• 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 (24,617 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
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  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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    15,590
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    5,893
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Performance
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Story
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  • 2 Stars
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

awesome

loved the story of magic and the fantastic. excellent reading. I hope he does more. I want to know more. Now.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Great story

I loved this story! I felt like I was 10 years old and hearing The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe for the first time. It was so special that the author also narrarated it because I knew that the characters sounded exactly like he intended. My only complaint was that is was over too soon!

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

This book made me sad

It is a very well written story and hard to put down, but at the same time, it made me incredibly sad.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

thank you

I love it when Neil Gaiman reads his own novels!!! Please make more like this if you can.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

The Most Neil Gaiman Book (yet)

The diffusion of fantasy and reality, written to the child in every grown-up. Darkness, sorrow, joy, and laughter, read in the author's inimical voice.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Cannot say enough good things.

This story was unique and captivating. There were parts that broke my heart, parts that creeped me out, and parts that left me speechless. On top of that, the fact that Neil Gaiman narrates his own story is a gift that the world does not deserve.

This story was mentioned to me by a co-worker as one of her favorites, and I am so glad I decided to listen.
Highly recommend!

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Wonderfully Creative

Not at all what I expected.

I was pleasantly surprised at how this story made my imagination soar. It brought back childhood memories of the BFG and The Witches, but with adult concepts that required a bit of imagination to enjoy. I loved it. The author is also the narrator. He did such a brilliant job that at the end of the story it made me want it all to be true. Who knows?

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Wonderful ride

I had never read any of Neil Gaiman's work so thought I'd try this; I wasn't disappointed. The story plays on childhood fears that Gaiman easily taps into to carry you away. Before I knew it, I was absorbed in the story, rooting for the characters and wondering what would happen next. The ending was lovely and, in a way, plays on the adult fear of loss--loss of a loved one, lose of memory, lose of one's youth. And, so nice to listen to the author read! I would recommend this book.

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I loved it!

this story was very engaging I wish it were longer one of my favorite of his books again I enjoyed it

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

An excellent fantasy.

This story weaves in the strangeness of a world that is completely not ours and yet part of our own. Gaiman has given readers another masterful fantasy employing magic and mystery. An excellent and thought provoking read.

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