Down Among the Sticks and Bones (Wayward Children)

ARC provided by Tor in exchange for an honest review.

This book is beyond words. No amount of word combinations I could possibly string together could do this book justice. This series is truly a gift from above, and I can't urge you enough to drop any and everything you're reading to pick up this or Every Heart a Doorway.

I didn't think it would be possible, but I actually enjoyed Down Among the Sticks and Bones more than Every Heart a Doorway. Once I turned that last page, I immediately ran to my bookshelves and read Every Heart a Doorway. Then, I just laid there on the ground in awe, while trying to convince myself to not reread Down Among the Sticks and Bones at 2 o'clock in the morning. Seriously, this series is that amazing.

If you've read Every Heart a Doorway then you know how Jack and Jill's story ends in that book, so I was absolutely ecstatic when I found out that the next book in this series was their back-story about their magical world.

The twin sisters' doorway is very different than Nancy's in Every Heart a Doorway. Their doorway, the Moors, is a place of neutral territory surrounded by vampires, werewolves, gargoyles, Drowned God worshipers, and more in the paranormal vein. And a few individuals in the Moors are very excited when children stumble through from portals from different worlds.

Jack and Jill stumble through when they are only twelve years old, and stay for another five years, even though they wished to stay forever. In those short five years, they discover who they are and who they want to be. They thrive in this scary world because they are able to be themselves, not what is forced upon them.

The tone of this book just feels so dark and eerie, while also being so magical and lovely. My body feels such a vast array of feelings and emotions reading Seanan McGuire's work. The writing is so atmospheric; you will feel like you stumbled upon your own doorway.

“She had tried to make sure they knew that there were a hundred, a thousand, a million different ways to be a girl, and that all of them were valid”

The discussion on gender roles and the impact they have when we force them on our children, sometimes knowingly and other times unknowingly, is so important. It's okay to be a tom-boy, it's okay to be a girly-girl, and, most importantly, it's okay to be both. We should never be defined by the world's gender stereotypes. This is something that I have personally struggled with a lot growing up, and I could write about this topic until my fingers bled, but Seanan McGuire perfectly executes this point in such a perfectly crafted story that is under 200 pages! I am seriously so awestruck.

“The concept that perhaps biology was not destiny, and that not all little girls would be pretty princesses, and not all little boys would be brave soldiers”

There is also amazing representation and explanations on how it feels to suffer from Mysophobia/Germaphobia. I actually do not think I've ever read a book about someone dealing with their Mysophobia, and it just made me love and admire Down Among the Sticks and Bones even more.

If you've read Every Heart a Doorway you will know that there is lesbian representation in here, but the depiction of first love was something I wasn't expecting, and it was so beautiful I can't possibly put it into words.

I, too, truly loved the Moors and wasn't ready to leave. I loved the village and the feel of this magical world. I loved seeing Jack grow into what she wanted to be, while seeing Jill grow into what could happen if your needs and wants are repressed to a dangerous point. I loved the representation and all of the feelings that Seanan McGuire was able to evoke from me. I loved this book and these characters, and I will cherish this story forever, while trying to get everyone I come in contact with to read it.

“A man who has lived his entire life in a cave does not mourn the sun until he sees it, and once he has he can never go back underground.”

On one hand, I did think this book was a lot better written in terms of structure and how well integrated the theme was compared to the previous and subsequent books in the series (at the time I'm writing this, there are three books in the series and an announcement of a fourth- I have read all that are currently available). It's styled as a fable or parable, which is perhaps the best genre for McGuire's tendency to assert strong morals or political points.

My main complaint is that this book follows a fanfiction sort of aesthetic (and I know the author has been involved in fanfiction- she has a blog on Tumblr and has mentioned it) where it is assumed that readers are happy to read entire stories just for a few more little details about the characters. The entire story in this book is contained within the previous book of the series as backstory. Maybe if you read this one first, then the backstory of Every Heart A Doorway would be just a refresher on the plot, but then I think having read this book would make some of the clues and read herrings of the murder mystery of Every Heart A Doorway too obvious. If you have read Every Heart A Doorway and want to read basically a fanfic by the actual author, then I suppose you'll like this. If you hope for mostly new information in subsequent books of a series, then you might find this to be a waste of your time.

I'm sure some readers will find this to be too preachy. As I mentioned before, the author is on Tumblr, where teenagers and young adults have a weird relationship with literary criticism and political purity such that they're crying out for what basically amounts to progressive morality tales. There's an audience for this sort of thing that the author clearly knows about. For those of us who prefer themes to be subtle and/or nuanced (or nonexistant?) the morals will come off as heavy handed. If you're a Tumblr person, well, you'll probably like it I guess.

In Every Heart a Doorway we get to meet two sisters called Jack and Jill. In this, the sequel to that book does we get the whole background to their story. But, you don't have to have read Every Heart a Doorway to enjoy this book. It can definitely be read as a stand-alone. However, Every Heart a Doorway is an amazing book and I recommend warmly either reading it before this one or after.

So, Down Among the Sticks and Bones tells the tale of how Jill and Jack traveled through a chest to another world. Like the wardrobe in Narnia, however, the land they got to is not like Narnia, there is no lion waiting for them in this land. Only darkness and different paths for them ...even though they are sisters are they quite different...

I liked this story, I did not love it the way I loved In Every Heart a Doorway, but I enjoyed reading the book. It's always interesting to read a fleshed out story of something you learn in another book, to get the full story. Now, I can't wait to read the next stand-alone story; Beneath the Sugar Sky! That comes in January 2018 ... sigh

3.5 stars

Rated 4.5 of 5

If you follow my reviews at all you'll probably know that I think Seanan McGuire/Mira Grant is one of the best writers of urban fantasy currently writing/publishing. Her newer 'Wayward Children' series is a slight departure from the urban fantasy setting of her popular October Daye series but it is equally impressive and powerful.

The book/series is a dark look at the Jack and Jill fairy tale. Jack and Jill are twin sisters (Jacqueline and Jill) and the story is of their childhood (such as it was) up to the point where we see them in the previous book (<em>Every Heart a Doorway</em>) (meaning, of course, that this is a prequel).

Jack is the girly-girl. She was her mother's project to dress up in frill and lace, whereas Jill is the tomboy - the son her father wished for and tried to raise.

Like many siblings, they don't always get along, but when they discover a doorway to a strange, magical land, they will need each other (and each others' strengths) much more than they might expect.

Seanan McGuire not only writes lyrical prose that is haunting and beautiful and really holds a reader, but stories such as this reach further into social themes than one might ordinarily expect with an urban fantasy. Parenthood, gender identification, parent/child expectations are a few of the themes explored in this fairy tale and in McGuire's hands we can be sure that answers to questions won't be easily forthcoming (if at all).

The only downside to this book is that if you've read Every Heart a Doorway you will know how this ends. As such, for those just beginning to discover the magical words and worlds of Seanan McGuire, it might have been nice if the publisher listed this as book #.5 instead of book #2. But that's a pretty minor complaint. Read the books in whatever order you want, but do read them.

Looking for a good book? Down Among the Sticks and Bones is a short book by Seanan McGuire ... short in terms of page numbers, but full-bodied in terms of theme and story. It is a must-read for lovers of fantasy fiction.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

DOWN AMONG THE STICKS AND BONES is a companion novel/sequel/prequel to EVERY HEART A DOORWAY. This story follows Jack and Jill on their adventure into a world seemingly out of a horror novel, but intriguing and inviting all the same. The girls have always had their roles set for them, but now they get to choose. They can be whoever they want to be. Good....or evil.

My main concern with the first book in the series was it was short. Within those few pages McGuire had to introduce the story, world, and characters while also giving us the bulk of the actual story. That was not a problem here. Even if readers have not read the first book, they will still be able to easily follow this companion story. This story did not seem as rushed. It was easier to introduce the characters and the setting when their was only one world to contend with rather than 5-7 characters worth. There was also on the one story to be told. Jack and Jill's.

Unfortunately, I still found that there was a lot of information missing. For example, a love interest is introduced to Jack. However, we learn not much if anything about their relationship such as how they met or their time together. All we know is that she made a profound difference in Jack's life.

Again I really enjoyed the prose and writing style. The whimsical setting and story telling just transported me that much easier into the book. I also listened to McGuire herself read this on audio and thoroughly enjoyed it. I highly recommend the audiobook.

Overall, I found DATSAB to not have as many of the same issues as its predecessor. I still enjoyed the writing, but wish we could have learned a bit more about the world and characters.

