Catship reviewed Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire (Wayward Children, #1)
:)
5 stars
I like it a lot.
176 pages
Published Sept. 10, 2016
Children have always disappeared under the right conditions; slipping through the shadows under a bed or at the back of a wardrobe, tumbling down rabbit holes and into old wells, and emerging somewhere... else.
But magical lands have little need for used-up miracle children.
Nancy tumbled once, but now she’s back. The things she’s experienced... they change a person. The children under Miss West’s care understand all too well. And each of them is seeking a way back to their own fantasy world.
But Nancy’s arrival marks a change at the Home. There’s a darkness just around each corner, and when tragedy strikes, it’s up to Nancy and her new-found schoolmates to get to the heart of the matter.
No matter the cost.
I like it a lot.
It was lovely; the main character is asexual, there's a trans character, these things are handled with care and wholesomeness, and the story and writing were poignant.
Violence: Yes (described after-the fact) Sexual Scenes: No
Read this novella fairly quickly, so I will get it back to the library for the 88 people who are next in line. I liked the creative characters and environment, but they didn't seem to move forward much in this relatively short mystery. The solution to which was, unfortunately, easy to guess.
The majority of the book is told from Nancy's point of view, except for a chapter two thirds of the way through that settles on another character. The monologues work here because the actors are telling new girl Nancy about the school, their theories, etc., and she is the character with the most growth by the end. The rest of the cast remains fairly flat.
So did I like it? It was compelling to finish and creative, but seemed to lack something - besides an ending. I'll probably come back and check it out when the series is …
Read this novella fairly quickly, so I will get it back to the library for the 88 people who are next in line. I liked the creative characters and environment, but they didn't seem to move forward much in this relatively short mystery. The solution to which was, unfortunately, easy to guess.
The majority of the book is told from Nancy's point of view, except for a chapter two thirds of the way through that settles on another character. The monologues work here because the actors are telling new girl Nancy about the school, their theories, etc., and she is the character with the most growth by the end. The rest of the cast remains fairly flat.
So did I like it? It was compelling to finish and creative, but seemed to lack something - besides an ending. I'll probably come back and check it out when the series is complete.