Status
Available
Call number
Publication
Redhook (New York, 2019). 1st edition, 1st printing. 384 pages. $27.00.
Description
In the early 1900s, a young woman embarks on a fantastical journey of self-discovery after finding a mysterious book. 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.
Media reviews
Harrow’s novel will hold strong appeal to readers who enjoy portal fantasies featuring adventuresome women.
User reviews
LibraryThing member electrascaife
When January was a young girl, she found a door that opened to another world. But Mr. Locke (her father’s boss and essentially her surrogate father, since her own dad spent almost all his time traveling the world looking for treasures for Mr. Locke’s collection) severely punished her for having
An excellent idea for a story, and the world(s) building is nicely done. I enjoyed the book just fine, but I fell just shy of *loving* it, mostly because the characters felt a little flat. I was interested in where the story was going, but I never felt fulling invested in the people involved. Still, a fun read.
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such fanciful thoughts, so she put it out of her mind and went on with the business of growing up. Now, at 17, she’s told that her father is dead, and things begin to happen to and around her that make her return to the idea of worlds behind doors…An excellent idea for a story, and the world(s) building is nicely done. I enjoyed the book just fine, but I fell just shy of *loving* it, mostly because the characters felt a little flat. I was interested in where the story was going, but I never felt fulling invested in the people involved. Still, a fun read.
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LibraryThing member CJ82487
I had high expectations for this book and I'm not sure if listening to it influenced my reaction or if it just didn't live up to my hopes. I wasn't really invested in the characters, they just fell a little flat for me. I was also a little bored and for some odd reason that I can't quite explain, I
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kept on reading. There were many times I almost threw in the towel, but kept on reading to see where the story went. The action did finally pick up about halfway through the book, but there were still a lot of unanswered questions. I'm still unsure how these alternate worlds and doors work exactly and what exactly was the point of so much of it. I think the problem was also that I was reading The Starless Sea at the same time and this one fell to the wayside in comparison. If it weren't for the action picking up and staying fairly fast paced from that point on, I would've only given 2 stars because in the end, it wasn't a book for me and was ultimately forgettable. Show Less
LibraryThing member streamsong
January had an odd childhood. She is the reddish colored ward of a very wealthy collector of rare and magical-ish objects. Her father is one of his chief collectors, away for years at a time in search of the spectacular. Her mother, she is told, is dead. Eventually, she is told the same about her
She has one friend, a delivery boy. Soon they are kept apart altogether except for furtive waves from her mansion’s windows.
But then January discovers the power and magic of words.
And she also discovers there are hidden doors between very, very odd universes and her own. The ancient doors are not quite hidden as legends, fairy tales and myths spring up around them.
Chased by evil and those who want to destroy the doors, January undertakes the quest of finding doors and discovering the truth behind her parents’ stories.
I loved the writing and the world building. And I especially loved the ending which I thought was the most magical part of the whole story.
4.5 stars
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father.She has one friend, a delivery boy. Soon they are kept apart altogether except for furtive waves from her mansion’s windows.
But then January discovers the power and magic of words.
And she also discovers there are hidden doors between very, very odd universes and her own. The ancient doors are not quite hidden as legends, fairy tales and myths spring up around them.
Chased by evil and those who want to destroy the doors, January undertakes the quest of finding doors and discovering the truth behind her parents’ stories.
I loved the writing and the world building. And I especially loved the ending which I thought was the most magical part of the whole story.
4.5 stars
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LibraryThing member Alliebadger
Beautifully written, fully engrossing story that doesn’t just step into the magic of other worlds - it also shows the racism, sexism, and classism of America in the 1900s through the eyes of a young girl of color finding herself on the journey. In the author interview, she describes the book as
“I hope you will find the cracks in the world and wedge them wider, so the light of other suns shines through.”
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“turning portal fantasies inside out” and I love it. “I hope you will find the cracks in the world and wedge them wider, so the light of other suns shines through.”
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LibraryThing member aadyer
A good but not brilliant take on portal fantasy set in Kentucky and rapidly moving away from that into other worlds and times. The world building though appears shallow and whilst the thought of late Victorian secret societies and conspiracies should appeal, it doesn’t quite take off. Although it
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may be seen as a deeper character study and perhaps, a commentary on the ills of this type of fiction, it doesn’t quite succeed. Show Less
LibraryThing member krau0098
This was one of my most anticipated books of the year and to be honest I was pretty disappointed. I know I am going to be in the minority on this one, but while I thought this book was okay, I didn't love it. It starts very slow and takes a long time to get going.
