The Ocean at the End of the Lane: A Review

Several years ago I read my first Neil Gaiman book.  It was a little story called "Stardust".  The movie was coming out and I thought it looked pretty cool so, seeing as it was based on a novel by a guy the comic book industry thought was akin to a god, I thought I'd read it before I saw it.

"Stardust" was, in no uncertain terms, breathtaking. Simply.  Right away, I was in awe of Gaiman's ability to put his fantasy world directly into our world and thus make it that much more accessible for his reader.  For Pete's sake, he gives you directions from London to the town of Wall (the town at the center of the plot) and to the gate in the wall that leads to Faerie (where the story takes place).  I had never read something like that before and it struck a strong chord in me, one that has kept me coming back ever since.

This ability to inundate reality with fantasy is on full display in Mr. Gaiman's new novel, "The Ocean a the End of the Lane".  The difference here is that this novel is firmly based in our very real world with all of it's brutality and heartbreak, and the fantasy serves as more of a support structure than the primary setting.

I have a tough time talking about "Ocean".  On the surface, it is a story about a childhood innocence and the conflict between a boy and his super-natural nanny, but in reality, there is so much more happening.  It's about relationships: between mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, children and adults, boys and girls, and (most importantly, in my opinion) fathers and sons.  The depth of these relationships are fathomless.  It's almost shocking how well developed each relationship is in the book when you consider how short the novel actually is (about 128 pages).

Despite the simple sounding description I gave above, the novel delves into some very adult, serious issues.  Gaiman dives into the topics of adultery, isolation, and abuse freely and demonstrates an ability to handle each subject honestly and brutally but with much respect so as not to be offensive when using graphic imagery.

"Ocean" is a short read, which is good, because there is a lot there and you will want to read it again to make sure you have it all.  I would recommend "The Ocean at the End of the Lane" to any fan of dark fantasy or anyone who has every felt alone, isolated, abused or unloved.  It will reassure you that you are not alone and that there are people out there who love you.