Review of 'The Ocean at the End of the Lane: A Novel' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
Šiurpulingas gėris.
297 pages
Spanish language
Published April 7, 2014 by Rocabolsillo.
Neil Gaiman: El océano al final del camino (Spanish language, 2014, Rocabolsillo)
- ISBN:
- 978-84-15729-57-0
- OCLC Number:
- 899742191
Copied ISBN!
4 stars
(5 reviews)
Hace cuarenta años, cuando nuestro narrador contaba apenas siete, el hombre que alquilaba la habitación sobrante en la casa familiar se suicido dentro del coche de su padre, un acontecimiento que provoco que antiguos poderes dormidos cobraran vida y que criaturas de más alla de este mundo se liberaran. El horror, la amenaza, se congregan a partir de entonces para destruir a la familia del protagonista. Su única defensa la constituiran las tres mujeres que viven en la granja desvencijada al final del camino. La más joven de ellas, Lettie, afirma que el estanque es, en realidad, un oceano. La mayor dice que recuerda el Big Bang.
It began for our narrator forty years ago when the family lodger stole their car and committed suicide in it, stirring up ancient powers best left undisturbed. Dark creatures from beyond the world are on the loose, and it will take everything our …
Hace cuarenta años, cuando nuestro narrador contaba apenas siete, el hombre que alquilaba la habitación sobrante en la casa familiar se suicido dentro del coche de su padre, un acontecimiento que provoco que antiguos poderes dormidos cobraran vida y que criaturas de más alla de este mundo se liberaran. El horror, la amenaza, se congregan a partir de entonces para destruir a la familia del protagonista. Su única defensa la constituiran las tres mujeres que viven en la granja desvencijada al final del camino. La más joven de ellas, Lettie, afirma que el estanque es, en realidad, un oceano. La mayor dice que recuerda el Big Bang.
It began for our narrator forty years ago when the family lodger stole their car and committed suicide in it, stirring up ancient powers best left undisturbed. Dark creatures from beyond the world are on the loose, and it will take everything our narrator has just to stay alive: there is primal horror here, and menace unleashed - within his family and from the forces that have gathered to destroy it. His only defense is three women, on a farm at the end of the lane. The youngest of them claims that her duckpond is ocean. The oldest can remember the Big Bang.
Short and mostly sweet
4 stars
I guess it is long for a novella, but short for a novel. That means there is not a lot of room to build up characters. The protagonist is a bookish but uncomplicated boy but e.g. the parents are mostly ciphers.
It's an engaging story, I finished it in a few sessions, something I don't do very often these days. It feel very English, and very Rural, which isn't what I remember of Gaiman. It doesn't really break any new ground, but it well crafted, and the setting is more completely related than the characters.
It does have some scenes that would probably give sensitive souls (and children) nightmares.
Thom reviewed The Ocean at the End of the Lane: A Novel by Neil Gaiman
Review of 'The Ocean at the End of the Lane: A Novel' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
A man drives aimlessly away from a funeral, lost in his own thoughts, and rediscovers one amazing fortnight from his childhood. Neil Gaiman builds a wonderful world of myth and legend and all for one story, quickly read but probably never forgotten.
Though the protagonist is 7 and the strongest female character 11, this book is squarely aimed at adults, especially those who may feel they've lost their way. I would recommend this book to just about everyone I know. As a special treat, the audio book version is read by the author. I look forward to tackling American Gods soon.
Subjects
- Supervivencia
- Magic
- Memoria
- Mujeres
- Survival
- Bien y mal
- Fiction
- Boys
- Memory
- Ficción
- Women
- Magia
- Muchachos
- Good and evil