A young girl discovers a portal to a land filled with centaurs and unicorns in Seanan McGuire’s Across the Green Grass Fields, a standalone tale in the Hugo and Nebula Award-winning Wayward Children series. “Welcome to the Hooflands. We’re happy to have you, even if you being here means something’s coming.” Regan loves, and is loved, though her school-friend situation has become complicated, of … school-friend situation has become complicated, of late.
When she suddenly finds herself thrust through a doorway that asks her to “Be Sure” before swallowing her whole, Regan must learn to live in a world filled with centaurs, kelpies, and other magical equines–a world that expects its human visitors to step up and be heroes.
But after embracing her time with the herd, Regan discovers that not all forms of heroism are equal, and not all quests are as they seem…
A standalone Wayward Children story containing all-new characters, and a great jumping-on point for new readers.
At the Publisher’s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
more
I start this review a little sad. This is the last Wayward Children book currently published and I’m gonna miss these stories so much! The imagination, the characters and the lovely writing style are everything and I want and need more NOW! However, I didn’t want to put off reading this current last installment. I might have put in a request on Netgalley to get an arc for the next one and now I have all toes and fingers crossed!
In this book McGuire takes us once again to an unknown world, a world we get to explore alongside our heroine. What I loved is that McGuire took the time to introduce our heroine to us, in our own world. We get to see her parents, we meet her friends and we get an idea of her daily life and personality. That way we could see clearly why the door opening to her lead her to a world made for her. Or, the world she was made for.
And once we enter that world McGuire once more takes her time to show us the wonders of the world, the way our heroine fits in. But, she also shows us the dangers and the struggles of this world and the big threat hanging over our heroine’s head. I think it’s quite impossible not to fall in love with this world at least a little and therefore everything happening at the end is even more heartbreaking and painful. And all because McGuire built up her story perfectly.
And also because she managed to make the centaurs such layered and interesting characters. I guess it’s simply because she wrote them as humans, with a love life, with rules and habits, with lives and jobs and structures, with hobbies and warmth in their hearts. I don’t want to imagine what would have happened if our heroine wouldn’t have been such a horse-girl and I hope that one day McGuire will return to this world to show us what has eventually become of it.
Simply stunning. A fairy tale for children and adults alike. Some stories and poetry in disguise and this is one of them.
Like all the Wayward Children, Regan’s door appears when she wants nothing more than to have a world where she is accepted for who she is. Unknowingly she enters and finds herself in the Hooflands. A world where equine creatures such as centaurs and unicorns are its inhabitants. With her love for horses, Regan feels at home as she settles in with a family of centaur herders. But all humans who enter the Hooflands are pulled by destiny to save it. And dark secrets are lurking in the land.
Across the Green Grass Fields is not as dark as previous Wayward Children books. But that doesn’t mean the story isn’t as good. The central theme of the series remains the same. Children find doors to other worlds when they feel they are no longer accepted in our world. What may throw a few readers is the brand new character, Regan, who is introduced. This one is set as a standalone novel, so none of the characters readers have come to know throughout the series will be present.
Seanan McGuire always tackles unique subjects in the Wayward Children series. This time Regan is put out by her friends after sharing a secret about herself. (To avoid spoilers, you’ll have to read the book to find out what exactly that secret is.) And unfortunately, because Regan is different from the other girls, once this secret has been told, the whispers and mean gossip begins. Feeling ostracized she leaves school. And so the door to the Hooflands appears, allowing her into a world that will accept Regan for who she is despite her differences.
Each new story in the Wayward Children is as heartbreaking as it is captivating. The depth of imagination that goes into each new world is surprisingly detailed given the length of each book. This is one series I don’t want to see come to an end. There are so many possibilities, so many different worlds that can be discovered. If you’re looking for a quick read and enjoy fantasy, give this series a try.
Across the Green Grass Fields
Wayward Children
By: Seanan McGuire
This was a stand alone book. It has a gal named Rogan that is a little different, slower to get her puberty. She ends up making the mistake of telling her “friend” who freaks out. Rogan leaves school early and runs, she’s finds a door that takes her to a world where she is again different but in a good way.
This world has unicorns, venture, gains, kelpies, and more. A human is heralded as something great. She is to go see the Queen. But the Queen wants her dead or alive. Rogan is thought to be someone who will be a hero.
The characters are amazing! The world building is awesome! This book is truly spectacular! Who wouldn’t want to live with centaurs and have a herd of unicorns? Great ending too!
I enjoyed this one. It wasn’t my favorite though. I did enjoy Regan, Pansy, and Chicory! I felt the end was really quick. I still loved the story with all the centaurs and the twist at the end. I will be continuing these.
