The Seasonal Reading Challenge discussion

This is the discussion thread for the Fall 2019 Group Reads Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire . Please post your comments here. This thread is not restricted to those choosing this book for task 20.10, feel free to join in the discussion. Warning- spoilers ahead!

The requirement for task 20.10: You must participate in the book's discussion thread below with at least one post about the contents of the book or your reaction to the book after you have read the book.

An interesting short story reminiscent of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, but darker and more creepy.

The characters are an unusual amalgamation of innocence and experience. On the one hand, they are children or young adults with the apparent naivete that this identity entails, but on the other, they have a had life experiences that make them seem more world-wise and weary.

The mystery is quite predictable, and it is relatively easy to figure out who the culprit is. Nevertheless, the ending is satisfying although I was kind of sad that Nancy wouldn't be remaining to help Cade run the school in the future.

I really enjoyed this one! It was dark and whimsical.

It made me wonder where my door would lead...

Well that went in a direction I wasn't expecting...

Angie's description of "dark and whimsical" is a pretty good one. I wouldn't typically expect those words to be used together, but there you have it.

I honestly didn't care too much about most of the characters, the book was just far too short to spend enough time on character development. Honestly, I felt like the book was far too short to be able to develop anything. The story could have been, and probably should have been, a lot longer to really flesh it out.

An extremely quick, easy read. It was fun, I suppose, but there wasn't much to it. I find it difficult to make time to read sometimes, so I usually look for a little more depth in whatever books I do pick up. Glad for the opportunity to squeeze this one in, especially since it was a relatively small commitment. At the same time, I'm also excited to mark it as done and move on to something a little more fulfilling.

When I had teenagers around still, this would have been a good book for one of the ones who didn't love reading so much. Easy read, very relatable for that age range, appreciate the LGBT aspects of it.

While this book grew on me a bit as I went along, I agree that this could have been longer to develop the characters and world more. I gave it 3 stars but would have liked to give it more like 2.5. Wasn't a very compelling mystery. Seemed more like a fantasy coming of age read.

Despite figuring out who the culprit was fairly quickly, I loved this book. Knowing who did it didn't even dent the experience because I had no idea why - and in hindsight, I feel like I should have suspected the reason. I suspect most others who have read the book will agree no other reason would make sense.

It was a short book, but (for me, at least) a very thought-provoking one. The mystery was solid, though ultimately relatively simple. This isn't a bad thing and is actually a refreshing break from mysteries that have so many layers and plot twists you could trip over them at the same time you're getting deliciously tangled up in them. The ending is both triumphant and tragic at the same time. You'll love that some of the students get to go back to their worlds because it's what they want more than anything, but you're probably going to miss them.

I'm definitely going to try and find the next book in this series. It's a fantastic concept and the writing is high quality. My only complaint is that some of the characters I found the most interesting won't be sticking around.

I really enjoyed this book. I loved the entire concept of different doors taking kids to different realities that fit their personalities. I agree that it could have been much longer to really develop the characters. I'm interested in seeing what the series brings in terms of character development. All in all, a really enjoyable read.

Narnia was such a huge part of my childhood and the origin source for my love of reading that the premise of this book intrigued me. Unfortunately it fell a little flat. The characters seemed wonderful on the surface with so much potential that I would have appreciated them to have been fleshed out a bit more. This would have then eliminated a lot of the circling back of the characters over already hashed out ideas. The fantasy element (ie. Nonsense and Logic worlds) was confusing and not well explained (at least not for my adult brain) even though the subject was discussed on numerous occasions. All in all, a quick, easy read with not much substance. I gave it 2 stars.

Amy FL

I'm with the 2 star group. I listened to the audiobook and found myself losing focus a lot. The story didn't grab me nearly as much as the Miss Peregrine series did, so I'm likely not going to continue with this series. None of the characters captivated me enough that I care what happens to them.

