* I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.*.
There is so much about this book that is good. The writing is beautiful. The alternating time lines were interesting. Some more than others.
As with many lyrically written books, there are places where the language is a detriment to the story. The science of the doors seems to be more important than the doors themselves.
There are some beautiful quotes in this book and I would be willing to read another book by this author.
This book will definitely hit the mark for a lot of people but for me, it was a miss overall.

The world building alone in this novel was enough to suck me in. I was so captivated by the characters and the plot that I could not put this book down!

The Ten Thousand Doors of January - by Alix E. Harrow

Release Date: September 10th, 2019

ALERT: DESTINED TO BECOME A NEW MODERN CLASSIC!!

This is a fantastical story that weaves a book inside of a book, so it's two stories in one, and those stories intertwine in a really lovely way. One young girl, January, raised by a wealthy philanthropist, orphaned by a mother assumed dead and a father who travels the world for this "philanthropist" procuring rare items for his employment, is at the center of this story. January, leading a solitary and lonely type of life, missing her father, feeling resentful, one day happens upon a door. In fact, the story starts with her explaining that when she was seven, she found a door. From this very first chapter, I was charmed. Charmed by the character - her sense of adventure and longing. Later, she finds a book, which leads her on a massive journey. This story becomes an adventure, with January on a quest, to enter multiple doors, in search of ...... (can't give you spoilers!) Besides January's point of view, we also read the diary-type book she's found along with her, in alternating chapters, which is so much fun - who doesn't love a book within a book?

If you'd like to taste this wonderful first chapter, click on the following link:

https://www.orbitbooks.net/?s=the+ten+thousand+doors+of+january


This book was generously given to me ahead of publishing by NetGalley in the form of an E-book. I really wasn't reading much in that format, until I became a NetGalley reader and was given 30 plus e-books to enjoy (most pre-release date).

I've pre-ordered this book because I will one day re-read it, and just look at the lovely cover!

This book was a fabulous 5-star read, it has already become one of my all-time favorite reads, for all of the following reasons: great lovable characters, fantastic story-telling, beautiful writing, and great plot. I highly recommend that you step over the thresholds with January, and may you never fall into the void that is in-between worlds.

Lushly imaginative, gloriously unrepentant, and invoking equally the importance of escape and resistance, Alix E. Harrow's The Ten Thousand Doors of January is the kind of book that changes how you look at the world.

January, the book's titular herione, lives what might seem like a charmed life in the sprawling mansion of her absent father's wealthy patron. Inside, though, she struggles against the ever-tightening bonds of what is expected by her keeper and the society he keeps, as well as the literal Society he heads--a group of anthropologists who may have more sinister intents than they let on. As a young girl she finds a Door that seems to lead to another world, but soon buries the experience under the attentions of a strict governess.

As January reaches her sixteenth birthday, she receives an anonymous gift of a book which seems to be an adventure story about another world--a world that sounds suspiciously like the one she visited. As she reads, events come to a head, and everything changes.

What I enjoyed most about this?
* Portals!
* An inner frame narrative with overtones of LeGuin's
* Female characters who don't take people's crap
* A narrative about depression that doesn't blame the sufferer
* Creepy villains
* So much lovely description!
* Okay pretty much everything, honestly

Alas, I eventually reached the last page, but I had a smile on my face the whole time getting there. This book is a must-read for anyone who likes portal fiction, empowering stories with young women protagonists, beautiful prose, or just a damn good story.

The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow is one of the most amazing books that I have ever read. This book is like an adult fairytale, something that I savoured as I went to bed each night. I had to take my time with this book because I knew that if I devoured it too quickly, I would end up depressed that I didn't stop and enjoy it. The Ten Thousand Doors of January has become one of my favourite books. The writing is enchanting and beautiful. It is simply a perfect book.

