REVIEW: EVERY HEART A DOORWAY by Seanan McGuire

Title: Every Heart a Doorway
Author: Seanan McGuire
Series: Wayward Children #1
Genres: YA, Fantasy, LGBT+
Publisher: Tor.com
Release: 2016
Source: eBook
Pages: 169

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BLURB: Eleanor West’s Home for Wayward Children

No Solicitations

No Visitors

No Quests

Children have always disappeared under the right conditions; slipping through the shadows under a bed or at the back of a wardrobe, tumbling down rabbit holes and into old wells, and emerging somewhere... else.

But magical lands have little need for used-up miracle children.

Nancy tumbled once, but now she’s back. The things she’s experienced... they change a person. The children under Miss West’s care understand all too well. And each of them is seeking a way back to their own fantasy world.

But Nancy’s arrival marks a change at the Home. There’s a darkness just around each corner, and when tragedy strikes, it’s up to Nancy and her new-found schoolmates to get to the heart of the matter.

No matter the cost.

EXPECTATIONS: I feel like this book is the IT book of 2016. It is so short but at the same time so powerful and I am yet to hear a single negative review, I am telling you it really is the IT book.

THE WORLD: Magical. A little bit of Alice in Wonderland vibe as well as just one big fairytale. Basically this world is partially like ours and partially not. You all heard how Alice discovered a hidden door once and went into a magical world. Well this is the idea of this book, children all over the world discover magical hidden doors to their own worlds where they are finally feel home and where they belong. Be it nonsense world or dark underworld or any other world, it just fits. But at some point sometimes you get either kicked out of the world or are sent away as a test and that is when you come back to our world. Kids don't fit in anymore, parents don't believe them and everything feels just wrong. That's why there is a Wayward school where parents can sent children that came back, it has a facade of a boarding school which makes your child 'normal' again but in reality it is a school for children who came back and looking for a way back into their magical worlds.

CHARACTERS: There are plenty as there are many children in Wayward school but the ones we focus on most are I think Nancy, Kade and Jack. Nancy is the girl that just came back from the dark underworld where she learned to be very still as well as many other things. The thing is these worlds...they are difficult to explain but Nancy is this calm character that liked being still and not draw any attention. She is also asexual which made me really happy because asexual representation in books is something that is really missing. I think some people don't really even understand what asexual means and that is explained really nicely in this book. Kade is a trans character and has been in the school longest, actually he was kicked out of his world because they realized he is not a girl like they thought. Which I think is mean as it was Kade's world and he was supposed to fit in you know...I am conflicted about this part tbh. And then there is Jill and Jack. They went to the dark underworld, Jill being a lady of a vampire and Jack a progeny of a mad scientist. They eventually had to run from their world because of Jill being stupid and getting people to hate her. But let me just say that Jack is my ultimate favorite character and the fact that next book is about Jill and Jack...ah makes me so so happy. Also Jill and Jack...I hope you get the reference here.

ROMANCE: Kade actually liked Nancy but is very acceptable of the fact that Nancy is asexual and does not push her. Actually there is no bullshit that we see daily on media where men always pride themselves that oh you are lesbian because you did not met the right man or you are asexual because you never met a male that makes you lust. This is not present in this book and oh my I love this book for it so so much!

GOOD: I think the concept of hidden doors leading to magical places is amazing. But what was even more amazing to me was the representation of different characters. Really really well done in my inexperienced opinion.

BAD: This was the only minus for me and why I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 and that was the serial killer. There are actually crimes happening in this book which I think was not needed. Even if you take the killing away the book is still amazing. The extra intrigue and mystery was really not needed.

OVERALL: As I said the IT book for sure. If you have not read it I would highly recommend it, it is super short but will stay with you for the rest of your life.

What do you think about EVERY HEART A DOORWAY?