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thecaptainsquarters 's review for:
Come Tumbling Down
by Seanan McGuire
Ahoy there me mateys! I received a copy of this young adult fantasy novella eArc from NetGalley in exchange for me honest musings. This be the fifth book in the series. While I try to post no spoilers, if ye keep reading this log then ye have been forewarned and continue at yer own peril . . .
I say this every time I finish one of these novellas but I seriously could read dozens of books set in the various worlds. This be the fifth installment and ye have to read every heart a doorway (#1) and down among the sticks and bones (#2) first for this one to make sense. I actually highly recommend reading this series in publishing order because I feel that the reader gets the best flow that way. However, books #1, #3, and #4 can technically be read as standalones. Each to their own.
This installment showcases our end of Jack and Jill's story. The Moors are in trouble and Jack needs the help of her friends at Eleanor West's School for Wayward Children to make things right. I have to admit that I wasn't expecting more of the twins' story. I would have been okay with the previous ending of book two. That said, I still loved reading this one.
Other readers may get something else out of the book but for me, this book was a glimpse into that nebulous transition between child and adult. In all the other books, ye are following children who are struggling to find sense of self and their place of belonging. They want to find their way back to their doors. In this tale, Jack and Jill have previously found their way back to their door and the world in which they belong. Jack is very clear about who she is and what she wants. She is on the threshold of adulthood but not quite ready to make the final step. Until circumstances dictate that she must.
Now to be fair, none of the children in these novellas have good childhoods and all are forced to grow up faster than they would probably want. They have been heroes and have faced adult problems but they still feel like children. Jack's circumstances in book five (that involve spoilers) cause her discomfort because she already knows who she is and what her flaws are. She already understands what the answer to the current problem is and how to accomplish her goal. To win, she must make a grown-up choice and crossover into adulthood. She calls on her friends so that she can.
Her friends presence may seem unnecessary for this book when reading until ye look at the underlying issue. The (spoilerly) circumstances that Jack be in cause Jack's mental state to fray and it is her brain that is her weapon. Her friends are there to be emotional support and provide a buffer or even a distraction for Jack to keep herself together so she can succeed. Romantic love isn't enough to help her win because love can distract. However, the love formed through friendship can save the day.
Her friends honestly don't really know how to handle the weaknesses that Jack is going through. Each reacts in their own way - with logic, with confusion, with harshness, etc. Through all mean to give love and support. Just because all the wayward children have experienced problems, doesn't mean that they know how to fix Jack or her circumstances. Jack really has to help herself. But knowing that friends got yer back and support or push when needed can really make all the difference. At least that's what I personally take from this novella. When the journey ends Jack's friends have completed a single quest on the path towards their futures in the name of friendship. Jack finally finds her future and in doing so grows up.
I found this to be a bit more of an intellectual read then some of the others (book four wins so far) but I still loved it. I will certainly be readin' the next book when it comes out. There be rumors of three more in the pipelines. I sure hope so. ARRR!!
Check out what me crew had to say (click the links for their full reviews):
Matey Tammy @ books,bones,&buffy- "McGuire also uses this series as a way to focus on certain themes, like identity and belonging and finding one’s place in the world. In this book, Jack’s OCD is explored, and even though I don’t want to give away one of the big story twists, I will say that Jack has a reason she’s having a lot of trouble with her illness. But in McGuire’s world, issues like mental illness and gender identity are simply a part of life, and I love the way she incorporates these elements so seamlessly into her stories."
I say this every time I finish one of these novellas but I seriously could read dozens of books set in the various worlds. This be the fifth installment and ye have to read every heart a doorway (#1) and down among the sticks and bones (#2) first for this one to make sense. I actually highly recommend reading this series in publishing order because I feel that the reader gets the best flow that way. However, books #1, #3, and #4 can technically be read as standalones. Each to their own.
This installment showcases our end of Jack and Jill's story. The Moors are in trouble and Jack needs the help of her friends at Eleanor West's School for Wayward Children to make things right. I have to admit that I wasn't expecting more of the twins' story. I would have been okay with the previous ending of book two. That said, I still loved reading this one.
Other readers may get something else out of the book but for me, this book was a glimpse into that nebulous transition between child and adult. In all the other books, ye are following children who are struggling to find sense of self and their place of belonging. They want to find their way back to their doors. In this tale, Jack and Jill have previously found their way back to their door and the world in which they belong. Jack is very clear about who she is and what she wants. She is on the threshold of adulthood but not quite ready to make the final step. Until circumstances dictate that she must.
Now to be fair, none of the children in these novellas have good childhoods and all are forced to grow up faster than they would probably want. They have been heroes and have faced adult problems but they still feel like children. Jack's circumstances in book five (that involve spoilers) cause her discomfort because she already knows who she is and what her flaws are. She already understands what the answer to the current problem is and how to accomplish her goal. To win, she must make a grown-up choice and crossover into adulthood. She calls on her friends so that she can.
Her friends presence may seem unnecessary for this book when reading until ye look at the underlying issue. The (spoilerly) circumstances that Jack be in cause Jack's mental state to fray and it is her brain that is her weapon. Her friends are there to be emotional support and provide a buffer or even a distraction for Jack to keep herself together so she can succeed. Romantic love isn't enough to help her win because love can distract. However, the love formed through friendship can save the day.
Her friends honestly don't really know how to handle the weaknesses that Jack is going through. Each reacts in their own way - with logic, with confusion, with harshness, etc. Through all mean to give love and support. Just because all the wayward children have experienced problems, doesn't mean that they know how to fix Jack or her circumstances. Jack really has to help herself. But knowing that friends got yer back and support or push when needed can really make all the difference. At least that's what I personally take from this novella. When the journey ends Jack's friends have completed a single quest on the path towards their futures in the name of friendship. Jack finally finds her future and in doing so grows up.
I found this to be a bit more of an intellectual read then some of the others (book four wins so far) but I still loved it. I will certainly be readin' the next book when it comes out. There be rumors of three more in the pipelines. I sure hope so. ARRR!!
Check out what me crew had to say (click the links for their full reviews):
Matey Tammy @ books,bones,&buffy- "McGuire also uses this series as a way to focus on certain themes, like identity and belonging and finding one’s place in the world. In this book, Jack’s OCD is explored, and even though I don’t want to give away one of the big story twists, I will say that Jack has a reason she’s having a lot of trouble with her illness. But in McGuire’s world, issues like mental illness and gender identity are simply a part of life, and I love the way she incorporates these elements so seamlessly into her stories."