This book magnificently twists two stories together that take place in the late 1800's and early 1900's. It begins in 1901 on a business trip with her guardian, when January Scaller steps through a Door into another world. January forces herself to forget her brief escape into another world as she continues to grow up as the ward of Mr. Locke, a very wealthy collector of unique items. January's father is usually travelling around the world for his job as curator for Mr. Locke.

January has few friends growing up. She is a person of colour, and in this era she is not wholly accepted aside from her association with Mr. Locke. Her only friends are Sammuel Zappia (the grocer's son), Sinbad (her giant and ill-tempered dog), and Jane (a hired friend by her father). Despite her wonderful upbringing, January, never feels content and always dreams of going on an adventure.

One day, January finds a book in an antique box of Mr. Locke that tells the story of another girl who finds Doors. She becomes restless for something new and exciting. When Mr. Locke tells her that her father has died on one of his trips, he formally asks her to join the Archeological Society that kept her father away. January refuses and decides to leave the Locke house and find a life of her own, but there are people out there that want to keep her reigned and use her.

This book is so special. The characters are all so well-written. The imagination that went into this book translates beautifully on to the page. I could go on and on about this book, but I fear I would give something away. Reading this book is a pleasure.

I received an e-galley of this book in exchange for my honest review.

*3.75 Stars*

Trigger warning: book contains instances of asylums and cutting but the cutting is not for self-harm puposes

This was a really interesting book and I deeply respect how Alix E Harrow has responded to questions about the book on Goodreads in regards to racism etc.

"The Ten Thousand Doors of January" does not flinch away from depicting how truly insidious and pervasive racism is-- the people January encounters are not quite sure if she's a maid, a pet, or something else altogether (but as someone who is white-passing please pay more attention to the comments of people who are not). It is incredibly interesting but also heart-breaking to see January slowly realise that her family's benefactor considering her and her skin tone 'unique' exists only exists with January and her father's total obedience.

Harrow did a really nice job interweaving all the separate narratives and the world-building's emphasis on language is beautiful. I think some bits of the story could have been tightened up a bit, but overall it was a really interesting story! I think it is so important to have people from non-marginalised groups not shy away from racism and its many forms and Harrow did this admirably.

This was one of the most unique books that I have read in some time. January lives in a mansion with Mr Locke as her father traverse's the world as a historian and goods finder for Mr Locker. Things begin to unravel for January as she discovers the book that her father left behind for her and finds out about the doors. She begins a journey to find her parents and is at peril with her group of friend's and a huge dog known as bad for protection. I loved the idea of parallel worlds and believe that the idea was well developed throughout this novel.

😍😍 loved this. It reminds me of The Wayward Children series a little, which I adore. The prose is flowery in just the right way for me, at first I thought I wouldn’t like that the narrator speaks directly to the reader, but in the end I got it and thought it worked so well. I enjoyed the cast of characters and the way Doors worked in this.

Also the cover is ridiculously gorgeous.

Definitely recommend for fans of portal fantasy in general, flowery prose (reminds me a little of Strange the Dreamer in that aspect), adventurous strong girls, and historical fiction.

Wow! The Ten Thousand Doors of January is a lyrical letter written to book lovers everywhere, reminding us to never stop hoping and to never lose our imaginations or our voices.

Alix E Harrow takes us on a magical journey through different worlds that end up coming around full circle. Journeys to other worlds is why people love to read and Harrow does a fantastic job with the delivery.

Often with descriptive books I find myself skimming. That did not happen with this book. There were so many beautiful passages that I found myself going back a second or third time to reread them to try and absorb more of their beauty. I rarely reread books, but this would be one I definitely want to read again because I know I would get more out of it with each reading.

It’s hard to say much about the story because I feel it would give too much away. The way Harrow has all the stories and people intertwined is a fantastic feat. In ways it reminded me of Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell, but easier to understand. Instead of trying to be philosophical like the Cloud Atlas and making me confused, The Ten Thousand Doors of January made me feel loved and cherished.

