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This is more like 2.5 stars. I liked it, but its very borderline OK. The concept/conceit of this book is what does it for me. The basic concept of this is Miss Eleanor runs a home/center for children who have fallen through doors to other worlds (think Wonderland, Narnia", but for some reason or another are force to come back. In our current fiction, we assume these children come back with no mental consequences, and this is where this book starts. We follow the journey of Nancy, who has returned from a world of the dead.

The idea of this book is fantastic, and it is what saves it from a 2 star review, but this is also where it fails. The books starts out very strongly for me, but, it loses its way very quickly, and just muddles its way to a murder mystery involving the children. Now, don't get me wrong, this could be fine, but once that plot enters the story, most of the really neat conceit leaves the book and the murder mystery plot takes over. All character development/growth/exploration stops, and hence, the most interesting part of this book dies, and the most interesting part of the book, the characters, are no longer the center of the story.

If this book had been over 167 pages, maybe, this would have solved the issue. I don't know, but I see that this book is listed as in a series, but the way it ends, I don't see McGuire fixing my main problem with the book.

Strong concept that loses its way. This could be have been a great one.