Justin's Notes
Nov. 30, 2025
This is a story of a man returning to the street of his childhood home, causing him to re-live a handful of days from when he was seven. In the specific memory, the narrator (who is referred to as "Handsome George" at one point but otherwise is nameless) experiences what I would call an otherworldly infiltration into his life. Leaning on the comfort and trust of Lettie from down the street, he fights past some dark, magical, threatening presences that do not belong in his world.
I really enjoyed this book. It was intriguing, had great pacing, and was a unique read. It was a bit unsettling, which I really enjoyed. Not creepy, but just enough to make it hard to put down. I loved the way the story was framed. You start and end with a grown man sitting on a bench on the edge of a pond reflecting on memories of his childhood. But it is framed in a way that his memories are almost being granted to him. That he isn't in complete control of his memories. It was such a cool way to tell the story and resolve the characters connections to each other.
I thought Gaiman's pacing and characters were fantastic. With the novel being so short, I felt that he created these characters completely, giving them depth in such a short time. At the same time, Gaiman tells the story without dead points. Every paragraph felt meaningful, building up the characters without any wasted moments. I also thought it was impressive how well he told the story through the eyes of a seven-year-old without it feeling like the character was too unrealistic or mature. I never forgot the narrator was a kid. His emotions, reactions, and ideas were constant reminders.
I would recommend this book. I think it is categorized as fantasy and horror, but I would not consider it horror at all. If you enjoy fantasy a bit darker in tone, with some suspenseful undertones, I think you would enjoy this book.