This is a must read for all the book lovers of the world.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book had debuted to overwhelmingly positive reviews, and it is indeed a very readable historical fantasy set mainly in southern and western United States. If that appeals to you then you'll love this book. I can see why many readers perceive it as a YA fantasy, as the heroine is a teenager and her sections of the book are narrated in first person - with a fairly shameless steal from N. K. Jemisin in the slowly developing second person address, but hey if you're going to steal, then why not steal from the best. Although the comparison with Jemisin is interesting in a way - at no point while reading the Broken Earth trilogy was I under the impression that I was reading a YA book, and largely that was because Jemisin is a consistent and confident stylist. Harrow is not - the style veers wildly from almost whimsical and fey, to much more straightforward plot-driven action sequences. I don't mind the mishmash, but it's also perhaps a sign of a debut author working out the kinks of her prose.

Overall, the novel is zippy, earnest, and promising as a first book. I will look out for what the author comes up with next.

5 out of 5 starts to Ten Thousand Doors of January

Honestly if I could - I would give it more stars because this is a book I never knew I needed in my life. It left me on the floor, in the puddle of my own tears, unable to tell my husband exactly why I was crying.

Ten Thousand Doors of January is a story of January Scaller - an in-between girl, a wild child, a mixed race child who has never fit into the world of neat order and rules of the 1900’s. Brought up by an older rich man (while her father is way hunting treasures for him), she has only ever known a life of privilege and comfort. Yet she never ever felt like she belongs, she feels like a bird in a cage and when her father goes missing, January finds a journal explaining where she comes from and her world is turned upside-down.

I wasn’t sure about the book at first - mainly because it’s about a mixed raced girl who seems oblivious to Mr. Locke’s (to me obvious) racism and sexism. It’s always upsetting to read that someone could actually think and believe in superiority of one race over another. Yet I continued with the book, it made sense for the time period. And I am so glad I did. January turns out to be a shining beacon to the in-between girls, strong, smart, loving and kind she takes her own life into her own hands; she does not need a knight to rescue her. Despite the odds being against her, she never gives up, never allows herself to be beaten. It is a book about finding family and love and about loss and most of all about the need of this world to have all of us here to make life richer.

Miss Harrow (or is it Mrs?) has absolutely blown me away. The novel is written in such lyrical and captivating language that I honestly found it very hard to put down. It absolutely blows my mind that this is a debut. I will be on the lookout for her future books.

I would recommend this to anyone who liked The Broken Earth Trilogy by N.K. Jemisin, Uprooted by Naomi Novik, The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden, and Circe by Madeline Miller. If you like a STRONG female character - this is a book for you.

January lives a sheltered life as a ward to a wealthy man who employees her father to go on expeditions across the world finding rare objects. One day she finds a book that explains there are doors that lead to other worlds and includes a great love story. She believes in the doors because she found one when she was a child.

This book felt a fairy tale. One that deals that the reality of racism and sexism while also having wanderlust and magic powers. All the characters are compelling and it's fast paced.

This was a very emotional story. This novel is about a lonely girl who finds a magical book and gets lost in many stories. The novel is very well-written and lyrical. I really loved January. She was a very lonely girl who longed to have friends. There were some violent scenes but overall was a powerful novel with a message that focuses on the theme of inner strength and self-discovery. I recommend this fans of The Garden Spell, Love in the Time of Cholera, and The House of Spirits. Full review to come!

Summary
January lives in a large mansion full of mysterious treasures from around the world. But despite the luxuries her guardian, Mr. Locke, has provided, January never stops feeling out of place. Her father is constantly traveling, looking for new treasures, and she is left alone.
One day, she finds a book hidden inside a secret chest. The book tells the story of mysterious doors to other worlds and a love story for the ages.

“It is at the moments when the doors open, when things flow between the worlds, that stories happen.”

Overview
This is told in letter format to an unknown recipient from January's POV.
Content Warnings: Racism, Death of a parent, Abuse, Abandonment

“It’s a profoundly strange feeling, to stumble across someone whose desires are shaped so closely to your own, like reaching toward your reflection in a mirror and finding warm flesh under your fingertips. If you should ever be lucky enough to find that magical, fearful symmetry, I hope you’re brave enough to grab it with both hands and not let go.”

