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I learned a lot a bout Jane Austen's life, and I could hear the author's voice in my head at times, as her distinctive phrasing is so familiar from all of her documentaries. However, this enjoyment was marred because I was reading the Kobo ebook edition. In this edition, the pictures section at the end are all too small to see clearly, and the captions are absolutely miniscule and unreadable. Very disappointing to realize the publisher included photos of people and places mentioned in the book, and then be unable to see them or read what they are. My advice is to not buy the Kobo ebook edition. Try print instead.

No, this is not part of the "Wayward Children" series, but you can see the same author is weaving with some of the same threads, as she's making a new pattern. This book pulled me in and I swept through it, enjoying the ride. Some of McGuire's common bits, like alternate world fairy tales, special children, magic, etc., are present. However, she also brings in alchemy and ideas from the period when early science and magic still had a large overlap in the psyche of human civilization.
Mild spoiler: In this case, she explores what is might be like if universal forces were incarnated as children, paradoxes, etc. We might even see the birth of a new pantheon, of sorts.

This was an excellent sequel to "Every Heart a Doorway".

This series was a fun read overall. An enjoyable romp for bookworms who like fantastical fiction, capers, and detective stories!

From bouncing in my seat, trying not to cheer aloud, to bittersweet poignancy, a lovely read for GGK fans. A delicate tie-in to the previous book, the extent of which does not become apparent until the end.

There was an actual moment the author surprised me in this book. This does not happen often. On to book 3!