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The Ocean at the End of the Lane
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January 2015 Ocean at the End of the Lane SPOILER THREAD
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Sara
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Jan 05, 2015 08:33PM
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So I've read some background into the book as well as the author as it is "kinda" autobiographical and it turns out the idea of the Hempstocks is related to Scientology's concept of "Thetans", i.e beings who have existed since the beginning of the universe. I had no idea that Gaiman was actually born into a Scientologist family and there is a video of him being interviewed as a child discussing Scientology and it was pretty intimidating. He's now no longer an active part of it but his ex wife and mother of his children still are. A journalist went so far as to conclude that the only reason he hasn't spoken out against Scientology is that it would certainly ostracise him from his children and extended family.
It explains a few odd parts in it all right
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There is also suppose to be a lot of references to quantum physics in it... Alas my knowledge of quantum physics is not what it used to be so I can't really comment :)
I did Maths to a high level but didn't get any of the quantum physics stuff
I find this sort of thing with Gaiman and Terry Pratchett as well . The guys seem to know a bit of everything so whatever your background they seem to fit in a few in jokes abd references only certain people will get.
All I know about quantum mechanics is that it is looking at things on a very small, atomic scale. I think anyway. I guess they must pick up a lot of information from all sorts of areas when they are researching backgrounds etc.
I guess the wormhole was a quantum mechanics reference? I can't say I noticed anything else. I guess quantum mechanics is so far-out to most of us lay people that it seems, as Arthur C. Clarke said, 'indistinguishable from magic'. So it would be perfectly at home in a book like this.
The version I read had a wee interview with Gaiman at the back of the book, in which he says that his family really did have a South African lodger who gassed himself in a Mini over money troubles. And now scientology? What an interesting childhood he must have had!
Interesting is definitely one word for it Elaine. It was pretty scary when you look at the interview they have of him as a child. It is nuts how devout he comes across as.
Well........... I read the book not knowing any of what was has been discussed and I thought it was an enjoyable but slightly scary read. I liked the way it was from a child's perspective. This is what made it seem scarier. I found it to be an easy read.I also liked the way the character slowly forgot what had actually happened both times. It just blended in to the characters life very smoothly.
@Marcia: The child's perspective is really convincing, isn't it? It kept reminding me of things from my own childhood, particularly at the start of the book. I can't remember exactly what the wording was, but he referred to the child exploring spaces behind shrubs in the garden, that really brought memories back to me!What bits did you find scary?
The part where the child was abused by his father was a bit scary and when the monkhouse person came on the scene. Maybe scary was the wrong word...... more... unnerving may be better word.The way monkhouse (I think that was her name) controlled his family and he was the only person who could see it happening.
That part was so well described.. I cold feel the despair and uncertainty of the boy. But he was a very resourceful child as well and was able to think about how to get out of the situation which made the story interesting for me.
Oh yeah, now that you mention it, I definitely tensed up while reading the bathtub scene. I find that in books in general – not just this one - that the bits that seem like they could happen in real life are much scarier than any fantasy horror could be. That was also the scene that most clearly got across that sense of how unfair it is to be a child, when your life is ruled by the whims of the adults around you. There were quite a few moments like that in this book. I'm really glad that Gaiman didn't idealise childhood - or it might be more accurate to say he doesn't idealise adults…
I hadn't thought about from the point of view of how dependent children are on their parents being good parents. It's something I tend to take for granted.That aspect did make the book interesting. It made the child seem quite resourceful.
Weird question. The boy is unnamed, but if you were to name him, what name do you think would suit his character? I'm thinking maybe Sam. Shortened names suit child characters well I think, and Sam has a bit of strength to it.
I would have gone with Neil. I assumed the character was unamed because he was capturing parts of his own childhood.
I finished reading this last night.I really like it.It sucked me right in and it kept my attention right to the end.It had a YA flavor to me but there is nothing wrong with that. The bathroom scene was the most disturbing in the book as Elaine said it happens in reallife.(A mother in Texas killed all her children with this method a while ago )I never really thought about the boy's name but maybe it was intentional because it could have been the author or maybe any little boy.If it was from his childhood I hope the bathroom scene didn't happen..I will read more of his novels.
Glad you liked it. I had assumed it was a YA novel when I bought it originally and was suprised it was marketed as an adults book. Gaiman tends to call a selection of his books all age rather than drawing a definite line. If you liked this I'd reccommened Graveyard Book as a future read.
Thanks Paul.I just added The Graveyard Book it sounds like something I would like .I also have Neverwhere on my TBR list have you read that yet?
