Jack and Jill's story continues (having started in Down Among the Sticks and Bones and being continued in Every Heart a Doorway) and comes to a satisfying conclusion in this excellent addition to the Wayward Children series. Seanan McGuire's always interesting, well-written cast of characters in the Wayward Children series returns in force to help Jack defeat her sister Jill in a dangerous quest to the Moors, a world of drowned gods, mad science, and generally just the stuff nightmares are made of.

It is always good to spend more time with characters you love in worlds that you love to explore, and this book further fleshes out the Moors and characters in ways I didn't expect but was happy to be surprised. Fans of previous entries will not be let down by this latest entry.

“Everyone is somebody’s bedtime story.”

I couldn’t wait for my annual Wayward Children adventure, and the newest installment did not disappoint. Jack and Jill are back in Come Tumbling Down, the 5th book of the Wayward Children series by the incomparable Seanan McGuire. The last time we saw Jack and Jill, Jack was headed back to the Moors with her sister’s body in tow, but from what we know of the Moors, death isn’t the end, and sometime it’s just the beginning. Jack returns to school, looking for help and clad in her sister’s body, and only her friends can help her get her body back and restore the balance of the Moors.

There are so many wonderful things about this book, but as usual, I have one complaint. It’s too dang short, haha! I know every year, I’ll only get to hang out with these characters for about 200 pages. I prep myself for weeks beforehand, promising myself I’ll savor the pages and draw out the prose as long as possible, and what do I do? Every single time? I tear through it in about twenty-four hours. Well, friends, I’m happy to report, new decade, same old me. I started this book at approximately 6pm last night, and I am writing this review for you at approximately 7:45pm tonight.

The one good thing about tearing through these pages each year, however, is the opportunity to revisit the story in the 360ish days I have to wait for the next one, I can re-read it and pick up some of the finer details I miss in my first sprint. Winks, nods, and Easter Eggs should definitely be appreciated, and I intend to take full advantage of them soon.

I love Jack and Jill (in her own way). They are excellent foils, and their struggle in the Moors, much like our own struggles in this world, are never simple. They are both monsters, but aren’t we all in our own ways? Even in a world full of monsters, there is balance. I love how the balance isn’t predicated on good and evil, because nothing is ever so clear-cut. Jack sees herself as a monster, but she loves people, others love her, and she has the capacity for feelings that Jill often lacks.

I love the ways McGuire makes us dream of other worlds, worlds that aren’t in any way perfect, but that may be perfect for us. So many of us misfits just want somewhere to belong, and we find kinship in these characters year after year, and I never stop hoping I’ll see a door appear out of thin air, a door that perhaps would take me to a drowned world full of mermaids and sea creatures. What kind of world would you inhabit?

The wait is almost over for this one. It’s on sale Tuesday, January 7th, and bonus points if you can resist mainlining the whole thing right away.

I was so thrilled when I found out we were going to be returning to the Moors in the fifth instalment of this series. Down Among The Sticks And Stones is my favourite of the series, so I knew this book was probably going to be right up my alley. However, the 3rd and 4th instalment in this series were slightly disappointing for me, so I was a little dubious. But this book really delivered, and I think is the strongest entry into this series so far.
What I Liked:
-The plot felt clean and streamlined, and kept a very strong focus. Previously, I have found the plots of these books to be a bit jumpy and meandering, as well as leaving out a lot of scenes I really would have loved to read. However, this book did a brilliant job of having a very clear plot and had plenty of action and I didn't feel like I missed out on anything. It made me feel much more engaged with the book.
-There were a lot of really great character moments, and I loved getting to see more of Jack because she is such an interesting and nuanced character. We also had some other great characters return such as Sumi and Kade, and I did quite enjoy the new characters we were introduced to, but I didn't feel overly connected to them.
-The representation. Firstly, a strong female/female relationship is present in this book, and I absolutely loved it. Seeing the lengths they were willing to go to for each other was heartwarming. This also showcased Jack's OCD in more detail, and I think Seanan McGuire did a great job of making it clear what Jack was suffering from and how that effects her and would continue to effect her.
-I loved how dark this book was, it felt gritty and atmospheric and dangerous. The Moors is such a brilliant setting and I really loved that we got to explore quite a bit more of this creepy world.
What I Didn't Like:
-I really would have liked to have a few chapters from Jill's point of view, because she is such an intriguing character and I really felt her absence for the majority of this book.
-While it was dark, I think there were a few outs that Seanan McGuire took in this book. And I really think this book would have benefitted if she had taken it even further and really committed to the danger of the Moors.
Overall, this was a captivating read and I thoroughly enjoyed the reading experience. 4.5 Stars.

