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    Thalia Book Club: Neil Gaiman: The Ocean at the End of the Lane
    Thalia Book Club: Neil Gaiman: The Ocean at the End of the Lane
    Thalia Book Club: Neil Gaiman: The Ocean at the End of the Lane
    Audiobook1 hour

    Thalia Book Club: Neil Gaiman: The Ocean at the End of the Lane

    Written by Neil Gaiman

    Narrated by Erin Morgenstern

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    The superstar author makes a stop on his last official book tour to read from and discuss his first adult novel in eight years. In conversation with Erin Morgenstern (The Night Circus).
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherSymphony Space
    Release dateJun 19, 2013
    ISBN9781467664318
    Thalia Book Club: Neil Gaiman: The Ocean at the End of the Lane
    Author

    Neil Gaiman

    Neil Gaiman is the celebrated author of books, graphic novels, short stories, films, and television for readers of all ages. Some of his most notable titles include the highly lauded #1 New York Times bestseller Norse Mythology; the groundbreaking and award-winning Sandman comic series; The Graveyard Book (the first book ever to win both the Newbery and Carnegie Medals); American Gods, winner of many awards and recently adapted into the Emmy-nominated Starz TV series (the second season slated to air in 2019); The Ocean at the End of the Lane, which was the UK’s National Book Award 2013 Book of the Year. Good Omens, which he wrote with Terry Pratchett a very long time ago (but not quite as long ago as Don’t Panic) and for which Gaiman wrote the screenplay, will air on Amazon and the BBC in 2019. Author photo by Beowulf Sheehan

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    Reviews for Thalia Book Club

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    • 4/5
      Read for a book club - really glad I did, because I probably wouldn’t have picked it up on my own! It’s not the type of book I usually read, which makes me like it more. The old world magic/paranormal elements were easy to accept as I read, and I got sucked into the story so much I had to finish it the same day I started. I had previously read Coraline, before it was a graphic novel and movie, and enjoyed it, but never read any more Gaiman. Now I think I’ll be seeking out more of his books.
    • 2/5
      This is not an audiobook of the novel. It is a lecture and discussion.
    • 4/5
      The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
      182 pages

      ★★★★

      Neil Gaiman has never disappointed. His books are always so full of wonder and imagination. This book is no different. What started out as a short story for the author quickly turned into a novel. But I still wished it has been longer. Gaiman is such a wonderful writer that I could read his words for much longer than 182 pages. On the flipside, the shortness if the book ensured that there was never a chance for a dull moment – one gets to the point right away. I really loved the characters in this book. The bad and creepy characters were…really creepy. And I adored the Hempstock family, I can’t imagine who wouldn’t. Overall, a great read. Full of fantasy and beauty.
    • 4/5
      I read this in one sitting. As I predicted, Gaiman's words of imagination awed me.
    • 5/5
      Up until reading this book, the word "fantasy" to me conjured up images of King Arthur, "The Chronicles of Narnia," "The Dark is Rising," and "The Black Cauldron." These works have something in common: good and evil are clearly defined, and there is a quest for one to vanquish the other, which the reader can always sense that it inevitably will. Gaiman's "The Ocean at the End of the Lane" turned everything I thought I knew about fantasy on its head. There is no hero's quest per se, but a great mystery that the reader and main character keep trying to unravel together. You can never tell exactly where this book is going to go or whether it will even end well, building in a level of suspense that makes this like no other fantasy I have ever read. Aside from "Coraline," this book was my first dip into the wide waters of Gaiman's writing, but I am certain that I have now been swept into their ocean.
    • 2/5
      This may be an unpopular opinion, but I was severely underwhelmed by this book. The basic story itself is good: A middle-aged man returns to his hometown for a funeral and finds himself sitting at the edge of a pond remembering the life of his seven year old self. The ideas of sacrifice and memory and growing up are interesting enough. There was just too much unnecessary magic for me. The beginning and the end were quite good, as were some of the in-between parts. But there were whole chunks where the magic was drawn out to unnecessary lengths. There is a touch of magical realism here, of course, but it's not good magical realism. It's fantasy purely for fantasy's sake.
    • 5/5
      A truly wonderful book. Captures the fancy and imagination of childhood.
    • 1/5
      UGH. I SWEAR I read the blurb... what the heck was THIS BOOK!?!?!? (and yet, I had to finish it)

