In the aftermath of a critical World War II battle, Father Gaetano is assigned as the sole priest at the Church of San Domenico in the small seaside Sicilian village of Tringale. The previous pastor has died and there is a shortage of clergy at the moment, so until another can be spared, the young priest must say all of the masses himself.
Mass is not Father Gaetano’s only responsibility, however. The war has created many orphans, and thus the San Domenico rectory has been converted into an orphanage that is also his domain. The children are a joy to him, but they have lost so much, many have begun to question their faith and their God, and his attempts to teach them catechism are in vain...until he finds an old puppet theater and an ornate box of puppets in the basement. Handcrafted by the building’s former caretaker, now absent, the puppets seem the perfect tool to get the children to pay attention to their lessons. But after dark the puppets emerge from that ornate box, without their strings. Whereas the children have been questioning their faith, the puppets believe Father Gaetano’s Bible stories completely. Yet there is such a thing as too much faith. And the children’s lives will never be the same again.
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"Father Gaetano's Puppet Catechism is, if I'm not mistaken, the third long-form collaboration between Mike Mignola and Christopher Golden, and I cannot help comparing it to their first, Baltimore. This novella was brilliantly written, if not quite as atmospheric. This story is far more concerned than that one with, dare I say, the mundane, but not to its detriment: I found the struggles of a young priest to restore the faith of war-weary orphans perfectly rendered with a share of empathy and realism. For much of the novella, the fantastic elements remain almost out of sight, but the authors have succeeded in creating a sense of foreboding that turns to dread as the shape of the climax becomes clear." — Adam (4 out of 5 stars)
"Father Gaetano's Puppet Catechism is, if I'm not mistaken, the third long-form collaboration between Mike Mignola and Christopher Golden, and I cannot help comparing it to their first, Baltimore. This novella was brilliantly written, if not quite as atmospheric. This story is far more concerned than that one with, dare I say, the mundane, but not to its detriment: I found the struggles of a young priest to restore the faith of war-weary orphans perfectly rendered with a share of empathy and realism. For much of the novella, the fantastic elements remain almost out of sight, but the authors have succeeded in creating a sense of foreboding that turns to dread as the shape of the climax becomes clear."
" I liked this quite well, and it isn't my usual fare. kind of deep ominous and symbolic, as well as fast moving "
" Not eloquently written, but kind and humane, and ultimately all the more chilling for that. True to Mignola's style, the authors manage to infuse a black-and-white tale with a surprising number of shades of gray. "
" Just a tad too over the top for my taste. Authors have a good writing style. "
" This is the second of Mignola and Golden's books I've read (Joe Gollum...) and it's equally good. Not amazing, not stunning, but good. A little too slow to build for a novella, unfortunately. Short, creepy and solid. "
" A very entertaining read for all ages "
" Excellent, recommend! Quick, easy, and engaging read. "
" Another slow starting book, but than it started to pick up in pace, the puppets, the story. FInished so well. "
" An awesomely creepy little book that deals with some weighty subjects in a very readable way. "
" haunted puppets. what more could you ask for? quite suspenseful! "
" A nice little novel. I couldn't help but think that this book is just begging to be made into a movie by Guillermo del toro. It's perfect. "
" Liked authors writing style. Story is well crafted. Leads to strange ending. "
" Tightly written. Thought-provoking. Quick read that will stick with you. "
Mike Mignola is best known as the award-winning creator/writer/artist of Hellboy. He was also visual consultant to director Guillermo del Toro on both Hellboy and Hellboy 2:The Golden Army films. Mignola lives in southern California with his family.
Christopher Golden is the author of many books of fiction and nonfiction, including Ararat and Cut!, both winners of the Bram Stoker Award. With Mike Mignola, he is the co-creator of two cult favorite comic book series, Baltimore and Joe Golem: Occult Detective. He is also the editor of such anthologies as Seize the Night, The New Dead, and Dark Cities, and the co-host of the popular podcast "Three Guys with Beards."
Nick Podehl is a professional voice actor. He has narrated numerous audiobooks, many of which have won prestigious awards, including fourteen AudioFile Earphones Awards. He currently lives and works around Grand Rapids, Michigan, with his wife.
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