Reviews with content warning for Child abuse - Where the Drowned Girls Go

It's been a while since I last visited this series, and when I spotted it the other day I decided to add it to my priority TBR on a whim. I usually have an excellent time with the Wayward Children books, so I hoped it was going to be an excellent way to end the year... And Where The Drowned Girls Go has definitely helped me remember me why I love this series! Sure, there isn't as much magic going on this time around, but the whimsical vibe is still there and Cora's story is such an important one. A little warning is in place as this sequel has minor spoilers for the previous books, and you might not understand the full scope of the situation if you haven't read them yet... Although it can still be read quite easily if you (like myself) don't remember all the details. I loved learning more about the Whitethorn Institute, and it was interesting to see the different approaches. There are so many important topics and hidden messages incorporated, and I could really appreciate how the story shows that it is okay to be yourself and stand up for what you believe. I'm looking forward to continue the series in 2024!

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atlas_shruggs's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional funny inspiring mysterious reflective 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? Yes

5.0

If there's one thing I've learned in my years of reading this series, is that if you don't love a character or storyline, you just haven't gotten to know it well enough. Reading this book made me have a new appreciation for Cora as a character, and made me genuinely interested in reading Across the Green Grass Fields again, even though it has been my least favourite book so far. Cora also bugged me a bit in Beneath the Sugar Sky since it seemed like her entire character was being fat, but reading this book definitely changed my mind on that. As a fat person myself I've always had a hard time finding a good depiction of fatness in media, but this book did it beautifully; Cora's past issues with her body were written so well and so realistically. It also wasn't her biggest personality trait in this story which I liked, though of course her struggles with body image issues were still a central point in her story.
I also loved seeing the effect the Moors had on Cora. So far we've only seen the effect the Moors had on Jack and Jill, who are both already morbid personalities who clearly belong there. Cora however is scarred by her short stay there, and I felt that really emphasized the fact that the doors are not necessarily doors to good or perfect places but rather to your perfect place.
Overall I can't wait for the next book in the series to come out, and I'm still holding out hope for Kade's story to be published soon.

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