I've been a Wayward Children fan ever since I read the first book back in 2018, and each sequel so far has only reconfirmed my love for this series. I've been waiting impatiently for book number five ever since I finished In An Absent Dream last year, so of course I was over the moon when my request for Come Tumbling Down was actually approved and I was offered the chance to read this sequel a few days early. I literally dropped everything I was doing and devoured this little gem in a matter of hours after it appeared on my kindle... And guess what? I have just found a new favorite Wayward Children installment!

Oh yes, I already loved my previous meetings with Eleanor West's students, but there was just something about Come Tumbling Down that made me love this newest adventure even more. From the very first pages to the last, I was completely under the spell of both the writing, plot and characters. First of all a disclaimer: this is definitely a series you need to read in order, because you will both be missing out on crucial information about characters and their worlds as well as finding yourself spoilers for the previous adventures otherwise. Trust me: you won't regret reading them, as every single one has been fantastic so far in the first place... That said, in Come Tumbling Down we return to the horror world of Jack and Jill, a world we first learned about in the second book Down Among The Sticks And Bones. A selection of other students make their appearance as well as they join Jack on a new quest when she returns to ask for help. You will find multiple references to the previous books along the way, both regarding the characters and the things that happened... I personally loved those little reminders and it definitely made me want to binge reread all books together to see if I remembered everything right.

I have loved the worldbuilding behind this series since the beginning, with the students finding doors to different worlds and afterwards being trapped in the real world again. Regular fiction is mixed with fantasy and it has been fascinating to learn more about the different worlds the students once belonged to and now want to return to. Each world is unique in its own way, and the Moors Jack and Jill traveled to is without doubt one of the most brutal ones. Like the second book, Come Tumbling Down is essentially a very dark read with quite a few horror elements; those including the vampire and mad scientist references. It was absolutely fascinating to learn more about how the Moors exactly work, with its electricity and the delicate balance between the different powers at play.

As for the characters... Most characters we already know, and meeting up with them again felt like meeting up with old friends. The main characters in general are easy to like and being able to see them evolve over time has been a true pleasure. We have some new characters as well, including Alexis and Gideon, and I liked what they added to the plot. The plot itself is quite complex for a story this short, but well rounded and with an ending that is without doubt satisfying. I loved every single minute with Come Tumbling Down and I already know it will appear on my list of 2020 favorites even this early on in the year. Oh yes, it's THAT good! Simply electrifying.

Come Tumbling Down by Seanan McGuire, another installment in this series of fantastical kids and doorways that makes you never want to put the book down.

The continuing story of Jack and Jill
It’s no secret that I love the “Wayward Children” series—the engaging storytelling, the fabulous play on fantasy tropes, and the fascinating characters—all trying to keep it together when they ‘re not where they think they should be. Portal children. In this latest edition Jack and Jill’s story comes to a head as Jack returns to the school to seek aide in saving her realm from Jill and her vampire Master. The gothic atmosphere of the Moors is wonderfully creepy and the questing students (including Kade, Christopher, and Cora) have their work cut out for them. It’s a lovely addition to the series.

Ahoy there me mateys!  I received a copy of this young adult fantasy novella eArc from NetGalley in exchange for me honest musings.  This be the fifth book in the series.  While I try to post no spoilers, if ye keep reading this log then ye have been forewarned and continue at yer own peril . . .

