A review by ac223
Through the Door by Jodi McIsaac

4.0

First of all, thank you Jodi McIsaac for the ARC copy of Through the Door.

Cedar loved Finn more than anyone, and after two years was about to give him the news that she was pregnant. That was before he disappeared without ever knowing they were having a child. Six years later, Eden opens a door into wherever her mind can take her. Cedar has no idea what is going on, but she's convinced that Finn must be the link to Eden's ability to open these portals. During her search she finds Finns parents, whom she was told were both deceased. While Cedar is on her quest for information, Eden disappears from their home. Cedar is desperate to find Eden and despite her fear of this new world she knows she must accept help from the only people who can help her.




***Spoilers***
Finn and his family are all Tuatha De Danann, from the land of Tir na nOg. Sometimes referred to as the "little folk" of Irish folklore. Eden must have inherited her abilities from her fathers family. Nuala who always wanted to be with Finn, but was rejected for Cedar kidnaps Eden to force her to open a portal back to Tir na nOg, where her kind have been unable to go for thirty years. Lucan, a nasty Danann whose power is absorbing others gifts upon their death, started a war with their previous High King long ago, and took over Tir na nOg with his other followers. They were all intent on returning here, to Eriu, and defeating the humans and taking their rightful place. Finns group and several others escaped after a lengthy battle, and hid in Eriu posing as humans. Finns father closed the portal, stopping anyone of Lucans group from coming here, but also preventing anyone from returning. Nuala travels with Eden all over searching for a picture of Tir na nOg, so that Eden can open the portal. After a visit with the mermaids she has what she needs, but because Tir na nOg is no longer how they left it, the painting they found doesn't allow Eden enough information to go there. Cedar finds out that her mother is a Druid who fell in love with the High King Brogan. Once the war started he left Maeve to return, telling her he must fight with his people and stand by his wife. He later comes to Maeve in a dream asking for her help, they are all in danger and he needs Maeve to hide his wife Kier and their unborn child. Kier comes through the portal, but she is in bad shape. Once the baby is delivered, Kier uses the last of her power to help Maeve turn her into a human, giving her the gift of humanity and preventing anyone who would use her from finding her. Maeve raises her lovers child as her own, and no one is aware that Cedar is really the princess of Tir na nOg. That is until the Danann find out she gave birth to a Danann child. Cedar and Finn follow Nuala and Eden into what was once the beautiful fairyland, only to find it a shell of it's former beauty. Cedar knows that her gift is humanity, and knows how to save Eden. When Lucan kills her, he automatically absorbs her humanity and turns into a very old man. Finn is able to kill him easily and escape with Cedar's body and Eden. A few days later Eden wakes up and is told that Lucans gift held the souls of those he killed, and with his death they were all returned. None of them knew if Cedars soul would return through the portal, but she was too broken to be moved back and wake up only to die. In the end Cedar and Finn decide to return back to Tir na nOg to help their people restore it to it's former glory.