Series: Wayward Children by Seanan McGuire (“Every Heart a Doorway”)

[Lesley]

Welcome to the BR for the Wayward Children series by Seanan McGuire. We'll be starting with the Hugo, Nebula and Locus award winning novella Every Heart a Doorway on Dec 4. As always, please use spoiler tags for anything beyond first impressions. Looking forward to the discussion!

[Oleksandr]

I plan to join!

[Lesley]

Great! Just got my copy so I’ll be able to start on time.

[Gabi]

I'm eager to read your impressions from the eye read, Lesley.
I'm listening to it and somehow the narrator is absolutely not my cup of tea. I cannot connect to the story and the characters, cause there is this underlying feeling of boredom in the audioversion.

[Anna]

I haaaaated the audio of Doorway!

[Gabi]

Anna wrote: "I haaaaated the audio of Doorway!"

Glad to see that it is not only me.

[Lesley]

I’m very glad I got the heads up to eye read instead of listen. Thanks Gabi and Anna! I’m about 80 pages in and really enjoying the world so far. (view spoiler)[ The different directions/axes of the worlds remind me of character alignment in Dungeons and Dragons. (hide spoiler)]

[Gabi]

Lesley wrote: "I’m very glad I got the heads up to eye read instead of listen. Thanks Gabi and Anna! I’m about 80 pages in and really enjoying the world so far. [spoilers removed]"

That is wonderful to hear! I fear with me it wasn't just the audio. I've read the second book to get an eyes-only impression, but my preferences in story structure and character writing and hers seem to be incompatible. ^^'

[Melani]

Gabi wrote: "Lesley wrote: "I’m very glad I got the heads up to eye read instead of listen. Thanks Gabi and Anna! I’m about 80 pages in and really enjoying the world so far. [spoilers removed]"

That is wonderf..."

It still might be the audio. I, in general, don't do audio books so I read both of them eyes only. Loved the first book, HATED the second. The story telling is completely different in the second book, and I thought it was one of McGuire's weakest books, period. To be fair, I am a fan of McGuire's work in general so I know I have some bias.

[Oleksandr]

I finished the book and what can I say... an interesting premise (not extremely novel but with a twist) and execution from classy to botched.

The idea of world behind the door characters themselves say is nothing new - from Alice to Narnia if limit with classics. The worlds were children were are a strange mix - from definitely literary and cinematographic traditions to something new and unusual.

I had problem with mystery part for there were too many bodies in too short time

[Lesley]

Oleksandr, I felt the same way. The world building and diversity of characters was excellent, but the story was clunky. (view spoiler)[ There was a lot of exposition, but then the murder mystery was presented and resolved so quickly, it wasn’t suspenseful or believable. Even though it was the main plot, it felt secondary to the mystery of the doors. (hide spoiler)]

Still I liked the world enough to give it the benefit of the doubt and will definitely be reading the second book.

[Oleksandr]

Lesley wrote: "Still I liked the world enough to give it the benefit of the doubt and will definitely be reading the second book.
."

I too plan to continue.

[Nicol]

I've read the whole series so far and I absolutely love it. I would agree that the first book (and all the books for that matter) are too short. I wish they were all longer. I originally read the first book for Queerlitathon, and continued with the series since I loved the writing. What I appreciate most about McGuire's series is the true diversity, not just of race, nationality, sexuality and gender but bodies as well. If I had to pick a favorite in the series I would say Beneath the Sugar Sky but Down Among the Sticks and Bones is a close second.

[Oleksandr]

Nicol wrote: " What I appreciate most about McGuire's series is the true diversity, not just of race, nationality, sexuality and gender but bodies as well. ."

I agree that they are introduced or even 'woven into' series better than in many other cases, where say LGBTQ+ characters are "just because it is a right thing" to have them

[Alex]

I just started reading this last night. It's... interesting. I'm liking some aspects of it, but I have a feeling some things might start getting on my nerves. For example, Sumi is irritating AF.

[Trike]

One piece of advice I’ve frequently heard for new writers to help learn their storytelling craft is “write a mystery”.

McGuire should try that sometime.

[Gabi]

Alex wrote: "I just started reading this last night. It's... interesting. I'm liking some aspects of it, but I have a feeling some things might start getting on my nerves. For example, Sumi is irritating AF."

:D Sumi was the only character I liked ... *ducks*.

[Alex]

Gabi wrote: "Alex wrote: "I just started reading this last night. It's... interesting. I'm liking some aspects of it, but I have a feeling some things might start getting on my nerves. For example, Sumi is irri..."

Maybe she improves? I just find her incredibly unkind and mean-spirited so far.

[Oleksandr]

Sumi was fun, I kinda like reading her character but cannot stand a similar ones in real life :)

[Kristin B.]

I'm pretty far behind the game on this one, but I figured I would drop in anyhow.

I was mostly intrigued with this. The premise was interesting and the characters were diverse which is always appreciated. But it felt clunky to me for the most part.

Then it kind of lost me completely at about 75% (view spoiler)[ when Jack had the chance to interrogate the skeleton and the only question she thought to ask was "who murdered you?" knowing that the skeleton wouldn't actually be able to speak with words. And then that was it. She's a very logical, persistent and scientific person. But she gave up after a question that she had to know the skeleton couldn't answer? No charades? No twenty questions? No scientific process at all? I can suspend a lot of disbelief when it comes to fantasy elements in a story. But when you have a character do something so completely "out of character" you kind of lose me.

I also wasn't thrilled that Christopher could control the skeleton at all if I'm honest. For the most part it seemed like the magical aspects of the worlds that the children visited only worked in those worlds. So why did his magic work here? (hide spoiler)]

Quick read. I'm not disappointed I spent the time on it. But I won't be continuing.

[Oleksandr]

An interesting thought, Kristin! I thought that neither science (like corpse reanimation) nor magic of the visited worlds should work in our (?) world

[Anna]

Get a free copy of each of the novellas this week! One each day, so be quick and don't forget to go back every day!

https://ebookclub.tor.com/

Monday, November 30th - Every Heart a Doorway
Tuesday, December 1st - Down Among the Sticks and Bones
Wednesday, December 2nd - Beneath the Sugar Sky
Thursday, December 3rd - In an Absent Dream
Friday, December 4th - Come Tumbling Down

[Anna]

Don't forget to download Wayward #2 today!

[Anna]

Wayward #3. Today. Get it.

[Kristenelle]

Thank you, Anna! I appreciate the reminders!

[Anna]

Time for Wayward #4.

[Anna]

And last one! Get Wayward #5 today!

[Banshee]

I'm so happy for this offer. I listened to all books on audio before. Twice. Now I'll be able to put the epubs on my e-reader and bookmark all my favourite passages 🎉

[Nicol]

Thank you Anna! I love this series, but actually got them from my library so happy to have them - I think I will reread at the beginning of next year!

[Anna]

The My Little Pony book (Across the Green Grass Fields) is almost out so perfect time to reread!