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rosemaryandrue's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
When a strange girl lands in the turtle pond behind the School for Wayward Children in search of her lost mother, some of the students decide to go on a quest to help build the long-dead Sumi back to life so that she can fulfill her destiny.
We return to the current day storyline with this book, in which we follow both new and returning characters as they journey through different worlds in an attempt to resurrect Sumi. I liked both meeting new characters and hanging out with familiar faces, and McGuire's worlds are as vibrant and strange as ever. If some lore was relayed in rather info-dumpy dialogue, well it didn't detract much from the story.
We return to the current day storyline with this book, in which we follow both new and returning characters as they journey through different worlds in an attempt to resurrect Sumi. I liked both meeting new characters and hanging out with familiar faces, and McGuire's worlds are as vibrant and strange as ever. If some lore was relayed in rather info-dumpy dialogue, well it didn't detract much from the story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia
Moderate: Eating disorder and Suicide attempt
Minor: Transphobia and War
books4em's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I just love this series so much! Beneath the Sugar Sky started with one of the most beautifully written, emotional, and relatable prologues ever. It's a whopping 2.25 pages long, but wow what a way to start the book off. Book 3 in the Wayward Children series is centered around a group of West's students traveling between worlds with Sumi's futuristic daughter who is disappearing since Sumi died in Book 1. We see Kade, Christopher, and Nancy, along with Nadya and new character, Cora, all doing their part to bring Sumi back so that her daughter, Rini, can exist again and Confection can be restored to order. It centers around self-expression in how each kid's door opens the perfect world for them, body image issues, and most importantly, hope. We see multiple characters return back through their rightful doors in this book, and we remain hopeful that others will soon. McGuire did it again! Hope and kindness radiate off the pages and try to get the reader to open doors to invite them into their own worlds and lives. Also great rep. in this one again, but it wasn't the highlight of the book and that's okay!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement
Minor: Body shaming, Fatphobia, Violence, and War
laurajones's review
adventurous
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Death of parent, and Fatphobia
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Suicide attempt, Bullying, Suicidal thoughts, Ableism, Eating disorder, and Self harm
Minor: Cancer, Chronic illness, Confinement, Body horror, and War
atlas_shruggs's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This book made me so hungry, jesus christ. The descriptions of Confection, the way literally everything except alive things was made out of food? It sounds delicious.
This book definitely had some gorgeous descriptions that really brought the entire story to life: Nancy's Underworld, Confection, the Junkyard, all of it was so vividly described it felt like I was there, I could practically smell sugar and pomegranates in the air.
The characters were amazing, I loved each and every one of them and cannot wait to see even more of them in future books. I suppose the only flaw I see in this book is the fact that Cora's personality seems to mainly consist of being fat. Like I get it, she's fat and has been struggling with body issues her entire life, but as a chubby girl myself, I don't spend every minute of every day thinking about how fat I am and how everyone must think I'm so fat, and yet Cora does. Maybe I just didn't relate to her struggles as much as I was never outwardly bullied for being fat, at least not verbally, but I just felt like it was a bit much, having her mention that she was fat every other page.
Still, overall a great book, it made me wish even more that Nancy and Kade could be together, and I'm really excited to be reading Where the Drowned Girls Go next, and see more of Cora.
This book definitely had some gorgeous descriptions that really brought the entire story to life: Nancy's Underworld, Confection, the Junkyard, all of it was so vividly described it felt like I was there, I could practically smell sugar and pomegranates in the air.
The characters were amazing, I loved each and every one of them and cannot wait to see even more of them in future books. I suppose the only flaw I see in this book is the fact that Cora's personality seems to mainly consist of being fat. Like I get it, she's fat and has been struggling with body issues her entire life, but as a chubby girl myself, I don't spend every minute of every day thinking about how fat I am and how everyone must think I'm so fat, and yet Cora does. Maybe I just didn't relate to her struggles as much as I was never outwardly bullied for being fat, at least not verbally, but I just felt like it was a bit much, having her mention that she was fat every other page.
Still, overall a great book, it made me wish even more that Nancy and Kade could be together, and I'm really excited to be reading Where the Drowned Girls Go next, and see more of Cora.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia, Death, War, Body shaming, Blood, Bullying, Violence, Murder, and Transphobia
Moderate: Medical content, Eating disorder, Suicide attempt, Cancer, and Cursing
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