The Ocean at the End of the Lane

Have you ever completely left the room you were sitting in while reading? That's exactly what happened to me when I picked up this short novel by Neil Gaiman. A few hours passed, and next thing I knew I had finished it, and it was getting dark outside.

I know I'm not the only one who gets that feeling of sadness when a great read is over— there's even a phrase for it: book hangover. Ending in just 178 pages, this is a novel that I wish were at least twice as long! Still, somehow Neil managed to pack an entire reality into this book.

The story is told in the first person, narrated by a man who is never directly named. Only a reference to a nickname in the beginning "Handsome George" gives us an idea that George must be his name.

George is returning to his hometown after 40 years to attend a funeral, when he finds himself driving off towards his childhood home.

Shifting reality subtly at first, Gaiman takes you into the world any of us would recognize, and rips away the boundaries.

The main character beings to recall long forgotten memories, plunging the reader into a vibrant string of flashbacks. We are introduced to Lettie Hempstock and her eccentric family, before being taken off on a wild ride!

Lettie lived with her family at the end of the lane that George grew up on, yet somehow he didn't remember her until returning home. Like a faucet, his reunion with the neighborhood he grew up in pours recollections forth.

As I got reacquainted with Lettie through the eyes of the main character, I couldn't help but to feel that her family had a very "Wrinkle in Time" vibe to them.

Lettie lives with her mother and grandmother, and the three of them speak much like Mrs. Which, Who, and Whatsit from the popular novel by Madeline L' Engle. Their quirky character traits are a refreshing introduction into the plot after a difficult start.

It's established pretty early on that George didn't have the coolest childhood. Starting off with some gut punches, we learn about the life of seven-year-old George before he met Lettie Hempstock. As they become friends, it almost feels as if the atmosphere comes to life.

Virtually seamlessly, Gaiman takes us to a hidden world woven within our own. Our narrator walks us through the memories of his childhood in a way that pulls you in, recounting a walk in the woods that changed his life. I seriously could not set this book down!

It's hard to say much about the plot of a book that is so short without spoilers, so I'll just say that I highly recommend this read!

From this review on the back cover, I can see that others have gotten lost in this story as well.

It's no surprise! The characters are animated, the plot is full of stunning twists, and the villain is one that leaves an impression after you close the covers. As soon as I set it down, I knew I would re-read it someday.

The ending left me at a loss for words, it was positively brilliant!

Book Goals

With two small kids, it can be difficult to get most things done in one go. Even washing dishes is something I do in bursts, so for entertainment I need something incremental.

This led to a really bad habit... Tik Tok. I realized on Halloween that I had been spending a few hours a day sometimes on there. Yet, I had only read a handful of books in the last months. As a writer, one of the most important things to do is read.

I decided right then that I would read 200 books by the following Halloween. So, I've been going to the library and loading up on books every week or so. I try to get a few classic novels each time to help expand my literary exposure. Old school Tik Tok!

This was my haul last time I went!


As I was picking my last few books, my two-year-old son began to get cranky. This led to me throwing a few things in my basket willy nilly. One of which was Reasons Not to Worry, the title made me laugh. With a quick scan I saw it was a sort of ode to stoic thinkers. Why not?

I was excited to bring home A Tale of Two Cities, it's epic opening line is so well known that I'm actually surprised I haven't read it yet. Currently I'm struggling through Sense and Sensibility... I don't think Jane Austen is my thing. I'm well on track for my goal to read 200 books in a year though!

With how many books I'm tearing through, I'm sure I'll be writing a fair few book reviews this year. I hope you enjoyed my take on The Ocean at the End of the Lane!

All photos are my own, header taken with a Canon EOS Rebel T100