I really loved this fun historical adventure fantasy novel. It felt like a scrappy fight in the name of family and acceptance. Harrow's writing is very tender toward her characters who are strong through their vulnerability. January is such a fascinating character. She fails again and again. She puts herself and others in danger. She gets backed up against a wall multiple times, but her resourcefulness and her pure love for her friends and family give her the strength to push forward, even when she thinks it will kill her.

This is a an exciting and heartfelt coming of age story. January faces both painful and empowering truths as her old life falls apart and she takes her new-found control to fight for a new one that's true to her. Her tenacity and spirit bring her through, making this book an uplifting and adventurous ride. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves historical fiction, magical adventure, portal fantasies, and the triumph of love for family. The entire book feels like a battle cry for anyone who has struggled to find the world where they truly belong.

Not only is the cover captivating, but the writing style and plot are also magnificent.

"Words draw the vitality from their writer, and thus the strength of a word is limited bu the strength of its human vessel."

The Ten Thousand Doors of January was a very enchanting read and I loved following the story of "The Ten Thousand Doors" and the story of January as she finds out the truth through the book and the Doors combined. The fairytale aspect of being able to transport through magical Doors gave the reader a tantalizing adventure within the narration. Truly, a majestic book that everyone should pick up.

The way the story unfolded kept the suspense building to find out exactly how the past and present intertwine the lives of the main characters. The storyline was carefully plotted out, allowing the reader to open the door slowly to the truth behind. I laughed as well as cried, enjoying immensely the time I spent in the world of this clever book.

I love portal fantasy books and this one did not disappoint! It is the early 1900s and a bored January Scaller finds a mysterious book among all the other worldly strange collections that her ward wealthy Mr. Locke collects. January’s father is working for Mr. Locke acquiring these rare items and is not around much. Upon reading this book about ten thousand doors, January realizes this book is intertwined with her own life. This book was a wonderful read about lost loves, strange people and happenings and trying to get back something that was lost to you on more than 1 level. Highly recommend if you love portal fantasy books!

DNFing at 29% due to sheer boredom. I never felt secure when reading one of the 2 POVs. January and Ade just seemed way too similar and therefore I was perpetually lost in the plot lines trying to decipher what was going on. It doesn’t help that I was only partially interested in January’s storyline. Maybe this gets better but I just felt like I was shifting through textbook information for too much of the book. Such a shame because it has such high reviews and the premise was so promising.

"But--if you're an in-between sort of creature with no family and no money, with nothing but your own two legs and a silver coin--sometimes running away is the only thing you can do." January Scaller feels out of place roaming Locke mansion and being the ward of the wealthy Mr. Locke while her father is on his mysterious expeditions. When she finds a special book filled with stories of other worlds, she falls right in--literally! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️A true book lovers' book.⁠

January Scaller is a young girl living in an interesting situation: her father is an explorer for their rich benefactor, Mr. Locke, her mother is dead, and her life is spent in Locke House, learning to be a good girl. Until, that is, she discovers a Door and a book and that there is more to this world than meets the eye.

My goodness, what an absolute dream of a book! The world here is so richly imagined and the story so beautifully told. I fell into this story with absolute abandon. I'm still a little trapped there, dreaming of the possibilities and imagining a world filled with Doors. I loved just about everything about The Ten Thousand Doors of January. I loved our main character. She was fierce and broken and just trying her hardest to fight against a world determined to bind her. I loved her development throughout the book; her growth was real and raw and beautiful to behold. I loved this story, which was whimsically brilliant. Bits I'd read would stay with me throughout the day as I went about my daily tasks, making the mundane just a bit more magical. And it was just so beautifully written! There were so many passages that just spoke directly to my heart. I would say it started off a bit slow, but I honestly think that added to the spell that this book cast.

The only think I could wish for is to see what happens after the story ends! I suppose I'll let my own imaginings take me through that particular Door.

I had zero expectations when I requested this book for review. The cover is what first drew me in and the blurb is what had me hitting the request button.

Blurb:

"In the early 1900s, a young woman searches for her place in the world 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."

