A review by librarymouse
Where the Drowned Girls Go by Seanan McGuire

adventurous dark emotional 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? It's complicated

5.0

Holy shit! This is a fantastic addition to the Wayward Children series. I greatly enjoy Seanan McGuire's handling of most subjects, and the level of thought that has gone into Cora's characterization and healing, and the consistency of the characters' personalities across books is no exception. The expansion of the universe, offers readers a deeper glimpse into the lives of the lost children who were found by the Whitethorn school before Eleanor West could get to them and those whom she is unable to help. The detail in this book is refined to a tee and immense given the relatively short page count. From the looming threat of aging out of the program without graduating, to the minute changes in vocabulary from the compass we've come to expect, the Whitethorn school is uncanny and unkind from the beginning. Yet, as we see, Cora is healing. This novella starts as an interesting exploration of what it means for healing to hurt, and what it means to hold onto something past the point of comfort. The moment at which Cora truly begins to heal and release the hold the Drowned Gods have on her, is so powerful, set against the backdrop of a sterile isolation room. She battles for herself inside her own mind. I also greatly enjoyed getting to see more of Sumi and Cora's friendship.

As the novel progresses, the setting takes on a role more akin to character, and we see the overarching plot of the odd-numbered novels progress as the characters uncover the nefarious nature of the Whitethorn school. The crumbs of further door lore dangle the promise of more. I'm very glad I'm reading this series with a back log of books to catch up on. I'm looking forward to seeing how the rescued characters fit into Eleanor West's school for wayward children, and how further door lore will be revealed.
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