Book Review: The Ocean at the End of the Lane

I'm going to come clean - I have only ever read one book by Neil Gaiman prior to The Ocean at the End of the Lane. As a lover of the fantasy genre I realise how shocking this is, but I have been somewhat preoccupied with my paranormal romance for the last few years and when I was a teenager it was all chick lit and classics that I read. So, when I picked up Gaiman's new book my only point of reference was Stardust, which I thoroughly enjoyed, and a couple of episodes of Doctor Who (I know lots of people had issues with 'Nightmare in Silver' but I quite liked it).

I must admit the blurb on the inside flap did pique my curiosity. Everything was so vague - 'our narrator' (what's his name?), 'dark forces' (ooh, what are they?) - it made me want to start reading right away to discover what the heck this was all about. We never do actually learn what the name of the narrator is, which could have had an alienating effect, but actually didn't. In fact, I'd say that the anonymity of the narrator actually makes the narrative seem more real and immediate because you feel as if you are the narrator (barring, of course, the fact that I am not a seven-year-old boy). It adds a strangely personal feel to the whole book, which makes the events in it all the more potent.

The narrator may be recalling his childhood, but do not make the mistake of thinking this is a children's book. This is definitely an adult novel. Actually reading it while writing my dissertation and researching crossover fiction was a bit of a lucky coincidence because this book made me question the whole idea of adulthood and childhood. I think it's probably a standard trope in fiction by now, but seeing the events through a child's eyes you realise that children see things much more clearly than adults do. This novel does make you question the idea of reality and of memory - how much of what we recall from childhood is true and how much is fantasy constructed through snippets of memories? This is the question at the heart of The Ocean at the End of the Lane and it left me pondering my own memories of childhood.

"Everything whispered inside me. Everything spoke to everything, and I knew it all."

Gaiman's writing is subtle but effective. I was honestly terrified at certain points in this book. Ursula Monkton is quite possibly one of the scariest villains I've ever come across in fiction. Perhaps it was because we saw her through a child's eyes and children see horrors in much starker terms than adults do, but every time she appeared I shuddered with fear and revulsion. Without giving too much away, I have never been a big fan of birds, especially crows and their ilk, and after reading this book I like them even less. There is plenty in here to provide your imagination with fodder for nightmares! As well as being scary, the narrative has emotional heart too. The friendship between the narrator and Lettie Hempstock is both sweet and touching. The Hempstock women make a wonderful family unit and demonstrate that female characters in fantasy can be strong and resilient.

The Ocean at the End of the Lane is a mesmerizing tale, one that captures your imagination and sweeps you along. To be honest, I didn't think initially I was going to enjoy it, but as I kept reading on it started to enthrall me. Gaiman plays on the notion of imagination and fantasy in an expert way, and while the action is resolved, like our narrator, the conclusion leaves us with some unanswered questions. Far from leaving us unsatisfied, however, you are left with a sense of contentment, accepting that, much like in life, we will never hold all the answers. Truth is a hazy concept and each individual will have a different perception if what is true and what is false. In essence, this is a novel about fantasy itself. Neil Gaiman, you are something of a genius. I promise to find time to read the rest of your work now!

Book Review: Dreams & Tide, Books 1 & 2 in the Sarah Midnight Trilogy

Today I'm reviewing not one, but two books - Dreams and Tide, the first two instalments in the Sarah Midnight trilogy written by Daniela Sacerdoti. Set in Edinburgh and Islay, these books are a YA fantasy series about a girl who belongs to a world of demon-hunting Secret Families. So far, so very Mortal Instruments, but that is where the similarities end. These books are original and establish their own intriguing mythology which sets them apart from the other YA series out there.

The first book in the series, Dreams, begins with Sarah, the heroine, standing at her parents' graves. We learn they have been murdered and that they are hunters, but at this point we are not told what exactly they hunt. This quite clever tease left me curious and eager to discover what was going to unfold over the course of the story. The first chapter then drops you straight into the middle of the action. We see Sarah on her first hunt and we learn about her supernatural power, the blackwater, which allows her to dissolve demons. I quite liked this idea as it's not a power I've come across in any of the other books I've read. One other thing I found refreshing was that using the power was not as simple as putting her hands out and dissolving the demon. The blackwater leaves Sarah soaked and feeling drained, which gives it a more real and frightening edge. It reminds me of Rumplestiltskin's warning in Once Upon A Time - 'all magic comes with a price'. In these books it really does!

'Sleep. Her own private torture.

She was too tired to stop it.

