Sept 2013 UF read: Ocean: roll call and initial thoughts

[carol. , Senor Crabbypants]

The Ocean... won for September. Thanks Jalilah for leading the discussion, as I don't think I'll get to it.

Starting this thread because I want a place to put this link: Neil Gaiman reads from Ocean and discusses.

https://soundcloud.com/slateradio/nei...

[Becky]

I might join this one... I just started it.

[Kimberly]

I am definitely going to join in.

[Jalilah]

Hi everyone! I'll be happy to lead the discussion, but I won't be able to start reading it myself until the end of the month.

[Krazykiwi]

Just finished reading this for another group, so I'm in for discussion.

[Aelliana]

I read it earlier this summer, so I'm looking forward to everyone's comments.

[Jenny]

I have the audio and will hopefully be starting it this week once I've finished Deadlocked. I can't wait! I love it when Neil Gaiman narrates his own novels.

[Louise]

http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/r...

Here's a link to BBC's Open Book podcast, where Gaiman discusses his recent book and lots of other interesting stuff :-)

[Jalilah]

I am very much looking forward to this read as well as the group discussion!
I have got to say right away however that I have mixed feelings about Neil Gaiman' writing. I loved Neverwhere, liked Stardust, but Anansi Boys was kind of meh for me. On the other hand I loved American Gods for the first few chapters, but then got bored and had to force myself to read on, only to find it interesting again, then find it tedious.....I just tried to read the first The Sandman, Vol. 1: Preludes and Nocturnes and yuk! I could not even finish it! I have my copy of the Ocean and should be able to start next week.

[carol. , Senor Crabbypants]

I'm mixed about how I feel about his writing as well, which is why I don't buy it new.

[Carly]

Jalilah, my reactions to Gaiman's books were almost identical to yours. I'm hoping this will be more like Neverwhere. The reviews certainly sound promising. I'm somewhere in the low 30s in my library's hold queue, so hopefully I'll have it by September.

[Mina]

I know I voted for this, but since I'm right at the end of getting my new book ready for release...I'm going to have to wait to read it. Have fun y'all!

[David]

Jalilah wrote: "I am very much looking forward to this read as well as the group discussion!
I have got to say right away however that I have mixed feelings about Neil Gaiman' writing. I loved Neverwhere, liked S..."

I had the same reaction to all of the books you mentioned. I started reading Gaiman with the Sandman comic book series. The first arc is good, but as the series progressed it got better and better. One of the arcs won the Hugo for best short story, forcing them to change the Hugo rules to avoid having a comic book win the award again because technically it isn't a short story. You may want to try later arcs.

I just finished reading Ocean for a meetup reading group. For me it's probably the best Gaiman reading experience I've had since Sandman. You can check out my review, no spoilers, I liked the Graveyard Book too.

[Emily]

David wrote: "Jalilah wrote: "I am very much looking forward to this read as well as the group discussion!
I have got to say right away however that I have mixed feelings about Neil Gaiman' writing. I loved Nev..."

I second David on his comments about Sandman, although I'll add that I never found the art (besides the cover art) very appealing. I did think the stories got better and better.

I like most of what Gaiman writes, and I thought Ocean was super. I'll add more later. Must leave for work!

[colleen the convivial curmudgeon]

Ocean reminded me most of Sandman, with shades of American Gods - but also different from both. I loved it... but then, I also love Sandman and really like American Gods.

I do think it's one of those books that will either resonate strongly, or.not at all. On its surface it's a pretty simple storybwith almost simplistic writing, being sort of from a child's perspective. But it has a lot of depth and meaning under the surface.

[Evilynn]

I loved Ocean...and I can't understand how anyone could put off reading it until September, that's waiting almost three whole months! lol!

I think either you love the depth of it, and it resonates with you, or, if you're in it for the plot, it seems far too simplistic.

It's funny how Gaiman fans are split on which books of his they love. I think Neverwhere is still my favourite of his after all these years, but I've liked pretty much everything he's written, with the exception of some short stories and Interworld (which I'm happily going to blame on Micheal Reaves).

The art in Sandman (the first 3-4 in particular) is kinda dark and muddy, and the reprint in the Absolute Sandman editions is of much better quality (you know you're a book nerd when you buy more expensive prints of things you already own).

[Jalilah]

Just started last night but it is hard to put down! I think The Ocean at the End of the Lane just might be his best work yet. It reminds me a little of Something Wicked This Way Comes in terms of creepiness. I am right in the middle and want to get back to it now!

[Louise]

I'm in :-)

[Jalilah]

I've got to say that this is without doubt my favourite Neil Gaiman book. It is a story that lives with you, that you keep thinking about even when not reading, and you don't want to leave it once you have finished.

[colleen the convivial curmudgeon]

Evilynn wrote: "I loved Ocean...and I can't understand how anyone could put off reading it until September, that's waiting almost three whole months! lol!

I think either you love the depth of it, and it resonate..."

I agree with this whole post - including the fact that Interworld is so meh, but I hardly even consider it a Gaiman book.

One book of his that I really enjoyed that I hardly ever see mentioned is Odd and the Frost Giants. It is a more MG book, and super short, but it's one of my faves of his - along with Neverwhere, American Gods, Sandman, Graveyard Book and now Ocean at the End of the Lane. Oh, and the short story 'A Study in Emerald' is a face, along with 'Monarch of the Glen'. (I did sort of like the Stardust movie better than the book, though. *looks shifty*)

Speaking of Sandman, you reminded me that I actually got Absolute Sandman Vol. 1 for Xmas last year, but haven't read it yet! I promptly fixed that yesterday, though I'm only about a three-quarters through. The change in the coloring is astounding. I can't wait to get the later volumes, when shit really starts going down. It'll probably be one Volume a year, though - they're so expensive! :-\

[Evilynn]

Colleen wrote: "One book of his that I really enjoyed that I hardly ever see mentioned is Odd and the Frost Giants."

I liked Odd and the Frost Giants too, I wonder if it's mentioned less since it was first published as a part of a £1 book initiative?

I shamelessly asked for all the Absolutes for birthdays and xmases for a couple of years, but now I think I have a full set. :)

[Lucinda]

I'm in.

I've been living in "epic" land most of the summer so I'm looking forward to mentally shelving the bastard swords, dark hooded cloaks, and campaigns to save the empire (for a couple of nights at least...).

[Jalilah]

Here is an interesting review that confirms what I suspected, that there are autobiographical elements in this novel: http://www.tor.com/blogs/2013/06/neil...

[Katy]

Jalilah wrote: "Here is an interesting review that confirms what I suspected, that there are autobiographical elements in this novel: http://www.tor.com/blogs/2013/06/neil...-..."

Thanks, that was interesting.