Review of "Neil Gaiman's How To Talk To Girls At Parties" on 'Goodreads'
3 stars
A free twofer pairing the older title short with a preview of the new novel Ocean At the End of the Lane. Neither is bad, but with the first being barely more than a sketch and the latter only a preview, reading is pretty unfulfilling. They have a particularly autobiographical quality about the way the two shy boys are described, and in how people respond so readily to their faltering conversations.
The title story is simply a dream written out, the randomness and unease well communicated as well as the abruptness of the end; there are quite a few great lines and separate little stories, shorts within a short. It leaves you with a bit of that classically Gaiman lingering dread, but like a dream, it fades before you can hold on to it, too insubstantial at only a few pages. It certainly pairs with the next half.
The preview …
A free twofer pairing the older title short with a preview of the new novel Ocean At the End of the Lane. Neither is bad, but with the first being barely more than a sketch and the latter only a preview, reading is pretty unfulfilling. They have a particularly autobiographical quality about the way the two shy boys are described, and in how people respond so readily to their faltering conversations.
The title story is simply a dream written out, the randomness and unease well communicated as well as the abruptness of the end; there are quite a few great lines and separate little stories, shorts within a short. It leaves you with a bit of that classically Gaiman lingering dread, but like a dream, it fades before you can hold on to it, too insubstantial at only a few pages. It certainly pairs with the next half.
The preview seems interesting, although I'm not completely sold. It is deeply autobiographical, looking to capture a bit of magic from rural England this time around. The story flows very well, but despite having grown up in similar straights I can't quite connect with the trials of childhood anymore. The prologue is my favorite, and I'm sure I'll enjoy more of it once it returns to the adult perspective in the full novel.