“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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Let’s talk fantasy. I can’t read it all the time, but when an interesting one comes along, I’m game. The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow is such a book.
In a nutshell: Told in the first person by a young girl who is raised in a Vermont mansion by the older, wealthy man for whom her father works, January Scaller has no idea whether her mother is alive or dead, what her father actually does, or why the man who calls her his ward collects seemingly ancient relics to share with an oddly evil group of friends.
When she finds a book hidden away in the attic, January reads what turns out to be her own story. In addition to telling who her parents really are, the book describes a large network of doors, strewn all over the world, leading to different times and places. Someone is trying to seal them off. When her father goes missing, January feels an increasingly personal connection with these doors and a compulsion to keep them open.
Pros:
There is a story, actually a story within a story. Both are fast-paced, suspenseful, and well-written, with beautiful descriptions and minimal repetition.
The characters are eminently likable, from January to her dog Bad (Sinbad), to her friend and savior Samuel, to Jane, the mysteriously exotic companion her father has sent her.
This book is meaty. No quick read, the plot is rich and full. You can sink your teeth into this one.
The concept of doors is one I’ve read about in two other notable books – Exit West by Mohsin Hamid, and Erin Morgenstern’s The Starless Sea. This one holds its own.
Cons:
The plot moves back and forth between places and times. This may be a problem for some readers.
Final word:
I found The Ten Thousand Doors of January well worth the effort. It is engrossing and ultimately rewarding.
A lyrical and innovative novel that plants both feet in reality and then slides easily into fantasy-elements. January Scaller’s natural curiosity and longing for adventure lead her to an amazing discovery—doorways to other worlds. I felt like Alice falling down the rabbit hole as this story wrapped around me. It’s touching and maddening and desperate, but also romantic and fantastical. Ms. Harrow balances the magical alongside a gripping coming-of-age story with a deft hand. January is the girl we all want to be, and this novel is a love letter to storytellers everywhere. Read it and see what I mean. A wonderful book that I highly recommend.
I LOVED this one!! I am a huge fan of the world-within-the-world concept, and this book offered that to the nth degree. Add to it a fabulous and wholly engaging storytelling style, marvelous characters you can’t help but love and connect with, and a plot that carries you along a winding, twisting river of machinations, secrets, and misdirection, and you wind up with a perfectly marvelous story that I couldn’t put down!
The concept of doors – excuse me, Doors – is not a new one, but in Harrow’s skillful hands the construct plays out brilliantly. There is a mystery underpinning the mystery, and the author teases out the parallel plot lines masterfully. January is a wonderful protagonist, offering just the right blend of sass and smarts, and her escapades are, for good and ill, full of wonderment and magic and devastating consequences.
There are fantastic opportunities for future related stories and I for one hope like crazy that the author decides to go in that direction. If not, I will DEFINITELY be on the lookout for whatever she serves up next. Her writing is as refreshing as a cool drink from a mountain spring, and is just as satisfying!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my review copy.
I really enjoyed this portal fantasy. January first experiences a Door that leads to another world when she spies a rusty old timber frame with only a few planks to indicate that it had ever had a door. But she stepped through it to a high bluff overlooking the sea. When she had walked through, she’d started in rural Tennessee.
Being a child, January is subjected to disbelief by her guardian, Mr. Locke. But she’s a stubborn child, and she continues to seek out doors anyway. Even though they seem to becoming fewer and farther between.
Will she be able to solve this mystery before the Doors disappear altogether?
This is the kind of review I feel almost apologetic about writing because The Ten Thousand Doors of January, unfortunately, did not live up to my expectations.
It might be best if I list the things I liked and those I didn’t:
The whole premise of the book was great. I mean doors to other worlds, who wouldn’t be excited by that idea?
There were moments of brilliance, where the author described emotional events to perfection without over sentimentalizing.
I actually loved the ending.
However,
I thought parts were overly descriptive and peppered with unnecessary adverbs which stood out like sore thumbs.
There were occasions when it seemed the author couldn’t quite decide on the right words to choose. For example, “Facing us was a rangy, raggedy old man, very much like a scarecrow if scarecrows grew patchy white beards and wielded spears.” This is just one such example of which there were many, and I’m sure they were intentionally written that way, in all likelihood because it was from the POV of a young girl, but I found them irritating.
The chapters were too long and frankly there were times when I became bored.
