Review: Down Among Sticks and Bones by Seanan McGuire

Down Among Sticks and Bones by Seanan McGuire

Twin sisters Jack and Jill were seventeen when they found their way home and were packed off to Eleanor West’s Home for Wayward Children.

This is the story of what happened first…

Jacqueline was her mother’s perfect daughter—polite and quiet, always dressed as a princess. If her mother was sometimes a little strict, it’s because crafting the perfect daughter takes discipline.

Jillian was her father’s perfect daughter—adventurous, thrill-seeking, and a bit of a tom-boy. He really would have preferred a son, but you work with what you've got.

They were five when they learned that grown-ups can’t be trusted.

They were twelve when they walked down the impossible staircase and discovered that the pretense of love can never be enough to prepare you a life filled with magic in a land filled with mad scientists and death and choices.

Pages: 189

Format: E-Book

Published By: Tor

Genre: YA - Fantasy, Horror
Series: Wayward Children

Rating:
✮✮✮

Review:

I picked up Down Among the Sticks and Bones almost as soon as I finished the first book in the series, and was initially completely captivated by the story of Jack and Jill, but it didn’t take long for the story to lose my focus.

Down Among the Sticks and Bones was still an enjoyable read, but it didn’t hold my attention as well as the first book. It actually had the opposite effect, where Every Heart a Doorway initially was slow and not exciting, leading to a satisfying and captivating ending, Down Among the Sticks and Bones slowly lost the excitement and became quite slow near the end.

I still like Jack as a character, and I found myself loving the unique characterization of Jill throughout the novel. And I loved the world building - it made the book much more darker from the gothic-esque description of the world. But it didn’t make up for the slow storyline.

I would still recommend this book and look forward to continuing the series with the next book in the Wayward Children series.