---
product_id: 154376452
title: "In an Absent Dream (Wayward Children Book 4)"
price: "€ 30.85"
currency: EUR
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 8
url: https://www.desertcart.gr/products/154376452-in-an-absent-dream-wayward-children-book-4
store_origin: GR
region: Greece
---

# In an Absent Dream (Wayward Children Book 4)

**Price:** € 30.85
**Availability:** ✅ In Stock

## Quick Answers

- **What is this?** In an Absent Dream (Wayward Children Book 4)
- **How much does it cost?** € 30.85 with free shipping
- **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship
- **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.gr](https://www.desertcart.gr/products/154376452-in-an-absent-dream-wayward-children-book-4)

## Best For

- Customers looking for quality international products

## Why This Product

- Free international shipping included
- Worldwide delivery with tracking
- 15-day hassle-free returns

## Description

desertcart.com: In an Absent Dream (Wayward Children Book 4) eBook : McGuire, Seanan: Kindle Store

Review: Favorite Installment To the Series Thus Far - In each book of the Wayward Children series, readers are teleported into a new portal world. This 4th installment has probably the most intriguing and well crafted portal world. It’s loosely based off the poem “The Goblin Market” where inhabitants can visit various merchant stalls of a somewhat magical and enchanting market. Ms. McGuire’s magical goblin market, however, doesn’t operate per currency. Rather, the sellers and buyers agree to what constitutes fair value. The buyer must be careful as to what they trade, as debts in the world of the Goblin market have consequences. As an example, our heroine Lundy commonly offers a pencil in exchange for a year-long supply of meat pies– adults in the Goblin Market love being able to write things down, but pencils are not created in their world. A pencil thus has pretty high value, at least to those who want to write things down. The whole concept is commentary on today’s social and economic disparities; a $5 meatpie isn’t worth much to someone making 6-figures, but may be a lot to someone who only has $5 to their name. The characters of the portal world also further build upon the atmosphere of the world. The two main market characters are Moon and the Archivist. Moon is a young girl who was abandoned at the market at a young age and as such is trapped as a citizen of the market. She doesn’t have a home to return to, so she is only a lost child subject to her childish whims and best efforts to follow the market’s rules and not incur debt. Moon becomes a dear friend to Lundy, who, as a child, Lundy is able to travel back and forth between her world and the goblin market as she wishes. But she cannot travel and and forth when she turns 18, so she must choose to stay and take an oath of citizenship prior to her 18th birthday. Moon is someone who needs Lundy’s support, so can she leave her friend behind when the time comes? The Archivist is the responsible adult figure that Lundy frequently seeks for advice. The Archivist is knowledgeable of the market and its rules. She has answers to most problems that Lundy and Moon have and will help out in exchange for a fair price. The novella itself is mainly about Lundy and the Market, so while important events happen within it, they take a backseat to focus on Lundy’s adventures. All Wayward Children books are standalone, but I recommend reading the first book, Every Heart a Doorway , prior to this one.
Review: I love this series! - In an Absent Dream is the 4th book in the Wayward Children series. It's funny. I'm used to some sort of rhythm when it comes to book series, but this one is different. In the first book "Every Heart A Doorway", we the readers, meat a cast of characters, a home for lost "fairy-tale" children and a keeper by the name of Eleanor West (who was also a castaway fairy-tale child). The second book "Down Among the Sticks and Bones" follows a character from the first book, so does the 3rd book "Beneath the Sugar Sky", so I was expecting to find another character from the first book in this 4th book. Alas, that is not so, which makes me more excited. How long can this series go on? Because, I would read it forever. Truly. This is my fourth review and if you haven't read my others, let me summarize as quick as I can the last four books. This series is about lost fairy-tale children. Ordinary human children for whatever reason are special enough to find a secret and hidden door to a magical land. These lands or worlds are very different from one to the next, with very different themes. Logical, Illogical, Wicked and Virtuous. These worlds all have their own set of rules and if the child happens to break a set rule on purpose or mistake they are likely banished from that said world. The first book describes a home for these lost children. Ruled by a (lost) grown woman who knows what it feels like to be lost. The home is to keep them "happy" until they find their doors again, or if not to help them figure out how to be "normal" again in our boring old earth world. In the 2nd and 3rd book we get to witness first hand what it's like it those different worlds. One, Gothic and dark with mad scientists and vampires. The other world a child's dream made of candy. The fourth book is different. We go back to learning about a new character and a new world. In an Absent Dream is set in a Goblin Market were fair value rules the land. Our main character Katherine Lundy stumbles upon this land one day when she is 8. She walks through a mystical tree into a land where the Market rules all the people in it's own kind of fairness. If you do not barter well and do not give fair value you turn into a bird slowly. But the Market is kind if you are under 18 and allows you to work off debts to become human again. Our main character Lundy likes this place, but is uncertain of the rules. She learns quickly. But not quick enough. She is a rule follower, but everyone gets greedy at one point or another and she learns the hard way. I'm excited with the ending. It leaves us to believe there is a continuation. I don't remember Lundy in the first book, but maybe she was there. If not we can expect, maybe, a small role in the 5th book. Here on Goodreads, there is a 5th book in the works and I definitely will be buying it. Lets talk about the author Seanan McGuire for a second. She is absolutely an amazing story teller. I am floored how quickly I am interested in all the characters and care for what happens next. I love the way the story's unfold. Slow and steady, but full of imagery. I will definitely read until this series ends and I'm very interested in reading her other works. I hope they are all as good as this series.