This book felt like it took me days and days to read. Not that the page count is high or anything, but the story itself had such depth and the plot so many weird twists and turns I really had to pay attention. There is even a story within the story and a low-key romance between secondary characters that kind of took me by surprise by how invested I became.

The writing here is lush, and beautiful. This is a story of doors and imagination and possibilities. January Scaller finds a door when she is but a young girl living with her father’s employer, the mysterious Mr. Locke. That door is closed and January is scolded. It is forgotten until several years later when she finds a book that changes everything. Her view of the world, Mr. Locke, her parents, and how the world is put together. Doors suddenly mean something new and fresh.

The Ten Thousand Doors of January is not a fast paced, quick read, but it is filled to the brim with imagination, whimsy, and the fantastical. It went to places I didn’t expect and following along with January as she learned about herself and her abilities was at times dark and chilling, but full of delight and satisfaction by the end.

I had so many quotes highlighted I’m sure I could fill this page with them, but I will only leave this one…

'This one smelled unlike any book I’d ever held. Cinnamon and coal smoke, catacombs and loam. Damp seaside evenings, and sweat-slick noontimes beneath palm fronds. It smelled as if it had been in the mail for longer than any one parcel could be, circling the world for years and accumulating layers of smells like a tramp wearing too many clothes.

It smelled like adventure itself had been harvested in the wild, distilled to fine wine, and splashed across each page.

But I’m stumbling ahead of myself. Stories are supposed to be told in order, with beginnings and middles and ends. I’m no scholar, but I know that much.'

I enjoyed this book very much. If what I’ve mentioned so far hasn’t spurred you to one-click, I’d also like to add that there is a wonderfully protective, good dog named Sinbad who will steal your heart.

Final grade- B+

My rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars!

January Scaller is our protagonist. She tells her story of growing up in Vermont at the start of the twentieth century. January is the ward of Mr. William Cornelius Locke, a billionaire and an archaeologist. Her mother is deceased and her father, Julian Scaller, is a scholar who is employed by Mr. Locke to search for and to collect artifacts for him. Throughout her childhood, she’s kept under Mr. Locke’s watchful eye with only her childhood friend, Samuel Zappia; her father’s appointed guardian for her, Jane Irimu; and, her dog, Sindbad. January doesn’t know much of what is happening around her, until the day before her 17th birthday when she finds a leather-bound book titled: "The Ten Thousand Doors." That book introduces January (and readers) to Adelaide Lee Larson—a woman born during the Reconstruction Era—and, to Yule Ian Scholar—a man from the City of Nin in the year 6908, who is the author of the book January finds—and their encounters with Doors and each other. Both Adelaide and Yule Ian have different experiences surrounding Doors, and January—who shares the same curiosity as them—learns more about these other worlds through them. However, this book reveals the truth of her father’s “work” as well as Mr. Locke’s “intentions” for her. From there, January discovers and uses this information to break away from her guardians and to repair the damage that’s been stricken to her loved ones. January’s coming-of-age story stands out more than other ones I’ve read recently; and, I couldn’t stop learning along with her.

The plot in the novel surrounds January Scaller’s unique upbringing. Because her father travels around the world while working for Mr. Locke, January was always left behind. And yet, January had tutors and would travel to places around the world with Mr. Locke; not to mention, Mr. Locke disapproved of January’s companions. It’s as if Mr. Locke is afraid to have January out of his sight. Throughout her childhood, January is Mr. Locke’s “good girl,” but longs for her father’s affections. This comes to an end when 3 events happen around and on January’s 17th birthday: her father disappears, she finds "The Ten Thousand Doors," and she learns of Mr. Locke’s plans for her life. From there, January must find a way to escape her guardians and discover the truth surrounding Doors and her father’s connection to them. There are 2 subplots in this novel. First, is the story of Adelaide and Yule Ian and their discoveries about Doors and other worlds. Second, is the way January, Samuel, and Jane survive in a society that is dominated by wealthy, Caucasian males who do all they can to control other people. The subplots are intertwined with the plot, and everything comes together, slowly; yet, the pace of the development fits the story the author is telling.

