The ending of this highly acclaimed "new" masterpiece by Neil Gaiman reminds me of the one of the 90s underrated anime classic "Now and Then, Here and There", which happens to have one of my favourite endings to a story I can think of:

The main character returns after his traumatic journey and sees only one slight change in the landscape, and that alone confirms him what he experienced to be a real memory. He did not imagine the journey, it happened!

And here too, a "confirmation". But it's different. He turns his mind back to a time he belonged to once, but doesn't now. The memory he remembers does not change him like he expects it too, no matter how extraordinary it may be...

I had the feeling that most of my impressions were going to be based on my reaction to the MCs and Lettie's beautiful relationship and the devastating hole that the latter's passing leaves behind. But I can't shake the memory of that ending off of me. If only I hadn't seen the MC turn into such a banal man... regular Joe, with passable principles and riddled with conflict and doubt, as any other middle aged guy. And this is the kid Lettie died for?

But, yes, of course he is. And how could you blame him?

He does not even have the flame of Lettie's memory to help him navigate his life. It's so perfect...