Seanan McGuire returns to her beloved Wayward Children series with WHERE THE DROWNED GIRLS GO, the seventh installment in this world-jumping, reality-bending fantasy collection.

Eleanor West’s Home for Wayward Children has long been a sanctuary for magical children. Rather than a Hogwarts-like training school, however, it is meant for those who have found holes in our world leading into others, doorways in the shadows under their beds, the knotholes of trees, the bottoms of wells and even the backs of wardrobes. Although these children have discovered their own worlds --- some logical, some nonsensical, some virtuous, some wicked --- they all have one thing in common: they have returned home, either intentionally or against their will, to find that the place they once called home no longer makes sense and that their journeys have changed them forever.

The first six books guided readers through the Halls of the Dead, the Moors, a land ruled by a blood-red moon and a wicked vampire, and Confection, a nonsense world where nothing makes sense. In this latest entry, we reunite with Cora, part of the motley crew that accompanied Jack on her return trip to the Moors, along with Kade, Christopher and Sumi.

Cora is a mermaid, a one-time visitor of the Trenches, an underwater world full of mermaids, mysteries and maritime monsters. Like many children, her door opened for her when she had no other options and was at her lowest point. Teased mercilessly for her weight, Cora took to the ocean, the only place she ever felt light and free, and attempted to drown herself. She spent a year and a half in the Trenches, bonding with mermaids, flirting with sirens and fighting against the Serpent of Frozen Tears for the queen’s honor. Then one day, with no warning whatsoever, she was swept into a whirlpool and cast out of the only place that ever felt like home. Although Cora has made friends at Eleanor’s school, she longs to return to the Trenches and become a hero again. But another world has its eye on her.

When Cora journeyed to the world of the Moors in COME TUMBLING DOWN, she caught the eye of the Drowned Gods, evil beings who still whisper to her and have tainted her love of the water with their malicious hauntings. Like all Wayward Children, Cora knows that some magic continues to seep through every doorway, even after its visitor has been unceremoniously kicked out. Her hair now grows blue as a result of her time in the Trenches, so she knows that the Drowned Gods can reach her at any time. Desperate to forget them and force them to forget her as well, Cora begs Eleanor to send her to Whitethorn Institute, a sister school for children who want to be saved from their magical pasts.

Constructed from thick gray stone and hidden behind an imposing wall, Whitethorn Institute is a far cry from Eleanor’s magical school. The Headmaster, Whitethorn, has built his curriculum on the notion that children crave structure as much as they crave freedom. After living out their most ridiculous, decadent dreams on the other sides of their doorways, they need rigid structure to reconnect to this world. Children who visited Nonsense worlds are put on a tight schedule, diet and routine; those who visited Logical worlds are forced to accept the spontaneity and uncontrollability of life. But although Cora finds the Drowned Gods’ grip on her growing loose as she conforms to Whitethorn’s lessons, so too does her grip on herself, on her heroism, on all the things that make her Cora. In order to rediscover the heroic mermaid who once fought in the Trenches, she will have to violate one of Eleanor’s only rules: no quests.

WHERE THE DROWNED GIRLS GO is yet another delightful, empowering installment in Seanan McGuire’s incredible series. Although I was initially disappointed that we would not be visiting another doorway in this book, I loved reuniting with Cora and learning more about her backstory. But seeing how Whitethorn fleshed out and opened up the world where Eleanor West made her temporary home and sanctuary for children added a whole new layer to the book. A far cry from the comfort children find in her school, Whitethorn’s rigidity functions as a sort of conversion-therapy-themed boarding school, a dark, controlling place where kids are forced to subdue or give up the qualities that make them unique, magical and heroic.

McGuire plays with the theme of monsters vs. heroes in many forms here, most notably unpacking the ways that the people in charge always think (or at least claim) that they are doing the right thing, even when it is clearly harmful. There are obvious parallels to our own world here, more than in any other installment. As Sumi happily points out, the world to which she and her fellow Wayward Children have returned is, in many respects, the most nonsensical of them all.

A hard-fought, emotionally resonant and inspiring celebration of the heroes in us all, WHERE THE DROWNED GIRLS GO is another terrific addition to one of the most magical, eye-opening series in the fantasy world today. I cannot wait to see where McGuire takes us next.

