Every Heart a Doorway (Wayward Children, #1) in Around the Year in 52 Books

Oct 14, 2022 Erin rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: popsugar-reading-challenge-2022

2 stars.

Seanan McGuire. One of those authors I've heard a lot about but never had picked up one of their books.

Well, I finally did and I was just left mostly puzzled and letdown?

The premise of Every Heart a Doorway sounded really good, but once I got into it.... I just had questions... so many questions.

Like.... who is the target demographic for this book? I mean... there are children and teenagers in this book but also it's pretty gory and just graphic all around. Obviously, young adults can h ...more

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May 29, 2017 Ellie rated it really liked it

Shelves: otherworld-fantasy, we-need-diverse-books, portal-fantasy

Whatever happens after those children come home from their adventures in portal worlds? The trauma of living years in another world, going through puberty even, then being cast back into your earth-bound body, at the same age you left? C.S. Lewis didn't really address the mental health implications of the children he sent to Narnia, did he?

But never fear, Seanan McGuire swoops in with Eleanor West’s Home for Wayward Children, a special school for children who tumbled through a doorway, a rabbit Whatever happens after those children come home from their adventures in portal worlds? The trauma of living years in another world, going through puberty even, then being cast back into your earth-bound body, at the same age you left? C.S. Lewis didn't really address the mental health implications of the children he sent to Narnia, did he?

But never fear, Seanan McGuire swoops in with Eleanor West’s Home for Wayward Children, a special school for children who tumbled through a doorway, a rabbit hole or any other number of entrances to magical worlds, and came back again.

The main character comes right out and says she's asexual, something this book has been praised for. She shows that she's interested in the romance but not what comes after. Another child was rejected from his world because they thought he was a princess but on the inside he was a boy. There are twins who were assigned pretty and clever roles by their parents, now rebelling against that. It seems that magical lands like taking the children that don't quite fit.

In essence there's a whole big metaphor here for parents who refuse to accept their children as they are when they are not straight or cis. In their magical worlds they finally found a place where they felt the belonged, when their parents try and shape them in a pre-designated image. Most the parents are in denial.

But the Home is the opposite of a "correctional" facility. Eleanor West may pretend to parents that she works to "cure" the children, but instead she listens to them and lets them come to terms with their loss in their own ways. Sometimes doors will open again, but more often than not, they don't.

The plot is more of an aside, with a murder mystery at the centre. It's more about exploring the children and how they are affected, more by our society than the other lands. I loved all the different types of places they visited, although these are just glimpses. If anything, it was a little too short and I will definitely be reading Down Among the Sticks and Bones, which follows Jack and Jill's back story.
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Apr 01, 2021 hannah rated it liked it

Not entirely what I was expecting, but it's an intriguing read all the same. I wouldn't say it was enjoyable, but I definitely wanted to know more and flew through the ending to find out what happened. I'll continue the series in the future. ...more

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Feb 24, 2019 Colleen rated it really liked it

Shelves: my-bookshelf

I loved this story and everybody's individual tales of their doors/homes. This gave me some Miss Peregrine's home for peculiar children vibes but for older teenagers. Can't wait to continue on. ...more

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