The story jumps between January's
This book is slow, especially in the beginning. Eventually things do come together and the story gets more exciting and engaging. However, this isn't really an action-packed book and I never really engaged with the characters. It is full of some beautiful prose and description but I found jumping between the two stories to be a bit jarring.
For some reason this just wasn't as beautiful, as creative, or as magical as I had been hoping for. I think I was hoping for something more on the level of Catherynne Valente's beautifully written "The Girl Who" series or something more creative and engaging like Seanan McGuire's "Wayward Children" series. I just expected something...well...more.
What I got was a story about doorways in between realities that felt like something I've read before. I kept feeling like I've seen pieces of this story in other books and movies. It just was too slow moving and not cohesive enough.
I almost set this aside about 150 pages in, but decided to forge ahead. It does get better about a third of the way in. There is a bit more adventure and magic at that point. However, I found this to be somewhat disappointing overall...it's not awful...it's just not the amazing read I felt like I was promised.
Overall this was one of my most disappointing reads for the year. I went in expecting a lot and felt like not much was delivered.
The story jumps between January's
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day to day life and a book she is reading "The Ten Thousand Doors". January is being kept fairly secluded in the mansion of Mr. Locke, who serves as her caretaker while her father is out collecting treasures for him. January eventually finds a book called “The Ten Thousand Doors” in an old trunk, what she reads in there makes her set out on an adventure unlike anything she could have imagined.This book is slow, especially in the beginning. Eventually things do come together and the story gets more exciting and engaging. However, this isn't really an action-packed book and I never really engaged with the characters. It is full of some beautiful prose and description but I found jumping between the two stories to be a bit jarring.
For some reason this just wasn't as beautiful, as creative, or as magical as I had been hoping for. I think I was hoping for something more on the level of Catherynne Valente's beautifully written "The Girl Who" series or something more creative and engaging like Seanan McGuire's "Wayward Children" series. I just expected something...well...more.
What I got was a story about doorways in between realities that felt like something I've read before. I kept feeling like I've seen pieces of this story in other books and movies. It just was too slow moving and not cohesive enough.
I almost set this aside about 150 pages in, but decided to forge ahead. It does get better about a third of the way in. There is a bit more adventure and magic at that point. However, I found this to be somewhat disappointing overall...it's not awful...it's just not the amazing read I felt like I was promised.
Overall this was one of my most disappointing reads for the year. I went in expecting a lot and felt like not much was delivered.
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LibraryThing member Jonez
3.0
I flew through the first 56 percent of the book effortlessly. It seemed somewhat original as far as plot elements were concerned and I really liked the writing style. I picked it back up a day later and I just barely got through it. Suddenly it became a fairly predictable and drawn-out slog. I
I flew through the first 56 percent of the book effortlessly. It seemed somewhat original as far as plot elements were concerned and I really liked the writing style. I picked it back up a day later and I just barely got through it. Suddenly it became a fairly predictable and drawn-out slog. I
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wish I could say I loved this one. I had high hopes. Unfortunately, I can only give this a slightly better than meh, rating. Show Less
LibraryThing member seeword
I started it yesterday morning, I finished it yesterday at eleven pm, it's three hundred and eighty-four (384!) pages long. Need I say more?
I need to get it back to the library, the wait list is growing.
I need to get it back to the library, the wait list is growing.
LibraryThing member Kathl33n
This. was. so. good. Seriously. So, so good. If you love an epic tale, filled with magical realism and abounding imagination, then run out and get this book. If you love a tale filled with emotion and the hurtful, raw edges that come with grief and lost love, then run out and get this book. If you
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love a tale that leaves you yearning to spend more time with all the amazing characters you just met, then run out and get this book. You absolutely will not be disappointed. Many, many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy; the opinions are my own. Show Less
LibraryThing member tamidale
I love the cover of this book! When I opened it and began reading the story, I was pleased to see the story was every bit as amazing as the cover. Alix E. Harrow presents readers with an imaginative story that is jam-packed with adventure.
