Down Among the Sticks and Bones by Seanan McGuire
This is the second book in the Wayward Children series, and is a prequel. Be sure to read the first book first though. This is the story of Jack and Jill from Every Heart a Doorway, and their time in their horror movie world “the Moors.” It’s tone is much more somber than the first. It traces their path from innocent 12-year olds to the dark people they became. While they arrive together, Jill decides to stay with the vampire overlord of the village, while Jack becomes apprenticed to a mad scientist similar to Dr. Frankenstein. These two wildly different paths grow them further apart as they grow into young women.
Genres
Queer, fantasy, horror
Description
Twin sisters Jack and Jill were seventeen when they found their way home and were packed off to Eleanor West’s Home for Wayward Children.
This is the story of what happened first…
Jacqueline was her mother’s perfect daughter—polite and quiet, always dressed as a princess. If her mother was sometimes a little strict, it’s because crafting the perfect daughter takes discipline.
Jillian was her father’s perfect daughter—adventurous, thrill-seeking, and a bit of a tom-boy. He really would have preferred a son, but you work with what you've got.
They were five when they learned that grown-ups can’t be trusted.
They were twelve when they walked down the impossible staircase and discovered that the pretense of love can never be enough to prepare you a life filled with magic in a land filled with mad scientists and death and choices.
Review Down Among the Sticks and Bones by Seanan McGuire This is the second book in the Wayward Children series, and is a prequel. Be sure to read the first book first though. This is the story of Jack and Jill from Every Heart a Doorway, and their time in their horror movie world “the Moors.” It’s tone is much more somber than the first. It traces their path from innocent 12-year olds to the dark people they became. While they arrive together, Jill decides to stay with the vampire overlord of the village, while Jack becomes apprenticed to a mad scientist similar to Dr. Frankenstein. These two wildly different paths grow them further apart as they grow into young women. I loved Jack from the first book, and in this one I love her even more! She is my favorite character in this series so far, and in this book we find out she is gay! I really loved that her love interest Alexis is fat but is portrayed as very beautiful. This book was pretty dark, more than the last one, and there’s little happiness. I really enjoyed it, although the ending was very upsetting to me and I probably shouldn’t have read it before bed. There are very nice illustrations sparsely sprinkled throughout, which is rare in an adult book. I enjoyed that element. This is so different from the first book that it’s hard to compare them. If I did, I’d have to say I liked them both equally, just in different ways. Definitely a worthwhile read.