The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

So Neil Gaiman went on what he said will be his final book tour and he came to Denver! It's not the first time he's come to the area since we moved here - he came when he was touring for The Graveyard Book and did a reading event for a massive, massive crowd. We were lucky enough to be in attendance to the packed and sold out event.

This time, though, he was signing. And I was sure there was no freaking way we'd get a ticket. But we did. #873. It was a LONG night and I can't believe the man still has a hand to write with after signing that many books. I was sorry that I hadn't read The Ocean at the End of the Lane earlier, but it turned out to be a bit fortunate. Me and most of the other people waiting on the top floor of the Tattered Cover that night kept ourselves busy reading the new book :)

And what a book it is!

A man attending his father's funeral takes a side trip back to his old neighborhood. While he's there, he returns to the house at the end of the lane where he sits and remembers events long forgotten. 

Forty years ago, when the man was just a boy, he met Lettie Hempstock and her family. A boarder in his home had stolen his father's car and driven it to the end of the lane where he proceeded to take his life. It was the boy's first brush with death, but it was this event that led him to the Hempstocks. What followed would be the most wondrous and frightening time of the boy's life. 

True to Gaiman form, The Ocean at the End of the Lane is an awe inspiring and truly magical tale. It is a bit short, and perfectly appropriate for teens in my opinion, but definitely should not be mistaken for kids' story. Instead, it's a bit of a horrific fairy tale for adults and definitely one that I highly recommend!

Rating: 5/5