The story centers around young January Scaller, who lost her
As January grows older, she finds a strange book that was left in an old trunk. Between the pages of the book and the events that begin to take place in January’s life, she makes some interesting discoveries about herself and her family.
The cast of characters in the book is wonderful and diverse. Jane, a woman employed by January’s father to look after her, turns out to be much more than a companion. She has a unique background that ends up being crucial to January as she gets older.
Then, there is Sinbad, January’s faithful and fiercely protective dog. He is one of those special dogs with the extraordinary ability to sense danger and dangerous people. Sinbad was a gift from January’s longtime friend, Samuel, who takes on a larger role as the story progresses.
This was a wonderful mix of magic, villains, adventure and relationships. Reading it brought back old memories of fairy tales I loved as a child. This is a coming-of-age novel, but one that readers of any age will enjoy. I’m hoping for a sequel. I highly recommend this to readers with a sense of adventure and a love for fantasy.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Redhook Books for allowing me to read an advance copy and give my honest review.
The story centers around young January Scaller, who lost her
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mother at an early age. Her father found work for a wealthy antiques collector, who was also willing to let January live with him as his ward while her father travels on business. It’s a situation that almost seems too good to be true.As January grows older, she finds a strange book that was left in an old trunk. Between the pages of the book and the events that begin to take place in January’s life, she makes some interesting discoveries about herself and her family.
The cast of characters in the book is wonderful and diverse. Jane, a woman employed by January’s father to look after her, turns out to be much more than a companion. She has a unique background that ends up being crucial to January as she gets older.
Then, there is Sinbad, January’s faithful and fiercely protective dog. He is one of those special dogs with the extraordinary ability to sense danger and dangerous people. Sinbad was a gift from January’s longtime friend, Samuel, who takes on a larger role as the story progresses.
This was a wonderful mix of magic, villains, adventure and relationships. Reading it brought back old memories of fairy tales I loved as a child. This is a coming-of-age novel, but one that readers of any age will enjoy. I’m hoping for a sequel. I highly recommend this to readers with a sense of adventure and a love for fantasy.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Redhook Books for allowing me to read an advance copy and give my honest review.
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LibraryThing member jmoncton
This book is an odd mix of fantasy and historic fiction. It's early 20th century New England - January Scaller and her father live with the wealthy Mr. Locke, an eccentric collector of rare artifacts. January's father is an adventurer who travels the world to find strange artifacts for Mr. Locke's
The story is creative, entertaining and a very fun read. The book seems targeted for an adult audience, but I think it would be perfect for YA fantasy. It comes out in a few weeks, and it's definitely worth considering for fantasy fans.
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collection. She doesn't quite fit in to the upright high society of Mr. Locke both in appearance and in nature and she feels more like one of the strange artifacts Mr. Locke has on display. Then she discovers a book that tells a long and fantastical story about other worlds and it's her story. The story is creative, entertaining and a very fun read. The book seems targeted for an adult audience, but I think it would be perfect for YA fantasy. It comes out in a few weeks, and it's definitely worth considering for fantasy fans.
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LibraryThing member Watry
Disclosure: Free egalley, Netgalley, honest review.
Imagine Seanan McGuire's Wayward Children meets The Eyre Affair meets a sort of reverse Inkheart meets a whole lot of probably-a-metaphor. I won't waste your time with summary, but what a synopsis can't tell you is the immediacy of Harrow's
Yes, there were characters I wish had more screen time and development (namely Jane and Samuel), and I wouldn't be terribly surprised if those characters got their own novels later on, though there's plenty of closure. And there were several reveals I saw coming chapters ahead of time. But I didn't care.
Imagine Seanan McGuire's Wayward Children meets The Eyre Affair meets a sort of reverse Inkheart meets a whole lot of probably-a-metaphor. I won't waste your time with summary, but what a synopsis can't tell you is the immediacy of Harrow's
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writing, and how much they can convey about a character in very little time. There were parts of the book I read like I watch horror movies, because Harrow made me care so much. Yes, there were characters I wish had more screen time and development (namely Jane and Samuel), and I wouldn't be terribly surprised if those characters got their own novels later on, though there's plenty of closure. And there were several reveals I saw coming chapters ahead of time. But I didn't care.
