Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire

Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Wow. Where to begin with this one…ah, the cover.

I was initially thrown off by the placid picture – a soft, warmly lit forest with a beckoning doorway. It spoke of worlds waiting to be explored and adventures to be had. Well, apparently not the ones I was expecting.

We step into the story through the eyes of a newly accepted resident in the Home for Wayward Children. Nancy was sent to Eleanor West’s Home by her genuinely concerned and well-meaning parents who desperately want back the daughter they knew. But Nancy can never go back. She left that home when she walked through her doorway and found her true home. But that new home is closed to her now too, unless she finds her door again. Nancy soon realizes she is not the only lost soul. The other children in Ely West’s Home also find themselves stuck in the world they were born into. Each of them unknowingly stepped into another world and found their place and purpose. The worlds themselves are as varied as the colors and their shades. It seems that each world finds its lost resident when they need to be found. Every wayward child is hoping that one day soon their door will open to them again. Until then, they are rescued by Ely, who no longer calls this world her home either but hopes to help these children adjust as best they can until if or when they find their own ways back.

Of course, given the non-typical residents of Ely’s Home, adjustment does not come easily or willingly. Not long after Nancy’s arrival, death seems to have moved in as well. One by one, the resident teenage children are found in gruesome demise. Imagine my shock as I realize this is to be a rather dark urban fantasy, never mind that most of the characters are still children. But the plot is gripping and unexpected and I could not stop. No regrets. Every character is captivating. Each of their “home” worlds is as unique as they are. Prism, Underworld, Logic type, Nonsense type…we learn a little about them with each character we come to know. And as the death toll rises, it becomes apparent that the children are irrevocably changed from their experiences in their home world.

This makes sense as childhood experiences shape who we become and what we believe. A lifetime of therapy is required for some to overcome their past, never mind if your past includes living in Fairyland. But thankfully, there is no therapy in this story, only children given a chance to discover who they can be. It reminded me of the importance of allowing each child to grow into oneself. Although success is never guaranteed, the odds of a doorway needing to find your maladapted child would be that much lower.

I found this novella to be deliciously dark. This is not something I usually pick up but I'm glad I did. All too often, I end up predicting the story. This one had me dropping my jaw or covering my mouth in shock. Well-written stories keep you on your toes. This is one of them.