Summer in Orcus

Absolutely gorgeous portal fantasy. It walks in on gentle steps and charms you with lovely characters you'd be proud to call friends, and leaves you feeling wistful yet satisfied. You still want more, of course, as you always want more of anything that's delicious, but it was a full meal and a dessert, and you are satisfied with the generous portions you received. But I want a sequel. Until then, I shall dream of portals and hoopoes and wolves, and little birds with bowler hats.

Terry Pratchett's and China Mieville's love child.

In the afterword to Summer in Orcus, T. Kingfisher/Ursula Vernon notes that the book incorporates numerous recent random thoughts and ideas she had, such as “don't trust antelope women” and a foppish but oddly heroic hoopoe bird. Summer in Orcus does feel a bit haphazard as a result, and the world building is not very clear or consistent. But like all books by this gift of an author, the story shines anyway thanks to its heart, humor and humanity (even of the non-human characters). The titular heroine Summer may be off on a portal adventure like Alice in Wonderland, or the Pevensie children in Narnia, but she has much more realistic doubts and fears of a regular 12 year old girl who sometimes wonders why the adults in the room can't just step in and fix things (a sentiment many of us were feeling as Kingfisher wrote the book in 2016). The way Summer achieves her heart's desire is completely appropriate for a young girl who doesn't have any magical powers, but that doesn't make it any less satisfying. Plus like a modern day Dorothy, the friends she makes along the way are the perfect companions, even if they aren't at all perfect. Most notably Glorious, the wolf with something extra, is simultaneously a brilliant creation and the worst joke that Kingfisher has ever made. Like more recent books [b:Minor Mage 52369824 Minor Mage T. Kingfisher https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1564247851l/52369824.SX50_SY75.jpg 72399665] and [b:A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking 54369251 A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking T. Kingfisher https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1593743861l/54369251.SX50.jpg 84842875], Summer in Orcus has a pre-adolescent protagonist, but it will be appreciated by both children and adults. I have now read all of Kingfisher/Vernon's full-length novels/novellas, leaving me nothing left but the story anthologies. I'm usually not a fan of that format, but if anyone can change my mind it will be this singular author.