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LibraryThing member nicx27
I freely admit that fantasy isn't really a genre that I am often drawn towards but The Ten Thousand Doors of January caught my eye for two reasons: one is it has a stunning cover and the second is that I was intrigued by the idea of what was behind those doors, popping in and out of other
The January of the title is January Scaller and we follow her from childhood through to almost adulthood. Whilst her father is off scouring the globe for treasures for Mr Locke, January is looked after at Locke House. I say looked after but she was paraded when it suited Mr Locke and the rest of the time hidden away. Not much fun for a child.
However, she finds a variety of items that give her some comfort, one of which is a book entitled The Ten Thousand Doors. That, along with discovering her first door, leads to many further discoveries which completely change January's existence.
I really liked how January was so feisty, fighting back against every shackle that was holding her back. She is gifted a dog, (Sind)Bad, and what a lovely friendship they have. In fact, all the characters are well-portrayed in this book and are such interesting creations.
I think I was expecting January to find doors, go through them, have an adventure and return home, something relatively lighthearted and fun. Instead this is a darker, more emotional story of family, friendship and hopefully the triumph of good. Along with January we read a story within the main story and in that way we discover so much about her past at the same time she does.
The Ten Thousand Doors of January is a book for fantasy lovers, for those who like to immerse themselves in different worlds, but ones which are not so very distant from our own. I enjoyed some parts more than others but I think it was a well-written and inventive story.
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worlds.The January of the title is January Scaller and we follow her from childhood through to almost adulthood. Whilst her father is off scouring the globe for treasures for Mr Locke, January is looked after at Locke House. I say looked after but she was paraded when it suited Mr Locke and the rest of the time hidden away. Not much fun for a child.
However, she finds a variety of items that give her some comfort, one of which is a book entitled The Ten Thousand Doors. That, along with discovering her first door, leads to many further discoveries which completely change January's existence.
I really liked how January was so feisty, fighting back against every shackle that was holding her back. She is gifted a dog, (Sind)Bad, and what a lovely friendship they have. In fact, all the characters are well-portrayed in this book and are such interesting creations.
I think I was expecting January to find doors, go through them, have an adventure and return home, something relatively lighthearted and fun. Instead this is a darker, more emotional story of family, friendship and hopefully the triumph of good. Along with January we read a story within the main story and in that way we discover so much about her past at the same time she does.
The Ten Thousand Doors of January is a book for fantasy lovers, for those who like to immerse themselves in different worlds, but ones which are not so very distant from our own. I enjoyed some parts more than others but I think it was a well-written and inventive story.
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LibraryThing member markon
The ten thousand doors is a portal fantasy, set primarily in the late 19th century USA. The main character, January, is left as a child with her father's employer, Cornelius Locke, in New England while her father travels the world looking for artifacts for Mr. Locke's collection and the
At age 7 or so, January finds a door to another world while traveling with her “guardian,” who calls her back to this world, and tells her she's making up stories when she truthfully answers his question about where she was. Her growing up becomes a struggle between how Mr. Locke wants her to behave (and can force her to behave), and what she is actually interested in.
I liked January's story. I kept reading to find out more about the doors and how she gets away - she has to get away! I also liked the way words could create reality for her, and Yule Ian's (Julian's) idea that doors are necessary for growth & development, connecting them to change in human society versus stagnation/permanence.
However, I didn't like the alternating points of view. January's story was much more compelling and intense than the 2nd point of view (Ten Thousand Doors: being a comparative study of passages, portals, and entryways in world mythology). The 2nd story enriches the first, but is not necessary to it. I also had trouble switching from one point of view to the other and back while reading.
In fact, I was so interested & invested in January's story that I stopped reading the secondary pov about 1/3 of the way through. It was only after I'd finished January's story that I could go back and read the secondary story.
And I'm ambivalent about the use of race in this story, or rather, what seems to me to be the mention of skin color without thinking about what attributes society ascribes to people based on their skin color.
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archaeological society he heads.At age 7 or so, January finds a door to another world while traveling with her “guardian,” who calls her back to this world, and tells her she's making up stories when she truthfully answers his question about where she was. Her growing up becomes a struggle between how Mr. Locke wants her to behave (and can force her to behave), and what she is actually interested in.
