The Ocean at the End of the Lane

Contributed by Eli, gr. 12, November 2018

This is one of my favorite books I’ve read in the past few months. Of the several Neil Gaiman novels I’ve read, I’d say that this is his best work, and I know I’ll be thinking about it for a long time. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys magical and whimsical stories. It as it feels like a modern folktale. Set in 1960s England, it follows a young boy caught up in an ominous series of events who finds a safe place in the farm belonging to his unusual neighbors.

I appreciated that this novel is not written for a specific age group. Although it deals with important themes and maintains an intense atmosphere, I think that a high school student can love it just as much as an adult, if not more. It’s not very long but features vivid and unique descriptions, the endearing characters of the neighbors, and a villain who’s alternately outright violent and quietly menacing. However, I did find some sections overly detailed and therefore less engrossing than others. Readers of fantasy books might also be frustrated that there’s no concrete set of rules or explanation of how the magic works.

I suggest the novel for people who are not used to adult fantasy but want to explore it, people who prefer to read about friendship (as opposed to romance), and people who like magical stories set in the real world. This book does contain elements of horror, death, an affair, and strained parent-child relationships, so I would keep that in mind if you decide to read it.