I used to think that novellas were pointless and a bit of a waste of space. In a series or as standalones, they were either too short, not enough plot, not enough time to get attached to either the story the characters or anything before it was over. I was firmly convinced I would never find a novella or novellas that I would genuinely love and enjoy ever so the irony of seeing how much I don't just like the WAYWARD CHILDREN series but hand on heart adore them is quite funny.
And for such such small books, oh my god they pack a punch. A punch that
I normally feel after devouring a good book four times it's size. In
just 170-180ish pages, the books takes you on a journey of heartache and
belonging; wonder and misplacement in a world that is no longer your
real home. The fairytale aspects of the series are beautiful and
originally done. Not only do the books eloquently juggle the
magic/fantastic with the
mundane, it also mixes murder and mystery into the already busy plot mix
WHICH isn’t a 500-page book but a tiny little novella under 200 pages.
Probably my favourite thing is how the books so elegantly bridges the gap between contemporary and fantasy. You feel completely seated in the real world but at exactly the same time you also feel like you’re in a dreamy magical setting, displaced from the real world we live in almost as if we’re watching from above, or through a keyhole tinted with clouds of magic.
I highly recommend you pick up this series - you can start with any book that takes your fancy although I do recommend you start with the first one as it lays down the setting for the rest of the series! My personal favourite is DOWN AMONG THE STICKS AND BONES but I love all the books in the series so far!
what do you think of novellas? like or dislike them? changed your mind (like me lol) over time?
