The ocean at the end of the lane book discussion

I hated neil gaimans the ocean at the end of the lane right up until i fell in love with it. Jun 18, 20 the ocean at the end of the lane, published by william morrow, is renowned writer neil gaimans first adult novel since 2005one many fans and critics have been eager to read for quite a while. A stirring, terrifying, and elegiac fable as delicate as a butterflys wing and as menacing as a knife in the dark. The narrator of the ocean at the end of the lane starts his story with that feared disaster of childhood, the seventh birthday party to which no one. It would be easy to think of the hempstocks as the triple goddess. One of the underlying tenets of the book is the difference between childhood and adulthood.

This study guide consists of approximately 27 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of the ocean at the end of the lane. My favorite writing about the ocean at the end of the lane is the blog post by amanda. How does this relate to what he experiences when he returns. Analysis of the ocean at the end of the lane 927 words. Adult stories never made sense, says the narrator in neil gaimans novel the ocean at the end of the lane. It is a stirring, terrifying and elegiac fable as delicate as a butterflys wing and as menacing as a knife in the dark. A combination book discussion and puzzle solving event. The ocean at the end of the lane by neil gaiman neil gaimans latest, the ocean at the end of the lane, is the story of an artist who returns to his childhood home and recalls a magical struggle he was involved in as a young boy. The ocean at the end of the lane reading group choices. Reading guide for the ocean at the end of the lane by neil gaiman. It is a stirring, terrifying, and elegiac fable as delicate as a butterflys wing and as menacing as a knife in the dark.

Hes writing a prequel to his fanatically adored sandman comicbook series. Ive read a lot of neil gaiman american gods, sandman, and good omens, among. Jul 03, 20 the narrator of the ocean at the end of the lane is an adult, now placed outside the fierce world of the drama of the book. Jun 22, 2015 in the case of ocean at the end of the lane, its a book about helplessness. It captures the feel of growing up in the country really well, with common places made special and otherworldly simply by their location and a young imagination. Neil gaiman goodreads author topics about this book topics that mention this book.

The ocean at the end of the lane, is a straightforward book, that is easy to read but touches on deeper themes in a manner that an author like neil gaiman would attempt. Nov 12, 20 we announced a few weeks ago that wed be starting a pajiba book club on the site and that the first book up for discussion would be neil gaimans the ocean at the end of the lane. Like american gods, the book explores mythos and ancient mysteries and gaiman is in rare form with a subject matter that resounds with disconnects between our mature selves and our inner child. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. The ocean at the end of the lane hardcover book discussion. A site dedicated to book lovers providing a forum to discover and share commentary about the books and authors they enjoy. The ocean at the end of the lane summary supersummary.

This bewitching and harrowing tale of mystery and survival, and memory and magic, makes the impossible all too real a middleaged man returns to his childhood home to. Neil gaiman is at his best when he abandons his trademark fantasy for stark realism, writes edward docx. The ocean at the end of the lane by neil gaiman is a fantasy in the the graveyard book section of his cannon, with young adult elements but written for adults. The ocean at the end of the lane, written by neil gaiman, was awarded a national book award in 2014. Neil gaimans latest, the ocean at the end of the lane, is the story of an artist who returns to his childhood home and recalls a magical struggle.

How do you feel about what lettie did at the end of the flashback part of the book. I hated neil gaimans the ocean at the end of the lane. A groundbreaking work from a master, the ocean at the end of the lane is told with a rare understanding of all that makes us human, and shows the power of stories to reveal and shelter us from the darkness inside and out. The ocean at the end of the lane neil gaiman hardcover. Discussion the ocean at the end of the lane time to read. Its a book about family, its a book about being 7 in a world of people who are bigger than you, and more dangerous. The ocean at the end of the lane ny times goodreads the guardian book companion a brilliantly imaginative and poignant fairy tale from the modern master of wonder and terror, the ocean at the end of the lane is neil gaimans first new novel for adults since his. One of our discussion questions asked us why he was chosen for the adventures in this book. Discussion spoilers the ocean at the end of the lane by. Youll also find printable book club questions at the end of this post to bring to your meeting.

The ocean at the end of the lane is officially classified as an adult novelbut. Months ago i saw some books recommended in a thread from this sub and i decided to buy some on a whim. I remembered it before i turned the corner and saw it, in all its dilapidated redbrick glory. Reading through it, you can find hints of american gods in the timelessness of the three hempstock women, and you can see traces of coraline with the introduction of ursula monkton. At wpl youll find neil gaimans the ocean at the end of the lane in the adult fiction section. The book club click to join in the discussion about this month. How did i create this list of book club discussion questions. Jun 03, 2014 a groundbreaking work from a master, the ocean at the end of the lane is told with a rare understanding of all that makes us human, and shows the power of stories to reveal and shelter us from the darkness inside and out. The ocean at the end of the lane is a glorious work. I let my 9yearold read the ocean at the end of the lane.

The ocean at the end of the lane summary our narrator is a middleaged man who just attended a funeral for someone in his immediate family. Discussion questions the ocean at the end of the lane. The ocean at the end of the lane reading group choices book. This novel delves deep into a childhood story recalled from memory. Content includes books from bestselling, midlist and debut authors. It explains and discovers the life of a boy as he undergoes significant changes and realizations throughout his. Immediately download the the ocean at the end of the lane summary, chapterbychapter analysis, book notes, essays, quotes, character descriptions, lesson plans, and more everything you need for studying or teaching the ocean at the end of the lane. The ocean at the end of the lane will transfer to the duke of yorks theatre on 31st october. Syracuse book club message board discussion questions the ocean at the end of the lane. The ocean at the end of the lane, reddit you dont disappoint. Discuss a book while putting together jigsaw puzzles. The ocean at the end of the lane by by neil gaiman. What do you think the narrator means when he says, books were safer than other.

