The Ocean at the End of the Lane

This post first published June 22, 2014.

Author: Neil Gaiman
First Published: June 2013
Publisher: William Morrow Books
181 pages (hardcover)
 
For whatever reason, I have been coming across Neil Gaiman’s name a lot lately (probably read it in some articles dealing with Hachette and Amazon or whatever). When I saw this book at the bookstore, I recognized his name. It sounded like a fantasy-esque novel and I’m a big fan of fantasy … so that’s how I ended up reading this book.

As someone who has never read a Neil Gaiman book in my life, let me just say this wasn’t fantasy — well, not really. Definitely magical though. It’s kind of hard to describe the story. Okay, I admit, it’s sort of fantasy, but not it is also definitely not your usual flavor of fantasy. The story reminds me a lot of something that Studio Ghibli would create (Studio Ghibli is a Japanese animation studio that created such classics as My Neighbour Totoro, Spirited Away and Howl’s Moving Castle). If you’ve ever watched a Studio Ghibli film, then you’ll probably understand what I mean when I say the fantasy in this novel is a lot like a childhood story that is “darker” somehow, and very dream like, like you’re not sure where the line between real and not-real is.

The story centers around a nameless seven year old boy. The time is the 1970’s (I think). The boy lives with his mom, his dad and his sister, in a large house that is sometimes rented out to passersby and other miscellaneous people. The boy has no real friends and spends much of his time engrossed reading books. One day, he makes friends with an 11 year old girl named Lettie Hempstock who lives at the farmhouse at the end of the lane. She says she’s 11 but shies away from answering the boy’s question of how long she has been 11. Lettie also insists the pond at their farmhouse is an ocean, and that she and her mother and grandmother sailed across this ocean from the old country to where they are now a long, long time ago. So, some things are already not what they seem to be.

Some strange things and dreams have been happening to the boy and Lettie lets him know she knows what is happening. She takes him across the farm to what seems to be a completely different world. There, they encounter (in the boy’s opinion) some frightening things. During their trip, the boy lets go of Lettie’s hand, which she explicitly told him not to do. When the boy returns home, back in his own world, his mother introduces him to the new babysitter/nanny, and the boy knows that there is something terribly off about this woman, something scary and demon-like about her. The rest of the story primarily dealt with banishing this babysitter/nanny, back to where she came from.

I know I just made it seem like the plot is crystal clear, but believe me when I say the story isn’t that clear-cut and there aren’t straight forward motives. I admit, sometimes I got confused with what was going on, especially since there is such a dream-like quality with this story. However, I found myself rather enjoying this book despite that, staying up till the wee hours of the day to read just one more chapter. I think what I liked about this book is one of the messages of the story, which was packaged together nicely in a quote that I can’t find right now, but basically, that there is really no difference between adults and children. Adults may act like they are in control all the time and know what they’re doing, but inside, they are the same as they always have been, the same as when they were children. And it made me miss being a child.

Another great quote I fell in love with was, “Did I pass?” …. “You don’t pass or fail at being a person, dear.” Like every person on the planet, we have all had our own difficulties and challenges to embrace while growing up, transitioning from child to ‘adult’, and this quote made me feel … relieved. Like, despite it all, no one can truly judge you and decide your worthiness as a person.

My only ‘complaint’ about this novel was that it was so short, and yet the hardcover price is ridiculously high. I mean, I know hardcover books are expensive but come on, this book doesn’t even break 200 pages and yet costs just as much as my hardcover books that are 300-400 pages.  (No, this is not the reason why I am giving this 4/5 stars). Anyway, I’m interested in reading more of Neil Gaiman’s books in the future. I didn’t realize he wrote Stardust and Coraline (which are movies, I believe?) so maybe I will start with those, who knows?

My Rating: 4/5