      I thought it was about a guy who goes back to his childhood hometown (for a funeral) and sits by the "ocean that was really only a pond" that he remembers from when he was 7...

      and then there were monsters and worms being pulled out of holes in feet and multiple planets in the sky and wormholes and evil housekeepers and shadowy hunger birds... I DIDN'T SIGN UP FOR THIS!! lol

      So yes, I read it, but it's not really my genre- so no, I didn't like it.
    • 3/5
      I don't know how to review this. Skimming other people's reviews there's a lot of debate over whether it's adult/young adult fiction (haven't seen anyone advocating for "new adult", or whatever the term is -- that is one genre it certainly isn't, even saying that as someone in my mid-twenties), or about the length. Or people just enthuse (or don't). It's certainly a very quick read. As for who it's suitable for -- there's a quote somewhere in it about myths, about how they're stories that just are. "I liked myths. They weren't adult stories and they weren't children's stories. They were better than that. They just were." That's how this felt to me.It certainly has points best appreciated by different audiences. I don't know if Diana Wynne Jones was alive to read it in any form, but she would have been an ideal reader for it, I think. There's something on the mythic level that would appeal to a child (at least one like the narrator, which I think I was -- certainly you could say of me that "I lived in books more than I lived anywhere else"). And there's an adult level, about memory, and forgetting, and nostalgia for childhood. Some of which I think Gaiman is very wise about. For example...:I do not miss childhood, but I do miss the way I took pleasure in small things, even as greater things crumbled. I could not control the world I was in, could not walk away from the things or people or moments that hurt, but I took joy in the things that made me happy.A lot of people think they miss childhood, but they're looking back at a utopian fantasy. But here Gaiman's narrator (which people to some extent seem to identify with him himself) is picking out something about childhood that we really do lose: the ability to live in the moment. Or at least, he gets nearer the heart of it than many people do.Despite that, just as a story... I don't know how much I enjoyed this. I suspect I'm the wrong age for it, in a way. I'm still a bookish kid at heart in enough ways that I appreciated the mythic aspects, but I think the adult aspects, the question of memory... I think that'll be more meaningful when I'm older. If it helps to pin down my reaction, I will certainly read this again someday. Right now I do resonate with the brief image we get of the narrator at twenty-four, uncertain and unhappy, searching for reassurance.The mythic aspect of Gaiman's world is fascinating: ultimately unknowable, somehow, even as it focuses on mundane things like broken child's toys and mending clothes. That leaves you with little to get hold of -- and, as with many things about this book, I'm ambivalent about that, too.
    • 5/5
      Yes, the moment captured me and just wanted more. I felt a freedom. Inspirational.
    • 4/5
      This book was weird and fascinating. I went into it knowing absolutely nothing and I was pleasantly surprised. It was fantasy but in a such an odd way that it felt like it could be real. Gaiman obviously has a very unique voice.

      I think I just need time to process it a bit more. I don't exactly know what to say.
    • 2/5
      It was an enjoyable read, and the story moved at a decent clip, but I felt the characters and the story were underdeveloped. The supernatural elements were jarring and overdone at times, and only seemed to be there for shock value. I didn't take much away from reading this.
    • 5/5
      Read aloud with the family - went in blind purely on the author's reputation. It stands with any of his others as a modern classic.
    • 4/5
      Very interesting and quick. I liked that the story was filled with small amounts of mystery and magic. It was a little spooky but it ended well and kept my attention from start to finish.
    • 5/5
      Sometimes, the right book at the right time appears in your life. If you're lucky it opens or reopens those gaping soul wounds you're wrestling with and gives you the balm needed to heal.

      "You don't pass or fail at being a person, dear."

      Those words, on page 175 left me a sobbing mess this evening. The right words at the right time. I just really needed to hear that I'm not failing at life despite all other evidence. Thank you Mr Gaiman.

      So, how am I suppose to review this book? The small, beautiful book that I absolutely have to buy a copy of to refer to when needed? Do I quote the many quotes that struck me-marked by torn Post-It notes to copy down before returning the book to the library?

