Twin sisters Jack and Jill played a major role in Every Heart a Doorway, the first book in the Wayward Children series. This is what came before: the story of how they found their door to the Moors, the land of vampires and werewolves, drowned gods and mad scientists. Of how Jack chose one path, and Jill another -- and how they became themselves, shaped by a world of twisted horror and surprising tenderness.

This is another sort-of stand-alone book, a prequel to the main action of Every Heart a Doorway, but a fully realized story in its own right. I didn't love this book quite as much as the others I've read, possibly because there's nothing about Jack and Jill's world that intrigues me. I wouldn't want to spend so much as an afternoon there. However, the writing is strong, and I enjoyed the reading experience and the better understanding of these characters. Recommended to those who like the series, or are fascinated by classic horror. ( )

I have to say, I liked this one much more than the first one. Right away, Jack is a very interesting protagonist. My only real complaint with this one is, I would have liked a longer story and an equal amount of Jill's perspective! Not to mention getting to see more of the Moors, which sounds like a really interesting setting. That and it could get a little too preachy with the whole "parents should not force their ideas onto children." For such a short book, it made that point repetitively.

And though I appreciated this one more than the first in the series, I'm also not sure if I'll be continuing with the others. It seems like the author has very interesting ideas but either doesn't take time or doesn't quite know how to flesh them out into something bigger than just an idea. The concept of the Moors and its neighboring societies is so fascinating, and a pair of twin sisters raised by a vampire lord and a mad scientist respectively is phenomenal. But we get so little of it and nothing of real substance before we receive our pat on the back, are handed a moral lesson, and are sent back through the door. Much like Jack and Jill, we're left wondering why we can't stay! ( )

El primero me llego a lo que me compone como persona, me gustó mucho. Este me ha gustado igual o más.

Quizá no me ha llegado tanto a nivel emocional, pero si que es más solido e incluso más entretenido. La narración casi como si fuera un cuento explicado al borde de la chimenea me ha absorbido las pocas horas que he tenido para leerme el libro.

Ojala traduzcan más libros de la autora, mientras creo que voy a buscar las secuelas en su edición original porque quiero ver más de este universo que esta componiendo Seanan.
( )

While I loved the creepy, atmospheric vibe of this one, it definitely has a few pacing issues that makes it more difficult to enjoy. I felt like way too much time was spent at the beginning delineating all the differences between Jack and Jill; the tone got quite preachy at times, especially about raising children and subjecting them to certain roles. It's not that I disagree with it, but the message (?) just got far too repetitive for my liking. Also, because so much time was spent on that at the start, I think it took away from moments we could have had later on that would have made the book hit harder. More Jack/Alexis would have been great, or even just seeing more interactions between the girls and each of their mentors!
Other than that, I still enjoyed this: Jack and Jill are incredibly interesting characters and I liked spending time in their heads and world. And again, the atmosphere of this book is very immersive, like a dark fairytale version of Frankenstein/Dracula (it would make an excellent Halloween read!)
I'm definitely going to be continuing the series still, and hope we get to see more of these two. ( )

Down Among the Sticks and Bones is a beautiful book. The cover is beautiful, the writing is beautiful, the heartbreak is beautiful. It made me thrilled for Jack and Jill in parts, creeped out, angry, happy, sad, all in different ways. It smells beautiful (yes, I am a book smeller). The Moors were, to me, a liminal space that resonated very strongly with places I carry in my own head. As afraid as I am of the deep sea (thalassophobia, I has it; reading Into the Drowning Deep when it comes out will be an exercise to be carried out in the broadest of daylight, also possibly in a desert if I can manage it), I think I would have turned towards the ocean.

And that is all I will say for fear of spoilers. ( )