Come Tumbling Down is the fifth book in the Wayward Children series and features some of my favorite characters and my favorite magical world so far, The Moors. The Moors look as if they were conceived by the classic MGM horror movie makers but their rules are much more bloody and dangerous. It also sees the return of Jack and Jillian Wolcott, who returned to The Moors at the end of book one, with Jack carrying her dead sister with her through their door. If you are familiar with this land, you know that death is not permanent and the rules of science are informed by the lightening that is near constant there.
At the beginning of this book, Jack suddenly returns to Eleanor West’s Home for Wayward Children and it’s immediately clear that something is terribly wrong with her. With the help of her partner Alexis, Jack is able to explain what has happened to her, her mentor Dr. Bleak and what may happen to The Moors if what’s gone wrong doesn’t get set right quickly. Although Ms. West has a strict No Quests rule, the circumstances are so dire that she allows Cora, Sumi, Christopher and Cade to return with Jack and Alexis to The Moors to try and save the day.
I liked this book a lot. My horror nerd heart loves returning to The Moors and getting to see more of it. The inclusion of Jack’s OCD as something she has learned to live with rather than another problem to be solved is also great. The character of Cora continues to grate on my nerves. She constantly deems everything she sees in The Moors “weird” which is rich coming from a freaking mermaid. Otherwise I couldn’t put this book down and was a bit bummed when it ended.