I think I actually prefer this one to Every Heart A Doorway. I liked that it was more character driven than plot driven. The murder mystery/larger cast of Heart got it hard to fully get to know the characters. But I feel like I genuinely know both Jack and Jill now. However, I am still the most interested in Nancy's "world" than any of the others.

I loved the themes in this story. The focus on gender stereotypes, gender/parent expectations, and exploring/choosing your identity are so well done in this story. The theme of societal and parental pressure to live up to expectations or have to look and act a certain way is a theme I don't doubt is in a lot of books, I just haven't read a lot of those books. So I really enjoyed reading about a topic I don't see in a lot of books.

Like I said earlier, this is a more character driven story, which I really enjoyed because I love Jack and Jill as characters. I prefer Jack, because Jill is a pain in the ass, but it was still a lot of fun to read about their backstories. It made their motives and personalities make more sense in Every Heart A Doorway. It just makes me want to re-read both of them again. But I'll wait to do that until I read the third book.

The writing is so well done. It takes so much talent to handle heavy topics, make worlds so rich and well developed, and have the readers care about the characters all in a book less than 200 pages long. I found myself quoting many parts of the story and I just want these books on my shelves so I can re-read them whenever I want.

I highly recommend this series. The books are so short to fly through and I think despite their sizes they are so well fleshed out. Like I said, it takes a lot of talent and I am envious of said talent. Sometimes with fairytales/fables I feel a disconnect between me and the characters/story because it's like we are floating above watching the story instead of being face to face with the story. I was worried this would be the case for Down Among the Sticks and Bones but as I got about fifty pages into the story that worry vanished. I felt so much of a connection to Jack that she easily because my favorite character in the series.

"Every choice feeds every choice that comes after, whether we want those choices or no."

Identical twins Jack and Jill were seventeen when they found their way back home and were immediately sent off to Eleanor West's Home for Wayward Children before they could bring disorder to their parents' tidy life.

This is the story of what happened before they came back.

Jacqueline and Jillian were a matched set--identical. Perfect for their parents to split up and mold after themselves. Jacqueline wore pretty dresses and was polite and quite--her mother's perfect daughter. Jillian was smart and loud, a tomboy through and through--not quite the son her father wanted but close.

They were five when they learned that grown ups can't be trusted and sisters can't always be close. They were twelve when they walked down an impossible staircase and found a world filled with death and horror where, for the first time, they can choose who they might want to be in Down Among the Sticks and Bones (2017) by Seanan McGuire.

Down Among the Sticks and Bones is the second book in McGuire's Wayward Children series of novellas which begins with Every Heart a Doorway. This novella is a prequel to the series starter.

It is an interesting exercise in patience to read the followup to an exciting novella only to realize it is a prequel and will offer no hints of what comes after for the characters you've already met and started to care about. Despite desperately wanting to see what happens next at the school, Down Among the Sticks and Bones is an excellent addition to the series.

McGuire continues to develop this series with strong world building and thoughtful character development. Because of the prequel nature this story can be read out of order although that will dilute some of the impact of the character development across the series.

Down Among the Sticks and Bones plays with preconceived notions about heroes and villains in a world where, in the absence of a true hero, the lesser villain may unwittingly take on the position. The story is also a scathing commentary on absent and controlling parents. The usually powerful bond between sisters seen in fantasy novels is subverted here as Jack and Jill realize they are only able to come into their own when they are apart.

Down Among the Sticks and Bones is another excellent addition to this strange little series of novellas. Perfect for readers of both fantasy and horror. Fans of the series can only hope future installments will offer as much insight into other characters' stories.

Possible Pairings: The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert, The Language of Thorns by Leigh Bardugo, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Córdova, The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis, The Perilous Gard by Mary Elizabeth Pope, Vassa in the Night by Sarah Porter, Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs, An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson, Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

I didn’t think I could love a book set in this world more than I already loved Every Heart a Doorway. Down Among the Sticks and Bones took me completely by surprised (in the best way possible) and I ended up loving it even more than the first one. Everything that was so great about the first book just got improved and new elements were added in that I very much enjoyed.

The first book, Every Heart a Doorway, is a story about coming back to the real world and trying to fit in once again, after spending a lot of time in a fantastical one. Down Among the Sticks and Bones is the complete opposite of that. In this book we follow two characters as they explore a completely new world and try to adjust to their new lives. I found it to be a fascinating contrast to the first book!

The characters are still the strongest part of this series. I was already intrigued by Jack and Jill, from the first book, and when I found out this second book would be focusing on them I was ecstatic! I just wanted to know more about them and how they turned out to be the way they are. Down Among the Sticks and Bones did not disappoint in that department. I got the backstory that I desired, while the characters also got more fleshed out. In case you were wondering, Jack is my favourite character from this book.

I also enjoyed all the other side characters and I was fascinated by the relationships that Jack and Jill had with them. I’m especially happy with the romantic relationship that Jack had with a local village girl. I just loved how their relationship was included without dragging away the attention from the “main story“. A character that I’m even more intrigued about, after reading this story, is Dr. Bleak. I seriously hope that we will learn more about him in the future books! (There are so many questions that I have about him.)

Overall, this book was wonderful and I LOVED it! I would obviously recommend this series to everyone, seeing as it’s one of my new favourites.

Jack and Jill, sorry, Jacqueline and Jillian, were their parents’ perfect children. Jacqueline was her mother’s daughter, soft and well mannered and always dressed like a fairy princess, a pretty decoration for the society ladies to coo over. Jillian was her father’s sporty tomboy, fearless and brave and almost as good as the son he’d wanted, at least he could talk peewee sports with the guys at work. They learned early that adults couldn’t be trusted. They learned early that what’s said isn’t always what is. But they never learned to lean on each other. When they find an impossible staircase in the room their grandmother abandoned years ago what they’ve learned won’t be enough for the world they find at the bottom or the choices they’ll have to make once they’re there.

Seanan McGuire’s Down Among the Sticks and Bones is a deeply interesting thing to me. It feels like it’s nearly all character study, which I love to pieces. It’s a story about choices and at the same time a story about being shaped by circumstance. It’s a story about expectations and how being forced into them can break someone without them realizing it, but also about how jumping to escape those expectations can hurt just as much. It’s a story about sisters, twins, split by expectations and choice and circumstance.

A big thing I like about Down Among the Sticks and Bones is the way things echo down from the beginning. Jacqueline is constantly told as a young child not to get dirty, to keep her dress clean, it’s part of her mother shaping her into the perfect society daughter. Once she’s on the other side of the door Jack has a phobia of getting dirty, even after years of working with Dr. Bleak as a mad scientist’s apprentice, it still effects her. Their dad does his best to shape Jillian into the ultimate tomboy, to make up for not having a son, but kids are cruel and the boys she was friends with as a kid abandon her as expectations tell them that girls are gross and not fun. She gets to see people calling her sister the pretty one without being allowed to be anything but the tomboyish one, the trouble maker with the same face as the prettiest girl in class. So she has no support structure on our side of the door and thus, once in the Moors, Jill clings to the adult authority figure who promises her comfort and pampering. She clings to him and idolizes him even as it’s revealed that he’s not concerned with her well being. Old resentments grow into a gulf of frustrations with consequences of their own.

I do feel like, ultimately, Jack pushes the story a lot more than Jill does. It tends to happen in stories with sibling protagonists that one gets more focus than the other. That said though, that feels more like a feature than a bug here. Jack chooses to go with Dr. Bleak, so Jill is left with the Master. Jack was tired of being just pretty and so jumped at the chance to learn, while Jill was tired of feeling like second pick and decided to be whatever the Master wanted to convince him she’d chosen him. That this also gave her a chance to be the pretty one is, if not significant to the initial choice, a fantastic bonus. Jack does more in story because she chose to be Dr. Bleak’s apprentice and so works with more people. Jill is the Master’s pampered daughter and so has little she has to do, which leaves her to soak in more of how fantastic it is to be the town ruler’s child and so above it all. It can leave Jill hard to care as much about, since we see her less versus seeing Jack grow.

Another thing I want to talk about real quick is the setting. The book takes place in this sort of fairy tale world, but it’s more gothic literature than the Disney stuff most of us have grown up with. The sun is seldom out from behind the clouds and night comes far too early. The mountains are full of wolves and what lurks beneath the ever stormy sea must be placated. The Moors are a dangerous place, something that the reader is reminded of regularly, but the danger is a fact of life. People plan for it and work around it. The Master is terrifying and dangerous, but so are the things behind his city’s walls. It’s dark, but not oppressive. It’s dangerous, but not paralysingly so. It’s really well written.

