January Scaller lives as the ward of Mr Locke, a wealthy collector of fantastic items from other cultures, while her father roams the world in search of these objects. She’s not unhappy, exactly, but on the other hand her life is as restricted as one of the items in Locke’s collection: she is a singular oddity, reddish skinned, out of place wherever she goes.

One day, January finds a book entitled The Ten Thousand Doors. Instantly appealing to her huge imagination, it’s not long before she starts to wonder… what if this isn’t fiction?

Usually when a book comes with as much hype as this, I’d tend to shy away thinking it could only disappoint. But, the lure of the portal fantasy is strong, and I am so glad I went for this!

First, the few things I didn’t like: given the period setting (turn of the previous century), the treatment of women and those of colour is not good. I know it’s a big part of the plot, but I was actually tempted to abandon everything at the point where January’s autonomy is so utterly removed from her – apparently a bit of a trigger for me. But, stick with it.

And now the good: absolutely everything else! First the language: it’s got a poetry, but without being flowerly. I wanted to capture so many little quotes, just perfect turns of phrases and lovely descriptions. The period is captured very well, alongside all the more fantastical elements. The world building is excellent – who wouldn’t want to live in a world with Doors, all those possibilities and wonders and magic? And the story itself is enthralling: believably nasty baddies, a fierce heroine, strong supporting characters.

The Ten Thousand Doors of January is a rare beast: a book for adults that’s full of the wonder usually reserved for children, which catches you up in a whirl of story and possibility. All in all, a sheer joy to read – and very recommended!

What a great story! The Ten Thousand Doors of January transports you into different worlds on a trail of finding.

Love, being unloved, lost, trapped and despair, to optimism, searching, digging deep, finding strength, finding and coming home.

January Scaller learns the true story of her life, and her power to cross worlds through opening doors. With a dog as her sidekick, and what become two friends, January fends off a cult of Archeological Secret Society members who want to shut off and keep closed her family story, her life, and the opening of secret doorways forever.

A wonderful “Wordworker,” Alix E. Harrow provides descriptive warmth in her writing of worlds unknown, dark portrayals of harder times and trying to escape, and a longing search lead by love and longing.

Have I thought about stumbling upon a door to a different world more times than once? YES! That is what this book will do to you. It will make you dream of fictional worlds and not just Hogwarts, but every kind of world you have ever wanted to be a part of. I have felt involved and lost (in a good way), and my kinship with January Scaller runs deeper than any other character I have stumbled upon (at least in the recent past). This bundle of gorgeousness and magic lives up to the hype.

January Scallar, an odd colored girl is being raised by her benefactor Mr. Locke, a collector of antique objects and member of an Archeological society with hidden agendas and powerful secrets. Her father is employed by Mr. Locke in exchange for money and lodgings, his job is to travel to far off lands and collect expensive and one-of-a-kind objects for his boss. As a child, January found a door that opened to the land of seas but the door was promptly burnt down by her benefactor. Years later, she finds a book titled ‘The Ten Thousand Doors’, a journal of sorts that talks about these mysterious doors that connect different and diverse worlds, an escape of sorts but each door with a story to tell.

As January finds out more about these doors and their location, one outburst at the wrong place sends her to a mental asylum. The goal is to keep her away from all the information she isn’t supposed to know. But January soon learns that she is the child of two people inhabiting different worlds. Their story is beautiful and painful at the same time.

It takes a while to understand the concept of the book, even with an elaborate blurb. But as it starts making sense, it feels like a giant puzzle being solved inside your head. The author writes two stories, one within the other and each of them is full of adventure and dangers of its own. There are very few characters in this story and that is why I felt more involved. The protagonist and the antagonist emerge through their own story and it all converges at the end.

‘The Ten Thousand Doors of January’ is not an action-packed story. There are no battle scenes or strange magic being crafted, neither is the protagonist ‘the chosen one’. She is an ordinary girl, a reader like you and me who stumbles upon a secret and decides to reunite with her family by setting things right and facing the demons (not literally) she has been kept safe from. There are a lot of ‘reader’ references that filled my heart with joy. As readers we consider books to be an escape of sorts and the author combines this idea with the presence of actual doors waiting to be opened and newer worlds waiting to be explored.

