The cover, and the fantasy land where it's "always winter but never nice", suggest CS Lewis, though in other respects I wondered if there might be a little Enid Blyton in the mix too as regards the fantasy land of Underhill, setting for a popular series of mid-20th-century children's books by Mary Bodie. But that's all in the past; the protagonist is her grandson Harry, in the present day (or more specifically, three years ago, just as the pandemic starts to mess everything up), whose TV career isn't going nearly as well as he'd like, not helped by an appearance on Who Do You Think You Are?, here labouring under the dreadful pseudonym How Even Me?. Wherein it has come to light that Mary's own mother had been in an asylum, unable to let go of delusions which her daughter would fictionalise as the aforementioned much-loved children's books. Except that as readers of a fantasy novel, obviously we all know she was telling the truth, and soon enough her irascible descendant is being bothered by mythical creatures, not to mention hardcore fans of his gran's books who are convinced they hold some grand and secret truth. The beauty of it is that even to the reader, who knows that on one level they're correct, these guys still come across as fruitoops, and obstinate, shambolic and generally non-heroic as he may be, our sympathies remain with the schmuck of a protagonist, in so very far over his head and beset by painfully relatable nightmares about "the desperate, doomed attempts of all the kids' TV characters to navigate the banal complexities of the world". Tchaikovsky's genius has always been for the detail work, rather than reworking the chassis, so in broad outlines nothing here is massively surprising; there's even a rare example of Chekhov's clown, where as soon as we know Harry's least favourite aspect of Underhill is the unfunny comic relief character Gombles the Clown, it's only a matter of time until some even more alarming version of the creepy fucker will hove into view. But he still works when he does, especially bolstered by the smaller details of how Underhill has gone wrong in humans' absence; for me the most evocative of the lot was the not-snow, recalling as it does the weird stuff children's TV used to use when they needed a wintery setting and the weather wasn't obliging. Yeah, the push and pull over whether Underhill is or isn't Narnia can get a bit off-putting, but that's more an artefact of intellectual property laws in need of an overhaul than any fault of Tchaikovsky's (see also: Francis Spufford's suppressed Narnia book, which I hope he, I, and civilisation in general last long enough to see published). Like another recent, self-aware take on portal fantasy, Gillen & Hans' Die, Childish Things also takes advantage of recent history in how it returns Harry to his own world – in spring 2020, where a decaying magical land of spiders and horrible clowns still sounds like a preferable alternative, and where nothing he's seen there is quite as indefinably wrong as trying to maintain a human connection on Zoom. Truth be told, I thought Tchaikovsky had done his lockdown story with Children Of Memory, but turns out there was more to work through, and it's more satisfactory in this briefer, slightly manic mode, our unheroic hero thrown back and forth between two worlds that are neither of them operating as planned.

(Netgalley ARC)

Harry Bodie is a struggling actor, a guy who’s life is falling apart around him, and the grandson of the woman who wrote the legendary Underhill series of children’s fantasy books. After he thinks he’s hallucinated seeing a faun, he’s then kidnapped by Underhill groupies who think he can get them into the mythical world. Or is it real? Harry is somehow persuaded to go through a wardrobe to see if he can get into Underhill, where he finds a severely damaged world, far from the one his grandmother described in her books.

While this sounds like a Narnian ripoff, And Put Away Childish Things is far from that. It is a highly original take on the portal theme. Unlike the Narnia books, however, I thought the world building was not quite up to par. But the book was full of humor and was quite entertaining.

My thanks to the publisher and to Netgalley for providing an ARC of the book.

A very eagerly awaited book and one which sent me scurrying to netgalley some 10-11 years after requesting my last book there (and I never requested many). Thank you very very much to Rebellion Publishing for making it available to me through Netgalley. I read an ARC (dated August 2022) details might change in the published version, my opinions are totally my own and honest.

I love sf/fantasy novellas, I love Adrian Tchaikovsky writing and themes, and Adrian Tchaikovsky's novellas and this blurb was incredibly attractive to me. AT take on portal fantasies, I expected some cynicism but without falling into nihilism, anything twee surgically removed off (thank you!), perhaps some insects, a very very readable experience, and even some hope and I got it all.

Of all of Tchaikovsky's fiction that I have read this is the one most tied to reality, and, in my opinion the most believable (human) main character. This is a book which inserts covid times into the narrative, but without it being the focus, and it is somewhat refreshing and brings a sense of reality to the story which contrasts with the portal fantasy aspect. Perhaps of interest only to pedants (sorry, I can´t help myself) the details did not quite jibe with the timeline of for example, mask wearing, and Barnard castle visits andwhen those visits became public though this might change in the published edition.

