by Neil Gaiman
First published 1994
Spending a summer at his grandfather's seaside arcade, a troubled adolescent becomes entangled with a mysterious Punch and Judy performer. But when the violent puppet show triggers buried memories, the boy is forced to confront his family's dark history of violence, betrayal, and guilt. As the lives of all involved become feverishly intertwined, the boy must grapple with the loss of his own innocence.
Genres: literary-fiction, mystery, fantasy, horror
Vibes: atmospheric, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, unreliable-narrator
96 pages · Paperback · Vertigo / DC Comics
Content warnings: violence