Amy wrote: "Amy FL

I'm with the 2 star group. I listened to the audiobook and found myself losing focus a lot. The story didn't grab me nearly as much as the Miss Peregrine series did, so I'm likely not going..."

I enjoyed this one very much.

I wonder if the fact that it was short and not as fully developed was the author's way of exploring the topic to see if it was something she wanted to continue - somewhat like Rolling in the Deep (written under the Mira Grant name), then going ahead with Into the Drowning Deep, which was a lot more fleshed out.

This is not one of my favorite McGuire/Grant series, but I do think that the later books (which I've read) do bring more depth to it.

Very cool concept of children who have wandered through doorways leading to other worlds. The other worlds were pretty fascinating. There was just a lot going on for such a short book. I did appreciate how she tied in familiar stories and as someone noted above, that everyone finds a place that lets them be their true selves.

I do look forward to reading further in the series get more of the story.

I didn't realize that Seanan McGuire was Mira Grant when I chose Every Heart a Doorway for this season's Group Read. Now that I know, I'm not surprised that I loved it. I read Feed last season and loved that, too.

I didn't really feel the lack of character development that others have talked about. For such a short book, I thought McGuire did a fantastic job with an intriguing cast of diverse characters. It's not often (like, never, actually) that you get a well-drawn asexual protagonist with a clear idea of what asexuality means to her. Transgender is more common, but I've encountered many more books that have male to female trans characters than female to male. I appreciated reading a different perspective for once.

Like Angie, I enjoyed thinking about the possibilities of my own doorway and where it might lead. After contemplating the idea that the doorways are symbols for the cracks these kids have fallen through and that the reason they are so desperately searching for a way back to a world in which they can be accepted for being themselves, rather than a world that is trying to "fix" them, my guess is that my doorway would lead to a world where "loner" is not considered a creepy identity and that learning new things for fun and reading all day, every day are not considered odd things to do. ;-)

I look forward to seeing where McGuire goes with the rest of the series.

Yeah. 2 stars for me also. I appreciated the LGBT+ representation and I am a fan of fantasy, but other than that I just wasn't hooked on the story. I kept thinking this was going to be similar to a pilot episode of a tv show so when everything wrapped at the end and quite quickly I was left wanting, but also glad that I don't feel obligated to pick-up a sequel and tie up any loose ends.

I loved the concept of this story, children wandering through doorways into magical lands and ending up back in our own boring world with only their memories and hopes for returning. Obviously with this being such a short book there's limited room for character development, but I enjoyed the depiction of an asexual character and a female to male transgender individual. I wish it had about 100 or so more pages, enough to really flesh out the characters and plot, but it was a quick and fun read.

Also - this is the first book I've ever written by this author, but I see that several people have enjoyed her other books/series so I may have to check them out!

When I started reading this book, I felt that it jumped right into the middle of the story, or I was starting the second book of a series. There was no backstory or any sense of "before" However once the reader catches up you have a slightly creepy, a little funny, and a whole lot of imagination to keep the readers attention through this short novella.

They mystery/plot of the story was not of that much interest me, but trying to visualize the different worlds that each of these children's doors had led to was immensely fun.

I would be open to reading more in the series.

While I agree that this book should have been longer and the characters could have been a little more fleshed out, I really enjoyed this book. I expect we’ll get more depth of characters in the later books in the series, which really makes me want to read more. I think the concept is great (who didn’t dream of falling into another world as a child?) and will be excited to read more about the worlds.

I agree with some others who said that even though I figured out Whodunnit, I didn’t really care. I tend to be that way with mysteries, though. I don’t usually try hard to guess who the killer is - I just like to flow with the story and as long as the payoff makes sense, I’m usually good.

I get why some people wouldn’t like this book, but I personally loved it and just wish it had been longer. But I’ll be continuing the series, for sure.

