Review: The Ocean at the End of the Lane

The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Neil Gaiman is an author whose works I buy without question. One time I was given a $250 gift card to Barnes & Noble (best day ever) and I used it to beef up my collections of Gaiman, Bradbury and Pratchett. I bought this book as a signed first edition, pre-ordering it months ahead of publication just knowing it was going to be beautiful. And it was.

A lot of the hyped books don't really meet my expectations, and I'm often left disappointed. In this case, The Ocean at the End of the Lane was perfectly marketed, and deserves every award and accolade it has won this year, including the Goodreads Choice Award for Fantasy (and the book which received the most votes overall).

The synopsis on Goodreads pretty much says what the book is about, but it doesn't give you the story. And it's a story only Neil Gaiman could have written. It's mystical and child-like, but through the eyes of an adult who doesn't really know what he's remembering. It's simple and lyrical and wonderfully rich in imagery. The storytelling is masterful. Suffice to say, I loved every moment of it.

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An Evening with Neil Gaiman and Amanda Palmer

Image credit: Kimberly Butler

This past weekend, I dragged my husband along down to Bard College to spend an evening with Neil Gaiman and Amanda Palmer (his wife - and what a cute couple they are!).  It was a lovely night with a pretty full crowd, made up of college students and the general public.  I noticed a few children, which was an odd sight to me.  I'm wondering, did those parents realize that Neil Gaiman isn't exactly a children's author?  I mean, I know he's written books for kids, like The Graveyard Book, but his adult stuff is about sex and monsters and there's a lot of the f-word involved.  I'm curious if the children went home saying "What a fucking awesome time, Mommy!  Thank's for fucking bringing us to this fucking reading!"  As much as I advocate for free reading and giving children the opportunity to see great writers in person, I don't know that I would have taken kids under 10 to this kind of thing.

Anyway...

I had such a great time hearing Amanda's music for the first time, experiencing the two of them as newlyweds, and experiencing several readings from works Neil has never read out loud to an audience before.  It felt intimate, and special, even though we weren't that close to the stage.  Neil's personality certainly came through in his readings, his conversations with Amanda, and even the songs he sang (yes, he sang for us!).

Review: Smoke And Mirrors

Smoke and Mirrors by Neil Gaiman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This collection of short stories by one of the most talented writers of today is surprising and haunting, and will leave you thinking "What if this were real?"

I really enjoyed the different types of stories in this collection, as some were about vampires, some about odd happenings, some were straight-up fantasy or science fiction, and one was about an angel who no longer has wings.

The component I liked the most about the book was the introduction by Neil Gaiman himself. In it, he explains the ideas behind each of the stories, or where the stories started out, or where they ended up. The book is also interspersed with poems that tell quick, creepy and intriguing tales.

There were a few stories I didn't enjoy, and most of them are definitely adult (one is practically porn but I didn't mind it), so don't let your pre-teens get hold of it. But if you like a dose of weird and creep, and a dash of Cthulu, or even if you've just never experienced the mind of Gaiman, this is a must-read.

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Exciting News!

Photo courtesy of Amazon.com

Neil Gaiman, quite a brilliant story-teller, and someone I'm currently reading, has a new book coming out!  He announced it a few months ago, which made me a bit antsy, but then I got on to other things and promptly forgot all about it.  I am a bad reader.

BUT!  This week he announced that the book is coming out in June in the US, which makes me happy.  What makes me even happier is that his local bookstore in Cambridge (only two hours from me!  Stalker time?) has them available for pre-order.  But not just any pre-order, he's signing them!  Unfortunately not in person, but hey, they'll be signed!

Of course this means the book must be mine, complete with signature, as it would be the only signed Gaiman I own.  Also, now that I know he's in Cambridge, I can keep an eye out for readings and such.  I'd gladly sacrifice the four-hour round trip and the gas money to see him in person.  Who would get that kind of fan-devotion from you?  How far have you traveled just to attend a reading?

If you're interested and want to get your own copy, you can pre-order right here from Porter Square Books.

In other news, I have five books coming to me in the mail!  Pictures and info coming soon!