Title: come tumbling down

Author: Seanan McGuire

Publisher: Tor.com

Publication Date: TOMORROW!! (hardback/ebook)

ISBN: 978-0765399311

Source: NetGalley

I say this every time I finish one of these novellas but I seriously could read dozens of books set in the various worlds.  This be the fifth installment and ye have to read every heart a doorway (#1) and down among the sticks and bones (#2) first for this one to make sense.  I actually highly recommend reading this series in publishing order because I feel that the reader gets the best flow that way.  However, books #1, #3, and #4 can technically be read as standalones.  Each to their own.

This installment showcases our end of Jack and Jill's story.  The Moors are in trouble and Jack needs the help of her friends at Eleanor West's School for Wayward Children to make things right.  I have to admit that I wasn't expecting more of the twins' story.  I would have been okay with the previous ending of book two.  That said, I still loved reading this one.

Other readers may get something else out of the book but for me, this book was a glimpse into that nebulous transition between child and adult.  In all the other books, ye are following children who are struggling to find sense of self and their place of belonging.  They want to find their way back to their doors.  In this tale, Jack and Jill have previously found their way back to their door and the world in which they belong.  Jack is very clear about who she is and what she wants.  She is on the threshold of adulthood but not quite ready to make the final step.  Until circumstances dictate that she must.

Now to be fair, none of the children in these novellas have good childhoods and all are forced to grow up faster than they would probably want.  They have been heroes and have faced adult problems but they still feel like children.  Jack's circumstances in book five (that involve spoilers) cause her discomfort because she already knows who she is and what her flaws are.  She already understands what the answer to the current problem is and how to accomplish her goal.  To win, she must make a grown-up choice and crossover into adulthood.  She calls on her friends so that she can.

Her friends presence may seem unnecessary for this book when reading until ye look at the underlying issue.  The (spoilerly) circumstances that Jack be in cause Jack's mental state to fray and it is her brain that is her weapon.  Her friends are there to be emotional support and provide a buffer or even a distraction for Jack to keep herself together so she can succeed.  Romantic love isn't enough to help her win because love can distract.  However, the love formed through friendship can save the day. 

Her friends honestly don't really know how to handle the weaknesses that Jack is going through.  Each reacts in their own way - with logic, with confusion, with harshness, etc.  Through all mean to give love and support.  Just because all the wayward children have experienced problems, doesn't mean that they know how to fix Jack or her circumstances.  Jack really has to help herself.  But knowing that friends got yer back and support or push when needed can really make all the difference.  At least that's what I personally take from this novella.  When the journey ends Jack's friends have completed a single quest on the path towards their futures in the name of friendship.  Jack finally finds her future and in doing so grows up.

I found this to be a bit more of an intellectual read then some of the others (book four wins so far) but I still loved it.  I will certainly be readin' the next book when it comes out.  There be rumors of three more in the pipelines.  I sure hope so.  ARRR!!

Check out what me crew had to say (click the links for their full reviews):

Matey Tammy @ books,bones,&buffy - "McGuire also uses this series as a way to focus on certain themes, like identity and belonging and finding one’s place in the world. In this book, Jack’s OCD is explored, and even though I don’t want to give away one of the big story twists, I will say that Jack has a reason she’s having a lot of trouble with her illness. But in McGuire’s world, issues like mental illness and gender identity are simply a part of life, and I love the way she incorporates these elements so seamlessly into her stories."

Goodreads has this to say about the novel (with spoilers removed):

The fifth installment in Seanan McGuire's award-winning, bestselling Wayward Children series, Come Tumbling Down picks up the threads left dangling by Every Heart a Doorway and Down Among the Sticks and Bones

When Jack left Eleanor West's School for Wayward Children she was carrying the body of her deliciously deranged sister . . . back to their home on the Moors.

But death in their adopted world isn't always as permanent as it is here, and when Jack is herself carried back into the school, it becomes clear that something has happened to her. Something terrible. Something of which only the maddest of scientists could conceive. Something only her friends are equipped to help her overcome.

Eleanor West's "No Quests" rule is about to be broken.

Again.

