Down Among the Sticks and Bones by Seanan McGuire
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
THAT ENDING!!!
Hello, darkness, my old friend…
My goodness I am glad I gave this one a second chance. I started this last summer, put it down to participate in a readathon and just kept forgetting to pick it back up.
Now that I have completed it, I have such a strong urge to go back and read the 1st book again. This explains so much.
Jack and Jill.
Born Jacqueline and Jillian.
Jacqueline the perfect princess, prim and proper just as her mother wants.
Jillian, a tomboy, a diamond in the rough just as her father desires.
Their parents = deplorable.
Jack and Jill are 12-years old when the descend down the staircase to the Moors. Once there, they realize they each have a chance to reinvent themselves. They can live their lives as they see fit.
To live as the people they identify as. This is in complete opposition to who their parents wanted them to be; forced them to be.
One with a vampire, one with a mad scientist, what could go wrong? A lot but the truth is, the girls really enjoy their new lives and are beginning to find comfort in their true selves. Eventually tragedy strikes and they are forced back together and out of the Moors.
This story offers some great commentary on gender roles and societal expectations of children. Also, how much early parenting can affect a child’s feelings of self worth and identity.
I really enjoyed the lyrical quality to the writing and definitely plan to continue on with the series. I have a strong feeling that this story will continue to be my favorite. The world of the Moors, how it functioned and how it was described are just so totally my aesthetic. I loved it!
