Re-Post: The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow (Copy)
/One of the many bookish podcasts that I listen to is The Sword and Laser and their book pick for the month is one of my all time favorites. I read this last October and I cannot recommend it enough. They just kicked off their book discussion and it’s not spoilery at all if you want to give their latest episode a listen. If you didn’t get a chance to pick this up last year, now is a great time to find a new favorite and book and a new favorite podcast!
Bonus! I started using Chirp for my audiobooks that I can’t get from the Library and it’s great! There’s no subscription fees-you just pick your book, pay for it, and it’s all yours. They do some great deals and The Ten Thousand Doors of January is only $4.99 as of 9/11/20!
The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow
Available Now
For Readers Who Love:
Adventure, Magic, Unique Worlds, Coming of Age, Love Stories, Strong Characters
One of the most original books I’ve read this year, The Ten Thousand Doors of January is a magical adventure that will keep you captivated from the very first page. Or, if you’re like me, the absolutely gorgeous cover.
January Scaller has lived her whole life the pampered pet of her guardian Mr. Locke. While her father Julian is off discovering rare artifacts for Mr. Locke’s growing collection, January is left in the care of strict governesses and the curious eyes of Mr. Locke’s secretive society members. Discovering small treasures hidden in an old chest, January believes them to be gifts from Mr. Locke. Included in these treasures is a small book that will turn January’s life upside down and make her rethink every childhood memory. With her faithful dog Sinbad, or Bad, by her side, January uses the book to unlock the mysteries of Locke House, her father’s position in the household, and the disappearance of her mother so many years ago. When January also discovers what she believes to be a Door, it places her in great danger from the secretive forcers who are trying to close the Doors. Now with her father missing and presumed dead, her personal bodyguard fired, and cut off from her best friend Samuel and her faithful companion Bad, January has to navigate a new world of magic and power to survive.
Reader Friends, this book is an absolute delight! I loved how it gives us two stories side by side: the story of January growing up in Locke House and the magical adventures of Adelaide Larson and her Doors. Doors, capital D doors that is, can be found anywhere and transport you from one world to the next. When Adelaide discovers a door in her hayfield, she discovers a young man who has not only stumbled through to her world, but has knowledge of the Doors. Throughout the story we learn of the people who are actively searching for Doors, stumble upon them, or research them, but we find out very little about how the Doors came to be or why.
Adelaide, being the adventurous and fearless girl that she is, decides to use the Doors to find her mysterious friend and discover where else the Doors can take her. It’s on these adventures that we get to see the different worlds imagined up by the author. Worlds where you start on a mountain top and cross a Door into an ocean. Doors found in caves that lead to worlds where magical feathers can provide invisibility.
Alongside the adventures, we watch January grow up in a stifling household where she is treated like the other artifacts-a curiosity. Many don’t know what to make of January, she’s biracial with a black father, but nothing is known of her mother. Mr. Locke’s money makes it slightly more tolerable to deal with the racism surrounding her, but when that safeguard is lost, she struggles with the unfairness of it all. Growing up pampered doesn’t truly prepare one for the grueling adventures necessary in magical escapades. First class tickets on the train are no longer an option so January has to get used to sleeping rough and walking miles each day.
A little less than half way through there is an interesting comment on dates that really had me thinking about one of the world’s and it’s unique (?) characteristics. If anyone finds that at the end of chapter 4, let me know. I have thoughts.
I hope there are more books set in this world. Quite a bit of the story is left open to that possibility and I’d love to learn more about the Doors-who created them, what are they for, who else knows about them. Plus, there might be 10,000 of them!
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