Adrian Tchaikovsky novellas are incredibly diverse in themes and tones and types of narrative, this is (again) very different from previous ones, original and worth reading.

Book will be published on the 28th of March

This novel was such a good read! It was unlike anything I've read thus far and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The character building was impeccable and hilarious at the same time!

It was nice, but I couldn't really get into this story. It felt rushed and I couldn't connect with the protagonist, I didn't care about Henry or about what was happening with Underhill.

Like much of Adrian Tchaikovsky’s novella, this is a bit of a mix between strong ideas on worldbuilding and more stock characters. I tend to like this author’s novels more, but some of the novellas are fun enough that I keep reading them. This one is in clear conversation with Narnia if the giant wardrobe on the cover in the woods is not a dead giveaway and add in some references to Tolkien as well but less so. There is not a lot of build up or depth on the character’s part and the most nuanced may be the spider. Interesting, yes but there are a lot of books in discussion with portal fantasies right now and not sure what this one adds. The ending felt a little rushed and most happened off screen.

Enjoyed this one although it isn’t as good as his other works. Which isn’t to say this was bad, Adrian Tchaikovsky has a tremendous catalog.

A dark and rotting fantasyland novella. The characters were likeable, some nice ideas and thought provoking. Very clear and visual story telling.

It is a novella however it did feel rushed. I kept thinking humans would be a lot more shaken up by witnessing the real life childrens characters and world. I wanted a bit more of Harry’s background and his life, it could have helped with a bit more on why he is so defeated so that we believe he wants to change for the better. Very straight to the point in story line, compared to the gradual and story building of Ogres.

Overall I did enjoy this story and 3/5 stars is good. I did love Ogres and other works by this author, this one maybe wasn’t my cup of tea. I can tell others will really enjoy it. He is an extremely skilled writer and his stories are always vivid.

Looks like Tchaikovsky is fully back in fantasy, after his previous book and now this slim homage to the old portal fantasies. This reads like a deconstruction of the genre; Tchaikovsky is very cheeky about the reader being fully aware of the famous stories like Narnia and sets the story in a current-day world with an urban fantasy feel.

I was a bit disappointed at the start, I must admit. I was reminded of the Marillier and McKillip portal fantasies- magic-infused stories with gorgeous prose and taking their world fully seriously. This book is not that. Tchaikovsky plays with the tropes, subverts expectations, and there is a lot of meta stuff in here. Though I ended up liking it by the end, I always found myself being reminded of other books with memorable scenes. I have a distinct urge to re-read WILDOOD DANCING now. Though I suppose I should get around to the sequel.

My conclusion is-- this is a fun and enjoyable read, reminiscent of ONE DAY ALL THIS WILL BE YOURS. A cheeky take on its subject told in the expected Tchaikovsky way. Fans of Tchaikovsky will adore this, fans of portal fantasies will also be delighted by this; it's a good way to spend an hour or two.

Did you ever read the Narnia books as a child? Find them magical, but also wonder what happened when the Children stopped visiting? Then this book is SO for you!

The book revolves around Harry, an actor who is struggling with drinking, an unflattering spot on tv, the start of the pandemic, and the legacy of books that his Grandmother wrote which were about some children who travel to a magical world and help save it over and again. The man is a mess, and then he finds out that people seem to think that this magical world is real, and want him to lead the way. As you can imagine, hilarity ensues, and the start of his adventure.

If you ever read the "Wardrobe" books as a child and had some questions about what happened once the children left, or even how the same things just kept happening to the place, then this book will make you smile and laugh as you follow the mess of a man who gets dragged from pillar to post and usually by the scruff of his neck.

Once again, Adrian Tchaikovsky has wowed us with his imagination, writing style, and humor, though this piece is more funny than most of his other works. A must read for all.

Been on a bit of Tchaikovsky binge, but this is the first of his novella’s I’ve read. I don’t have a ton to say about it, it was a pleasant read; though not a new fave. As usual, I appreciated his messy characters. We went in hard with the Narnia vibes, on this one, to the point where I stopped to google if C.S Lewis works were recently moved to the public domain (they aren’t), but I like Narnia. I, too, have fond memories of reading WWII era portal fiction as a kid, if I’m slightly less attached to the details as Felix & co. A fun, fucky almost lovecraftian take on an adult fairytale (with a useless insufferable man at the helm, because I guess that’s what we do over here).