I don’t have a lot of wrap up here. I adored this book. I enjoyed the characters. The setting was great. Even the stuff that bothers me works in terms of the story itself, and I’m totally going to go find the one that came before this one. It gets a five out of five and if you can find it you should give Down Among the Sticks and Bones a read.

I was sent a copy of Down Among the Sticks and Bones by Tor.com for an honest review.

ee my other reviews at <a href="http://www.neverenoughbooks.net">Never Enough Books</a>

When twin sisters Jack and Jill were seventeen years old, they were sent off to Eleanor West’s Home for Wayward Children.

This is what happened to get them sent there.

Little Jacqueline was her mother’s perfect daughter. Prim and proper, quiet and polite. So if her mother was a little strict, it was simply because raising a princess can take discipline.

Little Jillian was her father’s perfect daughter. Adventurous and daring, loud and rambunctious. So if her father was a little distant, it was simply because he had really wanted a son but was working with what he had.

When the girl’s were five, they learned that adults cannot be trusted. And when they were twelve, they found the impossible staircase.

Dear reader, I have often wondered if it is possible to enjoy the sequel to a novel more than one enjoyed the original? I now believe it is possible, because while I greatly enjoyed Every Heart a Doorway, I enjoyed Down Among The Sticks and Bones MORE.

Despite it being far too short, I was once again held enraptured by the world McGuire created for these two characters. The prose has a kind of sing song style to it, echoing fairy tales that were once told. And just like with older fairy tales, there is a darker side hidden among the light; yet here it is more blatant and sinister.

The characters of Jacqueline and Jillian are themselves unique. While they are identical twins – often times they are referred to as a “matching set” – each girl is also her own unique individual. It was interesting to see how each girl molded herself to fit the ideal that was set on them, and how they each sought to break the mold. Even after travelling down the mysterious stairway and entering the twisted world at the bottom, each girl is given a role to fill. And while the role seems to be more in line with her wants and needs, one cannot help but wonder if each girl is still playing a part.

Like fairy tales of old, Down Among the Sticks and Bones is not a lighthearted tale. It is a dark story and some of the more sensitive readers might take issue. It is a wonderful story and one that I wish were longer. I urge all my readers, young and old alike, to pick this one up. Personally, I will eagerly be awaiting the next book in the series.

Jack and Jill are twins. When they were little they were divided by their parents. Jack was her mother's princess. She was dressed like a doll and wasn't allowed to make her clothes dirty. Jill was her father's tomboy. She was dressed like a boy and was supposed to be adventurous and athletic. The girls couldn't be the persons they truly wanted to be and lived like that for years. They are relieved when they can escape their stifling life, so when they find a door to another world they enter.

Jack and Jill have choices to make. In their new world they can decide, but their decisions have consequences. Jack can be the scientist she's always longed to be and Jill can live a life in luxury with a closet filled with frilly dresses. However, this comes at a price. How much are they willing to pay for the escape from their parents and what will happen when their stay in the world they have entered comes to an end?

Down Among the Sticks and Bones is a fascinating creepy story. Jack and Jill are twins, but they couldn't be more different. Because of their parents' plans for them they aren't close. They resent what the other has and this leads to friction. When they can finally choose it's liberating they can leave their forced identities behind, but that doesn't mean they are safe and free. They haven't entered a friendly world and to become part of their new surroundings they have to make sacrifices. It was interesting to see what choices they were going to make and how this would affect their characters. Jack is friendly and hardworking. She has quite a few quirks and that makes her incredibly interesting. Jill's personality is darker and more volatile and that left me with a fabulous sense of dread.

Seanan McGuire has written a beautiful series filled with magic and danger. She writes about darkness, longing to be somewhere else, unhappiness, identity crises and eeriness in a fantastic gripping way. I love her worldbuilding skills. The places she writes about are versatile, scary in their own way and intriguing. Finding out what would happen to Jack and Jill once they walk through their door kept me on the edge of my seat. Down Among the Sticks and Bones is a terrific scary story.

Summary:

Jacqueline and Jillian were the ideal little girls for their parents, Serena and Chester, who viewed the idea of procreation as a way to further advance both of their careers. One girl for each, to mold as they will. The idea of asking what the girls wanted, or even the thought that they might want anything different at all, never crossed either of their minds.

So when the twins find a staircase in an old trunk in their house, they descend, without looking back. The door they find reads ‘Be Sure,’ and they are, as far as they know. The world they find on the other side is High Logic, High Wicked, but of course, they don’t know that yet. It isn’t long before they find out. No one in this world is as they seem, least of all the twins, who shake off the molds their parents forced them into and learn to find their own way in this dangerous, new world.

The Positives:

- There’s more Jack! I’ve said before that I find her an irresistible character, and it’s still true. I was actually thrilled to find out that this delves more into their story, because Jack and Jill have quite a fascinating one.

- There is so much more depth to this story. As with all characters, there’s more than initially meets the eye. McGuire presented one side of the girls in Every Heart a Doorway, but like with every good character, they have a past. I loved the peek into what Jack and Jill’s early years were like, why they were lured by a doorway in the first place, and how they morphed into the girls they were in the first book. The transformation was spectacular, yet perfectly natural at the same time.

- The world is absolutely marvelous. Not in the sense that I want to visit, mind you. There will be no doors leading there for me, thanks. But McGuire really brought the world to life for me, laid out all the dangers and manipulations and created a place that was as beautiful as it was terrifying. The world made perfect sense, and how the girls found their true selves in it was equally well done.

The Negatives:

- The diversity in this one feels more forced. Dare I say, it borders on tropes. Of course Jack would be lesbian, because she’s a girl that dresses like a boy and likes science. No, I don’t think that’s what the author intended, but that’s how it came across to me simply because it’s a cliche that’s done too often for me to not have noticed in it. And her love interest is fat, but that’s okay, of course, because Jill loves her anyway, even though everyone else in the book seems to go out of their way to point out how fat she is. Neither of these things would have had me bat an eye in general, but the way they were pushed felt very after-school special instead of just being a part of the character. All I want is diversity without it feeling forced, without it being diversity for diversity’s sake.

- Whyyyyy end it there? Gosh, this irked me so much. I was totally on board with taking a step back from book one and going backwards to learn about Jack and Jill. However, this one ends before the first one even takes place. And it just ends. All of a sudden. Boom. Fade to black. I had an overwhelming feeling of that’s it? This book did nothing to further the plot of the whole series

Overall:

I was actually kind of disappointed with this book. Don’t get me wrong, it was a good book, and I’ll for sure be reading the third, but I guess I expected more. I thought it would tie into the first book in some way, but aside from using two of the same characters, it doesn’t. This has the potential to be a fully stand-alone book, which is not what I expected from a series. In the first one, they go back to the world from this book, so when I saw that Down Among the Sticks and Bones was about Jack and Jill, I thought that surely it would loop around and make a full circle to tie into the end of the first book. Wrong!

So, didn’t totally live up to my expectations. Not a bad book, though, and I’d still recommend it. Just know that it feels less like a part of a series and more like a stand-alone.

5 stars

I didn't think that this book would be an improvement over the first book, but it was.
In Every Heart a Doorway, I wasn't the biggest fan of Jack and Jill. Their character backstories weren't my favorite and their personalities didn't stand out much in the first book - granted that book wasn't focused on their stories so it was understandable, but still. Not my favorites.

However, the depth given to their backstories in Down Among the Sticks and Bones, to how they were raised, the environment that led to their finding a doorway in the first place was well thought out and detailed. And when they were in The Moors that development made me actually like both girls and feel for their decisions and why they were the way they were at the home for wayward children in the first book.

I was slightly miffed that the book ends when the girls leave The Moors back to out world. Not so much because I didn't want to know what happened, but because that was where the book ended. They walk back into their previous lives and IT ENDS. Unless there is going to be another future installment for them and we get to see what happened after they got back to The Moors.

Final notes:
- Character death
- Vampires
- Emotional abuse from parents
- Twins/ twin dynamics

Down Among the Sticks and Bones, while a sequel to Every Heart a Doorway, is set chronologically before it. This means that we get Jack and Jill's story, about how they reached the Moors, how they were changed there and what happened to make them come back. It explores gender roles in modern society, and how parental abuse can be insidious and invisible to others.