I liked January's story. I kept reading to find out more about the doors and how she gets away - she has to get away! I also liked the way words could create reality for her, and Yule Ian's (Julian's) idea that doors are necessary for growth & development, connecting them to change in human society versus stagnation/permanence.
However, I didn't like the alternating points of view. January's story was much more compelling and intense than the 2nd point of view (Ten Thousand Doors: being a comparative study of passages, portals, and entryways in world mythology). The 2nd story enriches the first, but is not necessary to it. I also had trouble switching from one point of view to the other and back while reading.
In fact, I was so interested & invested in January's story that I stopped reading the secondary pov about 1/3 of the way through. It was only after I'd finished January's story that I could go back and read the secondary story.
And I'm ambivalent about the use of race in this story, or rather, what seems to me to be the mention of skin color without thinking about what attributes society ascribes to people based on their skin color.
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LibraryThing member kimkimkim
January Scaller was seven years old when she found a door, a blue door, but it was to take her time to realize that when doors open, things flow between the worlds and stories happen (my spin on the author’s words).
It is the earliest part of the twentieth century. January is a “willful,
Open the door, step through, don’t get caught in the Threshold, they are dangerous places, “you can’t hesitate or doubt. You can’t fear the in-between” because it can lead you to a white city by the sea where all the questions are answered or no answers are to be found. But “There was no room .... for little girls who wandered off the edge of the map and told the truth about the mad, impossible things they found there.”
This is a breathtaking book about the strength to look through the cracks in the world, and the ability to embrace the magic
Thank you NetGalley and Redhook books for a copy.
It is the earliest part of the twentieth century. January is a “willful,
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temerarious” young girl. She is also an oddity, an item in her guardian’s collection . Something is off about the whole arrangement between January and her guardian and her surroundings, Locke House, Vermont. Clues are parceled out but it takes a long time for things to jell. There is a strong undercurrent of maintaining the status quo by whatever means are necessary. There is an equal force of discovery and allowing whatever may come next. There is profound intolerance and racism.Open the door, step through, don’t get caught in the Threshold, they are dangerous places, “you can’t hesitate or doubt. You can’t fear the in-between” because it can lead you to a white city by the sea where all the questions are answered or no answers are to be found. But “There was no room .... for little girls who wandered off the edge of the map and told the truth about the mad, impossible things they found there.”
This is a breathtaking book about the strength to look through the cracks in the world, and the ability to embrace the magic
Thank you NetGalley and Redhook books for a copy.
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LibraryThing member Aronfish
I was in the mood for an escape and got it in this wonderful book. The writing is beautiful and atmospheric, which is something I really enjoyed. The injustices and class/race issues in the plot made it one of the more interesting fantasies, although it can be read on a different level as a fine
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adventure story! Show Less
LibraryThing member Archakr
I laughed. I cried. I rejoiced. I grieved. I went through Doors with my heart on my sleeve.
LibraryThing member Narilka
I hope you will find the cracks in the world and wedge them wider, so the light of other suns shines through; I hope you will keep the world unruly, messy, full of strange magics; I hope you will run through every open Door and tell stories when you return.
In 1901, seven-year-old January Scaller
I have been putting off writing this review because I have had trouble putting into words how this book impacted me. This felt more like an experience than just reading a novel. It has been a long time since I've felt so absorbed in a book where I truly believed, for a short time, that I might be able to open a door and unlock the mysteries of a world. Some of that feeling is with me still, a week later.
January is a likable character, a bit on the wild side even though she's been taught to be a "good girl," and felt very real. I found her fairly relatable. Her dog Bad is absolutely adorable and a wonderful companion. Harrow's writing is beautiful, very lyrical. Given the setting, themes of racism, sexism and classism are woven in yet handled gracefully. They are there but I didn't feel beat over the head by them. The book isn't without its faults but they weren't enough to impact my enjoyment of the story. The ending is quite beautiful and left me more than a little teary eyed.
I was completely swept away by January's journey of books within books, mysteries within mysteries, worlds within worlds. I look forward to rereading this in the future.
...my long years of research have taught me that all stories, even the meanest folktales, matter. They are artifacts and palimpsests, riddles and histories. They are the red threads that we may follow out of the labyrinth.
It is my hope that this story is your thread, and at the end of it you will find a door.
In 1901, seven-year-old January Scaller
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found a Door standing alone in a field. In a single moment January's life is changed forever when she walks through and finds herself briefly in another world. Running home with a story of her discovery, January's experience is dismissed by her guardian as the fancies of a young girl and encouraged attend to her lessons and forget such childishness. It isn't until many years later when January discovers a book, The Ten Thousand Doors, that her childhood experience is brought back in a new and dangerous light, one that will send her on a journey to discover the truth.I have been putting off writing this review because I have had trouble putting into words how this book impacted me. This felt more like an experience than just reading a novel. It has been a long time since I've felt so absorbed in a book where I truly believed, for a short time, that I might be able to open a door and unlock the mysteries of a world. Some of that feeling is with me still, a week later.
January is a likable character, a bit on the wild side even though she's been taught to be a "good girl," and felt very real. I found her fairly relatable. Her dog Bad is absolutely adorable and a wonderful companion. Harrow's writing is beautiful, very lyrical. Given the setting, themes of racism, sexism and classism are woven in yet handled gracefully. They are there but I didn't feel beat over the head by them. The book isn't without its faults but they weren't enough to impact my enjoyment of the story. The ending is quite beautiful and left me more than a little teary eyed.
I was completely swept away by January's journey of books within books, mysteries within mysteries, worlds within worlds. I look forward to rereading this in the future.
...my long years of research have taught me that all stories, even the meanest folktales, matter. They are artifacts and palimpsests, riddles and histories. They are the red threads that we may follow out of the labyrinth.
It is my hope that this story is your thread, and at the end of it you will find a door.
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LibraryThing member Carolesrandomlife
What a fantastic book! I knew that this book was going to be special on the very first page. There is just something about the way that it is written that really pulls the reader into the story. I was completely captivated and didn't want to put the book down for any reason. I am so glad that I
January lives in the home of a wealthy businessman, Mr. Locke. Her mother is gone and her father works for Mr. Locke searching the world for treasures which means he is rarely around. She doesn't quite fit in but tries to be what Mr. Locke wants her to be. Her only friends are a local boy named Samual and eventually, a big mean looking dog, she names Sinbad but always addresses as Bad. January finds a book, The Ten Thousand Doors, which she knows is meant for her. The book alternates between January's story and the story told in her book. Both stories were completely compelling. I was completely amazed by the story January's book held as its true origin was revealed.
I loved January! She was tough and resourceful. She tried really hard to do what was expected until she realized that may not be her best option. She never gave up and she cared greatly for those around her. I also really loved how her dog, Bad, was a big part of the story. Bad had great instincts and was fiercely loyal to January. I was really impressed by how completely his personality was developed.
This is a fantasy and one that was very well done. I loved the idea of these magical doors that allow individuals to travel from one world to another. The descriptions were so well done, I almost felt like I could smell the air along with the characters. I thought that the author did a fantastic job of incorporating fantastical elements into a historical story in a manner that seemed completely plausible.
I would highly recommend this book to others. I loved the journey that I took with January in these pages. There were surprises, some heartache, a few moments of pure joy, and some precious hope. I will definitely be looking out for future books by this incredibly talented author!
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took a chance and decided to give this book a try.January lives in the home of a wealthy businessman, Mr. Locke. Her mother is gone and her father works for Mr. Locke searching the world for treasures which means he is rarely around. She doesn't quite fit in but tries to be what Mr. Locke wants her to be. Her only friends are a local boy named Samual and eventually, a big mean looking dog, she names Sinbad but always addresses as Bad. January finds a book, The Ten Thousand Doors, which she knows is meant for her. The book alternates between January's story and the story told in her book. Both stories were completely compelling. I was completely amazed by the story January's book held as its true origin was revealed.
I loved January! She was tough and resourceful. She tried really hard to do what was expected until she realized that may not be her best option. She never gave up and she cared greatly for those around her. I also really loved how her dog, Bad, was a big part of the story. Bad had great instincts and was fiercely loyal to January. I was really impressed by how completely his personality was developed.
This is a fantasy and one that was very well done. I loved the idea of these magical doors that allow individuals to travel from one world to another. The descriptions were so well done, I almost felt like I could smell the air along with the characters. I thought that the author did a fantastic job of incorporating fantastical elements into a historical story in a manner that seemed completely plausible.
