“A gorgeous, aching love letter to stories, storytellers and the doors they lead us through…absolutely enchanting.”–Christina Henry, bestselling author of Alice and Lost BoysLOS ANGELES TIMES BESTSELLER!Finalist for the 2020 Hugo, Nebula, Locus, and World Fantasy AwardsIn the early 1900s, a young woman embarks on a fantastical journey of self-discovery after finding a mysterious book in this … fantastical journey of self-discovery after finding a mysterious book in this captivating and lyrical debut.
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.
Lush and richly imagined, a tale of impossible journeys, unforgettable love, and the enduring power of stories awaits in Alix E. Harrow’s spellbinding debut–step inside and discover its magic.
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Beautifully crafted nested set of tales about the power of stories and books and how to write one‘s own life
A gorgeous, audacious debut. If you’ve seen reviews tagging this work as YA, guess again. This is a bold love letter to stories, and the storytellers who weave them. Walk through this door–you’ll be glad you did.
I have never read a book like this. It has 2 stories that merge into 1. Think Alice in Wonderland in a very mind twisting fashion. You just don’t know where the book is going or what will happen next but you are rooting for the main characters. I read it then opened back to page 1 to read again.
I’m going through book withdrawal. I was so caught up in January Scaller’s story and her world(s) that I stayed up long past my bedtime and hated to see the book end. An astoundly good debut novel about a young woman who find magic in book, writing and storytelling, and what reader and author can’t relate to that?
It’s a special delight when a debut novel stuns the reader with the sheer joy of the storytelling, and The Ten Thousand Doors of January is such a novel. While it can be classified as YA because of the protagonist and her journey, it shouldn’t be overlooked by any lover of literary fantasy.
Part historical fiction, part otherworldly fantasy, with a romance and mystery at its heart. I have no idea what kind of book this is, but it was 100% my kind of book. I loved the characters and couldn’t stop reading about them.
I loved the story within a story formate of this book, it just added to the magic. This book is so beautifully written and spoke to my soul on such a deep level. It is one of my all time favorite reads.
Absolutely loved this book and the imagery it evoked!!
What a fantastic book! I knew that this book was going to be special on the very first page. There is just something about the way that it is written that really pulls the reader into the story. I was completely captivated and didn’t want to put the book down for any reason. I am so glad that I took a chance and decided to give this book a try.
January lives in the home of a wealthy businessman, Mr. Locke. Her mother is gone and her father works for Mr. Locke searching the world for treasures which means he is rarely around. She doesn’t quite fit in but tries to be what Mr. Locke wants her to be. Her only friends are a local boy named Samual and eventually, a big mean looking dog, she names Sinbad but always addresses as Bad. January finds a book, The Ten Thousand Doors, which she knows is meant for her. The book alternates between January’s story and the story told in her book. Both stories were completely compelling. I was completely amazed by the story January’s book held as its true origin was revealed.
I loved January! She was tough and resourceful. She tried really hard to do what was expected until she realized that may not be her best option. She never gave up and she cared greatly for those around her. I also really loved how her dog, Bad, was a big part of the story. Bad had great instincts and was fiercely loyal to January. I was really impressed by how completely his personality was developed.
This is a fantasy and one that was very well done. I loved the idea of these magical doors that allow individuals to travel from one world to another. The descriptions were so well done, I almost felt like I could smell the air along with the characters. I thought that the author did a fantastic job of incorporating fantastical elements into a historical story in a manner that seemed completely plausible.
I would highly recommend this book to others. I loved the journey that I took with January in these pages. There were surprises, some heartache, a few moments of pure joy, and some precious hope. I will definitely be looking out for future books by this incredibly talented author!
An unexpected find!
We walk thru many doors each day – often forgetting why! There are many doors in this great book and on the other side fascinating finds! You will learn to love some of the characters and dispise others – find a comfortable spot and enjoy every doorway!
January grew up essentially a ward of the wealthy Mr. Locke as she watched her father leave her time and again in search of artifacts for Mr. Locke. She never understood why he couldn’t just stay home and spend time with her until a book, The Ten Thousand Doors, appears and as soon as she starts reading she soars into magical worlds. Told in alternating timelines of January’s perspective and that of Ade’s, the story slowly starts to merge, coming together for one complete picture.
Each door leads to an entirely different world, and it is in those doors and worlds that we find pearls of wisdom for life, such as: “Worlds were supposed to be great rambling houses with all the windows thrown open and the wind and summer rain rushing through them…” Harrow has weaved a beautiful and magical love story that spans time and entire worlds.
All of the characters we meet are fantastically rich and multi-dimensional, even down to the dog, Bad, and even though this is a full book onto itself, I wasn’t quite ready to let the characters go and would love to continue on with January, Jane, Samuel, and more (and hope Harrow decides to do just that). I know I’m not doing the book justice at all, but I don’t think I ever could in a review. The Ten Thousand Doors of January is full of charm and grace, of the beauty and ugliness in the world, and if anything shines through, it’s perseverance, and it gives you *all the feels*.
