Reviews with content warning for Animal cruelty - Mislaid in Parts Half-Known

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Mislaid in Parts Half-Known by Seanan McGuire

9 reviews

yvo_about_books's review against another edition

adventurous emotional reflective fast-paced

3.5

Finished reading: May 17th 2024

"People who can't change aren't really perfect, and no matter how much we love it somewhere, that doesn't mean it's good for us."

I've been catching up with this series and I decided to read the most recently published sequel as well so that I'm finally up to date. Mislaid In Parts Half-Known is already book number nine of this YA urban fantasy/magical realism series, and it's a direct sequel of book eight with plenty of spoilers for the other books as well. This means it's definitely important to read the books in order! That said, I really liked that we got to see how Antsy's story ends in this sequel. Mislaid In Parts Half-Known is partly set at Eleanor West's School and partly a quest set in multiple worlds. As always, I prefer the quest parts, and while it was great catching up with some of the characters, it also kind of distracted from the plot itself. There were actually too many references to past quests and things the characters did, and it kind of made my head spin. Also, when did Sumi get so mean? I would have loved more focus on just Antsy and maybe Kade, as the story didn't really feel all that cohesive as some of the previous sequels. The quest itself also wasn't quite as challenging as I thought it would be... Although I still enjoyed following the characters and I liked how things were wrapped up. All in all it wasn't my favorite Wayward Children book, but still a pretty good read.

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ritabriar's review against another edition

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adventurous tense 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

5.0

This book continues the delightful pattern of the series of showing us how these characters interact, where their biases and abilities and losses conflict and complement. Each character has their own shifting motivations, always similar enough to keep them moving forward together on their quest... until one or more does not go forward anymore. Since the doors themselves respond to the children's certainty, the plot is driven by an intersection of the characters and the universe.

Let's talk about the dinosaurs. Delightful, no notes. Feathered, brightly-colored, and fluffy, plus viciously terrifying.

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bookboxbabe's review against another edition

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adventurous hopeful lighthearted 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? No

4.0

sumi is the most annoying character and every time she leaves i hope she’ll stay gone

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milliemudd's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional mysterious fast-paced

4.0

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leanniefae's review

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adventurous dark emotional hopeful fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

This is one of my favorite series, with this installment no exception. We learn a little about all our beloved characters in this book, though as the author stated, this is the continuation of Antsy's story. I'm SO glad we got more about Antsy, and I feel good about her progress and where she was at the end of the story. Knowing what Seanan said online about the dinosaurs cover, I feel that we were given the perfect amount of dinosaurs, though I understand that some would want more.
My prediction is that we go to Mariposa next for Christopher. We shall see!

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themichellegray's review against another edition

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adventurous reflective 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? It's complicated

3.0

The ninth installment of the Wayward Children series sadly didn't impress me as much as some of its predecessors. It was still a joy to spend more time with characters I already adore and the ending was perfect, yet my critiques outweigh my overall enjoyment.

There wasn't a plot driving this particular story forward and it felt as-if the characters went on a quest just because thats what happens in odd-numbered books within the series. The writing often felt disjointed as we were following so many characters who were each trying to have their own discussions. Rather than providing an empowering message, these conversations and monologues became repetitive which muddled the points that were trying to be made. (Also, marketing a book with dinosaurs on the cover yet having barely any time in that world is super misleading.)

It's possible I wasn't in the right headspace to read this novella but I can't help feeling as-if this was simply a rushed "filler" book to remind readers of who everyone was and what worlds they visited. I still admire the whimsical settings this fantasy series offers and hope my enjoyment will pick up in future publications!

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tangleroot_eli's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny lighthearted reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

I first crossed paths with this series one year ago (January 2023). I loved it so much that I 1) devoured the whole then-extant series in about 3 weeks; and 2) got a tattoo inspired by it. So I'm a very biased reader/reviewer.

That said, I really enjoyed this one. The quest plot is fun, and I loved McGuire's exploration of the metaphysics of Doors and world. These books are kind of standalone, but also kind of not, and some very interesting things are happening in the world(s) in this one.