"The Ten Thousand Doors of January" is a beautiful debut novel about other worlds, love, and sacrifice. It does take a while for the story to pick up, but once it does, readers will learn about other and new worlds that never crossed their minds. The protagonist grows from a suppressed and isolated individual to a world trotter makes for a believable, yet traumatic, bildungsroman story. Alix E. Harrow is an author with more worlds to present to readers, and I can’t wait to learn about all ten thousand of them!

Thank you to the publisher, Redhook Books, and Netgalley for allowing me to read an ARC of The Ten Thousand Doors of January. I am a huge fan of portal fantasy, but I knew nothing of this book other than that the title eluded to portal fantasy. I eagerly read this book and was rewarded with something unexpected in what many people think is an overdone subgenre of fantasy. It is beautifully written. Set in the early 20th Century, the historical back drop only lends to the horrors that January has to endure in a society that wants to demean and suffocate her.

The book is written by January and she is ward of a wealthy society man. She discovers a book "The Ten Thousand Doors" as she reads it (and the reader reads it - yes a book within the book) she uncovers the secret past of her parents and the tools she needs to escape.

There may be points of this book (or the book within the book) that you don't buy-in, but I encourage you dear reader to keep pressing on the rewards are unexpected. Would it also entice you to read this book if you knew January had a companion animal? A dog named Bad.

It’s hard to put into words how wonderful and magical this book is. The writing is mesmerizing and gorgeous and transports you directly into the story and makes you never want to leave. The story really hits you hard in the feelings if you’ve ever felt out of place and unable to fit in in your environment. I loved the story and how it unfolds. It’s a lesson to us all to be comfortable with ourselves and believe in our own magic to find our place in the world. I cannot recommend this enough to anyone and everyone. Do not miss this stunning, brilliant, empowering story.

The Ten Thousand Doors of January had a beautiful cover and an interesting synopsis that forced me to pick it up. It is a book within a book, unfortunately I just found myself liking one book more than the other. I only made it about 30% through this book before I DNF'd it. I did however go out and buy a finished copy so maybe I'll return to it in the near future. I found the pacing on January's story to be incredibly slow. I wanted things to happen for her, whether it be falling in love, giving the awful man that raised her a piece of her mind, or her falling through a door to a different universe. Even now I'm still enticed by this story and January herself, it's just feels like wading through molasses to get there. The best parts of the story so far have been the story of Adalaide and her journey through the doors and what she did to find them all her life.

The Ten Thousand Doors of January was one of my most anticipated books to release of the year. How can you not be excited? It has an awesome cover, a catchy title, and promises a portal fantasy!

For some parts, yes, the story delivered but on others I was left very disappointed.

For the majority of the novel, the main character, January really has no agency. The plot hinges on her inability to react, or the mistakes she makes, and the suffering she experiences. I'm sorry but reading about how a character is miserable whether from circumstance or from internal reactions is not an enjoyable read for me. Sure this is explained later but it is not enough to make up for the awful things the character went through.

Also, the writing of this novel is, at times, a bit indulgent spouting off ruminations on the psyche of people, lengthy descriptions, or trying to strike poignant notes instead of just advancing the plot or scene forward. There is a time and place for that but when we need events to be crackling with tension or have action scenes filled with crisp and sharp pacing, we don't need to be fluffed up with other things. This creates for a very slow, languid, almost lethargic pacing of the book and I read this very slowly.

However, I really liked how the author executed her premise. I thought it fulfilled the promise pretty well. It was quite neat seeing how they worked, couldn't, and what happens to the world in them. I really loved when January ventured into new worlds and exploring it was so fun.

The narrative structure of this book is very ambitious. It's pretty much two timelines with one of the timelines being read as passages in a book. There are footnotes and a breaking of the meta and dressing the reader (you) directly multiple times. So if you like that stuff, then you'll love this.

I really loved the dog, Sindbad or Bad for short, in this book. He's such a loyal, protective companion and always sticks by her side. The other two people who goes along in her journey, Samuel and Jane, are likable too. The villains are creepy and insidious but I wish there were more overt ones around.

But I thought the ending was done well and fit this book perfectly. It leaves me wholly satisfied, especially as a resolution for the main character and her quest but also for the other people who touched her life. A nicely wrapped up stand alone story. But be aware even though this has been tagged in many places a YA, this is not YA. This is an adult fantasy even though the main character is a teenager throughout the book. The tone this is written in is most decidedly for adult.

An enjoyable book but not without its flaws. I'd recommend this for fans of Seanan McGuire's Every Heart a Doorway series, or maybe those that love portal fantasies.

I was given an arc of this book by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The 10,000 Doors of January by Alix E Harrow is a new historical fantasy novel that takes place in the early part of the 20th Century.

We follow our main protagonist, January, as she lives a quite unusual life. January doesn’t know her mother and her father is a treasure hunter for a wealthy white man, Mr Locke, in the United States. She is a biracial girl living in an extremely rich, white and privileged world. It was so fascinating to see this part of history through the eyes of someone like January. Her conflict with wanting more freedom, caring about her benefactor, but also seeing that she isn’t treated well at all created an interesting dynamic in her character. I’m so glad that she questioned much of her childhood. Harrow does a great job describing an accurate depiction of race and racism in this time period. January is seen by others as both a curiosity and something of disdain. Loved that things weren’t ignored or brushed over but actually talked about. There is also obvious research and thought put into the history that is described in the book. I love when history is depicted accurately and not glamourized or underdeveloped.

With the plot, we follow January as child where she discovers a magical door to another world, she’s quickly drawn away by her nanny and sort of puts it into the back of her mind for years. Until she turns 17 and she discovers a book called The 10,000 Doors. As she reads it, January discovers that there are many more of these doors all over the world. And that's when the plot starts to really take off.

This book is beautifully written, Harrow is excellent at her craft. I felt like it was just the right amount of floweriness without going overboard. I was engaged and hooked by the story almost immediately. I read it quickly and never felt bored by the events of the book. I also love that is didn’t rely on tropes to carry the plot. I found this book a refreshing example of a portal fantasy. I do have some minor issues with the book. I felt like some of the characters made ridiculously selfish and terrible choices at certain points in the book. But all issues I have are just minor grumblings, the book is still good. I am definitely going to recommend this book to many people. Not quite sure if this is an adult or ya fantasy but either way it's a great standalone for anyone who likes fantasy in general. But also especially people who love the Wayward Children stories by Seanan McGuire.

4 Stars

The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow is easily one of the best books I've read this year. It's one of those novels that makes you wish you could give it all the stars because that's no less than what it deserves. But here I'm am giving it only five - ah, well. I'd say it's best to into this story with little foreknowledge so I won't go into spoiler territory. I will say that it's incredibly imaginative, adventure-filled, and transporting. Harrow's intelligent and clever style, walk-off-the-page characters, and world-building are an absolute a joy to read. I would love to have the ability to explore January's world. If you love books and reading, historical fantasy, and portal fantasy like Seanan McGuire's Wayward Children series, the Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis, Shades of Magic by V.E. Schwab, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, and Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor, then I have a feeling you will adore Alix E. Harrow's The Ten Thousand Doors of January.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I adore books that take you on a journey to other worlds, and The Ten Thousand Doors of January does just that. January Scaller is a strong, capable heroine, and I was cheering her along as she searched for her parents through the Doors between worlds. I don’t want to ruin the magic of the story by sharing any spoilers, so please just pick this up and read it!

Title: The Ten Thousand Doors of January
Author: Alix E. Harrow
Publication date: September 10, 2019
Publisher: Redhook, Orbit Book Publishing 
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Historical

http://gwendalynbooks.wordpress.com
http://twitter.com/gwendalyn_books
http://Instagram.com/gwendalyn_books_
https://www.goodreads.com/user/edit/profile/profile_url

I received a copy of this book from the publisher (Orbit/Redhook) in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

“Listen, not every story is made for telling. Sometimes just by telling a story you’re stealing it, stealing a little of the mystery away from it.”

Have you ever had penchant for the whimsical
Have you looked sideways at doors ever? Or held your breath as walked through a threshold? Or maybe in a moment of fancy, while staring longing at a wall hoping for for a chance of something magical. An opening, a portal...
That just maybe there is something magical in the world.
I have despite voices to the contrary, telling me otherwise.
Are you a readers who remembers what it was once like to have the ability to imagine a wide world of endless possibilities. In Within these pages, January will discover the impossible truth of her own existence– and the harrowing dangers that lurk between the Doors and other worlds. 

