Every Heart a Doorway

176 pages

Published Sept. 10, 2016

ISBN:: 978-0-7653-8550-5

(1 review)

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.

1 edition

sifuCJC reviewed Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire (Wayward Children, #1)

A formulaic direction is saved

4 stars

If you don't mind the formulas of fantasy writing, then stop reading this review and read the book. You'll love it. There's a very interesting protagonist and a strong ending.

In the early chapters, there were two fantasy-style formulasat play: excessive descriptions and the use of phrases like "seemed like" or "it was as if..." If these writing devices are used before the characters are establishes, it pulls me out of the story. Because I'm asking, "Who sees the world this way?" or "Seemed like to whom?" Without a narrator character or a POV, then the devices fall flat to me.

Okay, rant done. The book was saved by a protagonist that has a very interesting motivation and way of seeing things. Plus the ending is very satisfying. I'll rate this as 3/5 and check out the next book in the series. Maybe I'll lift to 4 if the series …

If you don't mind the formulas of fantasy writing, then stop reading this review and read the book. You'll love it. There's a very interesting protagonist and a strong ending.

In the early chapters, there were two fantasy-style formulasat play: excessive descriptions and the use of phrases like "seemed like" or "it was as if..." If these writing devices are used before the characters are establishes, it pulls me out of the story. Because I'm asking, "Who sees the world this way?" or "Seemed like to whom?" Without a narrator character or a POV, then the devices fall flat to me.

Okay, rant done. The book was saved by a protagonist that has a very interesting motivation and way of seeing things. Plus the ending is very satisfying. I'll rate this as 3/5 and check out the next book in the series. Maybe I'll lift to 4 if the series continues well. I'm interested in the characters enough to overlook the rant.

Edit: The next book, Down Among the Sticks and Bones is really fun. It focuses on one set of characters from this book, making it like a prologue. I'll keep reading the series.

Subjects

Fiction
fantasy
general