Every Heart a Doorway
[Warning: contains spoilers]
I came across this book in a newsletter, I believe. As a child who was obsessed with Narnia, and an adult who is fascinated by the consequences of Wonderland on Alice's reality (though I have, admittedly, never read the book), the idea of this book intrigued me immensely.
What I was not expecting from this book was a murder mystery. Nonetheless, it was well-incorporated into the theme of interworld travel. The thing is that the tone of the book was not at all what I expected. I was really interested in reading a short story about the psychological consequences of interworld travel, and possibly a debate about the validity of alternate realities. However, the story makes it quite clear that the alternate realities are, in fact, real. And while the kids are taught to accept the fact that they will probably never get to go back to the worlds they've left behind, there is still a hope instilled in each of them that they can one day go back to where they "belong". While it was satisfying to see Nancy get her wish and return through her door to the world that she missed, I think it would have been better for the overall concept of the book if she had been unable to return - or if she can one day come back to our world once and for all. Why? Because these doors appear for those who feel that they don't belong here, they help the children find a place that resonates with them on a deeper level so that they can become who they truly are. It comes at the moment when they need it most, but then they come back when they no longer need it. And I get that sometimes they remain open to that other world, but I think that there should come a time when everyone must return to their first home. Yet, as I say this, I realize that Narnia is not only a temporary home, but a final destination (of course, the whole thing is an allegory for Christianity, so it is a bit different).
I was also a little disappointed by the fact that this felt more like a YA book than most things that I read. I wish that books like this didn't always need to contain the whole teen crush/romance thing. And if I'm being honest, the gender and sexuality theme bothered me. For starters, I see how this works with the interworld travel, but I felt that it was unnecessary, or perhaps it was just not what I was expecting. I also felt that it was an unneeded complication in the romance. (Seriously, if you're going to throw a romance in there, can you at least let it work out? No, of course not, why did I ask?)
I was still impressed by this book, and I am certain that a second, closer reading would allow me to really explore and understand all of the themes and symbolism that I couldn't wrap my head around the first time. It was fun, it was unpredictable, and it was clearly full of deeper meaning. Plus, I love that cover!
I came across this book in a newsletter, I believe. As a child who was obsessed with Narnia, and an adult who is fascinated by the consequences of Wonderland on Alice's reality (though I have, admittedly, never read the book), the idea of this book intrigued me immensely.
What I was not expecting from this book was a murder mystery. Nonetheless, it was well-incorporated into the theme of interworld travel. The thing is that the tone of the book was not at all what I expected. I was really interested in reading a short story about the psychological consequences of interworld travel, and possibly a debate about the validity of alternate realities. However, the story makes it quite clear that the alternate realities are, in fact, real. And while the kids are taught to accept the fact that they will probably never get to go back to the worlds they've left behind, there is still a hope instilled in each of them that they can one day go back to where they "belong". While it was satisfying to see Nancy get her wish and return through her door to the world that she missed, I think it would have been better for the overall concept of the book if she had been unable to return - or if she can one day come back to our world once and for all. Why? Because these doors appear for those who feel that they don't belong here, they help the children find a place that resonates with them on a deeper level so that they can become who they truly are. It comes at the moment when they need it most, but then they come back when they no longer need it. And I get that sometimes they remain open to that other world, but I think that there should come a time when everyone must return to their first home. Yet, as I say this, I realize that Narnia is not only a temporary home, but a final destination (of course, the whole thing is an allegory for Christianity, so it is a bit different).
I was also a little disappointed by the fact that this felt more like a YA book than most things that I read. I wish that books like this didn't always need to contain the whole teen crush/romance thing. And if I'm being honest, the gender and sexuality theme bothered me. For starters, I see how this works with the interworld travel, but I felt that it was unnecessary, or perhaps it was just not what I was expecting. I also felt that it was an unneeded complication in the romance. (Seriously, if you're going to throw a romance in there, can you at least let it work out? No, of course not, why did I ask?)
I was still impressed by this book, and I am certain that a second, closer reading would allow me to really explore and understand all of the themes and symbolism that I couldn't wrap my head around the first time. It was fun, it was unpredictable, and it was clearly full of deeper meaning. Plus, I love that cover!
Comments
Post a Comment