Reviews tagging 'Blood'

The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

15 reviews

bookthief404's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional mysterious sad tense 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

Creepy, dark, thrilling, addicting. 
I loved how the whole thing was written from the perspective of a small child. I enjoyed realising what was really going on, despite only being told of the events through a child's language. 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

franzys_whip's review

Go to review page

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective relaxing tense fast-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? It's complicated

5.0


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

renettereads's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

“Lettie shrugged. ‘Nobody looks like what they really are on the inside. You don’t. I don’t. People are much more complicated than that. It’s true of everybody.” 

A man finds himself unexpectedly drawn back to his childhood home and the Hempstock farm at the end of the lane. Once there, he starts to recall a thrilling incident filled with magic and mystery.

This book was my surprising five-star read of 2022. I found it mysterious and ambiguous in the best way in that this entire boy’s world is being turned upside down, and he’s struggling to comprehend it all, and it only felt right that we felt the same reading this story. Though it’s dark, eerie and melancholy almost throughout, there’s a measure of cosiness that reminded me of something like The Witches. I loved the fairytale elements, and Gaiman’s writing, as always, is minimal but expertly done to deliver punchy prose that conjures up the most beautiful imagery. 

It’s a book I can see myself going back to over and over again because, despite the fact that I didn’t grow up in England as a boy, there was such a sense of nostalgia. Being that age, scared of everything and struggling to separate adults from bad deeds. I loved the sense of survival in this book, and the Hempstock family absolutely stole my heart. 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

smallish_bird's review

Go to review page

emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This book aches from warmth and pain in equal measure. Reading it, I felt like I was a kid again; it's full of love and hope and fear and loss.  

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

oliverreeds's review

Go to review page

medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

batcaves's review

Go to review page

emotional sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

remytherat's review

Go to review page

adventurous emotional mysterious fast-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? It's complicated

4.75

I think it's best to read this knowing nothing at all going in. It's filled with all the magic Gaiman is good at writing, and the characters come to life, just as they do in all his works. The horror elements are fantastic as well, of course. 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

enabditouri_'s review

Go to review page

challenging mysterious tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

aheartofsunflower's review

Go to review page

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

wiktoria88's review

Go to review page

adventurous dark mysterious reflective sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.25


Expand filter menu Content Warnings