Neil Gaiman is mostly known for his wonderfully dark, Stephen Kingesq children’s novels, but he does dip his quill into the realm of adult fiction and it’s just as atmospheric and haunting. In his current novel, The Ocean at the End of the Lane, he delves into an adults’ recollection of his childhood. The narrator is a seven year old boy whose name we never learn, while reading the book I didn’t notice the absence of a name, it wasn’t until I finished that I went looking; maybe I missed it. Obviously this was deliberate and I wondered whether Gaiman was either trying to say it was insignificant or, more likely, that the character was unsure who he was.
Through a magically symbolic story, Gaiman explores how our memories of our childhood are perceived differently as an adult and how we are affected by them. The blend of fantasy and realism had me wondering if the boy’s imagination created an unreal world so he could deal with the real problems of his father’s infidelity and a family where he didn’t quite fit.
What I enjoyed most about this novel was Gaiman’s attention to the details of a child’s relationship and observations to the world around him and his interactions with his family. This excerpt shows his ability to capture a world through a child’s eye:
“Adults follow paths. Children explore. Adults are content to walk the same way, hundreds of times or thousands; perhaps it never occurs to adults to step off the paths, to creep beneath rhododendrons, to find the spaces between fences”
bookgirl 
Sorry if the original post had the title incorrect. I noticed after I hit publish and quickly edited, but not quick enough 😦
Great quote, although I think perhaps adults can see the same things differently every day, which is why they’re content to walk the same paths. Less exhausting perhaps but just as lateral, in a different way.
So many people have recommended this book to me. I will have to read it.
Cheers
MTM
Yes, maybe its the fear of the unexpected that we don’t stray from the path anymore. Yes do read it,and thanks for the comment 🙂
A pleasure 😉
This is such a beautiful description of the power of this story. I think Gaiman is often at his best when he is exploring that terrifying, sad, wonderful boundary between childhood and adulthood. I’ve always loved some of his quieter observations and I really enjoyed how you described them here. Thanks!
Thanks Cat, his writing is quite voyeuristic and there was talk that this one was semi-autobiographical, if this is true it hold some extra meaning on his observations. Thanks again for your lovely comment.
That makes a lot of sense if the material is coming from a place of semi-autobiography. There is some rawness with this story in particular that would easily be explained by the true emotion that it was rooted in.
Thank you for adding that insight!
Agreed 🙂
I’ve had this book on my “to read” list since I heard it was coming out. Perhaps it’s time to get my hands on a copy. 🙂
If your “must read” list is anything like mine -long, then any help moving books up in order is welcomed. That said, I recommend you read this one soon, and it’s short, which is always tempting.
Never having read anything of Gaiman’s before, I recently read one of his short stories Down to a Sunless Sea and was blown away by it. Perhaps this would be a good one to try next…
I think you’d love this one, I’m still thinking about it.
I don’t know the writer at all, but I write haunting adult stories too. Anyhow, I’ll read more from your (Bookgirl) web site soon.
you’ll have to check him out. 🙂