Sarah H

I read this in one sitting and really enjoyed it - 4 stars for me! It's definitely short, so it doesn't have a lot of time to flesh things out, but I think that fits the style of many of the other stories it's referencing. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Peter Pan, and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe are all quite short as well. This book doesn't reach the heights of those classics (all of which are on my all-time favorites list), but it has a few great features they lack, most notably excellent LGBT+ representation. I definitely enjoyed it enough to continue with the series.

I kind of suspect that this type of portal fantasy works best when it's least examined. Look too closely and it might lose its magic entirely.

I enjoyed this, and agree with people who felt it was a bit too short. I have found that a trend with the books of hers that I've read before - they feel a bit like episodes in a tv show where you need to read 3 or 4 before the world makes more sense. I'll probably carry on with at least the next one in the series (though given it's about Jack and Jill I'm not sure where she's going with it!)

I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this book, as I'm not a big YA reader. Yes, it was short, but that may have been part of it's appeal to me :-). The premise was so interesting - traveling through a portal to another world and then coming back and having to re-adjust and most people not understanding. I did find the ending quite abrupt, but it did make me want to find out what happens next (although the next book seems to go back in time rather than forward??)

It was unfortunate for me that I had just read this book in July-but I am so glad to see so many of the SRC readers enjoyed it as much as I did. I am trying to fit the 2nd in the series in-has any one else found a spot for it in the Fall challenge?

Joanne wrote: "It was unfortunate for me that I had just read this book in July-but I am so glad to see so many of the SRC readers enjoyed it as much as I did. I am trying to fit the 2nd in the series in-has any ..."

I used the second book in the series for task 30.4, book 2 (short book, long title). I have the 3rd book planned, too, but I've slotted it into task 30.2 (the one about Readerboard "neighbors") so that probably won't help you much.... ;-)

Joanne wrote: "It was unfortunate for me that I had just read this book in July-but I am so glad to see so many of the SRC readers enjoyed it as much as I did. I am trying to fit the 2nd in the series in-has any ..."

I'm planning to use the second book for task 5.7 - character with a 4-letter name or nickname.

Thanks Sarah and Kistina! Now I have some options-just have to try to move some other books around

Joanne wrote: "It was unfortunate for me that I had just read this book in July-but I am so glad to see so many of the SRC readers enjoyed it as much as I did. I am trying to fit the 2nd in the series in-has any ..."

i'm using book 2 for Sandy's task - long title with less than 200pgs; also fit in book 3 (author who writes under a pseudonym) and then book 4 into a 15 pointer (last published book i nseries)

i've bounced around on this group reads this season trying to figure out which of the three books i wanted to read ( because they were all on my TBR) - and then i realized that this one fit a couple challenges in other groups.

i'm nearly done with it (approx. 20pgs to go) and enjoyed it - so much that i've already figured out how to fit the other 3 books into other tasks for the season. I get the feeling of starting in the middle of a story - but figured there was going ot be some kind of backstory down the road, so i just wnet with the flow (I think book 4 has Lundy's story).

so i finished this up last night and was able to roll right into book 2 this morning - which is Jack/Jill's story - which kind of ties in well to how the first book ended. i think the firs tbook being marketed as a prequel may have helped more - rather than a stand-alone story by itself, but it was a bit confusing at times - but i'm looking forward to seeing where the story goes

Dee wrote: "so i finished this up last night and was able to roll right into book 2 this morning - which is Jack/Jill's story - which kind of ties in well to how the first book ended. i think the firs tbook be..."

I enjoyed Jack and Jill's story, too. I agree that the first book may have been a little hard to follow at times because there were so many characters thrown at you all at one time and nothing about them is explained in depth. But I don't think the rest of the series would make much sense without the grounding of the school. I enjoyed the way the author teased you with just enough back story to give you a taste of each character. It made me want to know what their stories were (hence continuing in the series) but I can see how it might turn others off.

I have Beneath the Sugar Sky (book #3) home from the library now. Sumi (Nancy's roommate in the first book) was one of my favorite characters and book #3 is hers so I'm really looking forward to it.