Jacquelline & Jillian were born to a couple who had no interest in being parents aside from fitting it like a slot into their perfect lives - and they each see one of the girls as clay to fashion into what they want their child to be like. Jill is molded into the tomboy by her father, because he wanted a son, and Jack is brought up to behave like a princess, because that is what her mother wanted. Nobody asked what they wanted, and when they finally reach the horror-town of the Moors, where they are free to choose what lives they want to lead, they are happy. Jill gets to reclaim her femininity while Jack can be more than a pretty face - each of the girls is complex and even in the monster-ridden world of the Moors, they are able to carve out happiness for themselves.

However, as the author warns us, they were creatures of their parents' desires, so wholly separated from each other, that tragedy was to befall them. Jill becomes a ward of the local vampire lord (trust me, not so humorous as it sounds) while Jack apprentices under the 'mad scientist'. Jack even finds love in the form of a resurrected girl, but we know that story was never going to end well - this was a 'before' story for a reason.

I actually read this as an audiobook, in which the omniscient third person narrative and the author's lovely storytelling (she narrates it herself) combine to deliver a story that is delightfully morbid to hear

This book was everything to me and I will cherish it forever.

"She had tried to make sure they knew that there were a hundred, a thousand, a million different ways to be a girl, and that all of them were valid, and that neither of them was doing anything wrong. She had tried."

Plot:
Remember Jack and Jill from Every Heart a Doorway? This is the story of what happened first. Down Among the Sticks and Bones follows Jack and Jill as they grow up in a household that doesn't really seem to care about them but rather the idea of them and how their parents want them to be. You get to see how they were before the Moors. How Jack always went by Jacqueline and wore things that made her look like a princess. How Jillian was the more adventurous one, the tom-boy thrill seeker. It was so different from the characters that you know from Every Heart a Doorway but I absolutely loved getting to read their origin story, so to speak. This was a book that I was highly anticipating because I absolutely fell in love with Jack in the first book and was so eager to learn more about her and the twins time in the Moors. It was just as creepy and wonderful as I was hoping it would be and I could easily read a million more pages about these characters and the world they traveled to.

I loved basically seeing Jack and Jill grow up and become the characters that we're already familiar with. Obviously you already know who is going to end up where (Jack with the doctor and Jill with the Master) but that's only part of the story. You get to see how the two adapt to their situations and how Jill actually begins to resent Jack because she feels like she left her. It's part horror, part growing up, but it's all incredible. Everything from start to finish is more magical, creepy, and enchanting all at the same time and the ending is sure to break your heart into a thousand pieces. But it's one of the most beautiful horror stories I've ever had the pleasure of reading. The writing will absolutely draw you in and make you feel like you're walking the foggy, dangerous roads of the Moors with Jack and walking around the castle in princess dresses with Jill. It's a story that once you start, you won't want to stop.

"If they didn't find a way out, they were going to become paper dolls, flat and faceless and ready to be dressed however their parents wanted them to be."

Characters:
Jack is still easily my favorite. She's just such a wonderful character to read about and I can totally relate to the more tom-boy way that she acts and dresses. It was such a trip when I was reading the beginning and seeing just how different they were as they were growing up. Jack was the more girly one who always wore pretty dresses and hated to get dirty and that was not something I was expecting because, well, she works with Dr. Bleak and gets dirty a lot. I did love her little quirk of wearing gloves everywhere because she retains the fear of getting dirty and I thought that was a cute little unique thing she did. I also adored her relationship with both Dr. Bleak and Alexis. She was definitely the better of the two characters and I just could not get enough of her! The ending is truly heartbreaking for her character, though, but I still hold to my statement that this book is one you won't want to put down once you pick it up.

Jill, while she is Jack's twin, was not my favorite. Once she got to the Moors and was with the Master, I watched her transform into a spoiled princess. She was always so angry at Jack and would watch her from the castle with, at least I would assume, hatred in her heart. The Master would give her anything she wanted and basically required her to be his little princess until she turned 18, at which time he would make her like him. Jill was evil (and did I mention spoiled?) but it was great to read about how she became the way that she was in Every Heart a Doorway and to really get to understand her more than I did in the first book. I certainly wouldn't object to another story about what happens to them after Every Heart a Doorway!

"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."

Writing:
Seanan McGuire has an absolutely magical way with words. I've woven some of my favorite quotes throughout this review, but there are so many more I'd like to include below:

"We may not know how we know that, but we know it all the same; that the moon watches, and the moon worries, and the moon will always love us, no matter what."

"Both girls, through different routes, down different roads, had come home."

"Look at them finding themselves in this wind-racked place, where even the moon is not always safe to look upon."

"She is only a year older than Jack, found dead when the sun rose, with a streak of white in her hair that spoke to a heart stopped when some phantom lover kissed her too deeply."

"The vampire's daughter, the mad scientist's apprentice, they will never again be the innocent, untouched children who wandered down a stairway, who went through a door."

"Beauty was all the brighter against a background of briars."

"We will leave them there. There are some things that do not need to be seen to be understood; things that can be encompassed by a single sharp scream, and by a spray of blood painting the heather, red as roses, red as apples, red as the lips of the vampire's only child. There is nothing here for us now."

Like I said, magical. Not only does this paint some amazing imagery in the mind of the reader, but it is just some of the most lyrical writing I've ever laid eyes on. The author truly has a gift of bringing her worlds to life and allowing the reader to get lost inside the pages of her books. The words she's written are breathtaking, frightening, and majestic all at the same time. You don't realize that you've read through the entire book until you hit the last page and you realize it's over, and even then you're not ready to let go. This series is definitely going to be one that will remain in my heart forever and I will follow it for as long as it goes.

Down Among the Sticks and Bones is a fantastic companion novel to Every Heart a Doorway that brings back the familiar, creepy twins Jack and Jill. Ironically, I have typed Jack and Kill throughout this entire review and I keep laughing at my accidental cleverness. This book will not only make you love these girls even more (or maybe just Jack) but will also leave you begging for more installments in the Wayward Children series. It's dark and spooky and a perfect pick up for the Fall season and will leave its mark on you long after you've finished the final page.

It’s not too long ago that I read the first book in this series, Every Heart a Doorway, and completely fell in love with it. I loved the writing, which completely sucked me in from the start, I loved the world and all of the potential it had, but most of all, I loved the characters and couldn’t wait to see more of them and see more of their stories in the next books.

As you can see, my expectations for Down Among the Sticks and Bones were HIGH. Incredibly high. That’s why I was very hesitant about starting it at first, because I didn’t want to end up feeling disappointed once I finished this, but I can safely say that that didn’t happen. Moreover, I can say that I loved Down Among the Sticks and Bones even more than I loved Every Heart a Doorway, and that obviously says a lot.

This book focuses on the story of Jack and Jill, twin sisters who we’ve already met in the first book. From reading Every Heart a Doorway we already got to know a little bit about their story, but I had no idea how dark and incredibly interesting it actually was.

A lot of the book focuses on parental expectations (and emotional abuse), and how they can mess with your heads. Jack and Jill’s parents have this picture in their mind of what their perfect family should look like, and when their mother gets pregnant with two girls they’re disappointed because they wanted a girl and a boy. They decide they’ll each ‘get one’ of the children, and Jack is raised to be her mother’s perfect daughter (quiet and pretty) and Jill is raised to be her father’s perfect ‘tom-boy’.

Jack and Jill both don’t get a say in this, and they start to resent each other because of it. So when they get to the Moors, it doesn’t take long until they separate.

Down Among the Sticks and Bones is a short book. An incredibly well-written one which sucks you in from the first page, and will make you finish the book in just one sitting. It’s also incredibly atmospheric, dark and intruiging. And although the book is so short, it does include a lot of things that will keep your mind occupied for days on end.

I loved seeing the relationship between the two sisters, and the effect the parents had on that relationship (well, loved might not be the best word for it, but it was incredibly interesting and I loved reading about it). I loved Jack as a character, and I really feel like she’s going to be my favorite character of this series. And I loved how Jack had a fat, female love interest, because I’m a complete sucker for f/f romances.

Overall, Down Among the Sticks and Bones certainly exceeded my expectations, and I can’t wait for what else this series is going to bring.

Second in the Wayward Children dark fantasy series for Young Adult readers and revolving around children pulled into other worlds through doors. The focus is on the twins, Jack and Jill.

My Take
It was kind of weird reading this. Like reading a story backwards. Yes, it was good. It was very good, and it is fascinating to gain another perspective on this alternate plane of existence. Some reasons why the doors bring children to these worlds. And it did answer a lot of questions I had from Every Heart a Doorway , 1. And now, dammit, I want to read Beneath the Sugar Sky . Now. I have to know what happens after events in Every Heart a Doorway now that I know more about events in the Moors!!

