The Ocean at the End of the Lane

"A novel about the truths- some wonderful, some terrible- that children know and adults do not."

-Time Magazine

What the actual fuck does that mean? Time Magazine, you didn't read this book. You just read that it was by Gaiman, made up some fanciful bullshit that sounds like it could be from a Gaiman book, wiped your hands, and tipped the fuck out the door.

I've seen a lot of mixed reviews about this book, and I'll be honest, I've only barely dipped my -gorgeously amazing- toe into Gaiman's work, and found him a wee bit dull previously. Except while reading Anansi Boy's, which I found ridonkulously dull. So I wasn't expecting much walking into this little gem.

That's right Sam, no more Anansi Boys

Well, I shit you not, I was pleasantly surprised! So much of this book is nostalgia. So much childhood. Although I was never a little boy. Or British...whatevs. Don't judge. The story was not at all what I was expecting, ...though I couldn't tell you exactly what that was. Although the story begins with our main character as a boring ass middle aged man, the majority of the story is a memory from when he was a 7-year-old boy. The boy, whose name we never actually learn, meets up with a slightly older, slightly odder, girl who lives at the end of the Lane, Lettie.

Turns out that Lettie, and her mother, and grandmother, are some sort of witches. Old world witches. Witches from across the ocean. The ocean at the end of the lane...it all comes together! No, that has nothing to do with anything. What the fuck am I talking about?

Anywhoo...as always, I'm not going to tell you everything that happens, but here's a bit of a taste:
floating rag monsters, a woman named Ursula, monoxide poisoning, crazy shadow birds, cats everywhere, fairy circles, awesome ending. This is a great read for one of those days where you have dick-all to do, and you just want to relax, and you can read this amazing little shit in one sitting! This is probably the best book to use as an introduction to Gaiman's work for somebody who wouldn't generally read his type of fiction because it is such and easy and engaging read. So read it, stupid! 4 Fucks!

The Ocean at the End of the Lane
Neil Gaiman
Published June 18th, 2013 by William Morrow Books
178 Pages