In An Absent Dream by Seanan McGuire is the fourth book in the Wayward Children series.
Lundy is a very serious girl. She loves rules and keeps to herself. Although, she is quiet and obedient, Lundy is lonely and doesn’t seem to fit. When a doorway opens to a world of logic, reason and most of all wonder, she doesn’t hesitate to enter. And so begins Lundy’s time in the Goblin Market, a place where fair value rules and every bargain has a cost.
I’m not going to lie, I’d totally forgotten Lundy’s part in the first book Every Heart a Doorway. But it didn’t really matter because each of the books that have been published after Every Heart a Doorway, is actually a prequel and only help to build up the series further. In fact, once McGuire decides she is done with these worlds, I’d love to go back and read that first book because now I will know all of the characters back stories.
In an Absent Dream was magical and bittersweet, just like McGuire’s previous books. It is about not fitting in and finding your true home. One of the things the Market values above all else is that everyone gives fair value. This was a really interesting thing to think about, especially when Lundy brings it back to world she was born to.
I also love Christina Rossetti’s poem, Goblin Market, so it was neat to read this book with the poem in mind, even though they are very different.
Even though I am fully satisfied with the story, I do sort of feel like there was something missing between Lundy and Moon. I needed a little more of a transition from Moon needing Lundy’s help to Moon’s finding her place in the market.
This series can literally do no wrong in my eyes. Each book is wonderful. They can be read by themselves or you can read them as a whole. Although, I would at least recommend reading Every Heart a Doorway, not only because it’s awesome, but also because it give a foundation for the doors.
This book gets 5 stars from me.
That’s all for now!
-M-