I have . Its a great book. Its quite different to Ocean. It was a TV series before it was a book and its actually based on Lenny Henrys Idea. If you have a good idea of the layout of London you'll get quite the kick out of the references in Neverwhere
I read about Neverwhere and it looks like it would be an interesting read.
Oh, what a good book! I really enjoyed this. I especially liked the bit at the end where Old Mrs. Hempstock revealed that he had been back several times already and would likely return again. I have no problem whatsoever believing the Scientology angle. I live fifteen minutes away from Scientology, USA (aka Clearwater, FL) and those folks can be scary.
My two favorite quotes from the book:"I do not miss childhood, but I miss the way I took pleasure in small things, even as greater things crumbled. I could not the control the world I was in, could not walk away from things or people or moments that hurt, but I found joy in the things that made me happy."
"You don't pass or fail at being a person, dear." (said by Granny Hempstock)
I really enjoyed this book too. There are some lovely lines in it.
I liked the book a lot. Especially the way you could take it all literally as a fantasy story or could choose to see it as a child substituting metaphor for experiences that are pretty traumatic for him. I'm curious what people made of the ending when the granny says she has been the only one all along. Sort of a Holy Trinity thing? Or did the child's imagination convert into different ages?
The trinity of godesses is so common in mythology I didn't read too much onto it. He has a similar trinity in American Gods. It actually reminded me of the Tim Burtons Big Fish were all other women in his memory became the same woman at different ages
Paul is right. In Irish mythology it's the Morrigan who are these triad goddesses but it is widespread throughout the world really, like the three faced gods. Christianity sort of adopted it with the holy trinity. Like with St. Patrick and the shamrock, for the pagans in Ireland at the time it would have been easy concept for them to understand that there were three entities that are one in the same as it was already in their own religion. I'd have to check my notes but I think the Morrigan was actually replaced by Holy Mary.
Paul is right. In Irish mythology it's the Morrigan who are these triad goddesses but it is widespread throughout the world really, like the three faced gods. Christianity sort of adopted it with the holy trinity. Like with St. Patrick and the shamrock, for the pagans in Ireland at the time it would have been easy concept for them to understand that there were three entities that are one in the same as it was already in their own religion. I'd have to check my notes but I think the Morrigan was actually replaced by Holy Mary.
Not just the Morrigan but also Brigid but yespoint agreed. The fates in Greek Mythology would fit as well
I am a Neil Gaiman's fan so I am biased, but I thought this book was great. I read it several months ago, as soon it was published, so I am not sure about the details anymore, but I remember being impressed by how well Neil is able to write about terrifying things in such a dreamy way.I watched some of his interviews about this book, and he said it was meant to be a short story for his wife, who always wants to know more about his past and feelings. So, I guess this is the reason behind what some ppl have mentioned here, that it sounded like he was talking about his own childhood.
Gaiman has several books written from a child's point of view, and I believe he does it brillantly. Also, he doesn't always name his characters - he says they don't always "appears" to him with names, and that he is not good making them up.
Can't wait for his next book, Trigger Warning, I have already pre-ordered it!
Glad your a fan as well Luciana. I'm quite the Gaiman fan as well and I'm really looking forward to Trigger Warning.Ocean at The End of the Lane seems to hit a positive note with most people for the representation of childhood.
Gaiman is a bit of a Peter Pan in that hes quite in touch with his inner child
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So this was my second time reading this. While I remembered it being terrifying when I read it the first time (shortly after its release), I hadn't remembered it being so overwhelming sad. Around the middle (after the main character has survived his father trying to drown him and runaway) I definitely needed to take a break of a day or so before I read more.
I also find myself sadden at the revelation at the end that he had been to the farm house before as an adult and forgotten. Several fairy tale/fantasies are like this with the children unable to hang on to magic as they get older. Narnia for one springs to mind.
On the more technical side of things I felt like the book had some pacing issues which kept it in the 3.5 star range for me.
It's definitely not my favorite Gaiman, but to paraphrase what I recently said about another author whose work I found lest than his best, "Even average Gaiman is better than some authors best."
Finally I really liked the quote, "“I liked myths. They weren't adult stories and they weren't children's stories. They were better than that. They just were." I think it accurately describes much of Gaiman's work.
Sometimes I think someone must be reading a completely different book than I did. ☺
I thought the writing was brilliant and Gaiman capture of childhood was especially well done. I suppose tastes just vary but I can definitely see why Gaiman is so popular.
(By the way most authors make it up as they go along , thats why its fiction ;-))
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The Graveyard Book (other topics)Neverwhere (other topics)