It's not perfect.

Seraphina's involvement, which could've been a rich complication, turned out to be a McGuffin. I would probably read a book about her.
I really wanted more time given to Kade's reactions to both returning to Prism and Cora's departure. I desperately want a book about him.
Christopher's chapter at the Door didn't go much of anywhere. I'd've liked to see him have to deal with Vineta or Yulia on his own.

On the whole, though, this is a delightful addition to a wonderful series.

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kadtide's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I would say that a main theme of the book is finding closure, something that has always been at the core of the series. This is not the end of the series, but it is an ending for some of the characters and those endings are beautifully written, with the time and care they need to get to where they need to be.

I had a hard time with Antsy's story in Lost in the Moment and Found due to the specific themes of the story, but my main takeaway was "I like this character and I want to see where she goes from here." This book did not disappoint- I loved her too-young-too-old grown-up-too-fast childish righteousness, and I appreciated the way

she was able to confront her past and find certainty in her home. While I'll miss her in future stories, I think her story was very strong as is and I'm glad she ended up where she belongs.

Some thoughts on the other characters:

Seraphina:

Based on the book description I first saw I was honestly expecting her to be a more major part of the plot, not just the driving force. I'm not disappointed though, although I am a bit curious as to what (if any) role she'll take on in the future.

Kade:

I think it's very cool that we got to see Prism, however briefly. Kade's story is one I know is coming at the end, and I like how it's told in bits and pieces (and usually the same bits and pieces, just told in slightly different ways). I look forward to seeing how he reacts to Sumi's revelation that the goblins reportedly want him back as their prince.

Sumi:

She brings such a unique and special energy to these books and I love her for it. She's someone I would hate to know in real life, but she works so well within the story. I think her Nonsense provides a much-needed balance- she's both chaos incarnate, yet sometimes arguably the most rational in the moment.

Cora:

my beloved Cora! The epilogue hit me hard when I realized what it meant. I love the juxtaposition between her and Antsy, who both enter the narrative partway through and leave in the same story, but while Cora's journey is long and spans several books, Antsy's is much shorter. These two work so well as not a pair so much as briefly intersecting lines. Cora has had such a beautiful, wonderful journey over the course of this series, and I'm so happy for her that she's finally going home, even as I'm so sad to see her go. The timing was perfect for her.

The Whitethorn cast:

My absolute favorite character in the entire series is Marian, but I am neither surprised nor bothered that she doesn't make much of an appearance. Regan as well, I feel like the two of them have had their time and it makes sense for both of them to have the chance to step back from the narrative.

I am very glad we got to see more of both Emily and Stephanie- they didn't have the same sense of closure at the end of Where the Drowned Girls Go as Marian, and I am happy to see Emily's story continue as she joins the questers and to get a stronger sense of Stephanie's conclusion and what that means for her. Stephanie and her dinosaurs were only briefly in the story, but it felt true to her character. Meanwhile Emily is a wonderful addition to the core group of the series- I loved her interactions with Yulia and Antsy (being the only one to recognize her younger age, and relating it back to Rowena!!) She is gentle and passionate and fierce in her own way and I'm excited to see where her story leads.

Christopher:

I don't have much to say here, but that isn't really a bad thing. He takes a little bit of a back seat in this book, just because he's offscreen for a bit more of it than in the past, though it feels right for him. He has been a central enough part of the story so far that I'm sure he'll have a satisfying narrative in the end, and I'm willing to wait for it.

All in all, I really enjoyed this book. I do need to reread some of the earlier ones since I'm sure part of this is recency bias speaking, but I think this one is among my favorites so far.

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meganpbell's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional 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

4.5

This ninth novella in Seanan McGuire’s beloved Wayward Children series is as full of fierce wisdom and whimsical quests as ever, following Antsy and friends from Eleanor West's Home for Wayward Children through several Doors both familiar and strange, seeking a way to set the Shop Where the Lost Things back in order. The worlds we visit in this installment are so fun and fascinating—and I love how Antsy’s story continues here.

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