I loved it! I am in love with this series and Seanan McGuire's writing. I love the complexity of this universe and once again the characters are incredible. Probably one of my favorite in the series!

I love this series. I've read every book in this series time and time again and this addition was great. I can't sag much about the actual book without spoiling the series but it was amazing like every other book.
If you liked the series then you will love this book. If you enjoy fantasy that harkens back to your childhood of traveling through doors to magical lands or falling down rabbit holes then this is definitely the series for you. While the books in this series are very short they pack so much story onto every page that nothing is wasted. Seriously do yourself a favor and read this series you will not regret it.

A solid story but not very much in the way of surprises. The book didn't really stand out to me from the other books in the series. I guess I just prefer the stories of the students when they're going through their own magical doors rather than the real-world stories. Will continue on with the series, of course.

The Wayward Children is one of my favourite series as I adore the way that the author handles magical realism. Her characters or worlds may not always be everyone's cup of tea, but I personally find myself excited whenever a new novella comes out in this series.

Cora is undoubtedly my least favourite character within the series, but this novella was miles better than Beneath The Sugar Sky. I no longer felt as though Cora was written with victim mentality, and her characterization has grown a bunch.

A great addition to this series. Following a cast of out there characters looking for the world they belong to and being sent to the "other" school where they MUST fit into the mold. Exciting and creative writing.

I absolutely love this series and of course this book was no different. I found the Whitethorn Institute to be intriguing and am definitely interested to see how it may return in future books as I feel like there’s so much more to be explored.

Cora is quickly becoming one of my favorite characters next to Sumi and I really enjoyed her character development in this book and her finally getting her own story. I love that we get to see some characters from other books pop up.

Seanan McGuire has done it again in this next instalment in the Wayward Children series. Bringing back characters that we know and love from previous books and throwing them into a new, less fantastical, setting made for such an interesting read. Less about surviving in the portal lands, this book explores people's perceptions of reality as well as the bonds between friends.

McGuire discusses the damage that fatphobia can cause in a way that felt genuine and heartbreaking without being gratuitous.

Overall this is a brilliant instalment in the series and might even be my favourite one so far.

Where the Drowned Girls Go is the first book in this series since Every Heart a Doorway that stays mainly set in the "normal" world; the world children disappear from rather than the world they disappear to. After her experience in the Moors in Come Tumbling Down, Cora is being haunted by wicked gods of the deep. In an effort to sever herself from their whispers, she decides to leave Eleanor West's Home for Wayward Children and transfer to its sister school, the Whitethorn Institute. What follows is a pretty classic "evil boarding school" story, but with a Seanan McGuire twist. The Whitethorn Institute enforces strict rules to try and force children back into "normalcy," but not every student actually wants to be there. Though Cora initially consents to her enrollment, she comes to realize that it was the wrong decision and that she has the power to free herself from the Drowned Gods influence herself. All that's left, then, is a daring escape from a facility that is built to never let anyone go...

I've always been a fan of the boarding school stories, with mean headmasters/headmistresses, strict teachers, and a student base split between snitch bullies and rebellious freedom fighters, so this Wayward Children installment was right up my alley. The whole thing worked really well as a strong short story, I liked the reveals and the new characters that were introduced. Regan (from Across the Green Grass Fields) makes another appearance, answering my question about how she'd fit into the larger narrative of the series. This book does leave me with some big questions about the Wayward Children world--the Whitethorn Institute has hundreds of students who've all walked through doors to other worlds... That means it's a much wider experience than I had been assuming. I can't help but wonder what that indicates for the direction of this series; will the very foundations of this "normal" world be shaken to reveal its own magic? I'm quite interested to find out.

My one reservation is Cora. I've never loved how her character is written (see my review for Beneath the Sugar Sky for more info), and I was off-put by her again in this book. As much as I appreciate the fat rep, and I do relate to parts of it, it also feels like too much of her character is about being fat. The balance is off, and the constant fatphobic bullying Cora faces just feels like overkill. I'm not saying that kind of bullying never happens to anyone, but as a person who grew up as a fat girl, I just can't relate to the pervasiveness of it here, and it feels reductive.

TW: PTSD, institutionalization, bullying, fatphobia, suicidal ideation, mention of past suicide attempt, disordered eating, mention of domestic abuse

A fascinating flipside to the Wayward Children's series, this time following our favourite drowned girl as she uncovers an unsettling mystery in the 'normal' world.

