First published 1999
Ruthie works as a young journalist when she receives an assignment to interview Jerry, an older man with an unusual past. Jerry served as the inspiration for a beloved series of children's fantasy novels called the Adventures of Jeremy in Neverwas, written by his own mother decades earlier. What begins as a routine interview takes a disturbing turn when Ruthie discovers that Jerry's childhood world of fantasy was not imagination at all. The magical underground realm from the books exists, and it pulls both Ruthie and Jerry into its depths against their will. As they navigate this strange subterranean world together, they face dangers that test not only their survival but their capacity for connection. The underground adventures force them to confront fundamental questions about love and mortality while trapped in a place where both threaten to consume them.
Genres: literary-fiction, mystery, fantasy, dark-fantasy
Vibes: atmospheric, dark, emotional, suspenseful
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, found-family, portal-fantasy
Setting: Neverwas, Underground
Period: Contemporary
256 pages · Hardcover · Tor Books
Content warnings: death