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Title: The Ten Thousand Doors of January
Author: Alix E. Harrow
Publisher: Redhook
Publish date: September 10th, 2019
Genres: Fantasy fiction, coming-of-age, historical fantasy, magical realism
Synopsis:
In a sprawling mansion filled with peculiar treasures, January Scaller is a curiosity herself. As the ward of the wealthy Mr. Locke, she feels little different from the artifacts that decorate the halls: carefully maintained, largely ignored, and utterly out of place.
Then she finds a strange book. A book that carries the scent of other worlds, and tells a tale of secret doors, of love, adventure, and danger. Each page turn reveals impossible truths about the world and January discovers a story increasingly entwined with her own.
My Rating: 4.5 Stars
I can’t help it, I’m a sucker for books about books. I’m an easy sell in that regard. Stories within stories— hot damn.
So, it didn’t take long after reading the synopsis of this one for me to pick it up and plow through it.
Harrow’s way of entwining multiple worlds and timelines into one is something I envy— world building is something I struggle with, so the idea of meshing multiple worlds so completely is a dream.
Everyone finds themselves picking favourites when it comes to multiple points of view, but I was enthralled with each point of view used in The Ten Thousand Doors of January. As excited as I was when nearing a reveal only to have it left on a cliffhanger to pick up where we left off elsewhere, I couldn’t be mad about it.
I’ll admit I have been struggling with a bit of a reading slump, but Harrow’s work helped me break that.
High praise, I know, but I really have to nitpick to find the cons for this one!
Pick up your copy and let me know what you think!
The Pros:
- The worlds. Seriously. Alix E. Harrow has crafted doors so many different worlds, and it’s hard not to wish you could live in one. I know of one world in particular I could spend a lifetime in— let me know what you think that world might be, after you give it a read for yourself!
- The novel tackles so many issues. Racism, classism, childhood trauma, coming-of-age, parenting difficulties— you name it. It’s just so broad.
- January can be a frustrating character at times, but her development is just… out of this world. Don’t pardon the pun.
The Cons:
- I wish it were longer. The opportunity exists for many side characters to be delved deeper into. There’s so much left to the reader to imagine, and honestly that can be seen as both a pro and a con.
- There are some— lets say ’otherworldly’ elements/characters that seemed like afterthoughts. The somewhat supernatural element of the story could’ve had more to it.
- The conclusion left something to be desired. I’m not sure what, but definitely something. I’d love to hear what you think that something might be, when you give it a read!
Overall:
Harrow’s writing is unique and very skilled. The story kept my rapt attention throughout; if there were any lulls, I didn’t notice them!
The Ten Thousand Doors of January definitely made me want to read another of her novels in the future!
Let me know what you thought of it in the comments below, or on social media!
Check out more of my book reviews for other recommendations!