As someone who has loved the Wayward Children Novella series for ages, I knew I had to read Through Gates of Garnet and Gold. This latest addition reunites some favorites even! Keep reading this book review of Through Gates of Garnet and Gold for my full thoughts.
Summary
After Nancy was cast out of the Halls of the Dead and forced to enroll at Eleanor West’s School for Wayward Children, she never believed she’d find her door again, and when she did, she didn’t look back. She disappeared from the school to resume her place in the Halls, never intending to return.
Years have passed. A darkness has descended on the Halls, and the living statues who populate them are dying at the hands of the already dead. The Lord and Lady who rule the land are helpless to stop the slaughter, forcing Nancy to leave the Halls again, this time on purpose, as she attempts to seek much-needed help from her former schoolmates.
But who would volunteer to quest in a world where the dead roam freely?
And why are the dead so intent on adding to their number?
Review
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
It feels like a while since we’ve seen all these nostalgic characters back together. I appreciated their resurgence and the re-ignition of some of their old relationships. In some ways, it felt a bit less focused than some of the other stories since it ties in so much of the past, but for fans throughout this is going to be more intriguing. I didn’t anticipate coming back to Nancy especially in this way considering how the series has gone. Because of that, this felt both like a nostalgic return and a little frustrating. I wanted to know more about the world of the doors and while we got some of that, I want to know more.
(Disclaimer: Some of the links below are affiliate links. For more information you can look at the Policy page. If you’re uncomfortable with that, know you can look up the book on any of the sites below to avoid the link)
Each book has felt like a bit of an expansive zooming out, but this one felt a bit like a rewind. There are some new world additions, but in terms of the series as a whole, I’m not sure where it lies. The audiobook narration was great since it always give an almost whimsical bedtime story vibe. As an individual story, Through Gates of Garnet and Gold wasn’t a bad installment, but for the series of eleven books I was expecting something else. Only time will tell if this takes us in a direction for the next books which is going to be a jumping off point. It felt a little indulgent to be back with our favorites and I wonder if this will be a trend. Find Through Gates of Garnet and Gold on Goodreads, Storygraph, Amazon, Bookshop. org, Blackwells, & Libro. fm.