To visit the author's website go to:

Seanan McGuire - Author

To buy the book go to:

come tumbling down - Book

To add to Goodreads go to:

Yer Ports for Plunder List

Previous Log Entries for this Author

every heart a doorway – book 1 (Captain's Log - Young Adult Fantasy)

down among the sticks and bones – book 2 (Captain's Log - Young Adult Fantasy)

beneath the sugar sky – book 3 (Captain's Log - Young Adult Fantasy)

in an absent dream – book 4 (Captain's Log - Young Adult Fantasy)

into the drowning deep (On the Horizon - Sci-Fi eArc)

kingdom of needle and bone (Captain’s Log – Sci-Fi)

This story was unlike anything I imagined and everything I ever wanted. The Wayward Children series has been hit or miss with me. The highlights have always been the Moors and Jack’s story.

This story picks up after Sumi’s return, with Jack returning to the school in dire need of help for a brewing war in the Moors. Jack’s character undergoes a drastic change throughout this story as she struggles with her greatest fears and trials. She’s alone in a way she has never been before and has to take down her ultimate villain, which is difficult no matter what she’s done before. Jack’s relationship with Alexis is sweet and touching and really shows you that even in a world of rebirth and undeath, life and love are precious.

The returning cast of characters were great to see. I loved that Christopher and Sumi took a greater role in this story. Sumi seems to have grown so much since Every Heart a Doorway, and seeing how she is both as fluffy as cotton candy and jagged as rock candy’s fits her so well. She’s cute and supportive in her own way when she needs to be and down to earth and serious in a way she’s rarely shown before. She’s more a woman than ever before. Christopher didn’t get much development in this story other than to be scarred by the Moors and shown just how different the darker side of the doorways can be compared to his “dark world,” but he takes an active role whe he has otherwise been passive, and that was a nice change.

The atmosphere of this book was the best element, second to Jack. The Moors have always been my favorite world with the mash-up of Dracula and Frankenstein, but we got to see more of it wit( the inclusion of the Lovecraftian Drowned Gods. Genuinely this was one of the highlights of the book and showcases the extraordinary talents of Seanan McGuire in world building where three massively different yet similar classics have merged together to birth a world so full of carnage, mystique, and beauty.

The plot was solid. It wasn’t any5ing groundbreaking or special. It didn’t need to be anything more than a good story and closure for the reader on Jack and Jill’s tale. It was a satisfying ending with its own morbidly sweet happily ever after.

Thanks to Tor and to my dear friend Caroline for the galley! The opinions herein are my own and may not reflect the views of the publisher, author, or distributor.

I’m in love with this series.

We get backstory, and we get adventure. We get character growth, and we get terrible backsliding. It’s funny, I wasn’t fond of Sumi in the first book, but now that we’ve gotten to know her, I think she’s great. And her interactions with everyone else are top notch.

One thing I adore about the way these are written is how simple but full they are. We have a lot of story, but we have prose that gets us from Point A to Point B without fluff. I don’t know what else to say besides I think everyone should get the chance to read these.

I just hope we get more on Christopher, and mostly, more on Eleanor’s story!

Terror twins Jack and Jill return (mostly Jack) to Eleanor West's school, in this latest installment of the Wayward Children series. Kade, Sumi, and Cora all play a part as well., and the stakes are high, especially for Jack. To tell more would give away too much , but this is definitely a worthwhile read for fans of this little alternate world!

No one who is familiar with this series will be surprised to hear that this is another stellar installment. When we last saw twins Jack and Jill, Jack was returning to the Moors with her sister's dead body. As "Come Tumbling Down" begins, Jack returns to the school looking for help. The resurrected Jill has attacked everything that Jack loves, and Jack is close to breaking. Despite Eleanor West's injunction against question, the students of course set out to help Jack save her world.

Wayward Children books are always short, but packed full of plot and character. We get to see more of Kade, Christsopher, Sumi, and Cora, and we also get to see Jack dealing with things further from her comfort zone then she's ever had to deal with before. The Moors are dark, creepy, and full of traps and teeth. If you like traditional monster horror (Dracula, Frankenstein, etc.) then this is the portal world for you. There are a few times during the story where I was afraid for various characters, but just trust Seanan McGuire to get all of her characters through the plot in a way that is both satisfying and respectful. This continues to be a great series and I hope that it keeps going for a long time.

