Tag: portal fantasy

Reviews

Where the Drowned Girls Go Review

by amyleighreadsLeave a Comment on Where the Drowned Girls Go Review

*SPOILERS AHEAD*

When Eleanor West decided to open her school, her sanctuary, her Home for Wayward Children, she knew from the beginning that there would be children she couldn’t save; when Cora decides she needs a different direction, a different fate, a different prophecy, Miss West reluctantly agrees to transfer her to the other school, where things are run very differently by Whitethorn, the Headmaster.

Cora’s character is just so complex. I love that we get a brief background on her and her experiences in childhood with her weight and how ostracised she was by her peers. I think it’s quite tragic that she thought the only way she could escape would be to try and commit suicide but I’m glad she found her way through her door and to the trenches. I thought it was quite brave of her to approach Eleanor and request the transfer, she obviously knows how to advocate for herself and through her experiences recognise when she’s had enough.

I’m a little miffed at Eleanor for her reaction to Cora’s decision to go to Whitethorn. I think she definitely took it too personal and reacted when I think she should of tried to be a bit more compassionate and try to reason with Cora. I just feel like when she was aware of how serious Cora was she kind of shut her out and sent her on her way.

I was very much invested in Cora’s time at Whitethorn and how they try to break the girls and reset their minds. We are introduced to a few new characters and revisit some old characters which was fun to see. I almost didn’t recognise Regan at first but I loved that we get to know what happened to her when she came back through her door and her new abilities. The other characters weren’t as memorable to me, they all kind of blended together a little bit but I’m hoping we learn more about them individually as the series continues.

I think this book in particular is one of my favourites in this series. Cora feels a lot more relatable as a character and overall the plot and pacing were still quite fast but highly engaging. I would of loved if this was a full length book that could of delved a lot deeper into Whitethorn and the Headmaster and his decisions. But for being a novella I think there was the perfect amount of context, mystery and thrills!

⭐️4/5 stars One of my favs from this series so far!

Reviews

Across the Green Grass Fields Review

by amyleighreads1 Comment on Across the Green Grass Fields Review

This was my favourite of the series so far!

Regan loves, and is loved, though her school-friend situation has become complicated, of late. When she suddenly finds herself thrust through a doorway that asks her to “Be Sure” before swallowing her whole, Regan must learn to live in a world filled with centaurs, kelpies, and other magical equines―a world that expects its human visitors to step up and be heroes.

Regan was an interesting character for sure! Wanting to fit in was at the forefront of her mind throughout her childhood, which is why is continues to put up with Laurel even though she knows she’s a questionable friend, just to fit in and not be ostracised. I would of appreciated her more if she would of stood up more for Heather but this was incredible realistic the way their friendships played out. She continues to grow and mature in the Hooflands and realises over time who she really should of chose.

I like that Seanan McGuire includes diverse characters with different sexualities and backgrounds. I can’t really comment on the accuracy of Regan as an intersex character but I am pretty sure she is the first intersex character I have come across in my reading history so I had to mention it!

I loved learning about this new world! Throughout Regan’s time there we learn so much about the dichotomy of the centaurs and how their civilisation works within this world. How the stallions are separated from the females and they essentially have to pay to sire a foal. This was really interesting to me and I almost wish we got to discover more about them. We are briefly given a run down of the different creatures that live in Hoofland besides the centaurs and how they view each other. Again I just want to know so much more about the world and how these legends started with the humans but again these books are so short I have become accustomed to the amount of world building we are going to be given.

The plot was pretty fast paced and I was engaged pretty much throughout the course of the storyline. I feel like this book goes into more detail about the world and establishes Regan’s character pretty quickly. I am excited to see where her story goes next and how she ends up at Eleanor’s and whether or not she acclimates back to the real world.

⭐️4/5 stars I really enjoyed this!!!

Reviews

Come Tumbling Down Review

by amyleighreadsLeave a Comment on Come Tumbling Down Review

This was definitely my favourite of the series so far!

When Jack left Eleanor West’s School for Wayward Children she was carrying the body of her deliciously deranged sister–whom she had recently murdered in a fit of righteous justice–back to their home on the Moors. But death in their adopted world isn’t always as permanent as it is here, and when Jack is herself carried back into the school, it becomes clear that something has happened to her. Something terrible. Something of which only the maddest of scientists could conceive. Something only her friends are equipped to help her overcome.

