Review: In An Absent Dream (Weyward Children #4)

In An Absent Dream, Book 4 in the Weyward Children series by Seanan McGuire

Published By: Tor
Publication Date: January 8, 2019
Date Read: September 13, 2025
Genre: Adult – Magical Realism
Source: Bought
Format: Hardback
Pages: 204

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A stand-alone fantasy tale from Seanan McGuire’s Alex-award winning Wayward Children series, which began in the Alex, Hugo, Nebula, and Locus Award-winning, World Fantasy Award finalist, Tiptree Honor List Every Heart a Doorway

This is the story of a very serious young girl who would rather study and dream than become a respectable housewife and live up to the expectations of the world around her. As well she should.

When she finds a doorway to a world founded on logic and reason, riddles and lies, she thinks she’s found her paradise. Alas, everything costs at the goblin market, and when her time there is drawing to a close, she makes the kind of bargain that never plays out well.

For anyone . . .

“If you want to help her, you need to help yourself first. No one serves their friends by grinding themselves into dust on the altar of compassion.”

The Weyward Children series has fast become my palette cleanser series. When I’m in a slump, or just in that sort of mood when I don’t really know what I want to read, I tend to pick up one of these novellas. They’re so short and fun, that they feel like a little breather before diving into another full length novel. I was in one of these moods when I finally picked up In An Absent Dream. This one goes back into the past to tell the story of a character we met in the very first book, Lundy.

I was so excited to see what Lundy’s world looked like as I remember in the first book, not really liking Lundy. She was very strange and not a very nice person at times. After reading this novella, I completely get her, and I adore her. If you’ve read Every Heart A Doorway you will know that Lundy’s story is not going to have a happy ending and while I thought I was prepared for that… I definitely wasn’t! This novella just made my heart absolutely break for Lundy as all she ever wanted to do was belong and help others, and it was her trying to please everyone in two different worlds that led to her downfall.

I sped through this novella in one day. I couldn’t put it down. While it is not my favourite of the series, I did love seeing Lundy’s world of The Goblin Market. It was such a fascinating one to experience, and really different to how I imagined it prior to reading this novella. I will say that there feels like there’s a lot of gaps in Lundy’s story that could have been explored a little more. As we see Lundy visiting the world and going back to the mundane world multiple times, there are events that are very much glossed over, and I personally would have loved to see them. For example, we get told about Lundy’s battle with the Wasp Queen… I really would have liked to have seen that! But, I also appreciate that that would make this much longer than a novella.

In An Absent Dream reminded me how much I really do enjoy the Weyward Children series and I am so excited to continue it soon. I am personally having breaks in between the books because I don’t want to finish the series too early and have an enormous wait for the next one. I highly recommend this series to anyone who loves magical realism, fantastical stories and needs a nice quick read. The Weyward Children series is perfect for that!

“There is wanting and there is needing, and when you want, you can make good choices, but when you need, it’s important the people around you not be looking to take advantage”