This weekend my wife and I each had the pleasure of starting and finishing Neil Gaiman’s popular 2013 novel, The Ocean at the End of the Lane.

In stark contrast with his lighthearted children’s book Fortunately the Milk, Ocean is a dark tale that resurfaces in the mind of its protagonist as he recalls a series of disturbing events from his youth. While I wouldn’t exactly call it a horror novel, there are indeed some spooky moments and… let’s just say not-kid-friendly scenes (though the story is told from the vantage point of a seven-year-old boy). The best way I can think to describe it is “macabre fairy tale.”

I don’t want to spoil any of the story, so I’ll just recommend picking up the book if you haven’t already. It’s a relatively short read and well worth your time.

It’s available on Amazon in paperback ($10), hardcover ($15), Kindle edition ($8), and as an unabridged audiobook ($22). You can also get it on the iBookstore.