Burnaby North Library

The following two articles were written by K and B, members of North’s Bibliophile blog. They couldn’t decide who enjoyed Neil Gaiman’s book more so they both submitted a review. Thanks K and B! You can also check out more Bibliophile articles here. 

Lettie’s Ocean

Are you a fan of fantasy books? Perhaps you seek the thrill of an adventure, or wonder of the magic that could be masked behind our daily-lives?

If so, say no more. In Neil Gaiman’s newest novel, “The Ocean at the End of the Lane”, readers are exposed to the past of a boy’s life that appears ordinary at first glance, but grows into something much more mythical as otherworldly beings rise to threaten his life and the world’s existence.

The story follows a middle-aged man who finds himself returning to the site of his old house, in which he had spent memorable years of his childhood in. With time to spare, he decides to take a spin around to survey the area. What catches his attention is an old farmhouse around the corner.

This farm, he vaguely remembers, belonged to an old childhood friend.

As he ponders about her, old memories return to him, of a time when he was just a young boy, when his life seemed dull yet mellow. It was the presence and death of an opal miner, a towering man with a weakened disposition that would lead him to meet such a girl. That girl, she was wise beyond her years. She was strong, standing steadfast against the face of danger. She was caring, vowing that she would keep him safe. She was Lettie, the one and only.

I enjoyed this book most of all on account of how lovable the characters were. There is also the mystery of the pond, which Lettie insists is an ocean, but that is up to the reader to determine. While reading this novel, it brought me back to my own childhood, where I would stay up at night just to finish a good old fantasy book.

If you’re looking for fantasy, but want something that fits your reading level, try this one for size. It’s a rather quick read and gets more and more interesting as you progress through it.

Are you a fan of fantasy books? Perhaps you seek the thrill of an adventure, or wonder of the magic that could be masked behind our daily-lives?

If so, say no more. In Neil Gaiman’s newest novel, “The Ocean at the End of the Lane”, readers are exposed to the past of a boy’s life that appears ordinary at first glance, but grows into something much more mythical as otherworldly beings rise to threaten his life and the world’s existence.

The story follows a middle-aged man who finds himself returning to the site of his old house, in which he had spent memorable years of his childhood in. With time to spare, he decides to take a spin around to survey the area. What catches his attention is an old farmhouse around the corner.

This farm, he vaguely remembers, belonged to an old childhood friend.

As he ponders about her, old memories return to him, of a time when he was just a young boy, when his life seemed dull yet mellow. It was the presence and death of an opal miner, a towering man with a weakened disposition that would lead him to meet such a girl. That girl, she was wise beyond her years. She was strong, standing steadfast against the face of danger. She was caring, vowing that she would keep him safe. She was Lettie, the one and only.

I enjoyed this book most of all on account of how lovable the characters were. There is also the mystery of the pond, which Lettie insists is an ocean, but that is up to the reader to determine. While reading this novel, it brought me back to my own childhood, where I would stay up at night just to finish a good old fantasy book.

If you’re looking for fantasy, but want something that fits your reading level, try this one for size. It’s a rather quick read and gets more and more interesting as you progress through it.

There is a clear reason why The Ocean at the End of the Lane was praised as one of Time Magazine’s best books of the year for 2013.  Impeccably written, Neil Gaiman introduces us to the fragility of childhood and the adversities one must overcome at a young age.

The Ocean at the End of the Lane is one of Neil Gaiman’s most emotionally uplifting books to date.

The story begins with a middle-aged man who drives nonchalantly back to his childhood home to attend a funeral.  He has not returned in years. Immediately, he is drawn to his vaguely familiar surroundings–there is a farm to the right which belonged to the Hempstocks, and a secluded pond at the end of the lane.  It is here that the unnamed man has a sudden epiphany about a friendly girl named, Lettie Hempstock, and that she commonly referred to the pond as her “ocean”.

A flood of past memories soon wash over him, and the man retrospectively recounts his childhood as a young boy with explicit details.  He has an abusive father, a vexatious sister, and a dreadfully scary sitter, Ursula Monkton, who looms over his every move and daily activities. What is possibly most unique about The Ocean at the End of the Lane is that it is not afraid to stray away from realism.  The Hempstocks can be referred to as seemingly mystical introverts who use “magic” to shine light against the persistent dark creatures who try to overtake the world.

Ursula Monkton, being one of these creatures, somehow emerges into the real world and tries to make the young boy as miserable as possible.  Taking on eerily various forms, she stalks the boy and randomly appears out of nowhere to detract him from his slivers of happiness.  His loyal friend, Lettie Hempstock, is one of the only characters who understands and provides him genuine kindness during difficult situations.  Lettie serves as his companion through the dark and cruel things the young boy bears witness to, and helps to overcome these challenges.

As absurd as the fantasy aspect of the book sounds, it reveals a great deal of the human condition–how childhood memories inevitably shape our lives and remain with us forever. Every struggle and adversity of a child who vies to find his purpose in life is reflected in one of Neil Gaiman’s most fascinating reads to date.

It takes readers back to their own childhood and how we have coped with our personal fears and uneasiness.  This is must-read for everyone interested in the struggles and vulnerability of a child and the emotional feelings associated with it.  While not a fairly lengthy book, it has a lasting impact which is likely to stay vivid in reader’s memories for years to come.

Source image: http://s831.photobucket.com/user/8ftmusic/media/afp/blog/20130618/ocean3d_zpsd0cb2935.png.html.