Dee wrote: "Joanne wrote: "It was unfortunate for me that I had just read this book in July-but I am so glad to see so many of the SRC readers enjoyed it as much as I did. I am trying to fit the 2nd in the ser..."

Heads up-I just got shot down on using it there-S.Mcquire is her real name, not her pen name.

Brooke TX

This is my third re-read of this novella, and I still love it as much as I did the first time through. It's such an interesting take on the portal fantasy trope, with bonus ace and trans representation! I'm about to start In an Absent Dream (after re-reading the other two Wayward Children books), and I have high hopes.

Fun fact: When I first read this, I was also reading I Hate Fairyland: Book One, which is a sort of inverse of these stories: a black comedy about a girl who's been stuck in Fairyland for 30 years, and is on a murderous rampage through the sickly sweet fantasy world trying to get home.

I enjoyed this book. It was a very intriguing premise with the doorways and the different worlds that each character entered. The mystery was easy to figure out but it did not detract from my enjoyment. I plan to continue with the series and I am interested to find out what happens next.

Brooke wrote: "Brooke TX

This is my third re-read of this novella, and I still love it as much as I did the first time through. It's such an interesting take on the portal fantasy trope, with bonus ace and trans..."

I Hate Fairyland: Book One sounds like something I'd really like. Thanks for mentioning it, Brooke! Another one for the TBR pile... LOL

i'm about finished with In an Absent Dream (book 4 in the series and Lundy's story) and it is by far my favorite of the 4 - her world is really developed and the storyline intriguing - i really hope that McGuire continues this series in the future

HELEN A

Coming from a School Psychology professional background, I instantly put the map of the fantasy worlds into regular psych terms:
High Logic= OCD, High Logic, High Virtue= Asperger Syndrome, High Logic, High Wicked= Sociopathy, High Wicked, Low Logic = Psychopathy, High Nonsense=Schizophrenia, Medium Nonsense=ADHD, and the center of all=Withdrawal.

The start of the story seemed to be a fantasy, making positive the experiences of kids in a mental hospital. Later, the "teen" aspects of the story predominated: the LGBTQ aspect, the desire for understanding, the relationships with each other and with the adults, the group therapy sessions, the hints of sexuality, and the being empowered by using their strengths.

The mystery meant nothing to me, and I have no desire to read more books in the series. It was enthralling for a fantasy book, though!

I found the book ok. The premise was really interesting and intrigued me.

I began to wonder about the characters having what would be termed mental illness caused by their trip through the door. The personality changes, the parents wanting their "other" children back. Perhaps many in that world who would be diagnosed as having mental illness simply went through a door, but never made it to one of the special schools.

I'd read the other books in the series if they fit perfectly into a challenge task, but I probably won't seek them out.

I read it more as kids going through doors to worlds where they no longer had to try to fit in - you don't have to mentally ill to be a square peg in a round hole. When they came back they were simply no longer willing to conform to what our world considers normal.

I maybe didnt explain it well. Not that I thought that the kids were mentally ill to go, or even when they returned, but that was what society saw them as. When you look at the main character from the parent's point of veiw, their kid came back from a "kidnapping", started wearing only black and white "dying" her hair and refusing to eat. They were concerned about the potential of PTSD and anorexia though perhaps they could have expressed it better.

Perhaps other people that did not go to the school are more broken by their experience. Jill certainly was. Even if they all want to go back, not all come through their experience in the other world whole.

Are there fewer students because of fewer doors or fewer kids returning through the doors, or is it because people are less likely to be institutionalized for being different?

*nods* Oh yes, some very good discussion material here.

Shanna_redwind wrote: "I maybe didnt explain it well. Not that I thought that the kids were mentally ill to go, or even when they returned, but that was what society saw them as. When you look at the main character from ..."

Another book I recently read, Ever Alice, worked on this premise - after she came back from Wonderland, Alice was considered by her parents to be mentally ill and the book goes on from there - what happened when her parents took her to a clinic where they planned on some sort of surgical treatment (perhaps a lobotomy) and she changed her mind about consent to this.

