Short and sweet. In less than 200 pages, acclaimed author Neil Gaiman has crafted another memorable story featuring elements of the fantastic that are weaved into the reality (or perceived reality) of childhood and long forgotten memories. Indeed, memories are fleeting and are sometimes blocked by our subconscious mind if they are too painful to deal with. But what if there was another explanation for those missing memories or the ones that seem to ebb and flow, seemingly at will. Could there be supernatural elements at work in our lives? They certainly are present in Gaiman's thoughtful and descriptive latest effort The Ocean at the End of the Lane.
The story centers around an unnamed middle-aged protagonist who ventures to his childhood home, in Sussex, England, for a funeral. The visit brings back many memories that have been seemingly absent for many years and speak of a bizarre and frightening adventure that he experienced as a child. The majority of the story is set in the distant past, when the youngster encounters malevolent forces that threaten his life. However, with the help of a local family, the Hempstocks, he is well protected, but not completely immune to the darkness. The youngster experiences the death of his beloved kitten, the suicide of a man who was staying with his family and the possible death of a young friend. That is a great deal of trauma for any child to experience in the short term, but he is also exposed to a battle between good and evil and is caught in the middle of a struggle that threatens to take his life because of his direct link to one of the antagonists.
The Ocean at the End of the Lane features mature themes, including child abuse, infidelity, mortality and considerable violence. Of course, readers familiar with Gaiman understand that he does not shy away from the dark side of life (or death), but there is a sense of hope that the protagonist will somehow find the strength to overcome his situation. Children are resilient, usually more so than adults, so perhaps it is fitting to tell the story through the eyes and mind of a youngster who has no choice but to mature rapidly when his world is turned upside down and his stability is threatened.
The author also relays an interesting suggestion about the necessity of men in certain households, which gave me pause while reading this vividly descriptive and fascinating book. As descriptive as Gaiman's prose is, some details are left out, perhaps on purpose. I suspect he understands and respects the intelligence of his audience to fill in the gaps with their own creativity. Of course, using your imagination should not relegated to those of a similar age as the young protagonist, but sometimes adults seem to lose their playfulness and imagination along the way. Perhaps an underlying purpose here is to encourage readers to uncover their own memories of childhood and relearn how to use their imagination and be children again, if only for a brief time. In any event, The Ocean at the End of the Lane is another outstanding effort from the sublime Neil Gaiman.
Tidak ada komentar:
Posting Komentar