When Jack left Eleanor West’s School for Wayward Children she was carrying the body of her deliciously deranged sister―whom she had recently murdered in a fit of righteous justice―back to their home on the Moors.

But death in their adopted world isn’t always as permanent as it is here, and when Jack is herself carried back into the school, it becomes clear that something has happened to her. Something terrible. Something of which only the maddest of scientists could conceive. Something only her friends are equipped to help her overcome.

Eleanor West’s “No Quests” rule is about to be broken.

Again.

Well, here we are, five books into Seanan McGuire’s brilliant Wayward Children series, and it’s just like….how fucking good are these books, though?!

Oof…there’s always that feeling when a new installment of a book or movie series comes out, no? Where you quietly (or not so quietly) rank them top to bottom. I find it incredibly difficult with this series, with the exception of feeling like Down Among the Sticks and Bones will be my forever-favorite. But Come Tumbling Down, which is like the spiritual sequel to Down Among the Sticks and Bones, ranks wayyyyy up there for me now.

Also, SPOILER WARNING: I think if you haven’t read all the books in the series, you should skip this review. And also…for some reason, there always seems to be a little chatter around this series, and about whether or not you have to (or should) read them in order. I can’t come up with a single reason why you would want to read these books in any order other than the one they were published in, to say nothing of the fact that you can read each of them in just a couple hours (or less). So it’s a minimal time investment, for a MAXIMUM amount of story enjoyment. Why the hell wouldn’t you?

This story once again focuses on Jack & Jill Wolcott, with Jack making a sudden & rather dramatic reappearance at Eleanor West’s School for Wayward Children. She’s accompanied by her girlfriend Alexis, and they are desperate for help. Back in The Moors, Jill has done something…unthinkable. Monstrous. And I won’t speak of it here & ruin the grim little surprise.

So, in spite of the “No Quests” rule, they assemble a team of friends to enter the Moors & try to help Jill. It’s a who’s who of the first four books of the series accompanying Jill & Alexis…Kade, Sumi, Christopher, Cora…basically the Wayward Children Avengers.

And stop, and look at the list of characters I just mentioned. That doesn’t even take into account everyone we bump into in Come Tumbling Down, but it’s just fucking amazing to me that in less than 200 pages, McGuire is able to give each character their own voice, their own story, their own contribution to this adventure. That’s what makes this series so goddamn special…the stories & adventures are wild & imaginative, the world building is endlessly detailed & lifelike…but it’s the characters in these novellas that make them so compelling. They are such a varied & nuanced bunch, and I love all of them so stupid much!

The Wayward Children series is really one of the easiest to recommend. I feel like the appeal of these books is incredibly broad, and I wouldn’t hesitate putting them in the hands of anyone looking for a good book recommendation. I’ve mentioned this in reviews for the other books in the series, but I also think these stories would work for a younger audience as well. Although they are not marketed as such, and there are some more mature themes in them, I think these books would be perfect for teenagers. There’s so much to learn between the covers of these books…so much about empathy, and inclusivity, and love, and friendship…gah.

The Wayward Children series became one of my favorites before I had even finished the first book. This fifth volume is every bit as weird & dark & quirky & gut-punchy as you’d expect. I fucking adored Come Tumbling Down, and I seriously can’t wait to hear any news about book six!

THIS SERIES IS GODDAMN MAGIC!!!