Down Among the Sticks and Bones is almost a primer for how to raise a child. Just do the opposite of Serena and Chester. Lord, what a pair of twits these two are! It is a point that McGuire hammers home time and again about children growing up to be people with their own ideas and preferences. And it’s a common failing in many parents who expect their children to fulfill their dreams and desires without considering what their child might want. Too common for parents to compare one child to another, let alone comparing twins.

McGuire cracks me up with her assessment of children, the having thereof as ambushes. Heck, at least the parents had a choice; the girls didn't. The girls’ childhood alone practically qualifies this story as a dark nightma…er, fantasy. Poor Jack is so entrenched against dirt that she constantly wears gloves and scrubs like crazy. Jill, on the other hand, has been so desperate for the pretty things a girl likes, that she takes to it whole hog.

Serena and Chester are so out in cloud-cuckoo land, they’re lying about Chester’s mom. He claims she’s a reputable nanny — his own mother! Serena acknowledges that she’s Chester’s mother but that she simply needs to be useful. God forbid these two coldhearted monsters should admit to being unable to handle their own children!

As for point-of-view, I can’t choose. It’s third-person point-of-view, but seems to veer from objective to subjective. It’s an impersonal narrator speaking from a distance for most of the story, but it’s interrupted with the thoughts and feelings of Jack, Jill, Dr. Bleak and Serena and Chester.

And I insist on knowing what happened to Gemma Lou!!
The Story
After twelve years of being forced into their individual, strict roles, spilling out into the Moors is freeing for Jacqueline and Jillian. They can be who they want to be without fear of correction.

And Jack and Jill embrace that freedom to do as they please, to explore their own preferences. A desire that leads to disaster.

The Characters
Jacqueline and Jillian are twins forced into their parents’ vision. Chester and Serena Wolcott are the ultimate yuppies, anxious to be socially acceptable, desperate to appear perfect, and selfish in their desire for attention. He’s a lawyer; she sits on the boards of various "elegant" nonprofits. Louise "Gemma Lou" Wolcott is Chester’s mother. Loving, disciplined, a dreamer who believes the world capable of kindness.

Dr. Tozer is the obstetrician.

The Moors are…
…an alternate plane of existence reached through a door. A land of eternal twilight of endless scientific experimentation and terrible consequences, surrounded by werewolves, gargoyles, and sea gods, and ruled by the Master, a vampire, but not one who is native to the Moors. Mary is a foundling who said no and became a maid.

Dr. Michel Bleak is not a native either and has a bargain with the Master. Dr. Ghast had been Bleak’s teacher. Don't you love these gruesome names, lol.

Alexis Chopper is the resurrected daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Chopper who run the Sign of the Hind and Hare. Mr. Chopper had been a woodcutter before he settled to an innkeeper’s life.

The Cover and Title
The cover doesn’t remind me much of anything on the Moors, unless it’s meant as a metaphor for those bleak parents. There's an old white trunk off-center, the lid partially raised, and a clear bright light emitting from within. That cheery light is a stark contrast to the tonal grays of the cover, an image that looks like a volcanic eruption hit. A gray cloudy sky with a rocky gray landscape of hills and gullies topped by a dead tree that appears to be kicking up its heel while waving its arms. The title wraps around the tree in a white and smoggy-gray while the author’s name is at the bottom in a white serif.

The title is how Dr. Bleak describes the Moors and their existence Down Among the Sticks and Bones.

The second book in the Wayward Children saga was much better than the first. If you want to know why, keep reading.

Okay, so, the first book was OK. I hated the ending and couldn’t stand the main character at all. She got on my nerves. But you have to read the first book for this book to make ANY sense. In the first book, you learn about the doors that open and close, and the happy worlds and the dark worlds that let children in for various reasons.

You meet Jack and Jill in the first book. They are identical twins. Their parents were the people who never needed to have children, but they wanted little clones or clay pieces that they could mold into whatever they wanted. So they wind up having Jack and Jill, and the poor girls are molded into what they are not. All of this unhappiness allowed them to venture into a door to a land called the Moors. It is the Moor of moors and is the origin for the Frankenstein, vampire, werewolf, and sea-folk/siren lore. They are each chosen to be a prodigy of someone and split off on their own journey.

Jack’s character came alive for me in the first book. She was my favorite of the main characters, and getting to read her backstory was so heartbreaking and also very touching because you find out how she went from one thing to who she was now. her character development in the story is just jawdroppingly beautiful. She goes from being a pastry-looking princess who cannot get dirty to a lab technician, and all of this is because her mother chose her to be the girl of the twins. The Moors gave her the chance to break out of that mold, learn a new art, learn to love, and learn to live.

Now Jill. Jill was designated to be the tomboy by her parents. She was made to be the boy because her parents wanted only one of each (nuclear family). She comes into the Moors and festers. Her actions in the first book make sense now, but at the same time, she was such a brat. I don’t get why Jack cares about her, but I don’t have siblings, so it’s hard for me to imagine loving someone that awful and saving them.

I gave this book four stars because for me, personally, it didn’t have the kind of kick that made me sit down and think “holy cow” after I finished. But the writing was flawless and creepily reminiscent to my own, the world development was amazing and the Moors don’t sound as awful as they were portrayed in the first book. The character development was phenomenal. I will definitely be reading the next book in this series.

The portal to another world found by a child in need of transformation, safety or adventure... Portal tales are a staple in fairytale and fantasy literature, a tried-and-true trope that, in the right hands, can still feel original and exciting. DOWN AMONG THE STICKS AND BONES, the latest from prolific author Seanan McGuire, opens a portal from 12-year-old twins Jillian and Jacqueline, and the world they find beyond is one of danger and revelation. The sisters were introduced in McGuire’s acclaimed novel EVERY HEART A DOORWAY, and here readers learn their heartbreaking backstory.

Chester and Serena Wolcott were not well-suited to be parents. But their twin daughters become accessories to their lifestyle and symbols of their values and desires. Jillian was molded by her father to be a tough tomboy surrogate for the son he wanted, while Jacqueline took on the role of the pristine princess for her mother. Neither girl was authentically herself and was trapped, at home and at school, by the role she was forced to play. The only bright spot was the love of their grandmother Louise, who cared for them the first five years of their lives.

Then Louise was sent packing in the middle of the night by Chester, with no goodbye for her granddaughters. It will come as no surprise to readers that it is something left behind by Louise, a big trunk full of dress-up clothes and costume jewelry she had hoped to share with them someday, that opens up a passage to another world and means of escape. From the trunk, a long dusty staircase descends to a world known as the Moors. It is there that the two spend the next five years, exploring aspects of themselves long buried or hidden away.

The Moors are full of peril, from the monsters of the sea, the werewolves of the woods, and especially from the vampires of the moors and towns. The girls are split up --- Jillian coming to live as the daughter of the vampire known as the Master and Jacqueline as the apprentice of Dr. Bleak, a scientist who can bring back the dead. In the Master’s palace, Jillian, now Jill, lives a life of luxury and violence, and in Dr. Bleak’s windmill laboratory, Jacqueline, now Jack, works hard day in and day out, but also finds love. The sisters grow farther apart and more different from each other, and their old selves, each day. Inevitably their paths cross with terrible and devastating results. DOWN AMONG THE STICKS AND BONES brings the girls “home” when they are 17, and soon after, they will come to live at Eleanor West’s Home for Wayward Children, though that part of their story is told in EVERY HEART A DOORWAY.

Because McGuire is sometimes at pains for her readers to understand her characters, instead of allowing them to work for insight, she will occasionally overexplain. This means that DOWN AMONG THE STICKS AND BONES feels a bit repetitious at times, and a short novel can hardly afford repetition. Thankfully, the book is an overall success. Dark, poetic and strange, it is a tense and evocative fantasy exploring the meaning of self and family. McGuire is a great wordsmith who has crafted an enjoyable tale that both complements EVERY HEART A DOORWAY and stands strong on its own.

Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.

Once upon a time, there were two little girls who were -- whether they liked it or not -- as different as night and day. Then they found a door.

That is the story of "Down Among the Sticks and Bones," a prequel to Seanan McGuire's enchanting "Every Heart A Doorway" that explores the history of Jack and Jill. It doesn't have the wide-ranging imaginative variety of that book, since it follows only one pair of "foundlings" instead of a bunch, but the story itself is a dark little jewel -- a tragic story about what happens to children who are molded into what others want them to be, instead of what they truly are.

