Neil Gaiman Answers Top Book Club Questions | The Ocean at the End of the Lane

[@leekc2998]

Thank you, Neil. For writing this book. For writing words that pull up memories and feelings I didn't even know I'd forgotten. Thank you for retroactively giving a very lonely boy a friend to grow up with. I can't put into words- especially in something as meaningless as a KZbin comment, how very much this book means to me. Thank you, A once lonely boy.

[@MikeBaudistel]

There is a point where the narrator's father mentions a nickname for him "handsome George" It was the first time in the book I realized that the narrator doesn't have a name.

[@tehoken]

Man I could listen to Neil talk about the process of making the glue on the back of stamps, his voice is amazing. It helps that when he talks it's usually about something super cool and interesting :p. p.s. It's only now he mentions it, I realise the lack of names in Ocean... He's a very clever man really.

[@squamish4244]

Talyn Rahl I like how he's very precise in his diction, I appreciate that, but he also doesn't sound pretentious like many authors who want you to know how smart they are or how much they agonize over their art.

[@tehoken]

Agreed. Despite being a world famous literary GOD... He still seems like a normal guy, I met him years ago at a signing in London and even though we were the last in a VERY long line and he would have had every right to just sign our book and leave, he stayed and spoke to us for like 10 minutes...

[@ezarky]

When I read some of his books, his voice narrates some parts in my head

[@Turbo9987]

I could listen to this man speak all day

[@nbeutler1134]

You can lol

[@squamish4244]

I think the story does have a happy ending after the "happily ever after" moment, because the Hempstocks say that he is getting his heart back more every time they see him, implying that he is becoming a better person as time passes.

[@jessicacardoso1930]

valar but Lettie...

[@Y2M4444]

Sadly he's pretty much at the end of his life

[@theonlyfish1913]

Ah! I didn't even realize there's a Hempstock in Stardust.

[@ananthu8909]

His voice. His voice!

[@ArtieMcCannMusic]

Despite what he says about book clubs being fearless in their interrogation of the text/author, I am yet to hear anyone ask him about the chapters involving adultery. I'd love to know where they stemmed from, as my perverse interest is niggling away at me.

[@Persnikity-yv3nh]

That little girl in the story at the end is going places. Mark my words.

[@UncannyValleyVideos]

"'Have you ever burped so hard it hurt?'"

[@UCaar6V4TYPkLrXKMQqmvsQ5]

I just finished this book I liked it a lot. :)

[@turtleheninny]

I too, love his voice. I've listened to some of his audios over and over.

[@adhunikmanav2638]

My internal reading voice is now replaced with his. After I listened to 'OATEOTL' in his voice. And I'm not a least bit bothered by it!

[@ArtieMcCannMusic]

He's grown so much more handsome with age.

[@LBickford1]

Maybe it's my short attention span and I somehow missed it right there on the page but did Ursula need the boy alive for the doorway in his heart to work? I wasn't sure because the part of the story involving the bathtub was a bit shocking. From a horror standpoint, when Ursula says she didn't force the boy's dad to do it, that makes it worse. I do like that the story doesn't shirk from going to some dark places.

[@squamish4244]

LBickford1 She says that she'll keep him alive locked in the attic and have his dad almost drown him again and again, and one day let him drown him. I think she needed him alive for awhile to get herself established in that world, but she was immortal and knew he would die one day anyway, so I guess she could eventually kill him. It does imply that she has control over his dad though, or at least is able to pull the worst from people if she can't totally control them. He doesn't drown his son then and there because he would have to hit him, which seems to shake him out of his trance or whatever at the moment.

[@malubv]

Lovely. :) And the book is excellent too.

[@spat5502]

I really loved this book.

[@loganarowland]

The first short story I wrote was for the TAKS test and I can't even remember what it was. I received a 4 out of 4 in grade and that was the beginning of my love of writing.

[@Moonbeam143]

He likes waffles. Good man.

[@luciavitale5903]

Coetzee

[@DirtyJuvenile]

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