51) The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
This is typical Gaiman fare: he finds the fears you never even thought you had, and exploits
them. Among many other dangers, one of the most terrifying things is the protagonist's parents' failure to realise what is going on; like in
Coraline, they are completely unaware, leaving the narrator to cope all by himself. This book gets under your skin and lodges itself there, uncomfortable but fascinating. It invites you to dive in...
52) Un Lun Dun by China Miéville
Brilliantly imagined, reminiscent of Gaiman's
Neverwhere, but more fatastical and fun. Un Lun Dun is just that, London, but not: UnLondon, the parallel city to London, where buses fly, litter is alive and giraffes are to be avoided at all costs. Like Narnia, UnLondon can be reached in many ways, often accidental, but never inconsequential. The book follows the recent trend in young adult literature of having a strong female protagonist, but manages to undermine our expectations of this trope. It also plays with the idea of the Quest in a whimsical and comical way. Accompanied by beautiful, and sometimes disturbing, illustrations, this book comes with my highest recommendations.
This is typical Gaiman fare: he finds the fears you never even thought you had, and exploits
them. Among many other dangers, one of the most terrifying things is the protagonist's parents' failure to realise what is going on; like in Coraline, they are completely unaware, leaving the narrator to cope all by himself. This book gets under your skin and lodges itself there, uncomfortable but fascinating. It invites you to dive in...
