The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow
The Ten Thousand Doors of January
Author: Alix. E. Harrow
Genre: Fiction
Format: Digital (Kindle Purchase)
Publish Date: September 2019
Read: July 2021
Favorite Quote: Perhaps I keep writing because I was raised in a world where words have power, where curves and spirals of ink adorn sails and skin, where a sufficiently talented word-worker might reach out and remake her world. Perhaps I cannot believe words are entirely powerless, even here.
Story Synopsis: Upon opening this book, I couldn’t have given you any inkling as to the plot or characters, but now, this book found a place in my heart. Set in 1901, the story focuses on January, a curious, temerarious young girl of unknown origin. In the early 20th century, being ethnically ambiguous was dicey at best, so January lives a sheltered life in Vermont. As she reaches the end of her teenage years, she finds a book titled The Ten Thousand Doors and soon learns more than she ever thought possible about herself, her family, the doors which lead to other doors, and the group bent on the destruction of those doors.
Thoughts & Feelings: The Ten Thousand Doors of January is one of those books that crossed my path, and I thought, “oh, this looks cool,” and I promptly forgot about it. Most book lovers agree that you read the book you need at the right time. This book was no exception. After returning to this book that lay dormant on my Kindle, I opened it one day and fell through one of the doors.
I enjoyed the quick pace of the book and the short chapters (long chapters be damned!). January is instantly likable, and you root for her happiness throughout.
The only thing I questioned was… what’s next? On the one hand, I loved that the book ended with, forgive the turn of phrase, an open door. On the other hand, I’m desperate to get back to January and more of her adventures!
Rating: 5/5