I would highly recommend this book to others. I loved the journey that I took with January in these pages. There were surprises, some heartache, a few moments of pure joy, and some precious hope. I will definitely be looking out for future books by this incredibly talented author!
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LibraryThing member LisCarey
In the early 20th century, January Scaller is a rather odd young girl, living in the luxurious mansion of Mr. Locke, a collector of strange artifacts. She sometimes wonders if she's one of those artifacts, but her father, Julian, works for Locke as a researcher and obtainer of those odd artifacts.
January is lighter-skinned, and again, people have no idea how to categorize her. When she travels with Mr. Locke, she mostly more or less passes for white. On her own, no. She wants to be with her father, but he says it would be too dangerous. Mr. Locke is kind, but very much wants her to be A Good Girl. Mostly she tries, but at root she's an adventurous girl, and smarter than is fashionable. Her only real friends are Samuel, the Italian grocer's son who does the deliveries to Locke House, and Bad, a.k.a. Sinbad, the dog Samuel gave her, that she was able to keep by means that become important later.
We get January's story, living in Locke House and sometimes traveling with Mr. Locke, while trying to be more independent than he wants her to be, alternating with her reading from a book, The Ten Thousand Doors, written by someone who says he's a scholar who has been researching portal doors, doors that will take you from one world to another world. January found this book in a trunk where she often finds what she thinks are gifts from Mr. Locke, after Mr. Locke had take her on a trip to Kentucky, where she took an unauthorized excursion of her own, and found a door to a a seaport city that was clearly not in this world. Locke had caught up with her and dragged her back, and then destroyed the door--but now she has this book that tells her these things really happen.
This found book tells the story of Ade Larsen, a young woman who as a girl met a strange, dark-skinned boy with whom she instantly forms a connection. Then he has to go home, and she has to--and a man arrives between that event and their planned next meeting, and buys those back acres from Ade's aunts, and promptly destroys the door he came through. It takes a while, but Ade can't forget that boy, and eventually sets off on a search to find another door into his world.
Meanwhile, January grows and learns more about Mr.Locke, his New England Society of Antiquarians, and what they're really about. And what they really employ her father for.
Along the way, she starts to learn something about where she's really from,and what she's capable of.
I really, truly loved this book and every part of it. The characters, the language, the story.
Highly recommended.
I bought this audiobook.
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Julian, it should be noted, because in this setting it's very relevant, is not white. He's very dark-skinned, but no one can place exactly where he's from, and he never says. He also has an accent no one can quite place.January is lighter-skinned, and again, people have no idea how to categorize her. When she travels with Mr. Locke, she mostly more or less passes for white. On her own, no. She wants to be with her father, but he says it would be too dangerous. Mr. Locke is kind, but very much wants her to be A Good Girl. Mostly she tries, but at root she's an adventurous girl, and smarter than is fashionable. Her only real friends are Samuel, the Italian grocer's son who does the deliveries to Locke House, and Bad, a.k.a. Sinbad, the dog Samuel gave her, that she was able to keep by means that become important later.
We get January's story, living in Locke House and sometimes traveling with Mr. Locke, while trying to be more independent than he wants her to be, alternating with her reading from a book, The Ten Thousand Doors, written by someone who says he's a scholar who has been researching portal doors, doors that will take you from one world to another world. January found this book in a trunk where she often finds what she thinks are gifts from Mr. Locke, after Mr. Locke had take her on a trip to Kentucky, where she took an unauthorized excursion of her own, and found a door to a a seaport city that was clearly not in this world. Locke had caught up with her and dragged her back, and then destroyed the door--but now she has this book that tells her these things really happen.
This found book tells the story of Ade Larsen, a young woman who as a girl met a strange, dark-skinned boy with whom she instantly forms a connection. Then he has to go home, and she has to--and a man arrives between that event and their planned next meeting, and buys those back acres from Ade's aunts, and promptly destroys the door he came through. It takes a while, but Ade can't forget that boy, and eventually sets off on a search to find another door into his world.
Meanwhile, January grows and learns more about Mr.Locke, his New England Society of Antiquarians, and what they're really about. And what they really employ her father for.