Regan and her adventure to the Hooflands sounds exactly like the world I would go too. While in the Hooflands, she questions what it means to be a hero and how to overcome the obstacle. I enjoyed the message of family tribes being those of any form, as long as you stand by, aupport and protect each other.
I figured it out! I know exactly what these books are missing. . . more pages.
*sobs at how fast I read this book*
Regan’s story takes us through another door, to an unknown world, teaching us that we never needed a savor in the first place. We just needed take a deep breath, analyses the situation and save our own damn selves.
It was magical, and excited. Full of character growth, and self actualization. In short, another fantastic installment of the wayward children.
I love how Seanan can take the most neglected children and give them the tool they need to become a well developed person. When each of these books are done, these kids that would have been bullies, abused, or neglected are shining brighter than they ever would have living in our modern day society.
The series is a testament to how every person has value, and a place in this world. We just need to be kind.
Note: Intersex Character. Trigger Warnings: bullying.
Across the Green Grass Fields is the sixth book in the Wayward Children series but the first that I’ve read, despite being a huge Seanan McGuire fan. A bit different than the other McGuire series I’ve devoured (Toby Daye and InCryptid) but clearly written with McGuire’s magic ability to completely transport the reader into another world, literally this time (okay, not literally, unfortunately).
Across the Green Grass Fields reads like a short story (it is on the shorter side of the novel-length at 166 pages) and tells the tale of Laurel, a girl who steps through a doorway into a world filled with centaurs, unicorns, and an evil queen. All is not what it seems though, so don’t read this with the traditional ” centaurs, unicorns, and evil queen” plot in your head; or maybe do, and be pleasantly surprised.
4.5 stars for this beautiful story as it was slow going at first, but is seriously just so flipping beautiful. Special kudos for having a main character that does not fit traditional gender norms and the lack of romantic love (because friendship is just as beautiful).
excellent series!
This is a YA story with an intersex heroine forced into a rigid gender mold by her social group at school. She really wants to conform and be accepted, but her physical differences are noticed and her “best friend” (the mean girl leader of this clique) rejects her. Fleeing their scorn, she finds herself in Hoofland, a world where she is accepted and her physical differences are considered typical human traits. Here, however, she is expected to save the world as all humans who appear in this land must do, before vanishing into an unknown fate. She accepts her heroic role out of love for her new land and family. Themes of this story run heavily toward what makes a person and what physical differences really mean—how we define ourselves as people and how some people punish and reject those who don’t fit their narrow definitions.
4.5 out of 5 stars! I can’t wait to read the next book in the series!
https://mistyaquavenatus.com/2021/01/16/why-you-need-to-read-across-the-green-grass-fields
I wish I loved this as much as others in the series, but this world was my least favorite so far. The pacing felt a little off compared to the other books as well. The ending comes really abruptly after having a slower pace for 150 pages.
I loved Regan though! And Chicory and Pansy and all the centaurs! I just wish I enjoyed the story more.
It’s over, and I’m depressed. I hate this time of year. Every January, I read the latest Wayward Children installment, and every January, I finish and have to wait another full year for the next installment.
This book, while a wonderful addition to the series, could absolutely be a stand-alone story. The only thing someone who hasn’t read any of the previous books may not understand is the sudden appearance of a door. Even that, though, isn’t really a big deal. This reads as its own story, especially as there’s no mention of Elanore West’s Home for Wayward Children or any of the other children from the previous books.
I was extremely disappointed in the very abrupt ending. Not disappointed in that I didn’t like it. I did, and it broke my heart. But I was disappointed because I just didn’t want the story to end. Does Regan ever make it back to her beloved Hooflands? Does she get sent to Elanore West? How did her parents take her sudden reappearance? And what happened to that awful little bitch, Laurel? I wanted to know it all.
Anyway though, here I sit, for another year, impatiently awaiting Book #7 of the Wayward Children Series. I absolutely recommend this book and every other one in the series. This has become my all time favorite series of books EVER!
This series is a joy to read and this book is no different. We meet Regan a young girl dearly loved by her parents but Regan feels somewhat different to the other girls in school. It’s nothing that she can quite put her finger on but nevertheless Regan really wants to fit in. Her best friend is little Miss popular if you get my drift but as they say beauty is in the eye of the beholder . Regan discovers something about herself that she shares with devastating consequences leading her to run away but she’s led to a doorway that leads to the Hooflands and there is where her journey to self discovery truly begins !
Beautifully told with frequent moments of humour I adored this exploration of what it means to be a little different. We need books like this that explore diversity and all the possibilities therein. This felt like a standalone although it does connect with others in this series. Perhaps more of the miniature of the day to day living of the Centaurs but this allowed the reader to experience Regans growth. I did find the conclusion to be a tad quick but because I overall enjoyed it so much I honestly don’t mind.
This voluntary take is of an advanced copy and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair