I received a complimentary ARC copy of The Ten Thousand Doors of January
by Alix E. Harrow from NetGalley and Redhook Books in order to read and give an honest review.

 Since tales of Narnia and Oz, stories about secret portals to other worlds have been embraced by readers young and old.  The idea of quickly transporting to new and exciting locations always seems to thrill us and the Ten Thousand Doors of January is no exception.  Author Alix E. Harrow beautifully crafts her debut novel to appeal to those who love to escape into the written word.  

The author introduces us to a young January Scaller who is intelligent, well-read and inquisitive.  Her father a treasure hunter of sorts has left January in the care of his employer a rather wealthy and well-respected collector, Mr Locke, after her mother’s disappearance. Being of mixed race at the turn of the century, January has always felt out of place in Mr Locke's social circle but Mr Locke and his money have always provided her with more than she needs. Well educated, well cared for and lavished with gifts, January has it all but is still unhappy. Her father Julian is always away hunting down artefacts for Mr Locke, leaving January alone much of the time. Although lonely and missing her father she has one friend, the local grocer’s son, Samuel who gives her a pup called Bad (Sinbad) so she never feels alone, cements their friendship which will endure time and the trials which lie ahead.  

January discovers a strange door, which, at the time she doesn’t realize, will change the course of her life forever. When a mysterious friend of her father, Jane, comes to assist Mr Locke in January’s care she gets the friendship of another woman. When she receives a mysterious book on her seventeenth birthday which delves into mysterious doors to new worlds and the intriguing adventures of Adelaid Lee Larson, she discovers much more than she bargained for.   When Mr Locke begins realizing that January is close to discovering a secret, a secret that he has kept at all costs, her kindly old guardian and his friends become her worse nightmare come true. Isolated from her friends and facing insurmountable odds, she realizes what true friendship is when her friends' rally around her and begin an adventure that will change their lives forever. 

Without giving too much away Ms Harrow has crafted an incredible novel that is full of intelligence, beauty, whimsy, tragedy and just pure entertainment.  Well-written, with unique multi-faceted characters and imaginative plotlines, this is perhaps one of my favourite reads of the year and I highly recommend it!

I really loved this book. I found it to be so engaging and creative. The world-building was fabulous and totally believable. I’m ready to keep my eyes open and watch for Doors.

4.5 Stars. This was a beautifully written book and so magical. Although it started out a bit slow for me, when the story picked up, I could not put it down. For anyone who dreams of magic and where you can find it as a child, this book will fulfill all those dreams. January was such a strong and well written main character. All of the other characters were so well thought out as well and fit the story well. I did not want to leave this magical world of doors and it will stay with me for a long time. Thank you to Redhook Books and Netgalley for the ARC.

https://paulspicks.blog/2019/09/09/a-creative-review-of-the-ten-thousand-doors-of-january-by-alix-e-harrow/

I have read so many great reviews of this book that I knew I had to read it… but I wanted to write something a little different. Below is my attempt.

Temerarious Orphan Girl, January

Has Found Secrets, and

Encountered Archeological Collections.



The Secrets of Doors

Harbored by Hidden Books

Ordered to Stay, Yet

Understanding that

Scrying Notes Will Open

Adventures and

Navigate

Danger!



Desperate Young Women

Operate in

Oppressively

Run Worlds…

Scrambling To The Doors.



Order and Propriety…

Fixed Lives, Found Families… Broken.



Just Replete with Beautiful Phrases!

Announcing a

New Author of

Unique Portal Fantasy…

Accessible and

Romantic.

Your Next Read Should Be…

The Ten Thousand Doors of January!

5 out of 5 stars!

Thank you to Orbit and the author for an advanced copy for review.

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!