Adele Park's Review of The Ocean at the End of the Lane

Writer Neil Gaiman seems to be everywhere these days. Or maybe it's just that I've started to tune into his signal. Gaiman is certainly coming in loud and clear with the folks at ACX/Audible.com http://www.acx.com/. Curious as to why Gaiman is so highly acclaimed, I Googled his name. Much to my surprise, I discovered that I was already a fan of Gaiman's work and just didn't know it. Among other things, Gaiman wrote the books which later turned into the movies Coraline and Stardust http://www.neilgaiman.com/.

I recently listened to The Ocean at the End of the Lane on compact disc. To say I was enthralled would be an understatement. Not only is Gaiman a prolific writer, he's an awesome narrator! I'm not sure if Ocean is directed at adults or kids. Gaiman's work seems to speak to audiences of all ages http://www.amazon.com/The-Ocean-End-Lane-Novel/dp/0062255657.

Ocean is about a friendless, seven-year old bookworm who is never named in the story. The suicide of a boarder in his family's home sets in motion a set of mystical happenings which result in the boy befriending a young girl named Lettie Hempstock. Lettie is 11 years old, but seems wise beyond her years. Through Lettie, the boy is able to explore a strange world where even stranger things follow him back to everyday life. Lettie and the boy are left to battle forces which threaten to upend the whole world.

The Ocean at the End of the Lane is beautifully written, and I'll be the first to admit I'm totally gaga over Gaiman's British accent. Although I didn't always understand the significance of what was happening in the plot, the story moved along and kept me interested. Find out why fans are singing the praises of Neil Gaiman http://www.audible.com/search/ref=a_morecateg_tseft?advsearchKeywords=the+ocean+at+the+end+of+the+lane&filterby=field-keywords&sprefix=the+ocean+at+the.