A review by startjpw23
The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

adventurous dark emotional inspiring mysterious sad tense medium-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

4.0

At the beginning of this book, the main character is in the town where he grew up to attend a funeral. In his grief, he is driving around town before going to the funeral parlor. He drives to a local farmhouse. He is welcomed by an elderly woman from the farmhouse. This visit brings back memories of a period of time when he was seven years old that he had forgotten. The farmhouse kind of abuts a different dimension where there is a realm with some amazing creatures. A woman starts to work as a nanny for the boy's family. The boy dislikes her immediately. The rest of the family loves her. She menaces the boy. She isn't what she seems. The remainder of the story is the boy fighting back against the nanny. He is helped by the grandmother, mother, and daughter at the farm. They have special powers. There are some fantastical creatures. The book is told in the first person by the boy. I thought he really sounded like a seven-year-old boy. Not an adult trying to sound young. Neither the boy nor his family members are ever names. There were a lot of scary tense moments. I really liked the book. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings