Down Among the Sticks and Bones

This is entirely a prequel focused solely on Jack and Jill's (from the first book) story. It's interesting to see one of the many fantasy worlds one (set) of the Wayward Children encounter in detail but I would have liked to see more than one somehow. This could even be a standalone book, though it does help explain some things in the first book.

So, I'm curious: has Seanan McGuire ever...read a book? Does she know what they are and how they work? Because I kind of like her schtick, but it's profoundly not a novella. By which I mean, Down Among the Sticks and Bones only has any sense of narrative structure and emotional payoff in retrospect in the events of Every Heart a Doorway, it's prequel. And the murder mystery in Every Heart a Doorway doesn't actually make any sense until you read Down Among the Sticks and Bones. I spent a lot of time frustrated by the murder mystery of Down Among the Sticks and Bones because it felt like cheating to have a murder mystery when the rules turned out to allow resurrection. Down Among the Sticks and Bones makes that slightly more palatable (although not really until book #5 is it really addressed).

As a standalone, this works barely at all. Jack and Jill are flimsy characters and the plot is basically nonexistent, with the book fizzling just as it should be hitting a climax. Where it does succeed is where Seanan McGuire seems to excel: a beautifully depicted setting (in this case, a canonical horro movie) and a rich fairy tale-esque theme. It's beautiful reading, but when the spell breaks I'm still at WTH did I just read?

Jack and Jill were my favorite characters in Every Heart a Doorway, so I was beyond excited that they would be the focus of the second installment of the Wayward Children series. Seanan McGuire takes us back to where they came from and where they went when they found the door out. This series has never been subtle, and Down Among the Sticks and Bones is very clear about what it wants to say about children, parents and how when you try to treat a person like a plaything, you may end up creating a monster.

After twelve years of feeling stifled and neglected by their soulless parents, Jack and Jill step through a doorway to the Moors, a Victorian Gothic world filled with vampires, werewolves, mad scientists and blood-thirsty sea creatures. Within their first three nights they are asked to decide who they will serve - the scientist who lives in the windmill and raises the dead, or the vampire in the castle. Jack, with her untapped thirst for knowledge, chooses the scientist. Jill, with her need to be adored and her more aggressive nature, chooses the vampire. The story is intentionally fairy tale like and referential of other works. The fairy worlds featured in this series are in many ways products of our world - even though they are yet to be explained in the text. They come from a need, and what Jack and Jill need is someway to be who they are, even if that means finding a home in the darkest, most dangerous world there is.

One of the things that made Jack stand out in Every Heart a Doorway was her sharp wit. For Jill it was her beautiful clothes and wicked mind. Here, Jack doesn't get to have as much flair - she's the straight man to her wayward sister, the one who is forced to be the hero. She's fleshed out, but a lot more vulnerable. In some ways, I enjoyed Jill's moral decay a little bit more, but this isn't an in-depth portrait of these twin sisters. As stated - it's a fairy tale, perhaps even a fable, thanks to its very clear moral. To be honest, I'm wishing I had stronger feelings about this story. The opening act, even up to when Jack and Jill choose their masters is the strongest part of this book, but after that I think I was just itching for all the stories and adventures that are teased at but skimmed over. I wish this book scared me more, made me laugh more, had stronger imagery. Mostly it just made me mad about shitty parents.

Overall, for what McGuire was looking to accomplish, I think Down Among the Sticks and Bones is very effective. It's spooky and dreamy and its main characters are engaging. But as someone who is used to, and of course enjoys, much denser works, I think this story deserved to be a lot beefier.

This was so imaginative and I kinda loved it for that but there were several points about it that ground against my gears.

Firstly, I really didn't like that these two sisters were just pitted against each other, even though they were moved to do so by external circumstances, throughout the whole book. I don't know how they even somehow reconciled and “clung to each other” right at the end of it, considering what both had literally just gone through. I really wish that we had a bit more of a genuine reconciliation between the two sisters.

Secondly, the ending felt really abrupt. As is the case for the first book, I felt like these premises are enough to fill much longer novels instead of the novella-length story that we got here. But even then, we had so much more substance to how the sisters made their choices between the Master and Dr Bleak, but their dive back to their original home world was all done in a 7-page chapter. We had no idea how they were going to assimilate back into their world after nearly 6 formative years away, and we don't even know how they were going to reconcile with each other given that to each of them, the other had ripped away and stolen what had come to matter most to them in the years they spent in the Moors. It felt like there's so much unexplored business here that is yet to be concluded. I'm not sure if Jack and Jill's story continues in the later books but as far as I know, the instalments in this series are barely connected to each other so we may not see Jack and Jill again, which is really a shame. It was such a great set-up but I felt like we barely got to the climax before everything ended.

Thirdly, I kinda hated that Jill had no redemption arc. I was incredibly annoyed with her for the whole book but also incredibly sympathetic. She was so mired in her obsession with the Master because, in my opinion, she had grown up so bereft of attention compared to Jacqueline. It almost felt like watching a child who gets into some kind of toxic dependent relationship because of the way they had grown up till then, and then becoming susceptible to more toxicity in these relationships when they eventually grow up into adults. It was annoying but also really sad and I had really really wanted to see a redemption arc somewhere, but - there was none of that.

But overall, Seanan McGuire's worlds are always so compelling and interesting. The premise is refreshing and unique, the writing is so easy and smooth. While I particularly detested Jack and Jill's parents and the way they treated the children in the first few chapters, I could really get behind the message that she was trying to convey: treat children like very young people but still people in their own rights, and not dolls to be molded into an image that you want them to be.

Despite my gripes about it, this was still at least a 4 star read for me and I'd be continuing on the series (I really hope to see more of Jack and Jill in future books!)

There are worlds built on rainbows and worlds built on rain. There are worlds of pure mathematics, where every number chimes like crystal as it rolls into reality. There are worlds of light and worlds of darkness, worlds of rhyme and worlds of reason, and worlds where the only thing that matters is the goodness in a hero???s heart. The Moors are none of those things.

We are the children of our parents, even if who become is a result of rebelling against who they are, their choices and teachings shape us.

Jacqueline and Jillian are twin sisters who we are first to in [b:Every Heart a Doorway|25526296|Every Heart a Doorway (Wayward Children, #1)|Seanan McGuire|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1431438555s/25526296.jpg|45313140]. The premise of the series is that children sometimes, if things are aligned just right, find doorways to other worlds. Sometimes they find their ways home, and sometimes this is a blessing, and sometimes it's a curse because the stumbled upon place is where they truly feel they belong.

You don't have to read Every Heart a Doorway first, but if you read Down Among the Sticks and Stones, then Every Heart a Doorway will explain what happened next. Even though it was written first.

Anyhow, Jacqueline and Jillian are born to really bad parents who believe they are really good parents. Each one molds one of the daughters into what they want them to be, with no regard to who they are, and in doing so drive a wedge between the sisters.

They find a door/stairway to a place that includes an area called The Moors. If you're a fan of novels like Bram Stoker's [b:Dracula|17245|Dracula|Bram Stoker|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1387151694s/17245.jpg|3165724], Mary Shelley's [b:Frankenstein|18490|Frankenstein|Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1381512375s/18490.jpg|4836639], Emily Bronte's [b:Wuthering Heights|6185|Wuthering Heights|Emily Bront??|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1388212715s/6185.jpg|1565818], Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu's [b:Carmilla|48037|Carmilla|J. Sheridan Le Fanu|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1386923594s/48037.jpg|47015], and seen the old, really atmospheric movie adaptions of these works, you should have an idea about the mood and nature of The Moors. It's England, but it's also Carpathia. It's untamed wilderness as a metaphor for the human heart. It's young love. It's the death of youth. It's peasant fearing and being reliant on the mysterious brutal man in the castle, knowing who and what he is, but not daring to speak of it. It's the mad scientist playing God. It's sad ballads about tragic love stories. It's a bad moon on the rise. It's villagers with torches and pitchforks.

Jack and Jill, as they're eventually known, have a choice between 2 guardians/foster fathers. One is a very pale man known as The Master, with, ahem, a fondness for blood, the other is a doctor with an ability to resurrect the dead. Which they choose shapes who they become. (Again, parents shaping children.)

Someone with sharp enough eyes might see the instant where one wounded heart begins to rot while the other starts to heal. Time marches on.

3.0 out of 5 stars – see this review and others at The Speculative Shelf.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Down Among the Sticks and Bones is a standalone story set prior to the events of author Seanan McGuire's Every Heart a Doorway. Twins Jacqueline (Jack) and Jillian (Jill) are raised to fit perfectly within the boxes their parents select for them – looks, clothing, and behavior are all meticulously regimented. When they climb through a portal into an unknown world, they leave the rigidity of their past behind them and seek a chance to start anew. Vampires, mad scientists, and romances abound!

McGuire employs an inviting and clean prose, through which she can clearly communicate the cruel nature of Jack and Jill's individual situations. She makes you feel that being plopped into a dangerous world is a welcome respite for what the twins were coming from.

In the novella format, it's tough to fit worldbuilding, character development, and a solid story together effectively. Here, the characterization of Jack and Jill is excellent, the worldbuilding of the Moors (the creepy portal land) is strong, but the overall story left me wanting. The sequence of plot events spans several years but skips by very quickly, never lingering long enough for each event to have the intended impact. I had similar feelings when reading Every Heart a Doorway – an enjoyable read built from a fun idea, but with a story that I never fully connected with.

Two disclaimers: I have not read the first book and received this as a much anticipated Tor release.

Initially I was a bit put off by the size of the book but the author packs more in by the phrasing and what us implied than others can manage in a whole 300+ page novel. I love the strained love and expectations. I am going to find the first book now.

This one is much darker than the previous book, but that makes sense based on the world Jac and Jill come from. I liked seeing how they got they way they are and I also liked the different kind of story we get from this one. It still feels like a part of the series, but it is a different kind of story. I think I am falling in love with this series.

‚There are worlds built on rainbows and worlds built on
rain.
There are worlds of pure mathematics, where every
number chimes like crystal as it rolls into reality.
There are worlds of light and worlds of darkness, worlds of rhyme and worlds of reason, and worlds where the only thing that matters is the goodness in a hero's heart‘
And i hope I can read about all of them!!!

I am so obsessed with this book, with Seanan Mcguires writing, with the worldbuilding and with Jack and Jill.
I loved the first one but this was basically everything I love put into one story.
I love my fantasy like this, whimsical and original and dark and with flowery exposition.

I want to reread it now

Another great book by Seanan McGuire. her writing is simply amazing weaving a profound story of being who you are and being the person people expect you to be. This book is a semi-prequel to Every Heart a Doorway

The Story of Jack and Jill and how they became who they are and where they came from.

CAWPILE SCORE
C-7
A-8
W-9
P-7
I-7
L-8
E-8
TOTAL-7.71/10
CAWPILECharacters.Jaqueline and Jillian were excellent characters and the way we see them grow and change both in the Horrible parents care and in the moors was excellentAtmosphereBeautifully written. I could feel the atmosphere of the their house and the feeling of the moors was undeniableWritingBeautiful writing for this series. it sometimes feels like it has a bit of a rhyme to it, which just makes it sound all the betterPlotWell paced and straightforward. we had a clear ending point and the beginning didn't detract or confuse. Intriguewas interesting to see what life on the moors was like and how it changed Jaqueline and Jillian, was interesting to see a bit of ability control on the doors. very sad to see their childhood, but i can perfectly imagine things happening like that.LogicWhile the Logic of the parents is tenuous at best, I have absolutly no doubt that there are people who do the exact same or similar things. The Logic of each choice was well documented and totally believableEnjoymentI very much enjoyed this prequel. it really helps to flesh out the backstory of the characters, but i'm excited to see the future of the Wayward Home

Dit was zo'n leuk, grillig, akelig en donker verhaal! Ik heb hier meer van genoten dan van het eerste boek uit deze serie.

