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anniereads221's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Bullying, Death, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Outing, Murder, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, and Violence
melaniereadsbooks's review
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I really enjoyed the intersex rep in this book, which I truly do not read enough of. Reagan was a great main character and I loved how accepting her parents were and how quickly she accepted herself as well. I adored the found family aspects of this book! My only real complaint is that I thought the ending was rather anticlimactic!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, and Kidnapping
phobia against intersex peopleadriennne's review
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Kidnapping, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Transphobia
empathephant's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
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? No
4.0
Small thematic spoilers, no major plot spoilers:
Seanan's depiction of childhood is spot on, and beautiful in a horrid sort of way. I reflected on the cruelty of playground politics, the secret wishes I hoped for as a child, and the ways I attempted to change myself to fit in people's boxes. I love the character of Reagan and the way she grows and frees herself from the shackles of destiny–or really just others' expectations.
The intersex representation is refreshing. I love when queer characters are allowed to just be and the story does not center on their queerness, though in this case the book manages to be educational and include an important scene about discovering identity, while still letting her go off and have adventures and have an identity that has more personality traits than just "oppressed queer person."
Literary structure of ending is mentioned:
<spolier>
The twist ending was unexpected and awesome. I loved the social commentary that could be discussed after reading the end.
Seanan's depiction of childhood is spot on, and beautiful in a horrid sort of way. I reflected on the cruelty of playground politics, the secret wishes I hoped for as a child, and the ways I attempted to change myself to fit in people's boxes. I love the character of Reagan and the way she grows and frees herself from the shackles of destiny–or really just others' expectations.
The intersex representation is refreshing. I love when queer characters are allowed to just be and the story does not center on their queerness, though in this case the book manages to be educational and include an important scene about discovering identity, while still letting her go off and have adventures and have an identity that has more personality traits than just "oppressed queer person."
Literary structure of ending is mentioned:
<spolier>
The twist ending was unexpected and awesome. I loved the social commentary that could be discussed after reading the end.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic friendship and Bullying
Moderate: Kidnapping, Confinement, Murder, Homophobia, Transphobia, and Body shaming
Minor: Terminal illness
jupitermond's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Transphobia, and Kidnapping
plumpaperbacks's review
adventurous
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
The Wayward Children books are usually hit or miss for me, and although I enjoyed parts of this sixth installment, Across the Green Grass Fields was a miss. I enjoyed reading about the centaurs adopting Regan, as well as her friendship with Chicory, but wasn’t all that invested in Regan herself or the Hooflands’ politics. McGuire skillfully incorporated very relevant discussions of gender, identity, and family throughout the novella, but didn’t succeed nearly as much in writing realistic children in the opening chapters. I also found the ending to be a bit abrupt and rather unsatisfying. I don’t think I’ll be continuing with this series.
Representation
Representation
- intersex protagonist
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying and Toxic relationship
Minor: Kidnapping and Confinement
A side character says hateful things to Regan upon finding out that she’s intersex, e.g. “You’re a lying, deceitful boy.” even though Regan is still a girl.librarianmage's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
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? It's complicated
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Kidnapping, and Body shaming
bluejayreads's review
adventurous
emotional
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
5.0
I want to know what witch, demon, deity, or other supernatural being Seanan McGuire sold her soul to in order to make her writing this relatable, but I swear each Wayward Children book is more relatable than the last. This one is a standalone, with the same concept of children falling through doors to other worlds but none of the reoccurring characters from the previous books, but I enjoyed it just as it was.
If you're familiar with the idea behind Wayward Children, every kid has some reason that they "need" to go through a door. Regan is having trouble with feeling like she doesn't fit in and a friend group that's not exactly healthy. When she reveals to the girl she thought was her best friend that the reason she hasn't been going through puberty is that she's intersex, the resulting fallout brings her to a door in the woods. She ends up in the Hooflands, magical world of centaurs and unicorns and kelpies and fauns and all manner of hooved fantasy creatures, a wonderful place for a horse-obsessed ten-year-old girl to be. There, she finds what she needs - people who love her not in spite of her differences, but because of them, a place where she doesn't have to worry about being a certain way in order to fit in and be loved.
I say this about every Wayward Children protagonist, but Regan was incredibly relatable. I didn't go to a school, but I went to homeschool group where I had a friend who, like Regan's "best friend," I let isolate me from other people I could have been friends with so I could stay friends with her. I always felt like I wasn't normal, like I didn't fit, like people needed me to be something else or someone else in order to like me. I completely related to Regan's feeling of being alone and lonely despite having peple around her who ostensibly loved her. And I loved horses as a kid, too - perhaps if I'd gone through a magical door, I would also have ended up in the Hooflands.
Also, this book has some great insights. It wrestles with the question of "how do we determine who are people and who aren't?" throughout the story, and the representation of the way adults and children relate to each other was spot-on and incredibly insightful. Seanan McGuire captures the child's perspective on things so well, it's stunning.
One thing that you have to remember about Wayward Children books is that, fundamentally, these are not happy stories. These magic worlds give the children what they need, but then they spit the children back out into our world and expect them live in normalcy after experiencing magic. These are books about what happens after you have your adventure and return home to find you no longer fit into the place you left and there's not a spot for you now. This book ripped my heart out. It was so, so good. I adore this series.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying and Kidnapping
Minor: Animal death and Gore
setgalvin22's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying
Moderate: Kidnapping
Minor: Transphobia
plantbasedbride's review
adventurous
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Across the Green Grass Fields is yet another beautiful installment of Seanan McGuire's Wayward Children Series, reminding us yet again that there's no right way to be a girl (or a boy or an enby).
Book six revolves around Regan, a young intersex girl who loves horses with all her heart. As a former horse girl myself, I can relate to Regan. Horses are awesome. She is also struggling with toxic friendships, bullying, and shame. Also exceedingly relatable. Growing up is rough.
When Regan finds her door she walks into a magical land full of horse-like creatures and learns that the best way for her to fit in is to be her truest self.
I thought this book was lovely. It read a bit younger than some of the other books in this series, and didn't pack quite the emotional punch of my favourites, but it was still enjoyable and deeply meaningful.
Book six revolves around Regan, a young intersex girl who loves horses with all her heart. As a former horse girl myself, I can relate to Regan. Horses are awesome. She is also struggling with toxic friendships, bullying, and shame. Also exceedingly relatable. Growing up is rough.
When Regan finds her door she walks into a magical land full of horse-like creatures and learns that the best way for her to fit in is to be her truest self.
I thought this book was lovely. It read a bit younger than some of the other books in this series, and didn't pack quite the emotional punch of my favourites, but it was still enjoyable and deeply meaningful.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Violence, Death, and Kidnapping