I think what I liked about this book above the rest was we have a bit more context in regards to these characters and the setting of the Moors that I was able to be more invested and connected to the narrative. Which is essentially what I missing from the rest of the series. They are all so short and don’t go into the minute details that I am so used to that I am just left feeling like something was missing but that wasn’t there this time. I already know most of these characters and we got to learn more about them and their motives behind some of their actions.

Jack really leaned into the narrative that she was a monster and not a nice person. I didn’t really think that way about her before but it was really emphasised throughout the course of the plot. I think it was fairly obvious that her sister would have to die and even though she goes through with it she does end up feeling remorseful that it had to happen. There is definitely no love lost between the two and I didn’t really enjoy Jill at all but like Jack said they are a result of their choices they made when they were too young to think of the consequences.

I am glad that we got to explore more of the Moors and find out more about it’s history and the rules of the world. I liked the different setting of the seaside and learning about the drowned gods and the high priest and his history as well. I can see how some of the logical worlds have sort of similar rules in place yet still differ in a way that distinguishes them from each other.

Everything just kind of works out a little too conveniently for them when they go on these quests. Sure Seanan McGuire is not shy about killing off characters in this series but all of the conflict and obstacles are resolved kind of easily. There are definitely some high stakes but I am never really worried about any of the characters, because most of the time they end up coming back somehow.

⭐️3/5 stars the series is slowly getting better as I read through

Reviews

In An Absent Dream Review

by amyleighreadsLeave a Comment on In An Absent Dream Review

This fourth entry and prequel tells the story of Lundy, a very serious young girl who would rather study and dream than become a respectable housewife and live up to the expectations of the world around her. As well she should. When she finds a doorway to a world founded on logic and reason, riddles and lies, she thinks she’s found her paradise. Alas, everything costs at the goblin market, and when her time there is drawing to a close, she makes the kind of bargain that never plays out well.

From what we learn about Katherine I can see why she would want to escape to the Goblin Market and how she would thrive in this world. She is very stubborn and I could see how her choices would affect her later on in the plot and they eventually did. She was both selfish running away from her family and coming back multiple times, she didn’t really understand how that could affect them, but also she would do just about anything to help Moon and stop her from becoming an owl, taking on her debt and paying it all off with no thought of the repercussions.

The world building wasn’t quite enough for me. There was definitely multiple discussions about the rules and debt and how giving fair value and not asking for too much was key in this world but the actual setting wasn’t explored enough for me. It lacked that depth I needed to become fully engaged and invested in the plot.

I felt like all of the action and adventure aspects in these books were just passed over. I wanted to know about all of the things Lundy got up to in the years she was in the Goblin Market instead of briefly being told them when she returns to her family. This is definitely more of a character driven series which explores the characters growth over their journey’s and their frame of minds throughout as opposed to what is actually happening within the worlds.

Overall I feel a bit ambivalent towards this book in particular. It was interesting sure, and seeing how Lundy interprets the rules and debts captured my attention but overall it just feels like something is missing in the story. And again like the rest of the series I think it was the fact that they are just so short and doesn’t give me enough substance.

⭐️3/5 stars Just an ok one for me…

Reviews

Every Heart a Doorway Review

by amyleighreads3 Comments on Every Heart a Doorway Review

25526296Didn’t quite live up to the hype….

This book revolves around a school that takes in wayward children who have travelled to different worlds and have stumbled back to reality and can’t cope.

This book just didn’t quite gel with me personally. I went into it only really knowing that everyone absolutely loves this book and you don’t really get a lot of negative reviews but it didn’t quite live up to my expectations. Even though the book is quite short I thought it would go into a lot more details about the different worlds and the adventures that each of the children had whilst they were there and how it contrasts to the current world.

There wasn’t really any point in time where I was invested or all that engaged in the story. I think the development stage was a tad rushed and I wasn’t really settled into the plot at any point. I was definitely intrigued and once the murders started occurring I was eager to figure out who was behind them, but the pacing and the structure of the story felt a little fractured I guess.

I wasn’t all that attached to any of the characters either. They were all very diverse and distinct and had a voice and a story of their own but it was never to the point where I was developing any emotions or commitment to them.  They all felt a little one dimensional to me as well, and again I think it was just due to the length of the book and that underdevelopment factor.

The premise is definitely original and now that I read this book and I understand kind of how it has been written and the purpose of the story I think I will enjoy the rest of the series. As a high/epic fantasy reader it just wasn’t fleshed out enough for me. I am used to a lot more world building and magical elements which this did have just not to the extent that I was expecting.

⭐️3/5 stars promising, needs a bit more oomph!