(Warning for body horror and gore.)

Eleanor West’s Home for Wayward Children

No Solicitations

No Visitors

No Quests

Come Tumbling Down is the continuation of the story of Jack and Jill. Chronologically, this is after the events of books 1 - 3, and long after the events of Lundy’s story in In An Absent Dream. Christopher, late of the skeleton-filled Día de Muertos-esque world of Mariposa, is lounging in his basement room at Eleanor West’s Home for Wayward Children when lightning starts flashing. Not outside, mind you, but in the middle of the room. Lightening starts striking the basement floor like crazy, prompting Cora (the unwillingly bipedal mermaid late of an underwater world whom we met in Beneath the Sugar Sky) to come running down to see what the commotion is all about. Once the lightning stops and they can see again, Cora and Christopher are amazed to see a door. A door that is all lightning and oak, something very reminiscent of the previous occupants of Christopher’s room: the twins, Jack and Jill Wolcott, residents of the Hammer Horror wicked-logical world of The Moors. As Christopher and Cora wonder at what they should do, the door opens and two young women emerge: one tall and broad, the other...Jill.

Except it’s not Jill.

It's Jack, in Jill's body.

What the what?

It will never cease to amaze me how some writers can fit so much story into so few words. None of the Wayward Children books exceed 250 pages, and yet every single one feels epic - more epic than some books twice, or even thrice their length. With just a few sentences, McGuire can create an entire mythology. How - how does one do that? Better yet, how do you do that well? Because McGuire does it very, very, very well. Asking for a friend who may or may not be a failed writer who spends their spare time reviewing books by real writers on the internet.

Seriously, together, all five Wayward Children books are (well, according to their Goodreads page counts) 929 pages, an average of 185.8 pages per book. The shortest is only 173 pages (Every Heart a Doorway) and the longest 208 (Come Tumbling Down).

A Dance with Dragons is 1,125 pages long, by the way. Left unchecked, writers can and will go on and on and on forever and ever and ever and ever and ever. That you can cram so much detail and backstory into only 200 pages while maintaining a good balance between “tell not show” and “show not tell” writing is phenomenal. And Seanan McGuire has managed it five times!

I can only ever dream of someday being that good.

There is a downside to these books being so short, though: all of the action feels a bit rushed - if you’re someone who likes to have a metric ton of detail during action sequences, you may be a little disappointed. I, on the other hand, as someone with a tendency to go on and on and on and on forever and ever and ever and ever am just dumbstruck at how anyone can write anything so awesome in less than 400 pages.

My only real complaint regarding Come Tumbling Down is that we’ve gotten so much Jack and Jill in the Wayward Children books, and yet we still don’t know much about Christopher and his adventures in Mariposa, and his Skeleton Girl. Or Kade and his adventures with the Goblins or Cora and her time as a mermaid. Maybe they’ll be the focus of subsequent books? *fingers crossed.* In all, if you’re a fan of the series, you’ll love Come Tumbling Down. If you’re not a fan of the series...what are you doing? Go read Every Heart a Doorway. Now!

*ARC received from Netgalley in return for an honest review*

This series is something that is near and dear to my heart. I have loved every book that has come out. While this is no exception it felt a little disappointing. Maybe because I just had re-read In An Absent Dream where Lundy's story is so fresh and wonderful. The Moors is nothing quite like it and, sadly, we don't get much talk about this wonderful land besides the obvious notations. Still, it was a fun adventure romp that ended on a note that felt like it gave closure to Jack and Jill's story.

4.5 Jack and Jill's story continues in this beautifully written fantasy novella. Vengence and love are the main themes of this book in this series of lost children waiting for their doorways to call them back home. It was read in the blink of an eye, it goes so fast. And I continue to appreciate the diversity that Ms McGuire weaves into her stories.

The School for Wayward Children has a rule: No quests. When Jack returns to ask her friends to help with a looming disaster in the Moors, that rule is about to be broken. Again.

A worthy continuation of a wonderful series.

