The Ocean at the End of the LaneThe Ocean at the End of the Lane
Score Modern
What it's about
A man returns to his childhood home in rural England for a funeral and wanders to the farm at the end of the lane, where he remembers something he'd forgotten. When he was seven, a girl named Lettie Hempstock, who lived there with her mother and grandmother, told him the duck pond was an ocean. And something ancient came into his house, disguised as a new nanny.
Why it's worth reading
It was a Nebula finalist and is one of Gaiman's most beloved books. It's a short, dark fairy tale about childhood and memory.
You'll love it if you liked
Good to know
It's short. A child is badly treated by his father, and there's a suicide.
By the numbers
- Readers44 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics24 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller70 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz1 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #19 of the 86 horror books we rank
- #156 of the 459 fantasy books we rank
- #547 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #1054 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Dark, Gripping
More by Neil Gaiman
American Gods
Norse Mythology
Neverwhere
Anansi BoysIf you like this, read next
A Deadly Education
Fairy Tale
Parasite
Nettle & Bone
A Sorceress Comes to Call
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's StoneExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is The Ocean at the End of the Lane worth reading?
Yes. It was a Nebula finalist and is one of Gaiman's most beloved books. It ranks #1,054 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 72.4 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Ocean at the End of the Lane about?
A man returns to his childhood home in rural England for a funeral and wanders to the farm at the end of the lane, where he remembers something he'd forgotten. When he was seven, a girl named Lettie Hempstock, who lived there with her mother and grandmother, told him the duck pond was an ocean. And something ancient came into his house, disguised as a new nanny.
How long does it take to read The Ocean at the End of the Lane?
About 8 hours (304 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Ocean at the End of the Lane?
If you liked it, try Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman or American Gods by Neil Gaiman.