In dit boek leren we meer over het verleden van de zusjes Jack en Jill uit het eerste boek, maar dit kan gerust op zijn eigen gelezen worden.
De ouders van Jack & Jill zijn geobsedeerd door uiterlijke schijn en duwen de meisjes daardoor in specifieke en beperkende rollen. Hierdoor worstelen beide meisjes zo hard met hun identiteit, dat wanneer ze in een duistere wereld vol met monsters terecht komen, ze zich eindelijk als zichzelf voelen.

Dit boek leest als een duister sprookje met een diepere boodschap.
Ik kijk uit om nog meer in deze serie te lezen.

Down Among the Sticks and Bones tells the story of Jack and Jill. In this darkly creative sequel, Seanan McGuire shows the sister's broken lives and the world that stole them away. If you have not read book one, I highly suggest you do. Sticks and Bones will not go into detail about the mechanics of the doorway worlds and can leave you easily confused.

The girls were not raised with love and care from their parents. They were treated like moldable clay and forced into roles that made their family look perfect on the outside. But on the inside, the two grew apart, each one yearning for something more in their life. Something they could truly enjoy. Like most children, when their door appeared, they stepped through with innocent curiosity. Nothing could prepare them for the violence and desperation of their new world.

This was another brilliant and dark entry in the Wayward Children series. It's like reading page after page of smooth dark poetry that sinks into your mind. You cry out for these two girls, hoping for them to find their happiness any way they can. You become immersed in a world of magic and desperate hope. I can't get enough of this series!

Pros: brilliant characters, unique narrative style

Cons:

Chester and Serena Wolcott decided to have children after seeing the impeccably behaved offspring of his work peers and her social clubs. They were not prepared for the real thing. Which is why

Jacqueline and Jillian, their twin girls, are so rigidly forced into the roles their parents intended them to fill. So when the twelve year olds discover a strange doorway, they enter it, and find a strange world, one that finally allows them to be who they choose.

While this is the second Wayward Children novella, its events are a prequel to those of Every Heart a Doorway. I REALLy liked this story. The narrative style was unique, with the narrator occasionally addressing the reader during interludes of storytelling. I greatly enjoyed this and it gave a bit of distance from the text, which was helpful as the story went in dark directions. It doesn't quite line up with the narrative of their history from Every Heart a Doorway, but most of the details carry through.

The world is really interesting, with just enough fleshing out to feel alive, but not enough to make you question how it all works in practice. I enjoyed the characters, who had a level of depth to them that was wonderful to read.

While it's short it packs a punch. Highly recommended.

This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
—

Some adventures begin easily. It is not hard, after all, to be sucked up by a tornado or pushed through a particularly porous mirror; there is no skill involved in being swept away by a great wave or pulled down a rabbit hole. Some adventures require nothing more than a willing heart and the ability to trip over the cracks in the world.

Every Heart a Doorway

This, you see, is the true danger of children: they are ambushes, each and every one of them. A person may look at someone else's child and see only the surface, the shiny shoes or the perfect curls. They do not see the tears and the tantrums, the late nights, the sleepless hours, the worry. They do not even see the love, not really. It can be easy, when looking at children from the outside, to believe that they are things, dolls designed and programmed by their parents to behave in one manner, following one set of rules. It can be easy, when standing on the lofty shores of adulthood, not to remember that every adult was once a child, with ideas and ambitions of their own.

It can be easy, in the end, to forget that children are people, and that people will do what people will do, the consequences be damned.

after

Every Heart