The Ocean at the end of the lane: Book review

 


Book review

 

Title: The Ocean at the End of the Lane

Author: Neil Gaiman

Genre: Horror/Fantasy

 

Set in Sussex, England, The Ocean at the end of the lane chronicles the story of a middle aged man who returns to his childhood home to attend a funeral. He visits the farm along the lane where he met and acquainted himself with an extraordinary girl named Lennie, her mother and grandmother. When he sits by the pool which Lennie used to call the ocean, he takes a trip down memory lane when he was a seven year old boy. 

 

His past comprises of an evil housekeeper, a man who committed suicide in a stolen car, being brutally punished by his dad and encounters with strange creatures. These bizarre happenings are dark and scary. Lennie’s ability to come to his rescue was the only saving grace. 

 

Narrated in first person from the point of view of the protagonist, the readers stay close to the character of the little boy throughout. Through his eyes, we are  transported to the setting of the eerie and desolated countryside, outlandish occurrences,  a world where people are complicated and not what they appear to be. But not everyone is necessarily evil.  

 

The author also gives a glimpse into the elements of human power and capabilities. The strength of the human mind has the ability to empower or destroy or shelter one from the dark forces. The narrator’s rapport with Lennie is one of the most endearing factors in the book. Another thing that will resonate with the readers is the aspect of being reminiscent of your childhood days and moments.

 

The Ocean at the end of the lane is an interesting read. Magical, haunting and stirring, it delves deep into the human psyche and powers.

-- 

 

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

100 meters : Movie Review

Image
Watched this inspiring Spanish film over the weekend on Netflix!  100 meters is a based on a true story of a man named Ramon who is diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. He is told that he will be able to even walk 100 meters in the next one year. Determined to prove this wrong, he takes up the challenge of doing the grueling Ironman race which involves 2.4 miles swimming, 112 miles biking and 26.2 miles running.  With the help of his father in law with whom he initially shares a shaky relationship with, he begins to train relentlessly. Ramon faces challenges on the way and is almost pushed to the brink of being bed ridden. He overcomes every hurdle with grit and a positive frame of mind. It remains to be seen if he actually finishes the race.  This movie struck a chord in many ways. A triathlon is not just a race-its a humbling journey which alters your life forever. The training period is especially a challenging one as it demands a lot out of you. The film showcases the importance of f
Read more

The Chennai resistance

Image
-By Swetha Amit http://content.msn.co.in/MSNContribute/Story.aspx?PageID=3cd78548-4240-47c3-a608-8432df372190 Mentality of a Chennaite is something that never fails to amaze me and other people of different cities. This city has a rich cultural heritage and people indeed try their best to preserve it as much as possible. However in spite of globalization descending upon them, with BPOs lurking at every corner, with the Burgers and pizzas invading their eateries, the typical chennaite will go by his time tested staple food. Times have changed, and Chennai itself is now invaded by population from other cities not only in India but form the world, thanks to the IT boom and the automobile hub centre that it has become. One can see the metamorphosis almost everywhere; old buildings have given way to modern architecture, arterial roads choked to the brim with modern vehicles, individual bungalows replaced by the apartments. Only the age old temples have withstood this onslaught, but they too
Read more

My friend Ganesha: Friendship with God

Image
-By Swetha Amit http://content.msn.co.in/MSNContribute/Story.aspx?PageID=b7ab149a-5f35-4861-8859-6a890ddb71fe Loneliness often propels one to longingly seek a friend. Times like these often push us into a solitary stance or we find our solace in the road to spirituality striking an unspoken friendship with God. My friend Ganesha is one such film which depicts this divine friendship between a child and the elephant faced God and takes you down the mythological lane. The movie revolves around a family consisting of Ashu, his parents, aunt and the maid Gangubhai who places her sincere devotion in Lord Ganapathy. Ashu is a lonely child devoid of any friends and to top it all he is bullied by his counterparts at every given opportunity. To make matters worse, his parents who are caught up with the corporate lifestyles hardly spend time with him. One day he ends up saving a little mouse from the harsh rains. On sharing this with the maid, leaves her enthralled enough to tell him of being the
Read more