*arc review

3.25/5 Stars

I want to thank Rebellion and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Disclaimer: I gave this book 3 stars, or, as a number does not do my opinion justice, a “very worth reading once for the fun of it, but not a sustainable story I would pick up again.” Furthermore, this is the first Tchaikovsky book I have ever picked up (although more on accident to be honest) and I have no knowledge whatsoever of his other works.

Have you tried turning your magical kingdom off and on again? No, just off.

Guys, this book was weird. To show how weird, here's a quick one-sentence summary of the vibes of this book: "Decayed Nighmare Fairy Tale as Seen Through the Eyes of a Depressed Fourty-Year Old Fanboy.... DURING COVID."

This story, for having a strong fairy tale-esque theme, was hilariously self-aware. I thoroughly enjoyed a lot of the humor and the way Tchaikovsky worked with evolved themes of the Chosen One trope, as well as it's a modern approach to traditional fairy tales. The story is also set at the beginning of our beloved pandemic and time-wise moves alongside what is now history: first lockdowns, mandatory masks, vaccinations, and self-isolation. I thought it was a really interesting choice and one well-executed.

My critique is mainly regarding the protagonist, who is the heir to a Children's book franchise created by his grandmother. Felix 'Harry' Bodie is awkward and the most passive main character I have seen outside of the YA genre in a long time. These are things both explicitly and implicitly talked about in the book, which may make it okay for some people, but I unfortunately disliked how more than half of the book was just him being dragged along without a single real choice. I also wasn't the biggest fan of the ending, as it didn't tie very clearly into the pandemic theme for me. I feel like there were a lot of lost opportunities there.

All in all, And Put Away Childish Things is a book I think is very very interesting and I will be recommending it, although it is not one I will pick up again.

Just when you think you are getting used to an authors style and story telling he goes and usurps your belief system yet again, I don’t think i will ever understand his mind but I love what it produces, great fantasy tale

Despite being an acclaimed and award winning Science Fiction author, Adrian Tchaikovsky has an ingrained love for Fantasy.

'And Put Away Childish Things' is a humorous and playful subversion of the classical Portal Fantasy style tale but at its core there is a fond remembrance and acknowledgement to Lewis and Tolkien.

I enjoyed the flawed and jaded character of Harry and how the deteriorated and neglected land of Underhill mirrored in some way his imperfect adulthood compared to childhood. Through this character we get to see an adult coming to terms with the creations from his Grandmother's novels being reality and not children's fantasy.

Underhill, contrary to the idyllic lands discovered via a C S Lewis wardrobe is now in fact a nightmare-fuel version of Narnia and some of the inhabitants are horrifying yet comically tragic. Each chapter begins with an epigraph taking a passage from the fictional Underhill novels and part of me wishes that they were actual full stories that you could read.

This book is set in England and some references to UK television and pop culture from the last 40 or 50 years may be missed by younger or international readers but I don't think that this would ruin the story but some lines might not make complete sense. Personally, I was delighted to see an unexpected nod towards Bagpuss (1970s children's television programme) and was momentarily also transported to my childhood....

Adrian Tchaikovsky once again shows how skilled he can write in a variety sub-genres and narrative styles and always writes with incredible freedom to explore ideas.

Many thanks to Rebellion Publishing and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. 'And Put Away Childish Things' is expected for publication from 28th March 2023.

Adrian Tchaikovsky really is a master of storytelling, across so many genres and sub genres. I'm not usually a fan of urban fantasy that deals with folklore and fairytales, but I know it was going to be a good read with an author that has never given me anything but a five star read.

In 'And Put Away Childish Things' we follow a z-list actor whose grandmother wrote a successful series of children's novels a long time ago. Things take a turn for the bizarre when he starts seeing a horned creature outside, gets kidnapped, and encounters a magical wardrobe.

Adrian Tchaikovsky excels at characters and the characters we meet here from the magical to the mundane are very well written. The story itself is both sinister and sweet at the same time, with a touch of humour to polish everything off.

You cannot depose the god who made you

I have read many of Adrian Tchaikovsky's books at this point, but I have learned better than to think I know what to expect from his next one. There's just one constant: whatever he chooses to touch will turn out brilliant (in my humble personal opinion).

