Wayward Children
The Wayward Children series by Seanan McGuire is a whimsical and haunting collection of novellas exploring what happens to children who return from magical worlds and can’t quite fit back into reality. Centered around Eleanor West’s Home for Wayward Children, the series follows a rotating cast of characters—each with their own portal world—grappling with identity, belonging, trauma, and transformation. Starting with Every Heart a Doorway, the series includes prequels and sequels that dive into individual backstories and fantastical realms. Blending fairy tale logic with real emotional depth, Wayward Children is a poetic, dark, and beautifully inclusive exploration of chosen families and self-discovery.
In Seanan McGuire's 'Every Heart a Doorway,' readers are transported to Eleanor West's Home for Wayward Children, a sanctuary for those who have journeyed to other worlds and returned, struggling to readjust. The novel follows Nancy, a girl who longs to find her way back to the Halls of the Dead, as she navigates friendship, identity, and the yearning for a place to call home. McGuire weaves a tale of darkness and wonder, exploring the consequences of discovering and losing oneself in magical realms. With lyrical prose and intricate world-building, 'Every Heart a Doorway' is a poignant reflection on belonging and self-acceptance.