A review by triscuit807
Riverland by Fran Wilde

5.0

4.5-5 stars. Sometimes it's necessary that books are not comfortable. Eleanor and Mike are sisters, (7th and 3rd grade) who have a truth that they cannot tell anyone. Nightly Eleanor takes shelter with beneath her bed with Mike and together they tell a story, a story that maybe someday their parents will be back and there won't be a troll in the house. They can't tell anyone about the "house magic" that causes broken things to come back or be replaced, but Mike is young and can't be quiet. Eleanor tries to fix things, but the magic fishing float has been broken and hasn't been fixed/replaced. There is a river beneath her bed complete with a lighthouse, nightmares, and a clockwork heron. And it starts to leak into her house and in the neighboring houses too - can Eleanor fix this? This is a novel of courage and love in the face of abuse. I read this for my 2020 Reading Challenge (Swords/Stars "portal fantasy") and the 2020 Hugo nominations (Lodestar YA).