And Put Away Childish Things takes a once popular genre (and you may read a topical meta allegory into that fact alone, if you wish), the portal magic children's book that we all loved growing up, and turns it on its head, inside out, flays its dimensions apart. A man, whose grandmother has written a beloved childrens' books series, finds out through no wish of his own that the magical realm Underhill from these books really exists - and it's nothing like the friendly world his grandma created.
And of course, things get rolling from there.

With themes of found family, of self-determination and free will, of the multiverse and folklore and the good old question, "what is good and evil?", the story follows all the familiar steps of a children's book down a much darker narrative lane. Make no mistake, And Put Away Childish Things is a book for adults. It's the ruined sordid theme park with its leering clown, it's the afternoon cartoon that you suddenly realise had dark themes you never caught as a child, it's the cloyingly sweet taste of a once favourite treat, it's the aching loss of everything you've ever loved and grown out of.

If you like the Narnia books but always wished they were just... more evil and less wholesome, this is for you.

I want to thank Rebellion/Solaris and NetGalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions here expressed are my own.

Mary Bodie’s Underhill children’s books were the inspiration for movies and merchandise. The characters live on in the hearts of the Underlings, who brought their love of the series with them into adulthood.

The series itself was based on stories Magda’s mother, Devaty, told her when she was a child. (Mary was Magda’s pen name.) Devaty claimed to be the “Queen of Fairyland” so she regaled her daughter with stories about Underhill from an asylum.

We catch up with what’s left of the Bodie line at the beginning of the pandemic. Felix ‘Harry’ Bodie, Magda’s grandson, is a minor celebrity with a drinking problem and a curious habit of accidentally running in circles.

“I want you to come and see a wardrobe.”

It turns out that, despite everything Harry has believed up until now, Underhill is real. Unfortunately, all is not well in not-Narnia.

Its residents, which include Timon the fawn, Wish Dog the best dog, Hulder the dryad and Gombles the clown, aren’t exactly as advertised. It’s all a bit decrepit, actually, and there’s nary a Turkish delight in sight. Although there is cosmic dandruff. And swearing, which I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t find in Narnia.

‘“I am…” Harry said, “not sure what’s going on.”’

This is a story of family legacy. It’s about how you respond when the role that was written for you doesn’t line up with reality. It’s characters yearning to fulfil their destiny when the world they inhabit goes off script. It’s portal fiction, which so many of my favourite reads are.

I loved not-Narnia, in all of its dilapidation. I loved its inhabitants, who have been doing the best they can with what they’ve been given. I loved that this felt like one big underdog story, one that was dreary and dismal but that also provided some humour and hope.

Of course, I thought of Narnia frequently and, even when I wasn’t, the book made comparisons for me. The discovery that a fictional world isn’t as fictional as you’d been led to believe reminded me of Lev Grossman’s The Magicians.

I felt a slightly confusing nostalgia about characters I hadn’t grown up with when I read Josh Winning’s The Shadow Glass that I also felt here. I probably spent too much time trying to figure out where on Seanan McGuire’s Wayward Children Compass (Nonsense, Logic, Wickedness, and Virtue) this novella would fit.

This is my first Adrian Tchaikovsky read and it’s safe to say that I’m hooked. I’ve been eyeing off this book for months and it was even better than I’d hoped. The world was literally falling apart, the characters were damaged and I loved every minute of it.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Solaris, an imprint of Rebellion Publishing, for the opportunity to read this novella.

Adrian Tchaiskovsky does it again with another winning novella (seriously, how does he publish so much good stuff?). I consider Tchaikovsky to be one of the masters of the novella format, and while To Put Away Childish Things doesn't quite reach the heights of Elder Race or Ogres, it is still a compelling and entertaining read in a relatively small package.

And Put Away Childish Things follows Henry (or, if you would rather, Felix), a pretty unhappy and down on his luck B-list celebrity. In many ways he is more famous for being the grandson of a fantasy author famous for her middle grade portal fantasies (think the Narnia books) from the 1950s and 1960s. When Henry goes on a documentary reality series that explores that past of famous people, he gets wrapped up in realms of magic, secret organizations, and a dying fantasy world.

And Put Away Childish Things falls into the modern interest in interrogating the entire middle grade portal fantasy genres, but with its own Tchaikovsky spin here. While Seanan McGuire's Wayward Children series focuses on the darker elements of childhood desires and Lev Grossman's Magicians trilogy focuses on the tragedy of aging out of our favorite childhood worlds, Tchaikovsky explores generational trauma, science, the definition of family and the lengths people will go to save the ones they love.

