Review: The Ocean at the End of the Lane

My husband is a huge Neil Gaiman fan, so when I asked for recommendations for a short novel, he recommended The Ocean at the End of the Lane. And goddammit if I didn’t resent him for it afterwards.

I’m kidding, of course, but I didn’t get this story too well. That’s not to say that I didn’t understand it – unlike The Night Circus, I did know what was going on – I just didn’t like it. There was this thread of the fantastical woven through it that I did like, but for the most part, I was eagerly watching the percentage completed get higher and higher on my Kindle Paperwhite until I reached the end of this book.

I’m still not opposed to reading another Neil Gaiman book. I’ll give him another chance, as he is one of the authors people are supposed to like, but if the second book (which will likely be Anansi Boys) doesn’t show promise, that will be the end of my adventure with Gaiman.

Did I miss something here? Someone tell me I’m wrong. I want to be wrong. I want to like Neil Gaiman and his books. I don’t really recommend The Ocean at the End of the Lane (probably in large part because I often forget I ever read it, in the same vein as The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue), but if you like children’s books that are magical and weird, this one is for you.

Dates read: September 2-3, 2021