Look, I’m perfectly capable of suspending disbelief when it comes to fantasy writing, but several events didn’t add up, such as how January was all too easily discovered by her assailants time and time again.
To conclude, I feel I have to rate the book according to my enjoyment factor, and therefore award it 3 out of 5.
There are books (small b, fine books, lovely books) and there are Books (capital B, and just a bit more heft to them.) And then, there are BOOKS. All capitals, shouted, astounding. This book is one of those. Adventure, romance, mystery, magic, and characters to fall in love with, characters to despise, to be intrigued by, to understand.
It’s all. It’s everything.
I can’t remember when I’ve enjoyed reading a book this much. And I enjoy reading a lot of books! The Ten Thousand Doors of January is a fun, exciting, and sometimes heart-wrenching read. I could not put it down. January is an amazing young woman who will pull you into her journey through fantastical places and destinations. She overcomes the evil monsters that seek to control her with a twist of magic that will make you laugh. An inventive story that I highly recommend.
Go through the doors with January, start your next adventure today. You’ll be glad you did!
Lovely and inventive, this book takes you on a twisting, magical journey across worlds in pursuit of dreams, people, feelings and aspirations that are well worth the trip. Really enjoyed it on audio. Looking forward to seeing what else this author can do.
Stunningly crafted and beautifully written, this tale leads the reader from an idyllic, familiar world to a universe of magical and gripping possibilities. I loved it!
An utter delight. A gift of beautiful word spun fiction for the true novel enthusiasts of the world.
I can’t tell you a whole lot about this book without giving anything away. You must read it if you like fantasy and good writing. That is all.
What an original piece of fantasy! I thoroughly enjoyed Alix E. Harrow’s descriptions of the wonderful characters (including the dog, Bad), imaginative conceptualizing of events and worlds, and the fantastic search for loves lost and to come. “The Ten Thousand Doors of January” immersed me totally in her reality through her prose and turns of phrase. It can only be described as “You must read it for yourself to understand it” and the depth of feeling she can generate.
“Dance through this eternal green orchard, where ten thousand worlds hang ripe and red for plucking.” January Scaller, The Ten Thousand Doors of January.
Alix Harrow created a beautiful world of hope and change. January Scaller is so beautifully vulnerable and resilient. To be able to battle through the loneliness and repression until she finds her strength and dreams was inspiring. This world that Ms. Harrow created was rich and magical. I loved the imagination of the author and how she used it to show triumph of the female spirit.
January is a “unique specimen” with unusually colored skin. Many days she feels less like the ward of the rich and influential Mr. Locke and more like another item in his vast collection of rare and unusual objects. But when January stumbles across a Door as child, she is met with a change that sets her life on a different course. And, years later, when she discovers a mysterious book about Doors, her life sets to drastically change forever.
This book was a literary masterpiece. The writing itself is lyrical and smooth. The storyline is a bit all over the place at first but once everything starts to come together I couldn’t put the book down. There’s lots of adventures, plenty of twists, and even a slight touch of romance. If you enjoyed “The Starless Sea” or “The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue,” chances are you would like this book as well.
I read this a few months ago, and other than an interesting story, what I remember most is that the language–her sentences and the way she put them together–were just beautiful. I’ve got her newest book in the “to-read” pile, and look forward to enjoying that one just as much. Highly recommend this book.
Extraordinary writing style. Profound ideas.
January Scholar is a young girl who has a whole word open to her when she finds a book entitled The Ten Thousand Doors. Her father is an explorer, gathering artifacts for W.C. Locke, a collector, and a foster father to January. Her mother has never been someone she knew.
When January steps through one of the doors, she glimpses a new world. This new world provides information to January about herself.
Books open a new world when you open the covers, this book opened January’s world.
This is an enjoyable debut novel, with a gorgeous cover.
This book is science fiction of the finest kind. But at its heart, it’s all about family and belonging. An amazing and expertly written story.
I loved this book. I didn’t expect it. And as an author it made me wish I could write as well as Alix does. Her metaphors are superlative…not sure how else to describe the creative imagery she came up with. Story is so unique and the characters as well…and the twists and turns will keep you guessing all the way through. Highly recommend for lovers of fantasy and the mystical.
An imaginative work that touches on many favorite fantasy tropes. Doors. Especially doors. Solid world-building, evocative prose, and engaging characters.