Every Heart a Doorway
Written by Seanan McGuire
Narrated by Cynthia Hopkins
4/5
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About this audiobook
Eleanor West's Home for Wayward Children
No Solicitations
No Visitors
No Quests
Children have always disappeared under the right conditions; slipping through the shadows under a bed or at the back of a wardrobe, tumbling down rabbit holes and into old wells, and emerging somewhere... else.
But magical lands have little need for used-up miracle children.
Nancy tumbled once, but now she's back. The things she's experienced... they change a person. The children under Miss West's care understand all too well. And each of them is seeking a way back to their own fantasy world.
But Nancy's arrival marks a change at the Home. There's a darkness just around each corner, and when tragedy strikes, it's up to Nancy and her new-found schoolmates to get to the heart of things.
No matter the cost.
PRAISE FOR EVERY HEART A DOORWAY
"Seanan McGuire has long been one of the smartest writers around, and with this novella we can easily see that her heart is as big as her brain. We know this story isn't true, but it is truth." — Charlaine Harris, New York Times bestselling author of the Sookie Stackhouse series (TV's True Blood)
"Seanan McGuire once again demonstrates her intimate knowledge of the human heart in a powerful fable of loss, yearning and damaged children." — Paul Cornell, author of London Falling and Witches of Lychford
Editor's Note
A modern masterpiece…
What happens to the children who eventually come back to reality after having passed through a magical doorway into a fantasy land? Seanan McGuire turns a classic trope on its head in this modern masterpiece that’s won every speculative fiction award under the sun, including the 2017 Hugo Award for best novella.
Seanan McGuire
Seanan McGuire was born and raised in Northern California, where she has lived for the majority of her life. She spends most of her time writing or watching television but also draws a semiautobiographical comic strip and has released several albums of filk music (science fiction and fantasy-themed folk music). To relax, Seanan enjoys travel and frequents haunted corn mazes, aquariums with good octopus habitats, and Disney parks. Seanan is remarkably good at finding reptiles and amphibians wherever she goes, sometimes to the dismay of the people she happens to be traveling with.
More audiobooks from Seanan Mc Guire
Carniepunk: Daughter of the Midway, the Mermaid, and the Open, Lonely Sea Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Urban Enemies Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Dusk or Dark or Dawn or Day Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Indigo: A Novel Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Carniepunk Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Related to Every Heart a Doorway
Titles in the series (9)
Beneath the Sugar Sky Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Every Heart a Doorway Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Down Among the Sticks and Bones Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5In an Absent Dream Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Across the Green Grass Fields Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Lost in the Moment and Found Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Come Tumbling Down Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Mislaid in Parts Half-Known Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Where the Drowned Girls Go Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
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Reviews for Every Heart a Doorway
3,119 ratings101 reviews
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The prose in this was beautiful, and the concept imaginative and fascinating. It also has great representation, with an ace MC,a transboy and POC. However,I was not prepared for the level of creepy and gore, and the story itself, nor its content appealed to my reading taste. I might have liked this alot better in my teenage years and EMO-fase. But it was just not for me, I vant der myself continuing with the series.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Interesting concept. Wasn’t your typical fantasy or paranormal book. The story was a little quick to get into the action. I would have liked a better understanding of the places the students went to before it got down to the action. It kept my interest and I read it in one sitting.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Really special more of a magical realism that was quite disturbing at times, but mesmerizing at the same time.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5i can already sense that this series will rip me apart completely, what an amazing start
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This is my second reading of Every heart a doorway and it was just as breath-taking as the first time. Beautifully written, amazing characters and full of imagination
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Ok, I liked this. I do want to know what happens next so I will be continuing the series. ?
3.75 stars - Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/53.5 stars. Enjoyable. Will definitely read the second book in the series.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I have heard this be a series talked about for ages on BookTube and decided to give it a listen.
I can see the love of this first book, I would have preferred the story a little longer, to be honest but I did love the permiss and also the story, about children who experienced different worlds & how they felt lost not being in these worlds anymore. I did enjoy each character but my favourite one was the main character Nancy.
