing. It was a very good story with loads of Alice-in-Winderland-ish vibes, though I did feel a little empty after finishing it.
gentlemanbeggar's review against another edition
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
kristenbooks's review against another edition
2.0
7.28.20 update: rating changed to 2.5/5. This book was ok/alright/meh.
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Edit 5/14/17: Over time, this book hasn't really impacted me or stuck with me, so I lowered the rating. Still a unique read, just not one that has completely resonated with me personally.
I have yet to decide on a rating out of 10, but this gets a very solid 4/5 stars from me. I think it's going to fall somewhere around 8.5/10 but I'm not entirely sure. This was a very unique and entrancing story. I think this is a book that you should go into without knowing too much about it... partially because I think it's a rather hard story to describe to someone who hasn't experienced it.
I mentioned in a status update while reading this that it felt like a mashup of a "No Sleep" (or creepypasta) story, and a children's book. That might sound like a really odd combination of genres, but it worked extremely well. I read [b:Through the Woods|18659623|Through the Woods|Emily Carroll|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1414845473l/18659623._SX50_.jpg|26477611] last year around this time, and was not a fan because the stories seemed like creepypasta that I'd read before and/or that had underwhelming endings. I felt like The Ocean at the End of the Lane did this style much better.
I definitely didn't find this as "weird" as a lot of people seem to find it. Sure, it's a little difficult to explain to people who haven't read it, but I'd say that this book is more quirky than weird. And this is where the children's story aspect comes into it. In children's stories, odd things can happen without too much explanation, but when this happens to us as adults, it throws us off.
Despite the fact that there were some rather scary moments, I found the book rather endearing and even heartwarming at times. Seriously though, this is an incredibly unique and creative read, and I'd definitely recommend for people to check it out.
Side note: I listened to the audiobook, and that was really great. Neil Gaiman reads his own audiobooks and his voice is really great for the story, especially when he does character voices.
---------
Edit 5/14/17: Over time, this book hasn't really impacted me or stuck with me, so I lowered the rating. Still a unique read, just not one that has completely resonated with me personally.
I have yet to decide on a rating out of 10, but this gets a very solid 4/5 stars from me. I think it's going to fall somewhere around 8.5/10 but I'm not entirely sure. This was a very unique and entrancing story. I think this is a book that you should go into without knowing too much about it... partially because I think it's a rather hard story to describe to someone who hasn't experienced it.
I mentioned in a status update while reading this that it felt like a mashup of a "No Sleep" (or creepypasta) story, and a children's book. That might sound like a really odd combination of genres, but it worked extremely well. I read [b:Through the Woods|18659623|Through the Woods|Emily Carroll|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1414845473l/18659623._SX50_.jpg|26477611] last year around this time, and was not a fan because the stories seemed like creepypasta that I'd read before and/or that had underwhelming endings. I felt like The Ocean at the End of the Lane did this style much better.
I definitely didn't find this as "weird" as a lot of people seem to find it. Sure, it's a little difficult to explain to people who haven't read it, but I'd say that this book is more quirky than weird. And this is where the children's story aspect comes into it. In children's stories, odd things can happen without too much explanation, but when this happens to us as adults, it throws us off.
Despite the fact that there were some rather scary moments, I found the book rather endearing and even heartwarming at times. Seriously though, this is an incredibly unique and creative read, and I'd definitely recommend for people to check it out.
Side note: I listened to the audiobook, and that was really great. Neil Gaiman reads his own audiobooks and his voice is really great for the story, especially when he does character voices.
fallonr's review against another edition
It’s a very short book and I was assuming it would be beauty writing and have themes of growth and learning about yourself and the meaning of life and it was just a sad dark weird story that was basically fantasy ??? In 195 pages? No thanks. Weirdest book ever
charlotted2982's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
asm349's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
shailydc's review against another edition
2.0
I didn't know this book was fantasy-themed when I picked it up; I just wasn't interested in the story and skimmed through portions towards the end.
dakotamclane's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I’ve not read a Gaiman book I haven’t liked and this was no exception. It didn’t quite capture my attention like some others, hence why it took my so long to get thru, but I did enjoy the ride. I had no idea what I was really getting into when I first started it (it was a tandem read suggestion from a friend), so I wasn’t expecting the mild horror aspect of it. Main character, not my fav, but I adore the Hempstock women.