The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly

David loved listening to his mother read to him. But as she succumbed more and more to cancer, David had to start reading to her. His mother's death was traumatic for him. His father's remarriage only made things worse. David developed OCD and started have "episodes" where he would black out. Often after these blackouts he would have the faint recollection of talking with someone familiar, maybe someone from a book he had read or had read to him. The line between reality and fantasy continues breaking down for David, until he is sucks into a dark fantasy world, inhabited by many of the characters from the tales he is so familar with. Once in this world, he has to find his way back to his family.

Connolly borrows heavily from familar fairytales and mythologies. But in his hands, they become distorted echoes of themselves, helping Connolly to weave a much darker tale. This story is about the hardships we face in life, the journey into adulthood that we all eventually make and the magical power of books.

This was an enjoyable read, albeit quite weird in many spots.