      This book isn't a full blown adult novel like American Gods. It's closer to The Graveyard Book in size and scope. This one is deeper-in essence it looks like a pond but it's really an ocean.

      I feel blessed to have read this. I am not going to gush and I'm not going to implore you to pick this up. It simply is the right book at the right time for me. And I'm going to just bask in the glow for a bit.
    • 5/5
      A precious recording . Definitely worth your time to listen.
    • 4/5
      The book was quick, but I think got the point across: what seems ridiculous as adults is believable as we are children, and - to put it eloquently - sometimes we forget that we forget. I did like the small details and the focus on the narrator's memory. It's amazing what we remember as children (and what we forget). However, as some have pointed out, the ending wasn't fully explained and I thought it was a proper way to end the story. Even though we don't know why Lettie gave herself up like she did, I think that she had her reasons and it just felt right for the story. This was my first time reading Gaiman, so I didn't know what to expect but I liked the book very much.
    • 4/5
      "a man revisits his childhood home, and the past comes flooding back."-------" narrator sits down and recalls the magical and traumatic events that befell his seven-year-old self."
    • 5/5
      A very unexpected story. If ever there was a book I was compelled to finish, this is the book. A lovely story. Reminder to me: the seven year old boy; the eleven year old girl who lived with her mother and grandmother on a farm. There was a duck pond called "the ocean".
    • 4/5
      Eccentric and beguiling – two of the characteristics that I could associate Neil Gaiman and this book with. Though this didn’t appeal to me as much because it typically belongs on the super young section, I still loved the story’s oddness; something I would give credit for.. Something that I have always been fascinated with.
    • 5/5
      I'd been wanting to read this book for a while and it did not disappoint. The main character is a 7-year old boy who tells the tale of one summer when he became entangled as the entry way to our world for evil forces. With the help a a grandmother, mother and daughter, all ageless, the evil forces are thwarted. There is a lot of mystery, fantasy, some horror and good story telling. I'd recommend to anyone and I think older teens would enjoy.
    • 4/5
      This book pulled me along as quickly as anything has since The Sisters Brothers. An adult fairy tale with one foot in childhood and another in contemporary horror, I felt true dread for the seven-year-old protagonist several times; he doesn't quite understand how horrible a mess he's gotten himself in sometimes, but with the perspective of age, we do.

      The Hempstocks, his neighbors down the lane, are a delight. They're just who you think they might be when they first appear, but also more. (I think Old Mrs. Hempstock may have been partly inspired by Galactus.)

      I enjoy the way Gaiman's supernatural world doesn't lean too hard on the mythology of olden times, but rhymes with it. That way we get to experience the world of this book fresh, just as the protagonist does.

    • 4/5
      Brilliant, as always.
    • 2/5
      This book just didn't have the same charm as his other works. Forgettable.
    • 4/5
      A man recalls the horrific summer of his seventh year, and the magical sacrifice that saved him. Absorbing and chilling read.A man returns to a country lane where he lived forty years ago, and begins to remember a trauma he suffered when he was seven years old. The family's tenant, a gregarious South African opal miner, has committed suicide because he lost all of his money gambling, including that of his investors. This death awakens something old as time, an entity that desires nothing more than to take over this world and shape it to its own needs. Unfortunately for our narrator, it has used him to enter this world, and begins its takeover by using his family to terrorize him. Fortunately for our narrator, the Hempstock family down the lane has taken him under their protective wing. Through their quirky, creative, and VERY old magic, the three women face down this ancient entity and protect their young charge.Gaiman's dedication said: "For Amanda, who wanted to know." It seemed to me as I read this book that elements of some of his other books, mainly Coraline, seeped into the story. The parents, at first loving, turn into something "other" and the father becomes downright sinister. I'm realizing that in some ways, Gaiman's stories are a lot like Roald Dahl's: full of adults who are at the very least negligent of their children, and at the worst, verging on homicidal. Children are left to fend for themselves, using their own strength and wits. It was almost a relief that there were adults in this book that were fiercely protective, and didn't witter on about helping or staying out of the family's business. I wondered as I read it, "Was some of this plucked from his own experience, hence the dedication? If so, wow."I read this book really quickly, it was that absorbing. I love the way Gaiman writes. Somehow he creates fully-realized worlds without flowery prose. I could see the country lane and smell the surrounding fields of grass. I could picture the ramshackle, but tidy, Hempstock home, and feel the weight of the world fall from our narrator's shoulders the moment he entered it. There were a couple rather adult scenes in it, so I would not give it to anyone under late-teens, though it was a lot like Coraline or The Graveyard Book in tone.
    • 4/5
      ?Grown-ups don't look like grown-ups on the inside either. Outside, they're big and thoughtless and they always know what they're doing. Inside, they look just like they always have. Like they did when they were your age. Truth is, there aren't any grown-ups. Not one, in the whole wide world.?