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| Best Sellers Rank | #112,046 in Kindle Store ( See Top 100 in Kindle Store ) #657 in Contemporary Fantasy (Kindle Store) #764 in Fairy Tale Fantasy (Kindle Store) #788 in Contemporary Fantasy (Books) |

## Images

![In an Absent Dream (Wayward Children Book 4) - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/91lSoaO515L.jpg)

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Favorite Installment To the Series Thus Far
*by A***) on April 18, 2022*

In each book of the Wayward Children series, readers are teleported into a new portal world. This 4th installment has probably the most intriguing and well crafted portal world. It’s loosely based off the poem “The Goblin Market” where inhabitants can visit various merchant stalls of a somewhat magical and enchanting market. Ms. McGuire’s magical goblin market, however, doesn’t operate per currency. Rather, the sellers and buyers agree to what constitutes fair value. The buyer must be careful as to what they trade, as debts in the world of the Goblin market have consequences. As an example, our heroine Lundy commonly offers a pencil in exchange for a year-long supply of meat pies– adults in the Goblin Market love being able to write things down, but pencils are not created in their world. A pencil thus has pretty high value, at least to those who want to write things down. The whole concept is commentary on today’s social and economic disparities; a $5 meatpie isn’t worth much to someone making 6-figures, but may be a lot to someone who only has $5 to their name. The characters of the portal world also further build upon the atmosphere of the world. The two main market characters are Moon and the Archivist. Moon is a young girl who was abandoned at the market at a young age and as such is trapped as a citizen of the market. She doesn’t have a home to return to, so she is only a lost child subject to her childish whims and best efforts to follow the market’s rules and not incur debt. Moon becomes a dear friend to Lundy, who, as a child, Lundy is able to travel back and forth between her world and the goblin market as she wishes. But she cannot travel and and forth when she turns 18, so she must choose to stay and take an oath of citizenship prior to her 18th birthday. Moon is someone who needs Lundy’s support, so can she leave her friend behind when the time comes? The Archivist is the responsible adult figure that Lundy frequently seeks for advice. The Archivist is knowledgeable of the market and its rules. She has answers to most problems that Lundy and Moon have and will help out in exchange for a fair price. The novella itself is mainly about Lundy and the Market, so while important events happen within it, they take a backseat to focus on Lundy’s adventures. All Wayward Children books are standalone, but I recommend reading the first book, Every Heart a Doorway , prior to this one.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ I love this series!
*by B***R on August 23, 2021*