This fairy tale will have you stepping through the void, into fables, folklore, adventure, love and sanctuary, and the infinite power of words and love.
In this completely original lyrical debut, Alix E. Harrow captivating book is a magical blend of both historical fiction and magical realism.

—"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."—

The Ten Thousand Doors of January is completely original storyline but written in classical childhood fairy tale style of older work. Beautiful writing that is poetic and the words are fluid in this captivating and lyrical debut.

In the turn of the twentieth century, a time of change with inventions and new discoveries, We meet January, an oddly colored, wild and headstrong imaginative girl.
From the first pages I fell in love with January Scaller.
When we first meet January, she is seven years old and, though her father is living, she is being cared for by Mr. Locke, her fathers benefactor.
Her father travels the world, seeking out exotic treasures to bring back to his employer.
Throughout her childhood years, she is herded and tamed into submission,
well almost..

January’s quiet existence comes to a halt when she stumbles across peculiar book.
A book that carries the scent of other worlds and tells a tale of secret doors, of love, adventure and danger. As each page reveals more impossible truths about the world,
January discovers a story that might just be the key to unlocking the secrets of her past."

The Ten Thousand Doors of January, is lush and richly imaginative, a book of impossible journeys, unforgettable love, and the incredible power of opening doors .
Alix E. Harrow effortless writing is stunning and unconsciously literary.

This has to be the most stunning, captivating book of 2019

—"Life has a kind of momentum to it, I’ve found, an accumulated weight of decisions which becomes impossible to shift."—

The Thousand Doors of January is the first novel of author Alix E. Harrow, who just won this past year's Hugo Award for Best Short Story. That story, A Witch's Guide to Escape: A Practical Compendium of Portal Fantasies, is a powerful story about a lost boy among adults who have the tools (a magic book hidden away by a librarian) that can help them find their way and while it wasn't my pick for the Hugo, it certainly was not unworthy of the award. That story was actually the first I'd heard of Harrow, who's apparently written a short list of short fiction over the past few years, but it was impressive enough as a story for me to be interested when her first novel showed up for request on NetGalley.

And The Thousand Door of January shares some themes with that short story but uses those themes in different ways to create a very different tone, ending on an optimistic if little bittersweet tone. It takes a not unfamiliar take on portal fantasy, marries it to a conflict between the status quo of the past and change of the unknown future, and centers the story around a young heroine who is really well done. And more, a heroine whose story I really cared about, which is one of the best things I can say about a story.

--------------------------------------------------Plot Summary------------------------------------------------------
January Scaller, a girl of strange non-white complexion, grew up at the turn of the 20th century with her father nearly always away - away on trips around the world, searching seemingly for strange foreign objects to bring back to his employer, the wealthy Mr. Locke. January always wished to go with her father, but instead she grew up in the care of Mr. Locke, who assured her it was for her own good.

And then, age 7, she found a Door to another place. And while that door didn't last, it wouldn't be January's last encounter with the Doors, and they, along with a book titled "The Ten Thousand Doors", would change her life forever, sending her on a journey to discover who she really is, and what the Doors really are.....and why Mr. Locke and his friends seem determined to do anything to stop her....
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Thousand Doors of January is a book that combines elements from many many past books into its story. You have the idea that there are doors that appears to many other worlds (ala classic portal fantasies), you have the idea of old people fighting against anything that threatens change from the status quo - to say nothing of racial oppression and inequality - you have the idea of love and growing up, you have the idea that writing is magic and power....etc. And it combines all of these elements into a truly terrific story, with this story told by its protagonist, January, from some point in the future, as part of a book (well, the book you're reading, of course).

And January is just so damn wonderful. This is her story, the story of her struggling with what is essentially captivity despite occasional glances at the outside world, and then her discovery of what else is out there, and the truth of who she is. And oh does Harrow make it so hard not to care for January, and to feel sad when she's sad, and to feel happy when she's happy. January is brave, adventurous, intelligent and creative, but despite the magic she finds herself involved in, she feels like a real person, which again makes her emotions so deadly to the reader - or at least to me - because while I mentioned this book does end on an optimistic note, the journey is far from fun and games and she goes through some really rough times.