Please don't let this be the end of the series!

I love how these books are set in the same (or similar) worlds, with characters from one book appearing in another. There are times when that can get confusing, but the worlds the children find through their doors are equally confusing so it all works. Here we revisit Jack and Jill, and their world, with Kade, Cora, Sumi and Christopher tagging along. Can they overcome the challenge Jill poses and maintain the balance in that world? Will they return to the world of Eleanor West's school, or will they be stuck with Jack and Jill and the Doctor and the Master forever?

eARC provided by publisher.

Jack and Jill are back!

I really love this novella series. It's just such a perfect way of using a concept. Each book has slightly different worlds, adventures or character combinations but they're all tied together by the School for Wayward Children. 

I'm always excited to see who's the central focus of each book, and I've got some stories I'm still hoping to see more of (Kade or Christopher, please?) but this was one I knew I'd enjoy. Jack and Jill might be my favourites and I really think this book rounds out their story nicely. I'm a sucker for Gothic atmospheres and Frankenstein-feels so I loved seeing the world of the Moors in Down Among the Sticks and Bones and I was thrilled to be heading back there again.

And! This time we get to see some of the other protagonists react to the brutality and bleakness of the Moors. It's fascinating to see how the other children fit in in relation to what "their doorway world" is like. For example, where Christopher and Jack are alike and where they differ.

I love the world-building, the idea of power balances and counter-weights in this world and the way vampires, scientists and other monsters come into play and conflict with one another. Come Tumbling Down is fast-paced and full of action but doesn't skimp on character-driven moments and reflection. The writing is both beautiful and beautifully eerie, perfectly complimenting the world the story takes place in.

The whole series is incredibly strong, but I think this just might be my favourite so far.

Very, very good. And I want more and more and more.

The Wayward Children series continues with Jack coming back through a door to the school. She is not herself and she receipts other students to help her resolve things. ARC from NetGalley.

Come Tumbling Down, by Seanan McGuire, is the fifth in the Wayward Children series—a series that I have loved from the very first book. In the universe McGuire created, doorways between worlds open for children to step through. The doors take them to worlds of skeletons, mermaids, animated candy, strange rules, goblins, reanimating lightning, and adventure. Above all, the doorways open to a world that, for all its dangers, feels like home to children who don’t feel right in their skin, with their parents, in our world. In this outing, Jack Wolcott returns from the Moors—the place she calls home—with a terrible mission ahead of her. Her monstrous sister, Jill, has stolen Jack’s body and Jack wants it back.

Jack and Jill are recurring characters in the series. Although most of the books can stand alone, Jack and Jill have unfinished business from previous books, when Jill did a terrible thing to get back to the Moors. Even though the twins made it back, there would have to be a reckoning. Jill wants to be a vampire, like her adopted father. But, because she has already died once, she can’t do it…without Jack’s body. We learn all this in the first few pages of the novel. As things usually do, this extraordinary revelation leads to a quest that requires endurance, sacrifice, and the assurance that one is doing the right thing.

What I love about the Wayward Children series is the variety of worlds McGuire has created. No two are alike, though they might share similarities. (One character gets along very well with Jack because neither of them are afraid of bones, but that’s because this character spent time in a world that reminds me of the underworld in Coco.) I half wish that I had a doorway I could step through into a world of adventure that matches my heart’s desires. Since I am a total chicken, I know that I wouldn’t be able to handle the peril that every single one of these has in common. That McGuire can come up with worlds made of candy or connected by spider webs or that featured matched pairs of vampires and mad scientists. I am well and truly hooked on this series.

Like the other stories in the Wayward Children series, Come Tumbling Down starts with a bang and ramps up to an incredible conclusion. It races along its 200 pages. These books are a wonderful way to kill a morning or an afternoon because they take us on an adventure along with the characters, take us to another world and back, all in one sitting. I love these books so much and Come Tumbling Down is an excellent addition to the series.

This was a really great next book in the "Every Heart A Doorway" Series. Come Tumbling Down picks up where Beneath Stick and Stones left off. I really like Jack and I love how diverse the series is.