Definitely recommended!

I’ve been utterly hyped to for MONTHS to be able to read The Ten Thousand Doors of January, even before the reviews started to pop up. There was something in the blurb that got to me. Also the beautiful cover, though, to be honest I’m not one for flowery designs. Then finally my time had come and I could finally sit down and give all of my attention to January and her Doors. I can say the hype is real, and while I absolutely enjoyed reading it, somehow it failed to completely enchant me. I’m not quite sure why yet, but I’m hoping to figure it out by the end I finish writing this review.

The story is set in the late 19th century and the early 20th century, in the relative calm between two storms – that is the rebellions of nations for freedom and the first World War (I wish historical background played a significant role in the story). January lives a sheltered life – as much as a young coloured woman can live such a life – in Locke House, under the wings of a wealthy man. With her mother dead and her father being away all the time to do Locke’s bidding by uncovering treasures and interesting artefacts, she is a pretty lonely child. She drives her nursemaids crazy, her best friend is the son of the owner of the grocery shop – and later Sindbad or Bad, the huge dog – and loves books.

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

On the surface she has everything – nice clothes, a roof above her head, a huge house to roam freely in which is filled with artefacts from all over the world like a museum, she has education and she travelled to a lot of places thanks to Mr. Locke’s business trips. But in reality she doesn’t have much besides the postcards sent by his absent father, Bad and the few gifts she finds in a box. She isn’t a slave, but she isn’t part of the society either, no matter what pretty clothes Locke dresses her in. He mostly dismisses her, but shows her around whenever he helds a party as one of his collectibles.

Things start to change when one day January finds a book in her box. A book about ten thousand doors. It tells the story of two starcrossed lovers and January is fascinated by it. Also, the presence of Jane, sent by January’s father to take care of her. They soon become friends and they find companionship in each other. But of course things start to go downhill from there. January has to learn how to stand up to herself and for others, how to come over hardships, what happened to her parents and what the Doors had to do with it.

“Doors, he told her, are change, and change is a dangerous necessity. Doors are revolutions and upheavals, uncertainties and mysteries, axis points around which entire worlds can be turned. They are the beginnings and endings of every true story, the passages between that lead to adventures and madness and – here he smiled – even love. Without doors the worlds would grow stagnant, calcified, storyless.”

At first it took me some time to adjust to the story within the story – when January started to read the book – becuase it felt a bit disjointed I guess, parly thanks to it being written in different POVs. January writes her own story in first person, while we learn about Yule Ian and Ade’s story in third person. About half way into the book we get a revelation, and it got me a bit worried if there will be enough room for a bit more build up to keep up the interest until the end. Fortunately there was still enough things going on for that, but I was left feeling a bit underwhelmed. It’s maybe because most plotlines were pretty predictable in general. Sure, there were a few small surprises here and there – Locke’s history for example – but nothing that left me thinking “Now, I didn’t see that coming.”

Many reviews praised the prose of Alix E. Harrow, and there I have to agree, she really does have a pretty prose and some great ideas. I liked the different worlds, and I’m a bit sad we didn’t get more of them. The focus was more on the characters rather than worldbuilding, however, I still found myself not caring about them too much. Sure, I was rooting for them to find each other or the answers they seeked, but didn’t feel as involved as I would have liked. I think the balance was a bit off between the love story, the Doors and January’s journey.

“Once we have agreed that true love exists, we may consider its nature. It is not, as many misguided poets would have you believe, an event in and of itself; it is not something that happens, but something that simply is and always has been. One does not fall in love; one discovers it.”

Even though I didn’t fell in love as much with The Ten Thousand Doors, I still recommend it for those who are looking for a heartwarming story about love, about never giving up and taking your life into your own hands. Harrow’s debut novel is absolutely worths the attention and I’m pretty sure she’ll be opening many Doors in the literary world in the coming years.

