Review: Across the Green Grass Fields

Across the Green Grass Fields by Seanan McGuire

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Without giving away the plot or meta-spoilers, I can say that Seanan McGuire has continued to find a way to keep these novellas fresh. All these books have been deconstructions/reconstructions of the Portal Fantasy trope, but I feel this one is the closest to being a commentary on Narnia (without being as direct as The Magicians and Fillory). I’m less familiar with the mythical creatures found here although I at least knew what Kelpies were because of the PBS YouTube show Monstrum.

Of all the novellas in this series so far, I think this is the one that could be read by the youngest readers - perhaps lower-to-mid Middle school. The other books will depend on the maturity level of the reader. My 6th grader found Every Heart a Doorway a bit too gruesome for her tastes. Your young reader’s mileage may vary. Note: you or your reader’s guardian may need to be ready to answer questions or help your young reader learn about a certain affliction the main character has. It’s a bit of a spoiler to say more.

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