• The Ocean at the End of the Lane

  • A Novel
  • By: Neil Gaiman
  • Narrated by: Neil Gaiman
  • Length: 6 hrs and 22 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (24,638 ratings)

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The Ocean at the End of the Lane  By  cover art

The Ocean at the End of the Lane

By: Neil Gaiman
Narrated by: Neil Gaiman
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Publisher's summary

Audie Award Finalist, Narration by the Author or Authors, 2014

Audie Award Finalist, Fiction, 2014

Sussex, England: A middle-aged man returns to his childhood home to attend a funeral. He is drawn to the farm at the end of the road, where, when he was seven, he encountered a most remarkable girl, Lettie Hempstock. He hasn't thought of Lettie in decades, and yet sitting by the pond (a pond that she'd claimed was an ocean), the unremembered past comes flooding back. Forty years earlier, a man committed suicide in a stolen car at this farm at the end of the road. Like a fuse on a firework, his death lit a touchpaper and resonated in unimaginable ways. The darkness was unleashed, something scary and thoroughly incomprehensible to a little boy. And Lettie - magical, comforting, wise beyond her years - promised to protect him, no matter what.

A groundbreaking work from a master, The Ocean at the End of the Lane is told with a rare understanding of all that makes us human, and shows the power of stories to reveal and shelter us from the darkness inside and out. A stirring, terrifying, and elegiac fable as delicate as a butterfly's wing and as menacing as a knife in the dark.

©2013 Neil Gaiman (P)2013 HarperCollinsPublishers

Featured Article: 55+ Quotes About Fear—of the Unknown, Change, Love, and More


Looking for a little confidence boost? These quotes about fear from some of literature’s greatest writers can help bolster your bravado. In moments of fear, it’s natural to turn to others—from loved ones to professional counsel—for comfort, encouragement, and advice. But sometimes, it’s most helpful to hear what people you’ve never met have written on the topic. These quotes offer a comprehensive, reassuring portrait of fear and ways to conquer it.

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What listeners say about The Ocean at the End of the Lane

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    15,603
  • 4 Stars
    5,898
  • 3 Stars
    2,191
  • 2 Stars
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  • 1 Stars
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Performance
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Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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  • 4 Stars
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  • 3 Stars
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  • 2 Stars
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  • 1 Stars
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  • Overall
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Simply magnificent

This is my first book by Neil Gaiman and definitely will not be the last.

A compelling story that is sweet, lighthearted and thrilling at the same time. It keeps you intrigued until the very end while keeping a pace that's just right.

Neil Gaiman's narration allows you to experience the book the way it was meant to be read.

Highly recommended.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Memories and childhood fantasies colide

The stories a 7yr old makes up in their head, colliding with magical realities, makes for an unbelievable - believable adventure.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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He's done it again

i am now listening to only Neil Gaiman books for a good part of a month and I don't think I'll stop before i finish all

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Beautiful!

I very rarely write book reviews just because of time constraints...however, this book was magical and offers so much amazing imagery! Gaiman is not only a brilliant story teller but also a gifted narrator!

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Loved it

Reminiscent of A Wrinkle in Time with a touch of The Wee Free Men. Narrator was awesome.

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2nd Wow! Yes, this really was GREAT

Just finished this and it makes me wonder if I should have given some of my other books reviewed 5 stars, as then this should be 6. A remarkable, if difficult to describe, story. And Neil Gaiman does a wonderful job at reading his work. Even the "acknowledgments" at the end were interesting and worth the listen.

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Lovely First Listen

What made the experience of listening to The Ocean at the End of the Lane the most enjoyable?

I'll readily admit that I've always been a Neil Gaiman fan, but hearing him read his own work was *quite* a treat for me. I just started listening to audiobooks on long runs, and this book definitely helped me get to 7 miles! Gaiman is a masterful narrator. :)

What other book might you compare The Ocean at the End of the Lane to and why?

Probably anything that involves Magic Realism: Neverwhere, The Golem & The Jinni, Night Circus

Have you listened to any of Neil Gaiman’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Haven't listened to Gaiman read his own novels but will continue to!

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Definitely made me smile at times, and I certainly had a hard time turning it off at parts when I was finished with my run.

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loved it

I have never read anything by this author and bought this on a whim. I normally don't like when authors read their own work however I loved this one and loved the narration. highly recommend.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

EH, HELPED THE TIME GO BYE

What did you love best about The Ocean at the End of the Lane?

I really enjoyed the infantile struggle between the antagonist and protagonist.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Ursula Munkton(sp)

Did the narration match the pace of the story?

Yes

If you could take any character from The Ocean at the End of the Lane out to dinner, who would it be and why?

Ursula Munkton because she was evil, but sounded hot.

Any additional comments?

No

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Yes

Do this. It's beautiful and hard and worth every minute. Find a tree to sit under and do this.

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