NEIL GAIMAN The Ocean at the End of the Lane

Description

Once upon a time in a rural English town, an eleven-year-old girl named Lettie Hempstock showed a little boy the most marvelous, dangerous, and outrageous things beyond his darkest imagination. But an ancient power has been disturbed, and now invasive creatures from beyond the known world are set loose. There is primal horror here, and menace unleashed—within the boy’s family and from the forces that have gathered to consume it. Determined to get what they want, these otherworldly beings will destroy a meddling little boy if he dares to get in the way. It will take calm, courage, and the cleverness of the extraordinary Hempstock women—Lettie, her mother, and her grandmother, to keep him alive. But his survival will come at an unexpected cost. . . .

Hurst’s extraordinary illustrations are intimately worked into this novella, with art that flows through and around the text, full pages, even double page drawings. She evokes a wonderful moody atmosphere that adds tremendously to Neil’s gripping story of horror and suspense. I remember enjoying the original tale sans any artwork, but now I’m eager to read it again, with all this added fine art. She uses fine brush work, great lighting, suggestive ethereal scenes–transforming this into a stunning illustrated book in the best tradition of the art. I would not be surprised if this wins some awards next year. -Bud

Here’s more about the artist, from her website: Elise Hurst is a Melbourne-based illustrator, fine artist and author, specializing in children’s books. Beginning as a self-taught traditional artist, she soon moved into book illustration and now combines the two in an ever-growing series of narrative artworks, set in a vintage alternate reality.

With over 50 books behind her, numerous commendations and a love of communicating her passion for story and visual narrative – Elise is frequently teaching and lecturing at festivals, in schools and giving demonstrations.

Published both in Australia and internationally, her work travels around the world as cards, prints and books. And her fine art pieces and commissions have found their homes in corporate and private collections from Melbourne to London.

The #1 New York Times bestselling author makes the impossible all too frighteningly real in this bewitching tale of magic and memories, mystery and survival.

“A one-man story engine . . . [Gaiman] is indeed a national treasure.”—Washington Post Book World