3 Stars!
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This was my first time in the Wayward Children world, as I had heard it was a good entrance to the series for new readers so I was really excited to pick it up- unfortunately, I didn't find it as accessible as I'd hoped. The first few chapters were really confusing and I lacked the emotional connection to really appreciate the story, I did love the introduction to Whitehall School, it was depicted really well and the setting was built up in a way which showcased the authors incredible skill with words and constructing beautiful sentences. I also think the many dark and tough subjects were dealt with really well and integrated into the story effectively. I hope to come back to this story once I've read the rest of the series and hopefully love it more.

This last entry in the Wayward Children series raises the bar once again in this series. I felt the prior two books were a bit redundant and not as good as the rest of the series but this book restored my faith in the series.

The thing that I liked the most about the book is the prose, I read a lot of authors but few have writing styles that stick and McGuire is one of those. The prose is simply eloquent and the story is the right length. Novellas usually don’t satisfy me because of their length but I think it is one of the strong points here.

It is still the same concept, children trying to find their way in the world with magical doors but this book introduces a new school which is an awesome and very realistic concept. The Whitethorn institute is a weird place though specially with its headmaster. The story starts with the usual school and characters and even Eleanor West and then it transitions into the new school. We already know some of the characters but new ones are introduced too and they were well written as usual.

These books tackle important subjects and this book talks about wight, body image and standing up for oneself. I remember that it was done earlier in the series but I think an important subject like this can never be over-done! I think young readers should have the opportunity to read fun books like this one while gaining something out of it which McGuire has been doing in the last 7 books!

It would have been my favorite book in the series with the highest rating but the ending felt a bit rushed to me and incomplete. I think we will get answers in the rest of the series but I wanted from the ending.

The next installment of the Wayward Children series did not disappoint. This book follows Cora as she struggles with the aftermath of the rescue mission in The Moors. Deciding that she would rather forget all worlds than hear the Drowned Gods call her back to the dark world of the Moors, Cora transfers out of the Home for Wayward Children.

This story was interesting and gave the reader insight on the alternative school for kids who fell into other worlds. We got to meet some new characters, as well as reconnect with familiar ones from previous books.

Another fantastic book in the series about teens dealing with the consequences and adventures of having traveled through a door into a new world and returning, different. Seanan McGuire's stories are always fun, thoughtful, and a little painful. The are modern fairytales that twang something deeper.

This is no exception. I enjoyed the new setting and adventure - they keep the series feeling fresh. And this one feels like it expanded the world a little, not just the new location, but the idea of being able to return to previous world's, despite age, gives so much possibility.

As always, already looking forward to the next.

One of the students at the Home for Wayward Children transfers to another school dealing in a different with children who have returned from other worlds, because she is desperate to forget. But the school has a dark side....

Don't start here, start at the beginning with Every Heart a Doorway. I like how each volume goes down an unexpected path, even if it took me a while to warm up to it.

4.5ish stars.

Not my favorite in the series, but chose. And infinitely better than the last one. More magical and makes a lot more sense.

Another fascinating look at the world of Wayward Children, this time set at the forboding rival school,Whitethorn Institute. Readers again meet Cora, who leads us through the menacing halls of the Whitethorn Institute as she slowly comes to understand that this program may not have the best interests of its students in mind. Despite the down-to-earth setting, we get more tantalizing peeks at new worlds through new characters, plus another glimpse of Regan from the previous standalone. Another solid book in the series, though maybe not one that needs a reread.

Another magical, beautiful, moving, and insightful installment in the ever-excellent Wayward Children series. This book includes some darker moments along with the joy, but with the beautiful writing that's present throughout the series.

Seaman McGuire continues to make The Wayward Children series one of my favorites. The stories are short but back a punch and leave you wanting to learn more about the children that fall through doors into various worlds. This time the focus is on Cora who is still trying to get over the overwhelming trauma that she suffered in the Moors. Cora transfers to another school, the Whitehorn Institute in an attempt to save herself. Leaving her friends and Eleanor behind she tries to put the past behind her but discovers that things are very different at Whitehorn.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

#NetGalley #WheretheDrownedGirlsGo #SeananMcGuire

How sweet, how terrifying to visit the Wayward Children again. This is one of my favorite titles of the series.