      Magical and so very memorable. I enjoyed every second of it.

      The Ocean at the End of the Lane was such a breath of fresh air. This book is a testament to how stand-alones should be written. 181 pages and I can honestly tell you the book didn't need a single page more.

      Neil Gaiman's writing style is so beautifully unique and powerful. He brings his words to life in a way that no author can.

      The only problem I had with this book though is the fact that the magical aspect of it tended to be somewhat confusing at times. To this moment I'm still unsure of what actually happened - I don't know if that's only me or if it's just the way the book was written. However, it was still enjoyable and I more or less kept up with the main plot.

      This will most definitely not be my last Neil Gaiman book. Really looking forward to reading his other books, especially American Gods .

    • 5/5
      The magic memories of childhood
    • 5/5
      Over the years I've decided that I enjoy scary or creepy stories but I'm not a huge fan of the "horror" genre for books or movies because they often end up having too much gore, violence, sex, profanity or other "R rated" content that I'm not just a fan of. As such, I've stopped reading a handful of books that otherwise seemed to have a very cool premise. Sadly, one author who's been set down frequently has been Neil Gaiman...and yet, some of his books have been absolute favorites. I've come to the conclusion that I'm a fan of Gaiman's children or YA books or else his shorter stories (which seem to be less graphic). Anyway, I read a lot of great reviews about The Ocean at the End of the Lane and so I gave it a try...and I've very glad I did. As I read the book, I tried to categorize the book in terms of audience or style and found that it teetered on the edge between categorizations. The book focuses on an adult male protagonist returning to his old hometown for a funeral and coming to terms with some strange occurrences of his youth. With the main story arc taking place in his youth, it seemed a good candidate for that "YA" categorization. But in terms of what's become the stereotypical themes and tone of contemporary YA, this book leaned more towards an adult novel. It had some darker, heavier themes beyond the simple "coming of age" teenage story or the standard teenage adventure novel. At the same time it did have some youthful elements that could almost appeal to older children. While a bit heavy for young children, the story does explore themes of children having to deal with the "bad" elements in the world such as death or unkind/hateful people in ways similar to Gaiman's popular children's novel Coraline. I felt like some of the scenes in Ocean are a bit scarier than those in Coraline so I'd bump it up to a Middle Grader or higher age rating but otherwise I feel like the book is good for all ages. As with Gaiman's other works, the concepts are fun and intriguing while still feeling familiar. He pulls on threads of tried-and-true themes and concepts to expose them in unique ways that feel fresh and interesting. I love the development of our unnamed protagonist as he works through the strange events in his life, especially after meeting young Lettie Hempstock. The characters and the environment felt very real and vibrant and I would love to learn more about them all. I really loved the unique fantastic elements that come about through the events of the story. They felt very based in old folklore and campfire stories...creepy and off kilter enough to know they're fantasy, yet vivid enough to allow for that spark of belief that they might just be real. There are a lot of great ideas and wonderful imagery that I'd love to share but I don't want to spoil the surprises and the enjoyment of encountering them on your own so I will just suggest that you take the time to pick this book up and give it a read. It's fairly short so you can read it quickly. If you're easily unsettled, read it during daylight and be sure to keep the lights on. It's not so scary that you'll be haunted (at least I don't think so), but the themes and tones will stick in your mind and leave you thinking about the light and dark things in the world all around us. ***** 4.5 out of 5 stars
    • 5/5
      I really loved this. It was very quirky and easy to read. In a way, it reminded me of "The Little Prince". I would for sure recommend this book.
    • 5/5
      This was my first time reading Gaiman, and this novella was really wonderful. I've added several more of his books to my To Read list. Recommended.