The Ocean at the End of the Lane

So, I love Neil Gaiman. Though I wish I could say I have been reading him for years, in truth it probably has only been three maybe four. I started off reading his Sandman series of comics. Right away I was hooked, and a few short weeks later, I owned all the issues of the graphic novels. I right away went into the extra graphic novel one offs about Death (Who I happen to adore. I never knew death would be so cute and fun.) and into several others that I could get ordered in. I then went into the books. I read through his adult books, but still couldn't get enough so I started buying the teen's books, and the children's books.

So of course you could say I was looking forward to his next book. When I purchased The Ocean at the End of the Lane, I was in the middle of reading three other books. So I set it on my desk and let it wait until I was ready to read it. Weeks past and I found myself piling stuff on top of the book. I still wanted to finish the books I was reading, but every time I was in the bookstore, I saw the book and wanted to read it. So I finally broke down and opened the book.

Before I go into the book, I want to go over why it took me weeks to finish any book. The three books I was reading were very different, one was a fiction book by Brent Weeks (By the way, I would recommend to everyone to read his Night Angel trilogy. Very good, but be warned, some parts are rather brutal but still worth reading every bit.) I didn't want to stop reading it because I have already put it on the back shelf several times. Then I was reading two other books inspired by God and Christian life. It was hard enough to find time to read these around work and WoW.

Anyways, I opened the book and started reading. It was a week night, but I didn't have to get up early for work, so I kept reading. Three in the morning comes around I found I wasn't tired but I should go to sleep anyways. At this point I was between a third and a half of the way through. Then the next night, I didn't care I had to get up, I read until I finished.

My very first thought when I was done: "My that simply a delightful book." Most of the time, I tend to relate myself to the characters of the book, but I didn't this time (Even though it was in first person.) I just let myself be absorbed by the book. I didn't want it to end.

The strange little girl Lettie was my favorite character. How she said obscure things as matter of fact, and her maturity (for who knew how long she had been eleven) made me smile every time she came onto the page.

I found something very connecting in the book. It didn't feel so much like a book to me, but more of a recollection of my childhood. Now, I sadly did not have an ocean at the end of my road. But I had a fortress on top of a small building. I didn't know secrets of the universe, but I knew secrets of the Ways of the Ninja. The whole time I read, I felt like it was my memories. I wasn't the characters, but I was reading about a life that could have been my own, in a different time. I really felt happy while I read.

I do not want to give the story away, so if you are at all interested, go pick up a copy and read the dust jacket. Do not set the book down, but instead walk right up to the cashier and hand him or her your money or card. After doing so, take the newly purchased book back home and sit down and read. It is not a long book. I was actually really surprised how small it was. But it was just the right size because the world inside was much bigger than you could guess.

As always, Thanks for reading.




Picture is from neilgaiman.com