People are asserting that the churchs influence can be seen in a lot of ways in the ocean at the end of the lane. Ny times goodreads the guardian book companion a brilliantly imaginative and poignant fairy tale from. Neil gaiman answers top book club questions the ocean at the. Gaiman has won the huge, nebula and bran stoker book awards for his novels, and when the ocean at the end of the lane was released, it won was voted book of the year at the british national book awards. The ocean at the end of the lane by neil gaiman book club. The ocean at the end of the lane is a superbly written fantasy novel that has a great story line and will get turning the pages. Lettie takes the narrator outside and cuts a hazel wand. The ocean at the end of the lane by neil gaiman neil gaimans latest, the ocean at the end of the lane, is the story of an artist who returns to his childhood home and recalls a. Around the world discussion for the ocean at the end of the lane. The child is never named, but in recent interviews, the author admits that this child is very much like he was at that age.

The ocean at the end of the lane is a tale about a lonely bookish sevenyear old whose life takes a terrifying turn into a dark and creepy reality. It would be easy to think of the hempstocks as the triple goddess the maiden, the mother, and the crone of popular mythology. The ocean at the end of the lane won the 20 national book award in england and was a new. The ocean at the end of the lane by neil gaiman book. The ocean at the end of the lane join us for a friendly, informal discussion of the ocean at the end of the lane by neil gaiman. Analysis of the ocean at the end of the lane essay bartleby. The ocean at the end of the lane by neil gaiman the. Join us in july for our discussion of balzac and the little chinese seamstress by dai sijie. Or, answer a question and get a shoutout on on the next episode. The ocean at the end of the lane i remembered it before i turned the corner and saw it, in all its dilapidated redbrick glory.

The ocean at the end of the lane packs its punch not in the confrontations with dark, magical forces, but when gaiman grounds the story in character and emotion. Gaiman sweeps through this books action breathlessly, without pause for long explanations or justifications. His sole hope lies at the end of the lane, where the powerful. The ocean at the end of the lane by neil gaiman 3 stars.

The main character whose name we never learn goes to a spot from his childhood as an adult. Analysis of the ocean at the end of the lane 927 words 4 pages. The ocean at the end of the lane is officially classified as an adult novel but what arguments could be made for it being young adult literature. Gaiman is also famous for writing some pretty radical comics and graphic novels. It took me by surprise, although that was where the lane had always ended. The ocean at the end of the lane smart bitches, trashy books. It would be easy to think of the hempstocks as the triple goddess the maiden, the mother and the crone of popular mythology.

Just finished neil gaimans the ocean at the end of the lane. I tore through the book, and it was excellently written. The book won numerous awards including the 20 locus award and the 20 specsavers national book award for book of the year. Its a book about family, its a book about being 7 in a world of people who are bigger than you, and more dangerous, and stepping into territory that you dont entirely understand. If we were to remove the prologue and epilogue and therefore silence the adult voice, how would the story change. I let my 9yearold read the ocean at the end of the lane and other parenting confessions by sophie mcneill i would like to convince you that this was a oneoff parenting lapse. They made me feel like they were secrets, masonic, mythic secrets, to. Full text of the ocean at the end of the lane see other formats.

Jul 08, 20 the ocean at the end of the lane is a phenomenal book that focuses on the imagination and the creativity of children especially when faced with difficult situations. Tell us your thoughts on the ocean at the end of the lane by neil gaiman. Hes driving around the town where he grew up, because he wants to avoid the social niceties implicit in such an event, and finds himself drawn to the farm at the end of the lane where he once had a friend named lettie hempstock. Spoilers the ocean at the end of the lane i just finished neil gaimans new book, the ocean at the end of the lane, and im still not sure whether i liked it or not. Reading guide for the ocean at the end of the lane by neil gaiman discussion guide for book clubs.

New haven area bibliophiles message board discussion questions. The ocean at the end of the lane harpercollins publishers. Neil gaimans ocean at the end of the lane the new york times. Is it even important to distinguish between the two. He was attending a funeral but what else is occurring in his life. The ocean at the end of the lane tickets neil gaimans.

Get the book here or listen to it for free with an audible trial. The work was first published on 18 june 20 through william morrow and company and follows an unnamed man who returns to his hometown for a funeral and remembers events that began forty years earlier. The ocean at the end of the lane neil gaiman i loved retreating into the comfort of this book, like our young, unnamed hero in the ocean at the end of the lane often does. The ocean at the end of the lane by neil gaiman kirkus. It explains and discovers the life of a boy as he undergoes significant changes and realizations throughout his life. The ocean at the end of the lane by neil gaiman southfield public. The ocean at the end of the lane 20, a magical realism novel by neil gaiman, focuses on a middleaged man who remembers horrific events from his past after attending a funeral near his childhood home. There are a lot of book clubs posting questions for this book none from the publisher. Nov 16, 2015 people are asserting that the churchs influence can be seen in a lot of ways in the ocean at the end of the lane. Our narrator is a middleaged man who just attended a funeral for someone in his immediate family. The ocean at the end of the lane chapters 4 7 summary.

Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the ocean at the end of the lane. Neil gaiman answers top book club questions the ocean at. The ocean at the end of the lane, like coraline and like the graveyard book, has a young central character a resourceful and determined child who finds his world transfigured by terror and. A dear friend, whose taste in books and audiobooks i trust completely, recommended that i listen to gaimans narration of his novel. In the case of ocean at the end of the lane, its a book about helplessness. This bewitching and harrowing tale of mystery and survival, and memory and magic, makes the impossible all too real.