Jacqueline and Jillian were raised by parents who forced them into particular roles from day one -- Jack was a dainty doll, expected to be quiet and clean all the time, while Jillian was a rough'n'tumble tomboy. That was what their parents wanted, and they would brook no disagreement.... until the day the girls found a door inside an old chest, walked through it, and found themselves on the wild, dangerous Moors under the shadow of a vampire's castle.

And the girls are soon split between the vampiric Master and the grim scientist Dr. Bleak. Over the next five years, Jack becomes a sensible, scientifically-minded apprentice in glasses and pants, while Jill becomes the cruel, elegant "daughter" of the Master. And the girls never see each other as they grow more different than ever before... until the day when Jill's jealousy over her sister is stoked, and her desperation to be turned into a vampire reaches a fever pitch. Then nothing will be the same.

Everybody who has read "Every Heart A Doorway" knows about what the twins ultimately become, and what happens to them eventually. No spoilers. But "Down Among The Sticks And Bones" fully fleshes out the hints about why they left the Moors behind, and the reason the door appeared for them in the first place. Let's just say that the doors don't appear for children who are happy and fulfilled, and the girls' parents will quickly show why they weren't eager to return to our world.

And McGuire paints the Moors with a loving brush, incorporating every creepy gothic trope you can imagine -- a brooding twilit expanse where werewolves roam the mountains, Lovecraftian horrors lurk in the deep, and an elegant vampire in his castle quietly clashes with a mad scientist who resurrects the dead. It's not a particularly inviting place, but dang, it tickles my vintage horror fancy.

Her writing is at its most enchanting here, wrapping black ribbons and silk around this eerie setting with her words. Like many a classic writer, McGuire narrates the story as if she's... well, narrating a story, addressing the readers and averting the narrative during a tragic murder. It doesn't have the glittering multifaceted quality of the first book, since we see only two children who went through the same door, but it makes up for this with the sense of tragedy, haunting loss and gothic grandeur.

The character development of the characters is a pretty fascinating one, if a bit flawed. We see them essentially trade places, while developing distinct personalities shaped by where they are -- Jack is especially intriguing because the scientific mind and logic we see flowering in her doesn't preclude love, as she falls for a village girl without losing any of her keen intellect. On the other hand, Jillian seemed slightly less three-dimensional; while her obsessive need to have power and parental approval while being sculpted into she wasn't could warp anyone, she seems to go full-on childish evil.

While readers of "Every Heart A Doorway" know how the story will ultimately end, "Down Among The Sticks And Bones" is about the journey rather than the destination -- a tragic tale of two sisters separated.

This novella follow-up to Every Heart a Doorway is dark, deadly, and as equally stunning as its predecessor. Though it takes place chronologically before Every Heart and could easily be read independently, I think reading them in publication order adds a layer of harrowing suspense. Those who have read Every Heart know the general outline of Jack and Jill's story and their time in the world of the Moors, but the details are only vaguely sketched. Here, they are fully outlined in all their cold harshness. Down Among the Sticks and Bones is full of looming dread as the story heads inexorably toward its tragic ending, the sense of oncoming doom enhanced by readers' knowledge of the future rather than detracted. The introductory section detailing their early life, carefully regimented by parents who see their twin daughters as things to be molded and posed into perfect examples of family life rather than individuals, is heartbreaking and perfectly sets up how two innocents could be so perfectly suited for the brutal Moors. With the same lyrical prose, grueling truths and perfectly imperfect characters as Every Heart, Down Among the Sticks and Bones is a phenomenal entry to the Wayward Children series.

THIS IS A PREQUEL: Goodreads has Down Among the Sticks and Bones mislabeled as a sequel to Every Heart a Doorway. For the first half of this short book, I kept wondering when it was going to move on from back story and progress with the plot. Then I read the cover flap, and I learned that it was actually a prequel. From that point on, I enjoyed this book a lot more.

The Wayward Children series is kind of like Alice in Wonderland only there are infinite worlds that children fall into. In the first book we met a full cast of characters who attend a boarding school for children who want desperately to get back to the worlds they’ve discovered. Among those characters are twins – Jack and Jill – who had vastly different experiences of their world.

This book tells of Jack and Jill and how they ended up in their world to begin with. It also explains what happened to them there. It helps the reader understand the events of Every Heart a Doorway. I couldn’t quite remember the details of the original book, and I really wanted to re-read it after reading this new book. I didn’t read the whole thing again, but I did check it out from the library, so I could review the ending of that book. And now I want a sequel even more.

This book is a great addition to the series, and I think it could even act as a stand alone. If you haven’t read the first book yet, you may consider starting with this book. I think it’s better organized, and it could make Every Heart a Doorway a lot less confusing.

Blog: Opinionated Book Lover

Disclosure: I received a review copy from the publisher in exchange for a honest review.

Down Among the Sticks and Bones is the second novel/novella in the Wayward Children series and tells the story of Twin Sister Jacqueline and Jillian before they arrived at Eleanor West’s Home for Wayward Children. I was so excited when I heard that the sequel was going to feature the sisters, they were by far the most interesting of all the characters. McGuire takes readers on a journey to the past, even further before the twins were born, to how life was in the Wolcott house, to the twins ending up in the Moors under two very different guardians that eventually shaped the young adults we see in Every Heart a Doorway.

Although Jack and Jill are identical twins, they couldn’t be more polar opposite of one another. Jill was seen as the prettier one, the girlier one; while Jack was always second best to her sister.Their parents had these quirks and treated the girls differently, which is why for example, Jack was deathly scared of getting dirty. They constantly fussed if Jack got even a tiny speck of dirt on her clothing. Living in the Wolcott’s house was difficult. But then one day they discovered a magical set of stairs in a clothing trunk. They finally discovered a secret that their parents didn’t know about and couldn’t enforce their rules upon the girls. So they decided to leave, to go on an adventure; just the two of them. The girls stumbled into The Moors, where everything is terrifying, dreary and melancholy. If you seen the old movies that featured Dracula or Frankenstein then you’d seen The Moors. Or at least what the Moors and the inhabitants would look like. It had an antiquated otherworldly feel going on. Upon their arrival, the girls were given the choice of either staying with The Master, a Vampire or Dr. Bleak, a reclusive scientist. Without spoiling the story, the girls each made their choice that will forever change their relationship with one another and shape their personality.

Overall, I enjoyed this standalone, sequel much more than Every Heart A Doorway. The first book felt clunky and didn’t have much substance in terms of plot or direction. However, focusing on just the twins this time around and their journey to their door; I thought we had a clearer story. McGuire is a talent writer and having read her October Daye series I know she’s a master when it comes to world building. The world building in Down Among the Stick and Bones was giving me major Victorian Gothic vibes, which I adore. I absolutely loved learning of Jack and Jill’s past and their upbringing. It gave me a better understanding of the girls I read about in Every Heart a Doorway. If you liked the first book in the series, then you will certainly enjoy Down Among the Sticks and Bones!

(I'd absolutely recommend reading Every Heart a Doorway before reading this book. This book will somewhat spoil that book if not read first.)

Down Among the Sticks and Bones by Seanan McGuire is a "prequel" to Every Heart a Doorway. We follow Jack and Jill and a brief history of their childhood and then delve into the Moors, where their doorway led them, their true home.

First, let me say how much I loved Every Heart a Doorway. The characters were so wonderful and interesting that I was left wanting more. So I immediately went out and purchased Down Among the Sticks and Bones, not only because I wanted more of the story but because I loved Jack and Jill.

The character development in the book was phenomenal for how short this book is and I loved how both girls became who they wanted to become once the were "home". The girls were raised completely opposite than we know them and experiencing them grow and form who they choose to be and the choices they make was just a wonderful thing and I loved both girls, despite their flaws, at the end of the book.

The plot was (obviously) very character drive, considering this book was explaining the girls's past and what led them to who they were in Every Heart a Doorway.
The writing was beautiful and well done. McGuire painted a very descriptive picture of what the girls experienced during their time in the Moors.

I loved this series with all my heart and I can't wait to read the future books!

How does reinforcing strict gender roles in children affect their mental development and emotional wellbeing? That is what Down Among the Sticks and Bones addresses, from the perspectives of two identical twins brought up in a strict household - Jacqueline and Jill.

Just like Every Heart a Doorway, I loved the whimsical storytelling of the book and the running theme of a fairytale world where children escape from reality. They escape their sanitary, loveless household into a world of monsters, and it's interesting seeing the impacts of the real world on their growth over 5 years.