If I dream again, I swear, it'll kill me. For real.' (Dreams)

Book Review: Goddess

I bought Starcrossed, the first in Josephine Angelini’s trilogy, mainly because I loved the cover art so much. It also sounded like quite a good story. Once I started reading it, I quickly became hooked. I did fall ever-so-slightly in love with the hero, Lucas, and I loved the way the relationship between him and Helen was set up. It was the ultimate forbidden love and based on Paris and Helen of Troy no less. The concept was different to anything I’d ever read before: offspring of Gods and mortals, or scions, divided into four houses, tormented by the Furies so that they were driven to kill one another on sight. I thoroughly enjoyed it and couldn’t wait to read the others.

Goddess is the conclusion to the trilogy. It was released back in May and though I must confess I hadn’t enjoyed the second installment, Dreamless, as much, I was still eager to find out how the series would wrap up.

Book Review: The Night Circus

I'm going to be honest: I probably would never have read The Night Circus if people at university hadn't talked about it so much. I'd looked at it a few times in Waterstones, but the blurb on the back didn't convince me this was the kind of book I'd want to read. In fact, I was convinced it would be some high-brow tale about circus life. However, several of my classmates said they had really enjoyed it and ever a sucker for a beautiful book cover, I decided to give it a go.

Best. Decision. Ever.

The Night Circus is mesmerising. I honestly didn't know what to expect, but I certainly wasn't prepared to be swept up in the book quite as much as I was. Erin Morgenstern is a wonderful writer. Her words take you to the world she has created. The way she describes the sights and sounds of the circus make you feel as if you are actually there. It was evocative and awe-inspiring. This is not just any old circus; this is a magical circus.

Book Review: Clockwork Princess

WARNING: I cannot guarantee that this review will be spoiler-free. Read on at your own peril...

Book Review: Hollow Earth

Some of you may remember my blog post about the John Barrowman book signing. In it I said I would soon be giving my review of Hollow Earth. You may have thought that I'd forgotten all about it (or you may have forgotten yourself) but don't worry, I remember and though this is a little later than 'soon', I'm giving this post over to my review.

Book Review: The Fault In Our Stars

This is my first attempt at a book review since I was in high school, so please forgive me if this sounds rusty.

I'm sure you've all heard of The Fault In Our Stars by John Green. It's one of those books that is so famous, lines of it exist independently. You know what I mean - "the world is not a wish-granting factory" and "I fell in love the way you fall asleep: slowly, and then all at once." To be honest, it is not my usual type of book. In fact, I probably would never have read it had it not become such a big thing on tumblr and had several of my friends not recommended it. I approached it with a bit of trepidation, unsure, exactly, what to expect, but as it turns out I actually really enjoyed the book.

A book that deals with teenagers suffering from cancer has the potential to be unbearably sad, but John Green has managed to interweave tragedy and humour into a punchy, heart-rending and yet heart-warming narrative. I defy you not to like Hazel, the protagonist and narrator. She was witty and fiesty and made me think about what it must be like to be in her situation. Her anger at the way people respond to kids with cancer was interesting and made me contemplate what my own reaction would be. I think it's true that we can drown cancer sufferers in pity and we do talk about their bravery and how hard they seem to fight. We do it, perhaps, because we can't imagine what they arre going through and we admire them. But until reading TFIOS I never considered how this might seem to someone with cancer. Hazel doesn't see herself as brave and she doesn't want to be; she just wants to be 'normal' and treated like her old high school friends.

The Fault In Our Stars cover 

It is Hazel's relationship with Augustus Waters that forms the main heart of the story, and I found it a refreshing love story. Augustus is charming and humorous and I think the reader ends up falling a little in love with him along with Hazel. I loved their trip to Amsterdam to visit Peter Van Houten, author of Hazel's favourite book. It was such a romantic gesture for Augustus to spend his wish on the trip and I found the descriptions of Amsterdam enchanting. I think it makes the (spoiler alert; although, to be honest if you don't know this, where have you been?) return of Augustus' cancer all the more of an emotional punch.

Green does not shy away from describing the brutality of the disease. We see how it eats away at Augustus and experience through Hazel and those around her the pain that it causes to the patient and their loved ones. I had a lump in my throat at several points, but Green never gets bogged down in the sorrow. Hazel maintains her wit and her bursts of anger at the universe and the people in it struck me as realistic. I came away from this book with a different perspective on what it must be like to suffer from cancer. This book will make you laugh and cry. Don't let the subject matter put you off. I can promise you that you won't regret picking up this wonderful book.

Annette xx