I enjoyed the first book enough to continue on to the next - Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5It was well narrated, fun, a little gross (but in a good way), and exciting. All the characters were well thought out and the worlds she made up were very believable. I had no idea this was a series and I am so happy to find out there's so many more to listen to!!
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I am a little torn here. I loved the overall story. The different worlds and the characters but there were some things that seemed to just be thrown in for no purpose that almost made me put the book down entirely. I most likely continue the series because I am invested in the characters and their worlds but I do hope some of the R rated stuff is left out in the rest of the series.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5This story has great following and was really hyped up. with it only being a short novel i decide to take the plunge and listen to it. It took me a while to really get into it. The premise of this novel is really promising and was what attracted me to give this a listen as wells they hype from others.
The first half of the book was well descriptive but for my seemed to drag a little and had me signing a couple of times that not much was happening. However the second half go the book really picked up and I enjoyed it much more. When the killings started we got to see more of the characters and their talents and their personalities more in connection to their doorways.
Overall I would give this a high three stars daily for the second half of the book. It is an easy read that has a lot of description and a moderate about of action in the second half. - Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5it was really good in the first half . I really hate the last half of it.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Peter Pan + School for Good and Evil + And Then There Were None + Seanan McGuire
Have you ever wondered what happened after “The End?” If YOU were Alice, would you really want to leave Wonderland? This is a story of those that were sent back to their worlds, kicking and screaming. They want nothing more than to find their door (rabbit hole/window/cyclone/etc). Eleanor, headmistress of Wayward School wants nothing more than to take them into her care, away from parents who will never understand) and help them find their doors. But when new student Nancy arrives, tragedy strikes..and again..and again..
I ABSOLUTELY adored this book! I gave 5-stars to Over the Woodward Walls and EHaH blew it out the waters! I don’t know how Seanan does it! She is able to tell THE best stories in less than 200 pages! And her language and world-building is second to none! This book was gorgeous, creepy, mysterious, funny, scary, and inclusive!!
This is my favorite read of the month and have already ordered #2 for January!
One note: I have seen some reviews saying this is MG. I would just be careful about letting younger ones read, as there are f-bombs and talk about adult toys. I would say this is more a fairy tale for teens or adults.
Buy this for yourself or someone who has always wondered what happens after “The End.” Or, if you’re twisted, get it for someone who believes fairy tales only apply to children. - Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This is my reread and honestly I like it much better than the first time I read it.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I loved the mix of whimsy and morbid in this book. A very good listen while getting through the work day.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Every Heart a Doorway is the perfect first door to step through; transported to the world of Eleanor Wests' house for kids who were whisked off to otherworlds and have, somehow, found their way back to earth. There were multiple moments where I nearly cried, and this is absolutely about to become a Kade West stan account.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5So fun! I loved getting to know the characters and love the concept. A fun escape. :)
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The start of the Wayward Children was sometimes strange and weird but overall really good and captivating.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Exceptional narration, I wish Cynthia Hopkins could narrate everything I ever read. They made the experience so much better!
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Great story. Super unique premise and fab execution. Reads like a boarding school thriller but contains so much character exploration that it's more like a contemporary fantasy.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Interesting. I wasn’t to in love with the reading of it but the basic idea of the book was good.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This is so wholesome!!! A beautifully crafted story with very important underlying themes of found family, love and support when you don't belong.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Could have been longer. I loved how descriptive McGuire can be. Hated some of the characters
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5This is an intriguing concept but wish we had more time to get to know the characters and the world/s. It has a lot of potential but hoping it's fleshed out more in the rest of the series.
I listened to the Audio for this, I probably would've enjoyed it more if I'd physically read it but can't justify the price for such a short book. - Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5It was a really good story. It got me hooked quickly.
Though , in honesty, the world(s) build for this story intrigue me more than the actual tale itself. - Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I loved the asexual rep in here and the premise is really interesting to me! That ending...I'm excited to read the next books in the series!
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5It definitely wasn’t what I thought it would be but I ended up really loving it
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Fascinating little story. I didn't know it was a murder mystery.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Amazing. It had me on the edge of my seat.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Chefs Kiss. Perfection. There are no words to describe this book.