In this companion novel, we learn about Jack and Jill's parents and how they enforce strict gender roles on both of them. With every action, there's always a reaction and that's what is explored in depth in Sticks and Bones. Jill is treated like a tomboy but is isolated from her peers and develops an intense need to be liked. Jacqueline, or Jack, is never allowed to play outside so she develops crippling OCD.

With the complexity of isolation, gender dysphoria, nature vs nurture, seeking perfectionism, f/f relationships and choosing your own consequences, Down Among the Sticks and Bones is another brilliant book from Seanan McGuire. I loved this novella and it packs a punch in its short length, an instant classic that everyone should read.

Check out Happy Indulgence Books at happyindulgencebooks.com for more reviews!

Down Among the Sticks and Bones delves into the story of two characters from the first book, Jack and Jill. While this could be read as a stand alone, Every Heart a Doorway introduced them just enough to make me want to learn more. And I fell for the bait hard.

The Moors were such a great location. They were a subtle homage to classic monster horror that made me little heart sing. It was such a strong element, but ultimately wasn't what the story followed. It was about being a monster without following too many tropes. The way this sequel explored identity and desire really touched me. Two girls raised identically with parents who probably should not have been eventually found their own senses of purpose and I found it compelling.

Only complaint was that I think a little too much time was spent on the girls' upbringing. It provided enough of a background for why they turned out the way they did in book one. I would have rather preferred, however, more time spent exploring some of the more day-to-day activities in the Moors, especially for Jill.

I cannot wait to see what whimsical storyscape this series will bring next.

YOU GUYS! OMG!
These books are so good! Like, they're fantastic!
As far as I know, this only going to be a trilogy, which is EXTREMELY disappointing to me because there are so many different things that could be included in this! I want backstories for all of our main characters from the first book, a book of Jack and Jill going back to their land; or ya know, just an overall ending of all of the characters. Because this can not be it! This series is so quick, easy, and fun to read!

---Characters---
So, Jack is my favorite of the twins. I love her. So. So much. Not only is Jack like this badass assistant scientist but she also fancies ladies! Bringing in that LGBTQ was so the right way to go because I loved it! Though the relationship does end pretty tragically...But still! Jack is just amazing. In the first book I found her to be slightly strange and couldn't exactly pinpoint how I felt about her, but now I know that I absolutely love her!
Jill, on the other hand, I couldn't stand. She was so oblivious to everything and yes I get the fact that she'd never really received any sort of attention or whatever, therefore leading her to fall for this Master. But oh my gosh, she was just super annoying and none of her actions really justified anything. She's a character that I love to hate.
Dr. Bleak was awesome! The fact that he took Jack in and taught her everything she knows is just so cool and he dealt with Jack's girlfriend in the best way possible. Also, Jack proving herself to him was so awesome! Like, you go Jack!

---Plot---
This plot is one of the more interesting that I've heard of among YA books. Which is one reason why I just need more and it can't be just a trilogy. The world building is so amazing. This one was definitely darker in a very creepy way. Not horror, but borderline creepy. There are some gory parts of the book that for a normal person would make them cringe (makes me sound like some sort of psychotic killer...I'm not.) But when you've read so much fantasy and such, you kind of get used to descriptions of bloody gory scenes. With that being said, I have no complaints in terms of the plot.

Overall, this book was absolutely fantastic! I definitely wasn't expecting these two little 200 page books to be my first 5-star books of the year, but I'm so glad they were! I need more!

This is the second book in the Wayward Children series and I enjoyed it quite a bit. This is a fairly short and quick read (~180 pages) and packs a lot of the story into that space. I actually liked this book a lot more than the first Wayward Children book; I just felt like I connected with the characters better and was drawn into the story faster.

This is a retelling of Jill and Jack and I enjoyed it a lot. The mysterious Doors feature in the story as well. Aside from the vampiric fairy tale themes in here, there is a also a theme of finding one’s identity and some LGBT themes as well.

My only complaint about this book is a small one, the ending felt really rushed and the story stopped abruptly without much resolution. Other than that I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

Overall this was an excellent addition to the Wayward Children series. I was sceptical that a whole book could be done as a Jack and Jill retelling; but this was beautifully done. I would recommend to those who enjoy dark fairy tale retellings. This was beautiful written and incredibly engaging. I definitely plan on continuing the Wayward Children series.

Ahoy there me mateys! When I read the first novella in this series, every heart a doorway, I had no words to do that story justice. Then I read this one. Words fail me again, but I will try. So basically this novella was as stunning as the first. This second book gives us the story of what went before - a prequel if ye will. Getting the new perspectives on two characters from the first book changed me perception of book one in an awesome way. If I had time I would have immediately picked up the first book again to read it with me new insights. Another time mehaps. I just utterly adore this series and am so glad me crew recommended it over and over and over again until me noggin finally caught on and listened. If ye haven't read the first novella then do yerself a favor and grab it. Do read them in order. I also didn't read the blurb before reading this one which I highly recommend. I want the next book in the series. Something to look forward to in 2018!

"Some adventures require nothing more than a willing heart and the ability to trip over the cracks in the world."

Down Among Sticks and Bones centers on twins Jacqueline and Jillian, or Jack and Jill. The story begins before they are born; we see Jack and Jill's parents, the sort of people they were, illustrating that, maybe, our destinies are in the making before it is ever in our hands. Through their upbringing, we witness their childhood and how their parents imposed strict gender roles for their own selfish desires and dreams and largely at Jack and Jill's expense. (A reoccurring theme in the first half of the book is that adults cannot be trusted. And indeed, they cannot.) At this, Down Among Sticks and Bones briefly explores the harm that parents can unwittingly cause; it is a narrative that is not new but is still all the more heartbreaking. But, that is, until they discover a door.

When reading Every Heart a Doorway, I was curious about the adventure of discovering a door and the process of making a home within the world on the other side. Down Among Sticks and Bones satiated my curiosity, and there was no better world than The Moors, an unforgiving, brutal, and monstrous place. The worldbuilding was fantastic - not only in its construction, but also in its impact on the reader. Being in the Moors, or, reading about Jack and Jill in The Moors, elicited a perpetual sense of dread and promises of foreboding. In such a cold and horrifying place, it may seem strange that Jack and Jill carve a corner of this world for themselves. Did The Moors make Jack and Jill for who they would become, or were they fulfilling their destinies?

Indeed, it is presumably a scary place for children, but it is within the Moors that Jacqueline becomes Jack and Jill becomes Jillian. Reading this, I couldn't decide whether it was a cruel twist of fate or irony: two children who have been forced into rigid squares of what it means to be, only to discover a place where they can live the life they want, and in ways that were unexpected but also made complete sense. Suffice it to say, the characterizations of the story were fantastic. Despite the story's short length, McGuire's characters may seem like caricatures - the 'mad scientist', the evil vampire lord, the terrified townspeople. However, as the story progresses, each character reveals more of themselves beyond what is on the surface: that, despite the roles they place, the characters are capable of empathy, justice, betrayal, and love. You may not find thoroughly developed characters, with the exception of Jack, but you will find very interesting ones.

While Every Heart a Doorway was, at times, whimsical with hints of mystery and horror, Down Among Sticks and Bones is very dark, very brutal, and, in a way, very sad. Nonetheless, Down Among Sticks and Bones is a fantastic novella, a great addition to the Wayward Children series and universe, and one that I wholeheartedly recommend to those who enjoyed Every Heart a Doorway.

A prequel rather than a sequel, this installment tells the story of Jack and Jill, aka Jacqueline and Jillian Wolcott, from how they were born to their time through the Door and their banishment from the Moors.

Very dark, just like the original. Possibly even darker, if that is possible. Neither girl has even been shown how to love or to be loved, their parents very cold and exacting. Forced into molds that left them with no freedom to explore who they really are, it isn't until their Door opened that things began to change. Unfortunately, not in the most positive way.

Jack does, however, learn about love, about being true to herself, and honors the family connection with her sister at the cost of her own happiness. Intense, sad, yet engrossing. 4.5 out of 5.

I love everything about this series and Down Among The Sticks and Bones is my favorite one so far. It's a dark, twisted fairytale and McGuire beautifully twists several horror tropes around, creating a tale that is haunting and gorgeous.

I love the plot, love the characters, love the representation and I adore McGuire's writing. This book hit me on a personal level and I will definitely be re-reading it in the future. It's a quick read and if you love grim fantasies, this one is for you. Recommended for fans of Frankenstein, Dracula, Miss Peregrine and A Series of Unfortunate Events.