Tchaikovsky injects much of his famous wit and humor into this novella. He cleverly skewers the tropes of the middle grade portal fantasy novella, with particularly targeted barbs at Narnia itself. What I enjoyed most about the humor of this book is that it was obvious the pokes and jabs were coming from a place of affection. It was clear that portal fantasies are something Tchaikovsky has a deep nostalgia for, and this is both his take down and love letter to the genre (I particularly enjoyed that all of these other portal fantasies exist in this novella, so that the Earth characters can comment on them!). I am already ready for a re-read because I know I missed so many little jokes and Narnia-easter eggs that Tchaikovsky left along the way. Seriously, this book is funny if it is your type of humor; I laughed out loud at the climatic battle towards the end of the book.

Because this is a novella, the plot moves a really nice pace. I never felt like there were moments that were dragged out nor did I feel that the plot raced ahead without me totally on board. Many novellas I read struggle to avoid not enough plot or too much plot, but And Put Away Childish Things sails through its approximately 200 pages. I don't know how Tchaiksovsky was able to inject so much history to the fictional world of Underhill and Harry's past in such a short amount of time, but he nails it. The depth to the characters and their histories also set up some really solid plot twists that kept me flipping the pages. My only recommendation would be to jot down some notes about the family tree, since the names come hard and fast!

This novella is also filled with a bunch of fun characters, particularly the zany creations from the fictional land of Underhill. They all start out as your stereotypical fantasy archetypes - the helpful yet mysterious faun, the evil giant spider, etc. - whose connections to other major fantasy works are evident. Some of the characters are legitimately terrifying; don't tell me that you read this book without at least getting a little creeped out by Gombles the Clown. However, the real star of the show is the main character Harry, and your level of enjoyment of the novella might depend on how much you require the main character to be completely likable. Particularly at the beginning of the novella Harry is pretty easy to dislike. He's selfish, he's whiny, and he's entitled. By the end, he shows remarkable growth in realistic ways as the novella progresses.

I think where the novella falls just short of Tchaikovsky's greatest works is the relatively shallowness of this novella. As I mentioned earlier, it is funny and clever, but the deep themes of trauma, depression, and perspective we got from Elder Race or the commentary of classism from Ogres isn't present here. I had a really great evening with this novella, but I don't think it is going to stick with me as long as some of Tchaikovsky's greatest works. Again, this is not to suggest in any way this is a bad novella, but it fails to reach that level of sticking with me required for a solid five star review.

The other thing that didn't really work for me was Tchaikovsky's inclusion of the COVID-19 pandemic (although it is never officially named in the novella). It was clear that Tchaikovsky was working through his own feelings of the government's response to the pandemic, but the thematic line he tries to draw between what Henry sees in the real world and what he is seeing in Underhill (I'm being vague to avoid spoilers) never really comes together. I think the inclusion of the pandemic was just one plotline too many for the novella format; to really make that work this would have to have been a full novel.

Concluding Thoughts: Tchaiksovsky's contribution to the adult-portal fantasy subgenre is another treat for fantasy fans. While not as good as some of his previous novellas, this is a fun and fast read with surprising levels of horror, sadness, and thematic heft. Come for the quirky fantasy world and hijinks, stay for the examination of the purpose (both good and bad) of family.

I’m always interested in stories where a fantasy book is discovered to be real. This book shows that the happy world we see in books isn’t always happy. Sometimes it’s dark and twisted, decaying from neglect. This book won’t be for everybody, but for me it hit all the right places for a quick dark fantasy.

Note: arc provided in exchange for honest review

I always enjoy reading books from Adrian Tchaikovsky, and this was another great entry in the scifi genre. I loved the failing actor becoming a hero and it worked in the story. I was invested in what was going on and getting to know the characters in this world. I was hooked from the first page and glad I got to read this. I can't wait to read more from Adrian Tchaikovsky.

"He’ll find us, of course,” Timon said mournfully. “Like I say, everything will find you eventually. But hopefully he’ll
have to hunt around first.”“I thought he’d be right on our trail. That was always his thing, wasn’t it? Best dog in the world?”

As a huge fan of this author it pains me to admit that I wasn't a fan of this book. I loved the premise, but the execution was at times confusing and I didn't find myself connecting with any of the characters. One of the things I most love about Adrian Tchaikovsky's books is the beautiful use of language that he employs, but even that was mostly missing, although the vivid imagery I also love is present. I wanted to love this book so very, very much. But I just didn't.