It’s beautiful, it’s unexpected and layered with vivid images of world after world that will stay with you long after the book is finished. It’s the story of a family ripped apart, and a daughter determined to find out the truth about her parents. I am still thinking about this book nearly a month after I read it. Alix E. Harrow has a huge new fan in me–I can’t wait to see what she’ll write next.
This was a lovely read.
The beginning starts out a bit slow, so maybe more realistically a 4.5 from me, but everything ties beautifully back together and I had so many feels about this dumb little wandering family.
This review is truly a hard one for me to write. I guess I should start by saying that going into this book, I knew it was different then what I find myself typically attracted to. Now, just because it isn’t my typical read, doesn’t mean I should step outside my “comfort zone” and read something different, right? Right.
This book is very highly-praised and I understand why. It is beautifully written and the descriptions the author uses really bring aspects of this book to life. The whole concept of the book is very unique and that I enjoyed.
I do have to admit, the book was rather slow for my taste. I found myself having a hard time getting immersed in the story. I believe I was at about 20% completed when I considered DNFing this book…but I keep trudging along.
The story goes back and forth between January’s physical day and a book she is reading called “The Ten Thousand Doors” which she found in an old trunk. January is looked down upon by most people due to her race and lives a secluded, structured life in a mansion that belongs to her caretaker/father’s employer, Mr. Locke. January’s father’s job is to collect “treasures” aka artifacts for Mr. Locke who is a collector. Through reading “The Ten Thousand Doors” is when January’s adventure unfolds.
Like I mentioned above, the story is unique, colorful, and written well…it just wasn’t my cup of tea. The adventure wasn’t as “adventurous” as I would have liked and the time it took to get to the adventures seemed long and winding.
Wow! The Ten Thousand Doors of January is a lyrical letter written to book lovers everywhere, reminding us to never stop hoping and to never lose our imaginations or our voices.
Alix E Harrow takes us on a magical journey through different worlds that end up coming around full circle. Journeys to other worlds is why people love to read and Harrow does a fantastic job with the delivery.
Often with descriptive books I find myself skimming. That did not happen with this book. There were so many beautiful passages that I found myself going back a second or third time to reread them to try and absorb more of their beauty. I rarely reread books, but this would be one I definitely want to read again because I know I would get more out of it with each reading.
It’s hard to say much about the story because I feel it would give too much away. The way Harrow has all the stories and people intertwined is a fantastic feat. In ways it reminded me of Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell, but easier to understand. Instead of trying to be philosophical like the Cloud Atlas and making me confused, The Ten Thousand Doors of January made me feel loved and cherished.
This is a must read for all the book lovers of the world.
This is not a book that you pick-up and immediately become immersed in, but rather the kind of book that slowly trickles over your self-conscious allowing you to think about the story from the prospective purely from the characters’ angle. In this case, it starts off with January almost in a memoir style, telling you the story of herself at an earlier age in a world that almost seems half-veiled to her. It could be because she is a child or because she is bi-racial or both. It lends mystic to the story, a sense of unknown.
As the story progresses and more of the world around January is revealed, you’ll find yourself beginning to wake with this sense of wonderment and mystery. Questions churn in your head and pages will fly under your fingertips. World-building, hah! Dimension-building is occurring within these pages.
I will warn you though. This book may not be for everyone. January is not a brave girl. She is in her own words “a good girl.” She is a teenager brought up and manipulated to believe certain things, though it made me frustrated with her, even angry. She is weak. Her father is weak. I find that I have to remember she is a child who wants to please and believe that people love her, no matter how bad they are or how bad they treat her. Look at abuse victims. Don’t lose heart; circumstances can sometimes strengthen even the weakest of us.
Overall, this is a book that opens eyes to believing and minds to possibilities.
** I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review. **
I won a copy of this ebook through a Goodreads giveaway.
This mesmerizing book has well earned its advance buzz. It has the feel of a whimsical Victorian novel but with a dark undercurrent, and abounds with magic and far-flung worlds and resilient, realistic characters.
January Scaller is a dark skinned girl raised among unusual privilege. While her father jets around the world on archaeological research, she lives and travels with her wealthy benefactor, Mr. Locke. When she finds a door to another realm as a young child, she could have dismissed the experience as a flight of fancy, but for the strange coin she carried home as a souvenir. Then at age 17, she finds an odd book in her own home: a book about doors, other worlds, two people who love each other across time and space, and ultimately, about January herself.
The sheer beauty of the prose delighted me throughout:
“I almost didn’t notice the Door at all. All Doors are like that, half-shadowed and sideways until someone looks at them in just the right way.”
“Life has a kind of momentum to it, I’ve found, an accumulated weight of decisions which becomes impossible to shift.”
This is an ethereal book of poetic prose and strong women and girls, and love, and magic. I adored it, and will add it to my short list of books for award nominations next year.