The students include Kade, who spent time in a fantasy world with goblins and fairies, Jacqueline 'Jack' and Jillian 'Jill,' who spent time in a world of vampires and mad scientists, and Sumi, who spent time in a nonsense world full of candy and rainbows.

Nancy is sent to a boarding school for children who have had similar experiences. When she is returned to the real world, her parents do not believe her story. As a child, Nancy found a doorway that led her to the land of the dead, based on the story of Persephone and Hades. Rarely, children may find doorways that transport them to other worlds. It was first published in hardcover and ebook editions by Tor.com in April 2016. In July 2021, Paramount Pictures acquired the film rights to the Wayward Children series.Every Heart a Doorway is a fantasy novella by American writer Seanan McGuire, the first in the Wayward Children series. The book is the first in an open sequence of novellas and short stories called the Wayward Children. Nancy finds her doorway again and returns to the land of the dead.Įvery Heart a Doorway was critically acclaimed upon release, and received the following accolades: Jack kills Jill and then returns to her gothic world. Nancy and her friends learn that Jill is killing students in order to make a key which will reopen her own doorway. Sumi is found dead, as are several other students. The students were all altered by their time in different worlds where they were able to be their true selves, and most long to return to them.

Every Heart a Doorway is a fantasy novella by American writer Seanan McGuire, the first in the Wayward Children series.

Every heart a doorway by seanan mcguire