Gaiman's Ocean

DO NOT CONSTRUE THIS REVIEW AS APPROVAL OF NEIL GAIMAN’S PERSONAL ACTIONS - UPDATED TO ADD THIS BECAUSE THE WORK AND THE REVIEW HAVE MERIT, EVEN IF THE PERSON HAS NOT BEHAVED HONORABLY

I have been inhaling books lately. It has given me less time to write, but I have definitely felt inspired and productive when I work on my outline. Today, I finished Neil Gaiman's The Ocean at the  End of the Lane, which was a quick read. Friends who have read this novel said that it touched them with sadness and even made them cry. I found that it did not make me cry. I also don't know that it made me sad. It was, however, touching and excellently written.

I have devoted particular attention to the craft of the novels that I read lately. For instance, I recently wrote a post about Terry Brook's Magic Kingdom for Sale... Sold! where I discussed the fact that one of the characters seemed to serve as a cabbagehead at times. On the other hand, in Ocean, Neil Gaiman did an excellent job of weaving the comple…