Every Heart a Doorway

Every Heart a Doorway" plunges readers into the melancholic and extraordinary world of Eleanor West's Home for Wayward Children, a sanctuary designed for those who have stepped through magical doorways into other realms—and then, often tragically, been forced back. These "Wayward Children" carry the indelible marks of their otherworlds, forever longing for the places they once called home, whether a land of logic, a realm of the dead, or a candy-colored wonderland. Among them is Nancy, an asexual girl whose quiet demeanor hides a profound connection to a world of shades and stillness. Her arrival at the school, seeking solace among kindred spirits, is quickly overshadowed by a series of gruesome murders. As bodies begin to pile up, Nancy and her diverse classmates—each defined by their unique, often traumatic, portal experiences—must confront not only the killer in their midst but also their own desperate struggles with identity, acceptance, and the relentless ache to return to the only places they truly belong. Seanan McGuire crafts a poignant, dark fantasy novella that explores the profound impact of extraordinary experiences on the human psyche and the universal quest for a place where one truly belongs.