Come Tumbling Down, by Seanan McGuire

[sophia_sol]

I have read enough Seanan McGuire by this point in my life to know perfectly well that she's not to my taste, but she keeps showing up in the hugos, and so I keep reading her out of a sense of duty, and thus keep writing negative reviews of her books. Sigh. Her books clearly speak to a lot of people, and that's great! But I am just not one of them. Her sensibilities and mine do not jive. We have different priorities.

All of which is to say that I did not have high hopes coming into Come Tumbling Down, the latest in the Wayward Children series, and I was right in my expectations for how well it would work for me.

I actually didn't have much to argue with thematically in this one; unlike the last Wayward Children I read, I thought the ending appropriate to the story being told. But the overall vibe of the book was "vaguely creepy atmospheric set pieces interspersed with the author moralizing to the reader," plus too many viewpoint characters whose viewpoint didn't seem important to the points being made. Which doesn't provide a lot for me to get attached to or interested in!

So yeah. This book: not for me, yet again. But I knew that. Maybe in future hugo years I will give myself the gift of not bothering to read any Seanan McGuire books that show up on the list of finalists. Reading her books doesn't work for me, and I don't think continuing a series of reviews saying "nope didn't like this one either" is actually helpful to anyone!

Comments

[cahn]

ahahaha I am 16% through and, uh, so far, co-signing this review

I don't hate it! But I am also super confused because apparently I have forgotten everything that happened in the previous novellas so I'm like "who is this character and why did they just show up?"

[sophia_sol]

lol yeah that was also my emotion about many of the characters in this book, though I was hampered by having only read one of the previous books in the series! But I really truly did wonder why so many people were involved with the events of this book when they seemed pretty dang unnecessary.

[silverflight8]

>"vaguely creepy atmospheric set pieces interspersed with the author moralizing to the reader,"
omfg this is a perfect description of how I felt about Every Heart a Doorway. It was so disappointing and unfun to read I haven't read a book by her since.

There's just nothing to enjoy in them! Ahhhhhh I feel like I like a lot of different things - if it's well executed in plot, or cute/charismatic/unique worldbuilding, if I care about a character, if the prose is unique or moving or strongly imaginative, if it captures my emotion. But it's amazing how she really never hits any of them. :(

[sophia_sol]

yeah I think it is, uh, the vibe McGuire is going for in general across the Wayward Children series, and "disappointing and unfun" is it exactly imo. And clearly it's a vibe some people resonate with! But yeah--like you, there are many things I can enjoy about a book, and this didn't contain any of them.

[chestnut_pod]

"vaguely creepy atmospheric set pieces interspersed with the author moralizing to the reader," You know, if you can't do it like Cat Valente, maybe just don't!

She bats just about 50/50 with me, but when I think she misses it's very unenjoyable. Funnily enough, I much prefer her Mira Grant work -- one of those authors whose pen names actually do indicate notably different styles, imo.

Here's to reading books one expects to enjoy!

[rymenhild]

50/50 feels right to me too. I love her urban fantasy for being what it is. Toby Daye and Incryptid generally make me happy... but they're very much kinds of book, and series, that isn't for everyone. But when McGuire moves out of her UF home base, most of the time I bounce right off. I find the Wayward Children totally unreadable, and I've tried repeatedly with several different volumes. The fantasy lands are too boring and the ideas are too repetitive and the voice, as you say, too moralistic.

[sophia_sol]

Yeah, of the various McGuire books I've read, the one urban fantasy one was the closest to working for me out of anything. But urban fantasy is just not my genre so I didn't feel at all inspired to try out any more of it from her.

I remember when Every Heart A Doorway came out, everyone was oohing over how amazing it was, and I kept getting it recced to me as a book with an ace protagonist! But I couldn't bring myself to read it, and I continue to think that was the right call, based on how I've felt about my duty-reading of other books in the series.

[sophia_sol]

"You know, if you can't do it like Cat Valente, maybe just don't!" AHAHAHAHA

Yeah, I have heard that her Mira Grant stuff is pretty different! Unfortunately it's different in a way where I know it's gonna be even less my thing, since it's specifically horror genre, which No Thank You. I'm glad you enjoy her Grant stuff at least!

[lirazel]

Yeah, she is Not For Me either. I was actually outright annoyed with the first Wayward Children book (the only one of that series I read) because it was so praised and I thought the premise/title were great and then...nothing about it worked for me. Nothing.

[sophia_sol]

yes EXACTLY. So very much praise! Such a fun premise and title! So very not for me!! Really disappointing tbh