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emeszee's review against another edition
4.0
[4/5]
[b:Every Heart a Doorway|25526296|Every Heart a Doorway (Wayward Children, #1)|Seanan McGuire|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1431438555s/25526296.jpg|45313140] seems like [b:Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children|9460487|Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children (Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children, #1)|Ransom Riggs|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1472782916s/9460487.jpg|14345371], but more maturity (of course). If you liked Miss Peregrine's, you'll most likely like this. Anyway, on to my idea of a description. When this one girl, Nancy, goes to this "Underworld", her parents send her to this school, hoping she'll be "cured". She meets a variety of others who have also gone to these worlds. A lot goes down, and I mean quite an amount. Somehow, [a:Seanan McGuire|2860219|Seanan McGuire|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1245623198p2/2860219.jpg] manages to put all of this into just 169 pages. That, my friends, is an accomplishment.
[b:Every Heart a Doorway|25526296|Every Heart a Doorway (Wayward Children, #1)|Seanan McGuire|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1431438555s/25526296.jpg|45313140] seems like [b:Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children|9460487|Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children (Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children, #1)|Ransom Riggs|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1472782916s/9460487.jpg|14345371], but more maturity (of course). If you liked Miss Peregrine's, you'll most likely like this. Anyway, on to my idea of a description. When this one girl, Nancy, goes to this "Underworld", her parents send her to this school, hoping she'll be "cured". She meets a variety of others who have also gone to these worlds. A lot goes down, and I mean quite an amount. Somehow, [a:Seanan McGuire|2860219|Seanan McGuire|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1245623198p2/2860219.jpg] manages to put all of this into just 169 pages. That, my friends, is an accomplishment.
mirireads's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
beatriz_pinto's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
this a cute little novella that I wasn't expecting I was going to read, least of all that I would enjoy it!
the concept is such an interesting one! the reason for the children to be all there and the whole tales woven are truly incredible. at first I was a bit scared because it gave me Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children and I wasn't the biggest fan of that one… but its similarities didn't bother me and the exploration and exposé of it, in this one, was more to my taste.
the characters were very curious and sweet in general. I loved learning about their backstories and I think McGuire managed to set an amazing introduction to the series and now I am very, very curious about the next ones.
the concept is such an interesting one! the reason for the children to be all there and the whole tales woven are truly incredible. at first I was a bit scared because it gave me Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children and I wasn't the biggest fan of that one… but its similarities didn't bother me and the exploration and exposé of it, in this one, was more to my taste.
the characters were very curious and sweet in general. I loved learning about their backstories and I think McGuire managed to set an amazing introduction to the series and now I am very, very curious about the next ones.
serar's review against another edition
dark
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
libraryofdreaming's review against another edition
4.0
I wasn't too thrilled by Seanan McGuire's first book, Rosemary and Rue, but I was willing to give her a second try. I'm glad I did but I am still pondering this book. I'm still not sure what to think of it. I didn't realize at first it was only a novella, but I think it is a prime example of the genre. Seanan McGuire knows what she wants to say and says it without an unneeded word. For all my waffling over the book, I fully admit that she did a spectacular job creating a story. Every Heart a Doorway is a self-contained, glowing gem of a book. That gem might be dark, gory, and rather unsettling, but it is still a treasure in its own way.
The world-building was absolutely fascinating.The supposition that there is a fantasy world out there for every lost person where they will feel completely at home is enthralling. I identified with the main characters' longing but the darkness of these worlds made me pause. A world just for you, molded to your very soul is incredibly appealing. But all the fantasy worlds are dark and bloodthirsty. Even the candy-coated worlds have fangs. All the characters are damaged not only from their return to the human world but also from their stay in fantasy land. Is it right for a troubled person to find home in a world of questionable morals? Even if you feel at home there, should a world where injustice happens really be accepted without a blink of the eye? I don't have the answer and I don't know what Seanan McGuire meant by creating this story world. I can't decide for myself whether it felt superficial or if it was really deep in prompting these questions.
The lines between fantasy and realism are so blurred I can't tell what was what. I could not turn my brain off from imagining a darker reading. The ending left me with mixed feelings.
I was happy Nancy was happy, but I couldn't shake an unsettling feeling. Maybe Nancy was reunited with the world that spoke to her soul and lived happily ever after, but maybe a girl with an eating disorder returned to a dark dictatorship and conformed into being a servant forever. I just don't know!
Overall, I still cannot wrap my head around this book. It was beautifully written and leaves me with an overwhelming jealousy of Seanan McGuire's skills. Some parts truly spoke to me. Other parts were a bit too gothic for my taste. Either way it was most certainly an intriguing book.
The world-building was absolutely fascinating.The supposition that there is a fantasy world out there for every lost person where they will feel completely at home is enthralling. I identified with the main characters' longing but the darkness of these worlds made me pause. A world just for you, molded to your very soul is incredibly appealing. But all the fantasy worlds are dark and bloodthirsty. Even the candy-coated worlds have fangs. All the characters are damaged not only from their return to the human world but also from their stay in fantasy land. Is it right for a troubled person to find home in a world of questionable morals? Even if you feel at home there, should a world where injustice happens really be accepted without a blink of the eye? I don't have the answer and I don't know what Seanan McGuire meant by creating this story world. I can't decide for myself whether it felt superficial or if it was really deep in prompting these questions.
The lines between fantasy and realism are so blurred I can't tell what was what. I could not turn my brain off from imagining a darker reading. The ending left me with mixed feelings.
Spoiler
I was happy Nancy was happy, but I couldn't shake an unsettling feeling. Maybe Nancy was reunited with the world that spoke to her soul and lived happily ever after, but maybe a girl with an eating disorder returned to a dark dictatorship and conformed into being a servant forever. I just don't know!
Overall, I still cannot wrap my head around this book. It was beautifully written and leaves me with an overwhelming jealousy of Seanan McGuire's skills. Some parts truly spoke to me. Other parts were a bit too gothic for my taste. Either way it was most certainly an intriguing book.
pacificselkie's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
greygryph's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
domiri's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
samohtj's review against another edition
dark
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The premise for this book was such a fun and original spin that I came out of YA retirement to give it a read. A delightful idea, executed with a stylish mixture of the strange and the macabre that was sure to draw me in. This world where this story is character growth made flesh. The art of building happiness wherever you are, but keeping hope that you'll find your way to where you really belong. A fun and inventive story, and a quick read. There are a lot of books in this series now, and I may not get to them all, but there's no reason not to read a few more, at least...
emldavis001's review against another edition
3.0
(3.5) I hate to say it, but I didn't like this book as much as I thought I would. Don't get me wrong it was still really good and I'm going to read the rest of the books, but my expectations for them aren't as high anymore. The one thing I do want to say about this book is that this book kind of made me feel like I was on drugs the entire time I was reading it and I mean that in a good way. I am still excited to read the rest of the books and I hope they get better as they go on.