What I Liked
1. Alix E. Harrow's writing is out of this world beautiful. I was pulled into this magical world and never wanted to leave. By the end I couldn't believe this was a debut novel - I can't remember the last time I was swept up by such beautiful prose. And I don't want to get this misconstrued as "flowery" writing. Harrow doesn't waste time overly describing unnecessary scenes (although there is a lot of talk about the scent of things). But the descriptions she does use are captivating that it feels like you are getting pulled through a magical door yourself.
2. This concept and world were so unique and alluring. Every time we "visited" a new world I wanted to know everything. Every world was different and fully fleshed out. They had their own histories and people and cultures.
3. The commentary on modern society and culture was woven so perfectly throughout this. While it was set in the early 1900's the parallels to today's world were definitely there. But never did it feel heavy handed. Harrow let both sides speak for themselves.

What I Didn't Like
1. There was nothing about this book I didn't love (hence the 5 star rating).

“May she wander but always return home, may all her words be written true, may every door lie open before her.”

I did want to mention that this book is not an action-based story. This is, at it's core, a love story to readers. It is character and world driven. It's a commentary on society and modern culture. If you're looking for a quick moving, action filled plot, this is not the story for you. But if you want deep, developed characters, rich, complex worlds, and some of the most beautiful prose, this will most certainly not disappoint.

This is a beautiful historical magical realism book that I found hard to put down. Doors open to other places and different places await.

This book is amazing. It was hard to follow at first as the chapters in the beginning had the narrative of multiple individuals you aren't acquainted with yet, but once you establish that it's so easy to get sucked into the magic of this book. The characters are likeable and at times tragic while following along a unique fantasy tale you begin to wish were true. The concept of worlds within hard to find doors is so cool and the villains shocking! Must read book for sure.

An epic tail through worlds full of beauty and mystery. Sone parts were slow but it overall it is a well crafted, unique and wonderful ride.

All of the buzz I've heard about this book up until this point seems to be 100% correct. I absolutely loved this book.

But before I go into why I loved it, can we talk about that cover?? As of right now, I don't know that the cover has been finalized, but...can we just go ahead and do that? This wins. Full stop. It's beautiful! As soon as I saw the cover on Net Galley I knew I needed to try to get this book. And honestly, you guys...the story lives up to the promise I feel is made by a beautiful cover.

So, the synopsis given by the publisher is this:

In the early 1900s, a young woman embarks on a fantastical journey of self-discovery 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.
Lush and richly imagined, a tale of impossible journeys, unforgettable love, and the enduring power of stories awaits in Alix E. Harrow's spellbinding debut--step inside and discover its magic.

As promised, this book is capital 'L' Lush. I cannot believe that this is a debut novel. Harrow writes like someone who has written, I don't know, TEN THOUSAND stories before. Her ability to tell a story is something really wonderful to bear witness to. It reminds me of a combination of Cornelia Funke's Inkworld series combined with Clive Barker's Imajica and Weaveworld (to my mind that is very high praise indeed since I LOVE every one of those books). I actually struggled to complete my college-assigned readings because I didn't want to put this book down. The characters and the worlds she built are beautiful, complex, and truly wonderful. I fell a little bit in love with January, and most especially with Bad.

My determination: 5 out of 5 arbitrary items of rating. This book is slated for release on September 10 - exactly 1 month. Go buy it - you won't be disappointed. Honestly, I'm going to buy the physical copy myself because I already feel like I want to re-read it when I finish school next month.

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 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.

I think it's possible I may have loved this book, with its florid self-awareness and confident unreality. But...books and people find each other at the right times...or they don't, and I'm too consumed with a personal situation involving my soul pup, the love of my life, to have any relevant takeaway other than: The dog was treated as a friend, which I appreciate deeply.