If you’ve been following me for a while, you will know I loved McGuire’s Middlegame. So when I saw Over the Woodward Wall, written by a character from that story, I knew I had to read it. And it was fabulous. Over the Woodward Wall is a magical story that unfolds before your eyes. Keep reading this book review to see what I thought of McGuire’s latest novella.
Summary
Avery is an exceptional child. Everything he does is precise, from the way he washes his face in the morning, to the way he completes his homework – without complaint, without fuss, without prompt.
Zib is also an exceptional child, because all children are, in their own way. But where everything Avery does and is can be measured, nothing Zib does can possibly be predicted, except for the fact that she can always be relied upon to be unpredictable.
They live on the same street.
They live in different worlds.
On an unplanned detour from home to school one morning, Avery and Zib find themselves climbing over a stone wall into the Up and Under – an impossible land filled with mystery, adventure and the strangest creatures.
And they must find themselves and each other if they are to also find their way out and back to their own lives.
Review
(Disclaimer: I received this book from Netgalley. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
Over the Woodward Wall has the same touches of the whimsical I’ve come to associate with Seanen McGuire. Magic that flows, unhindered, through the pages to unfold slowly before you. It captivates you, leading you into a world of whimsical danger. It’s easy to get lost in the fantasy. The waterfalls, portals, and creatures that lead us astray. But at the same time, Over the Woodward Wall has these moments of clarity. Sentences that speak pieces of truths scattered throughout.
There are pieces of truth and wisdom in the folly and worlds of ice and improbability. And the characters have this beauty in their innocence, strength in their friendship, and cleverness in a world where mistakes can be deadly. I hope this is the start of a series because I’d read more about Zib and Avery! Find Over the Woodward Wall on Goodreads, Amazon, Indiebound, Bookshop.org & The Book Depository.
YESSSS Over the Woodward Wall “Moments of clarity” is a great succinct way to describe those moments that I did a poor job of describing in my own review, haha. I also adore Middlegame so this book is a treat for readers like us…
OMG it felt like the biggest fun easter egg and I loved it, and it has that whimsical writing I’ve come to associated with McGuire