In an Absent Dream is the 4th book in the Wayward Children series. It's funny. I'm used to some sort of rhythm when it comes to book series, but this one is different. In the first book "Every Heart A Doorway", we the readers, meat a cast of characters, a home for lost "fairy-tale" children and a keeper by the name of Eleanor West (who was also a castaway fairy-tale child). The second book "Down Among the Sticks and Bones" follows a character from the first book, so does the 3rd book "Beneath the Sugar Sky", so I was expecting to find another character from the first book in this 4th book. Alas, that is not so, which makes me more excited. How long can this series go on? Because, I would read it forever. Truly. This is my fourth review and if you haven't read my others, let me summarize as quick as I can the last four books. This series is about lost fairy-tale children. Ordinary human children for whatever reason are special enough to find a secret and hidden door to a magical land. These lands or worlds are very different from one to the next, with very different themes. Logical, Illogical, Wicked and Virtuous. These worlds all have their own set of rules and if the child happens to break a set rule on purpose or mistake they are likely banished from that said world. The first book describes a home for these lost children. Ruled by a (lost) grown woman who knows what it feels like to be lost. The home is to keep them "happy" until they find their doors again, or if not to help them figure out how to be "normal" again in our boring old earth world. In the 2nd and 3rd book we get to witness first hand what it's like it those different worlds. One, Gothic and dark with mad scientists and vampires. The other world a child's dream made of candy. The fourth book is different. We go back to learning about a new character and a new world. In an Absent Dream is set in a Goblin Market were fair value rules the land. Our main character Katherine Lundy stumbles upon this land one day when she is 8. She walks through a mystical tree into a land where the Market rules all the people in it's own kind of fairness. If you do not barter well and do not give fair value you turn into a bird slowly. But the Market is kind if you are under 18 and allows you to work off debts to become human again. Our main character Lundy likes this place, but is uncertain of the rules. She learns quickly. But not quick enough. She is a rule follower, but everyone gets greedy at one point or another and she learns the hard way. I'm excited with the ending. It leaves us to believe there is a continuation. I don't remember Lundy in the first book, but maybe she was there. If not we can expect, maybe, a small role in the 5th book. Here on Goodreads, there is a 5th book in the works and I definitely will be buying it. Lets talk about the author Seanan McGuire for a second. She is absolutely an amazing story teller. I am floored how quickly I am interested in all the characters and care for what happens next. I love the way the story's unfold. Slow and steady, but full of imagery. I will definitely read until this series ends and I'm very interested in reading her other works. I hope they are all as good as this series.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ An absolute dream
*by R***G on August 29, 2019*

Seanan McGuire's <i>In an Absent Dream</i> is the story about Katherine Lundy, a quiet, bookish girl who doesn't feel at ease with her surroundings. She loves stories, so she finds comfort in books, and she loves rules not, as the story tells us later on, simply because she's supposed to, but because following them "could make you an invisible person, and invisible people got to do as they liked." (Katherine is also fond of loopholes.) (Katherine would have been a Slytherin.) At school, she's guarded and reserved, and, as the principal's daughter and the subject to some bullying, not at all quick to make friends. At home, she's distant and struggles to connect with her family, mostly because they constantly fail to properly see her for the person she is. <i>Let us speak, for a moment, on the matter of sisters. They can be enemies to fight or companions to lean upon: they can, at times, be strangers. They are not required to be friends, or to have involvement in one another’s lives, or to be anything more than strangers united by the circumstances of their birth. Still, there is a magic in the word “sister,” a magic which speaks of shared roots and hence shared branches, of a certain ease that is always to be pursued, if not always to be found.</i> One day, walking home from school, Katherine stumbles upon an old, gnarled and twisting tree that seems to be plucked straight out from a fairy tale. Carved inside the tree is a door, with the words "Be Sure" engraved upon it. Are we at all surprised when Katherine walks up to it, turns the knob to open it, and walks through? We've known her only a short time at this point, but we know — we're <i>sure</i> — this action was as inevitable as death. This is a story about identity, and belonging. About searching for a place to call home, and what home means, and the price you have to pay to find it. <i>What is home, after all, apart from the place one returns to when the adventure is over? Home is an end to glory, a stopping point when the tale is done.</i> Three pages were all it took for me to remember just why I love this series so much. Seanan McGuire's language in these books is lyrical and lush and drop-dead gorgeous, perfectly capturing the rhythm and beats of traditional fairy tales while still retaining enough of McGuire's darker, modern edge. And it's a sharp edge at that. One of the most striking things about the writing in the Wayward Children books is how brutally honest it can be. The language is luxurious, but it is used to reveal some harsh truths. <i>It is so often easy, when one has the luxury of being sure a thing will never happen, to be equally sure of one’s answers. Reality, it must sadly be said, has a way of complicating things, even things we might believe could never be that complicated.</i> And this is a harsh story. Beautiful, to be sure, but Lundy's tale is, ultimately, a tragic one, and the writing delivers on that, one bittersweet line at a time.

---

## Why Shop on Desertcart?

- 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016
- 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories
- 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price
- 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members)
- 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection
- ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews

**Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.gr/products/154376452-in-an-absent-dream-wayward-children-book-4](https://www.desertcart.gr/products/154376452-in-an-absent-dream-wayward-children-book-4)

---

*Product available on Desertcart Greece*
*Store origin: GR*
*Last updated: 2026-03-01*