Of course her journey is accompanied by a number of characters, some of whom are developed well, some less so. But the book devotes significant time to the story of two other characters, Adelaide and Yule Ian, who are characters in the in-universe book January finds (and perhaps more). And their stories are really well done, as a young woman who searches for doors constantly and a young man who grows up researching and trying to discover the truths behind the doors, for his own hidden purpose. It's a lovely story at first, until the truth of it comes out, to devastating emotional effect, but great payoff - the reader will figure out where it is going fairly quickly, but it doesn't blunt any of the effect.

The plot is really well done, juggling the story within the story as well as January's own story to really strong effect. Certain plot elements and twists you may see coming, but they're executed well and still had emotional impact and it all adds up to an ending that is pretty perfect - hopeful and yet bittersweet, so as to not make cheap any of the difficulties and hardships January endured in her childhood: this ending is earned and earned well. If I had any complaints, it's that the boy who comes along with January as her only friend isn't really developed as a person outside of January's orbit, although the twist in the ending perhaps kind of justifies that now that I think about it.

Yeah, I really really liked this one and recommend a purchase when it comes out.

4.5 stars

This book had a number of points that sort of felt slow to me. I don’t mean that to sound like a bad thing, but the majority of the story in the beginning felt like an introduction to most of the “main characters.” It felt like the plot moving forward really only started to happen around the 40% mark.

To be fair, the story was rather intriguing. I know I was entranced by the different narrative voices, and the information we were learning about Doors and a little bit about other worlds and such was fascinating.

Okay, so here’s what I found to be really cool about this story: part of it is told via a book that January is reading, and we get to read it as well. It is partly a story and partly a research paper/project, and honestly that storytelling element made this book stand out from others.

Besides, I love a good story about stories. And this one definitely had plenty of good stories to be entranced by. Plus, I think we’ve all at one point or another dreamed of going through a portal to some other place and this book definitely has the portal/doorway adventure element to the story done very well.

In the beginning we find ourselves learning about the characters and Doors and things begin to slowly develop and unfold. But as we get deeper into the story, we really see the elements of stories, of belief, of love, and most of all family grow and develop in such a powerful way. The prose is also lush and vibrant and beautiful.

This was definitely an impressive debut, and I look forward to seeing what Alix E. Harrow has in store for us readers with her second book.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this to review in exchange for my open and honest opinion.

I walked through this book languidly over days. I took my time sipping each chapter like the fine wine that it is. In the end, after I had finally poured myself through the last bit Harrow’s prose I had no other option to declare that this book was indeed magic: unadulterated, unfettered, otherworldly magic.

Books can change people. They can mold you like a sculpture, place you in a furnace, and you come out the other side different and altered. I have experienced this phenomenon a few times in my life. I think this is one of those times. I honestly have never read a book like this. From the first ten pages of the book, I knew that what I was in for was a different kind of experience entirely.

“Let this ignoble origin story stand as an invaluable lesson to you that a person’s beginnings do not often herald their endings.”

The main narrator of the story is January Scaller. We first meet her when she is seven years old. Small, slight, wild, and bright. All of the wrong things for the age in which she was born, but all of the right things for the main character you love.

“I was what Mr. Locke called an In-between sort of thing.”

At the beginning of the story, January discovers a door. It was a brief experience, but it left an inalienable impression. Books and doors and the adventures that lay betwixt them become the stories of January’s life. The narrative is told in the form of stories discovered by January and experiences directly lived by January. These moments and stories of discovery are interwoven so that at times you can not tell when the magic of January's personal experiences stops to begin the magic of one of her discovered tales. It sounds as if it would be jarring, but these stories flow like waves, from one into another. It is perfectly executed.

"Ade spent her childhood in exploration, crisscrossing through their seven acres as if she’d dropped something precious and hoped to find it again or, more accurately, like a dog on a short lead straining against her collar."

All I can say is that this is one of the most beautiful books I have read this year, might be ever. Harrow has a way of sentences that make the words dance with each other.

It was such a wonderful read and I cannot recommend it highly enough.