Every Heart a Doorway

Short Review: A beautifully written tale with much to say about society - more relevant with every passing day. I've read it five times so far and I still come away deeply moved each time.Longer Review: So, after falling down a rabbit hole or stepping through an abnormally large wardrobe, and having many adventures, how do those children like Alice and Lucy adapt to life back in the mundane world, surrounded by adults who just don't understand? Well the School for Wayward Children is there to help, billed to parents as a place of therapy - really it is there to allow these children to be with peers who have had similar adventures, and cope with the burning desire for that door that would take them back “home”.And now darkness stalks the school grounds...It is written in a lyrical, beautiful style with very interesting rounded characters. The book is obviously intended to ask very tough questions about society and identity and just manages to pull that off without spoiling the storytelling or sounding preachy. The only downside to the book is that I'd just got to know the characters and got the feel for the world, when it was taken away from me...and it was so good. [Edit in January 2020: There are now several other books in the series exploring these characters and focusing on their lessons. The author's skill, already good, has increased remarkably].Now I know how those wayward children feel...I'm looking for that door back to the school...Added after 3rd reading: I'm going straight on to the next book: [b:Beneath the Sugar Sky 27366528 Beneath the Sugar Sky (Wayward Children, #3) Seanan McGuire https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1494436031l/27366528.SY75.jpg 47413798] After 4th Reading: Excellent - with so many lessons about modern life contained within these few pages. Once again, I'm going right onto the next book.After 5th Reading: I think that this is a book you can come back to time and again and always find something new and something beautiful. A wonderful gem contained in so few pages. Once more I'm moving straight on to the next book.