Neil Gaiman: "This was what lay beneath the thinly painted scrim of reality."

Okay, so Neil Gaiman isn't exactly an unknown author. However, I was in the mood to write a blog post and the last book I read was The Ocean at the End of the Lane, by Neil Gaiman. Therefore, you get a post about a well-known author.

The Ocean at the End of the Lane is the kind of book where you're left a little off-balance. The lines between fantasy and reality are blended together so beautifully, you're not entirely sure what to think. It tells the story of a man's childhood, during a period of time where it was strange and fantastical and scary. Put simply, it is a story about a memory.

I really enjoyed this book. So much so, in fact, that I read it in one night. It's a fairly quick read, with language that is easily digestible. However, I should mention that my mother (who self-admittedly is not much of a fantasy reader) found the book a little fulfilling.

If you loved Coraline, you will probably also love this. If you're not in the mood to get emotionally invested in a darker tale, or you prefer your books with a strong sense of reality, then you should probably skip this one.