The Ten Thousand Doors of January
Ratings219
Average rating4.1
15
Ratings219
Average rating4.1
In the early 1900s, a young woman embarks on a 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 await in Alix E. Harrow's spellbinding debut–step inside and discover its magic.
Reviews with the most likes.
Stopped reading at 40%. Wasn't enjoying the slow pacing, verbose writing style, and the internal-monologue of the protagonist.
The Ten Thousand Doors of January is a treasure???an enchanting, wondrous, magical, exquisitely written standalone portal/historical fantasy set during the early 1900s. It's an ode to words and stories, imagination, dreamers and outsiders, and being who you are when society does its best to shape you into someone you're not. It's an ode to the power of story???how it can take up residence in one's soul, showing them something true and meaningful. And it is itself that type of story.
In short: I loved The Ten Thousand Doors of January.
Full Review on My Website
Realistically, I would say 4.5 but I rounded up. I liked the concept and the characters. I also liked that characters injuries stuck with them, instead of being insta-healed by the plot. The structure of the book has been done before but I still liked it. I enjoy stories within stories.
The cover blurb says “Unbearably beautiful,” which kind of scared me! But rest assured, it's emotionally engaging and (as advertised) beautiful, but not so poignant, sad, or tragic that it's “unbearable.”
I mean.
If you're like me, you might want to check Does the Dog Die before proceeding. Or check this spoiler: Bad is reported to be dead, but turns out to be beaten and possibly disabled, but recovers and is a faithful friend for the rest of the story!
Anyway, this is dynamite. It's SF/F with a literary spin. The prose is gorgeous enough to merit a mention without distracting from the story. The characters are my best friends. I got So Inspired, and So Angry, and So Anxious, and So Relieved, and So Joyful!
Read this.
Prompt
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