Along the way, she starts to learn something about where she's really from,and what she's capable of.
I really, truly loved this book and every part of it. The characters, the language, the story.
Highly recommended.
I bought this audiobook.
Show Less
LibraryThing member wyvernfriend
It's an interesting story but I somehow wanted more.
It's a story of a teenage girl who discovers that her life isn't as simple as it seems and that people have secrets that could cost her her life or her sanity. That girl is January. January lives with Mr Locke as his ward while her father
It's a story of a teenage girl who discovers that her life isn't as simple as it seems and that people have secrets that could cost her her life or her sanity. That girl is January. January lives with Mr Locke as his ward while her father
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adventures around the world for Mr Locke. She finds a book that tells a story that turns out to be her story and her life will never be the same again. It's a story about doors and other worlds and love and it was enchanting. Show Less
LibraryThing member jmchshannon
What a lovely, lovely story. The writing is gorgeous. Each sentence is quote-worthy. The story is creative and inspiring as well, in my opinion. January is such a great heroine – fighting against gender expectations and racism to save herself. The doors as instruments of change and progress may
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not be a new concept to fiction, but I think Harrow does it well because she never eliminates the possibility of magic. I found the entire novel a true pleasure to read from start to finish. Show Less
LibraryThing member JenniferElizabeth2
Wild and beautiful; a gorgeous testament to words and magic and beauty.
LibraryThing member rivkat
In early 20th century America, mixed-race January is raised in the house of a wealthy collector while her father searches for more rarities for him. But when her father disappears she discovers there’s much more to it than that—the collector is interested in Doors to other worlds, and it turns
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out that January can open those doors. As a secret society hunts her down, January has to learn how to survive and love in a world that favors the white and wealthy. I found the writing repetitive at the sentence level and not particularly compelling, but it would definitely be possible to enjoy January as a welcome addition to the plucky girl heroine genre—especially since she’s not always plucky; sometimes people with power over hurt her and she gives in for a while before figuring out what to do next. Show Less
LibraryThing member indygo88
January Scaller has grown up under the primary care of Cornelius Locke, a well-to-do collector of unique items. Her father, employed by Mr. Locke, is frequently traveling to various parts of the world in order to acquire new items for Mr. Locke's collection, and she rarely sees him. One day, at a
This is a book that covers several genres -- magical realism, fantasy, action & adventure, familial secrets -- and it's easy to fall under its spell. If the beautiful cover art doesn't suck you in, the story itself likely will. It's not a flawless book, and I think there was potential for it to be even more than it was, but it was a great escape, and I found myself continuously wanting to return to it after I'd put it down. If you're looking for a story where you can escape into a world of magical adventure, this might be the one for you.
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young age, January discovers a door in the middle of a field which gives her a glimpse into another world. Unfortunately, circumstances don't allow her to explore further, and the door is largely forgotten until 10 years later, when she discovers a book amongst Mr. Locke's items. Within the book, January uncovers a world, or many worlds, waiting to be explored, if only she can find the doors which lead to them. This is a book that covers several genres -- magical realism, fantasy, action & adventure, familial secrets -- and it's easy to fall under its spell. If the beautiful cover art doesn't suck you in, the story itself likely will. It's not a flawless book, and I think there was potential for it to be even more than it was, but it was a great escape, and I found myself continuously wanting to return to it after I'd put it down. If you're looking for a story where you can escape into a world of magical adventure, this might be the one for you.
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Awards
Hugo Award (Nominee — Novel — 2020)
Nebula Award (Nominee — Novel — 2019)
Audie Award (Finalist — Best Female Narrator — 2020)
Locus Award (Finalist — First Novel — 2020)
Mythopoeic Awards (Finalist — Adult Literature — 2020)
World Fantasy Award (Nominee — Novel — 2020)
British Fantasy Award (Nominee — 2020)
Compton Crook Award (Nominee — 2020)
IAFA William L. Crawford Fantasy Award (Finalist — 2020)
Dragon Award (Finalist — Science Fiction Novel — 2020)
NPR: Books We Love (2019)
Los Angeles Public Library Best of the Year (Fiction — 2019)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2019-09-10
Physical description
384 p.; 6.5 inches
ISBN
9780316421997