Every Heart a Doorway (Wayward Children, 1)

4.5

I loved the beginning. It was a 5-star beginning with great characters. It has an old but beloved premise of children that go through doors to magical worlds-- with a twist-- the aftermath of real life for those children. This is also a theme in [b:The Magicians|6101718|The Magicians (The Magicians, #1)|Lev Grossman|https:i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1313772941l/6101718._SY75_.jpg|6278977].

Unfortunately, as the mystery aspect of the book takes off it devolves into a 3-star ending.

I was a bit of an odd child. I grew up in the country and didn't have the experience of playing with neighborhood kids. Instead, I played with my siblings (all four of us 5 years apart from the next) or just as often, by myself. I had an imagination bigger than the sky and would entertain myself endlessly with it. As I got older, I truly mourned my imagination slipping away from me and wondered why adults tend to lose their childlike imaginations.

I had a hard time making good friends until well into my late 20s because I couldn't find people who thought the way I did (or quite honestly, who could tolerate me). Frantic thoughts that jumped from this to that faster than anyone could keep up. Pulling random experiences and tidbits into conversations and assuming I'll get a great conversation and not that look. I still feel like a bit of an outcast even amongst those I consider my good friends, but I'm an adult who can (usually) handle it and not an insecure child.

I spent my childhood a bit lonely, very nervous around others, and most comfortable in my own world. And if I'd had the opportunity, I'd probably have gone through one of those doors.

This is a short novel that really packs a punch. It's creepy and confusing and whimsical and intriguing. It's chock full of diverse characters - different races, gender identities, sexual orientations - which would be overkill in another book but not this one. These were the things that often led to them feeling like outcasts because their families weren't understanding or tolerant, so the wide array of characters in a small space made sense. And so they escaped through doors that magically appeared and lead them to worlds where they felt like they were home. It was home no matter how absurd or twisted it seemed to anyone else.

And that's all I'm going to say about that because I'd hate to spoil anything for anyone.

Even though it is short, McGuire makes every word count. It's so beautifully written that I wanted to start it over the moment I finished it. Instead I went online and ordered the next four in the series. The next week of waiting may be torture.

4 Stars only because I wanted a little bit more and am hoping that little bit more is what's in some of the other books in the series

4 stars

Nancy is the new girl in Eleanor West's Home for Wayward Children, a special place for children who are not fitting into the ordinary world anymore after coming back from their "magical worlds". Nancy meets the other children who, just like her, want to go back to their own fantasy worlds. But tragedy strikes shortly after her arrival. It's now up to her and her new-found friends to solve the mystery. I’ve finally joined the Wayward Children bandwagon. This book caught me completely by surprise. The characters were all fascinating. It was hard to choose a favorite because I liked them all. I thought the idea of this book was unique. We are introduced to different worlds which were very interesting. I'm hoping to learn more about the world-building and the character’s backstories in the next books. The author's writing was impressive. It's dark, atmospheric, and lyrical. This is a short book filled with magic and diverse representation.