Riverland by Fran Wilde (review)

When Eleanor and Mike's dad goes on a rampage and breaks things, house magic fixes it by the next day—at least, that's the lie twelve-year-old Eleanor tells her seven-year-old sister, Mike. House magic supposedly takes things away, too, when Eleanor or Mike violate one of the many house rules and their possessions disappear. After Poppa breaks the glass fishing float that maintains the equilibrium between the dream world and the real world, Eleanor and Mike are sucked into a dream river, and the two must help the creatures of that world patch up the leaks into their world. Meanwhile, in real life, Eleanor ruins friendships by lying to kids who don't understand her situation as her school performance declines. Wilde concocts a heartbreakingly anxious story as Eleanor walks on eggshells to protect herself and her sister from their abusive parents. Eleanor and Mike distressingly obsess over the idea of causing trouble and fixing things; after having their self-esteem beaten down in real life, the relief of being able to help the creatures of the dream world gives Eleanor the courage to reach out to her grandmother and tell her about the abuse. The lens of house magic for physical and emotional abuse acts as a buffer, allows the story to avoid a preachy tone while still accurately depicting the hurdles a child in a stifling household must face. This story thankfully ends on a hopeful note, but readers will want to keep a box or two of tissues at hand. NB