Shanna_redwind wrote: "I found the book ok. The premise was really interesting and intrigued me.

I began to wonder about the characters having what would be termed mental illness caused by their trip through the door. T..."

I managed to fit the other 3 in without too much trouble ;)

I just finished listening to the book and thought it was ok. It reminded me of Miss Peregrine's a lot. It was enjoyable but didn't grab me as much as Miss Peregrine's did but I may go ahead a give the next book a try. The one thing I did like was the variety of personalities among the characters.

The thing I noticed about the three others that are available is that you could read them in any order - none of them seem to depend on events that occur in the other two, but there are things in all of them that would probably seem random if you hadn't read the first one.

i think really only the 3rd one beneath the sugar sky has spoilers for what happens in book 1

Dee wrote: "i think really only the 3rd one beneath the sugar sky has spoilers for what happens in book 1"

Yes, the third one does contain information about what happened in the first book. Of the three subsequent volumes, it's the only one that's a proper sequel to the events of the first book (the other two are prequels). The fifth book, due out next year, is also a sequel. I'm very excited about that one because it directly addresses the next part of the story for two of the more intriguing characters.

Aprilleigh wrote: "Dee wrote: "i think really only the 3rd one beneath the sugar sky has spoilers for what happens in book 1"

Yes, the third one does contain information about what happened in the first book. Of the..."

me too but next year is sooo far away!

PAULA S

I really enjoyed this book, and look forward to reading the sequels. I read a lot of fantasy and love portal fantasy as well as retellings, so this was straight up my alley. I loved the imagination of all the different worlds and how different people felt at home in different realities. Makes me wonder what my world would look like :)

Lauren wrote: "An interesting short story reminiscent of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, but darker and more creepy.

The characters are an unusual amalgamation of innocence and exper..."

I too thought it was similar to Miss peregrine and agree with Angie about the dark and whimsical qualities.

I listened on audio via scribe and I loved the narration it was really easy to listen to and the narrator captured the "dark" aspects realy well.

I thought it had just enough in it - as a first in a series - to both keep the reader interested in its individual storyline and to make you want to read more.

I have downloaded the next in the series

Readerboard name: BALLETBOOKWORM

For some reason I thought this was going to be a much more humorous book (a la Jasper Fforde's Thursday Next series) but this was definitely darker. And it was so readable. I enjoyed it very much (kudos to who nominated it for this category!) - I just wish it was longer, but at least there's a series and I can keep going for a few more books.

I was really struck by how effortlessly diverse the characters were. And I loved Kade, so much so I was worried that he would be one of the victims (I did so appreciate McGuire giving the reader the "clues" to figure out who the baddie was but making the characters human enough to ignore some obvious truths).

Kathy KS

The world-building in this novella was interesting. It took me awhile to feel comfortable with the flow of the story and its characters, but I eventually grew to appreciate the main characters. So much so that the ending seemed quite abrupt to me and wasn't very satisfying.

As a result, I'm not sure if I'll pursue others in this series or not. I guess I'm still working on how I feel about it completely. On one hand, I'm curious about where things go from here. On the other... I don't know if I'm interested enough, since there are so many other works I would like to read right now!

I am glad I read the book; I knew that it must have been well-written to receive so much acclaim. And I agree that the book reads well, with intriguing insights. But in the end, I agree with KSMary, above. Though I gave the book a 3*, it's probably 2.5* for me.

A lovely quick read for a busy weekend. It was easy to get into; I loved that it's quirky or as others have mentioned, whimsical but dark. I loved the concept of doorways and especially since each doorway leads to "home".

4 stars from me because I feel that everything just seem to just scratch the surface. It was over too quickly (ie. the mystery didn't even have a chance to develop).

I just finished the second in the series Down Among the Sticks and Bones-I think those of you wanting to continue it will like it just as much!