This is a dark little fairy tale about twin sisters who fall into a world of vampires and mad scientists and must make choices about who they want to be as they grow up. It's technically a prequel to the author's earlier novella Every Heart a Doorway, but the two plots are largely independent and can really be read in either order. As with its predecessor, I wanted this to be a full novel instead of a novella, because there are some abbreviated moments that I would liked to see more fleshed out. Nevertheless, it's a powerful look at how stifling parental expectations can be, and at the lengths children might take to escape them, if they could only find the right door.

This prequel to Every Heart a Doorway, focusing on twins Jacqueline and Jillian, can be read as a stand-alone story, though its ending might seem especially bleak without knowledge of what will follow. As a prequel, it sheds interesting and in some ways surprising light on these characters, the world beyond their door, and how they became the girls we meet in the first-written book.

It is, at times, repetitive, in particular concerning the shortcomings of the girls' parents.

I really like most of Seanan McGuire’s work and she is very prolific. But her tale of identical twin girls, Jack and Jill, who walk down magical steps to the land of the Moors didn’t work as well for me. Down Among the Sticks and Bones (hard from Tor) Jill becomes the protégé of the Master, a vampire who rules a small village, and Jack becomes the apprentice of the Doctor who can raise the dead like Dr. Frankenstein. All goes well for five years and then a series of events sets the two girls running. The ending is too abrupt for my taste, but I think sequels are planned.Review printed by Philadelphia Weekly Press

When I first started reading this, I didn't think I would love it as much as I did the first one. While Jack and Jill were interesting, I wasn't sure how I would react to their world. I was completely wrong. I loved this book just as much as the first one. I love getting little peaks into these worlds that McGuire has created and I'm very excited to see what the third book has in store. Just like the first, I both wish that this book was longer yet thought it was perfect at the length that it was. Just enough to leave you wanted more

I've been chewing over how to review this book since I first picked it up weeks ago. I came away from my first reading of Every Heart a Doorway not entirely sure I'd liked it but unable shake the urge to reread it and eager for more. Down Among the Sticks and Bones is similarly brief and haunting.

Anyone who enjoyed Every Heart a Doorway will appreciate this prequel, and anyone curious who hasn't read the first should start there. You don't need any background knowledge to follow Down Among the Sticks and Bones, but it does give away important information that would spoil some reveals in Every Heart a Doorway.

Spoilers for both books follow:

Knowing how Jack and Jill end up in Every Heart a Doorway gives the entire book a deeply tragic feel. The contrast between the pre- and post-Moors twins is stark but flows logically, and the world-building is both sparse and evocative. There's nothing extraneous here, and though I might hope for more, it's a refreshing change from bloated sequels valuing page count over flow. My one criticism is that I had hoped the twins' books would include an epilogue with their return to the Moors, and I'm sad that this is probably the last we'll hear of them or their world.

I expect to reread this several times, and I'm even more anxiously awaiting the next installment in the Wayward Children series.

Beautifully written, atmospheric focus on the world of the Vampire Master as Jack and Jill move through it. Loved this latest by McGuire - even more so than the first in series - Every Heart a Doorway. Novella length is perfect for showcasing the author's skills to their best advantage - the evocative surroundings and characterization of girls trapped by the world and the roles their parents desired - and the effect of those selfish parental desires/whims on what and how Jack and Jill seek freedom, love, stability in the world of the Master. Quite the melancholic, dramatic, feminist adventure!

This was so different than what I was expecting from it, but it was so much better than anything I could have imagined. I absolutely LOVE reading about the details of Jack and Jill's world, and I really really hope that these companion novels continue to come out. I want to read about all of the different worlds, and get the background for the characters that I already love from Every Heart a Doorway. Absolutely the best. I also just realized how many books the author wrote before these, and I can't get my hands on the backlog fast enough.

This book told of the back story of Jack and Jill from "Every Heart a Doorway" and it was amazing. I could not put the book down until I read it to the end! What a great story. I am still in awe of it. I really loved how this story went into all the detail of how the sisters found their world and lived among them for years. I can not go into more detail because I do not want to ruin the story but take my word ... this is a book series you do not want to miss. I would recommend it to everyone!

Seanan McGuire is a magician. No, I mean it. She seems to write about a novel a week. She's got like 3 novel series going. Then she comes out with the Wayward Children novellas that are just incredible. I'm fairly certain she has discovered that pet Maine Coons give magical writing powers to their humans.

This is sort of a prequel to Every Heart a Doorway. It works as a standalone as well, but it builds on and informs that novella. If you like good stories and good writing, you'll like Down Among the Sticks and Bones.

I was a little apprehensive to pick the second book because I really didn't like the first book that much. I really like this one a lot more and I was excited to read more about Jack and Jill.

Jill isn't my favorite character, but like in a villain type way if that makes any sense.

Like the first one, I wish this was longer. I wanted to see how they ended up at the school and what happened after the first book events.

This is a lovely, haunting story; a dark fairytale for those who would rebel against a world that tries to hold them too tight to a path that doesn't suit. It didn't hit me as hard as 'Every Heart a Doorway' but I know there are people for whom it will, readers who needed to hear that they could change, that remaking ones' self is a choice offered to them. And really, I want everyone to read this, because I want everyone who needs it to find it, and because it is beautiful.

I am so glad I picked up this book. I absolutely love the characters, the world, and the way that Seanan writes for this series. There is a dark melodic rhthym to her words in these books that I just adore. Her descriptions are fantastic but not overwrought and the characters all feel genuine and intriguing. This is my favorite of Seanan's books that I have picked up so far and hope that more come out of this series.

I liked this one so much more than the first. It was more detailed, richer, and had more social commentary. So it was right up my alley. I cannot wait to read the third and see if it lives up to this trend! I hope it does! I felt a little in the minority for being underwhelmed by EHaD, but I am fully on the train now!

This, like its predecessor, was an amazing book that I didn't even know I wanted until I had it. Jack and Jill were interesting characters in the first book and made me want to know how these unusual girls experienced such an unusual world. I did not prepare for the story before they even get there and their upbringing and it was amazing. A story of monsters and evil and love and adventure while tackling tough subjects of emotional neglect, poor parenting, what it means to be an individual, mental illness, and what you would do for your family. It's a must-read and if you haven't, you can read it before or after Every Heart A Doorway.

Interesting cautionary tale. I liked it a lot more than the first book. You really get to dig into the lives of Jack and Jill. Definitely recommend it. I would maybe read it first before Every Heart a Doorway to be able to appreciate the first book more.

Urban fantasy. Second of the Wayward Children series. I really like Seanan McGuire and have read most of her October Daye series. This book tells the story of Jillian and Jacqueline and the five years they spent in an alternate reality. We first meet Jack and Jill in the first book of the series: Every Heart a Doorway. I only wish I had read this book first, even though it is the second in the series. I would have understood Jack and Jill in the first book much better had I known the back story.

A fascinating and satisfying look at 2 of my favorite characters from Seanan McGuires Wayward Children series. Pleasantly creepy, atmospheric, and a very Pointed look at how Jack and Jill came to be (and came to the Moores).

I loved this! Jack was my favorite character in Every Heart a Doorway, so I expected to enjoy this creepy little fairytale. The way it's written, the narrator style, I particularly loved and I think it is probably even a little better as an audio book (I read print version).

Portal world story to a gothic novel/classic horror movie. This is Seanan McGuire at her best and easily one of the best things I've read this year...and really in general. Does the idea intrigue you at all? You will probably enjoy it. Some stories are good, while some haunt you, lingering for days after, inspiring dreams and imagination and feelings and feelings and feelings. Be kind to yourself and give this a read. And then read Every Heart a Doorway. Or read that one first. Yeah, probably read that one first if you can. But if you can't, you should still read this.

I loved the first book of this series and this is a wonderful follow-up. It stands very well on its own and delivers a whole new window (or rather, a doorway) into the world McGuire has built. The book is marketed for adults, but is appropriate for younger readers (12+) and is themed around a coming-of-age story.

Just as incredible as Every Heart a Doorway, Down Among the Sticks and Bones gives readers the eerie backstory of Jack and Jill. This story was so well crafted, and one of those books I was sorry to see end.

I️ loved Every Heart a Doorway but I’m in love with this one. I need a second book of Jack, Jill and the Moor. I need to know what happened once Jack returned.
I also need the third book, ASAP.