Sometimes you find a story that somehow feels familiar, even though you’ve never read it before. This one was of those times.

In Neil Gaiman’s book The Ocean at the End of the Lane, a man returns to his childhood hometown after many years away. There, he visits the farm where he used to play with a friend, and suddenly remembers many unbelievable things. As a seven-year-old boy, he befriends Lettie Hempstock at the farm at the end of the lane. Lettie is an unusual girl, but the boy doesn’t have any other friends, and is grateful for her. Then, when a man renting a room in the boy’s home kills himself, a chain reaction is set off, summoning magical beings of nightmares into the world. One even seeps into the boy’s home, threatening everything he cares about. But Lettie is not just any child, and promises to help the boy, even if it seems impossible.

At my bookstore job the other day, I recommended this novella, since I’d just finished it. However, I was still so befuddled and amazed by it that all I could say was “I don’t know how to describe this, but it was SO GOOD.” (For the record, the customer bought the book, despite my relative incoherence.)

And frankly, I still feel a little befuddled—in a good way—about this book. It was such a strange story, full of darkness and peril, but also so saturated with light and friendship and hope. It reads like a fable, an epic poem condensed into under 200 pages. There are so many moments I wished I weren’t listening to the audiobook, so I could underline a quote in the book. Then, other moments, I couldn’t imagine not having this book read aloud to me, by Gaiman himself no less, because it was a fantastic way to experience the story.

The characters in this are incredible, from the main character to Lettie to the other Hempstocks, even to the antagonist Ursula Monkton. Speaking of Ursula, this is the second book where there’s a strange, uncanny housekeeper/nanny character. Mr. Gaiman, what happened to you, and are you okay? (Granted, in Good Omens, the situation was rather different, and we love that nanny especially in the show, but still.)

As the conflict of this story progresses, we confront many different themes about memory and identity, about dealing with pain and change, about childhood and adulthood. These concepts are woven seamlessly into the narrative, even in the more action-heavy sections. And when there is action, the emotions are also heightened in a palpable, brilliant way. You feel everything the young boy feels, from terror to confusion to comfort to joy. I don’t understand how Gaiman does it; he has such a way with words.

In addition to the complex themes, this story definitely has some very dark elements. From a character dying by suicide to characters finding his body the next morning, death is a major element of the book. There’s also an instance of a parent endangering, nearly killing, a child. So while this story is from the perspective of a young child, it is probably more suitable for older teens and adults.

All that said, though, this book is not entirely a sad one. As we navigate the perils and monsters alongside our protagonist, hope and help is never far behind. There are so many moments of kindness shown, as well as humor and wit. Ultimately, you walk away from this book feeling like you’ve been through a dark night, but now get to soak up some sunshine.

And in the end, The Ocean at the End of the Lane knocked me off my feet. Gaiman weaves an astounding tale about how memories lost and found can shape our lives, about the power of childhood wonder, about monsters and magic, about darkness and hope. There are frightening beasts, both otherworldly and all too believable. There is laughter and tears, a brilliant cast of characters, and a somber yet untamed setting. The audiobook is fantastic, probably my favorite listen of the year, honestly. I already want to reread this book, which felt like an old friend from its first few passages. And perhaps it’s redundant to say after all this praise, but I love this book.