What would you do if you stumbled across a Door? Not a door, you understand. A Door. A portal to another place, another world, another time. That’s what happens to January. She’s young, adventurous, and a bit mischievous. But when Mr. Locke, her warden, hears of her Door, he warns her to be a good young lady, or face the consequences. So she does as she’s told.

Until one day a letter arrives. Her father is missing, presumed dead, and January’s need to find more Doors becomes a desperate need and desire. If she can find the right door, she may just find her father and unlock the secrets of her past.

The Ten Thousand Doors of January is an interesting take on a book within a book but also Doors within books. You move gracefully between times, places, worlds, and people. With that, Harrow explores attitudes towards race, as January is treated by Mr. Locke as some sort of novelty to be shown off to his peers.

There are some components of this book that I really enjoyed, particularly when January becomes an inconvenience to her warden and is carted off to an asylum so she can ‘rest’ for an undefined period of time. This was very much a reality for many women who maybe just did not fit in with their society’s expectations of them.

This is an ideal book for people who enjoy fantasy and books about books, as well as those who maybe looking for a book to curl up with on a rainy Autumn day.

I ended up DNFing this at 44%.
I was excited to read this. A book about Doors leading to different worlds? Sign me up. However this didn't work for me. For some reason the writing didn't click with me. Which was a surprise as so many people seemed to love the writing.
I expected a magical and atmospheric world. But I got neither. It was very slow paced. Which sometimes I love a slow build, this was not one of those times.
I was expecting January to go through Doors. Exploring magical worlds. I wasn't expecting to barely get doors and instead see January read a book about someone else and Doors.
I didn't want to DNF this but at around halfway it felt like a chore. I didn't care about any of the time periods. I didn't care for the characters. Waiting and carrying on in hope for some magical action with the doors wasn't worth it. Maybe I'll try again one day. Maybe audiobook is better. Who knows. I just know this left me disappointed.

January is the ward of the powerful Mr. Locke and remains largely his responsibility as her father travels around the world collecting (by whatever means necessary) exclusive items for their benefactor’s collection of artefacts and curiosities. She remains the well behaved, crown jewel of his collection until she discovers something that turns her world on its head.

This is a beautifully written, languidly paced story within a story. It is a slow burn, it isn’t a rapid page turner but it is a story that I sank into like a warm bath (with less sweat, dizzy spells, boredom and wet-book-anxiety). The characters are well realised, the magic and adventure feeds on that enduring, childlike desire to unearth some secret magic that’s all too common among us bookworms, there’s strong POC representation and it doesn’t shy away from the topics of race and colonialism (all too familiar in turn-of-the-century settings of this kind). There’s also a dog which earns any book immediate bonus points.

I loved it and if you, like me, still quietly (or not so quietly) long to receive that letter from Hogwarts, to slip unintentionally into another world or discover some secret magic to the universe... I think you might just love it too.

When we first meet January Scaller in the summer of 1901, she is just 7 years old. Her father works as a field agent for the wealthy Mr Locke, scouring the world for treasures. Mr Locke is January's ward, caring for her in her fathers absence as her mother is dead. He treats her well, offering her the luxuries her father could not afford. Mr Locke belongs to the New England Archaeological Society and his house is full of the treasures January's father and the other field agents bring back.
On a business trip to Kentucky with Mr Locke, January comes across a Door, standing alone in a field and when she steps through it, she finds herself in a different world. Mr Locke discovers her there and gets cross. When she goes back the next day to walk through it again and explore further, it is gone and a pile of ash is left in it's place. Over the coming years, January becomes less unruly, keen to please Mr Locke and be a good girl and she almost forgets about her experience with the Door.
When January is 17 when she find a tatty book in Mr Locke's Pharaoh Room called The Ten Thousand Doors, a book that describes other worlds, secret doors, love and adventure. It is from this that January learns about the Doors, about a woman called Adelaide and her search for love through the Doors and her explorations to different worlds.
I have to admit, although I found the writing beautiful, it was a little bit of a slow burner for me. The first third of the book is about setting up the world in which the story is based. I was eager for some action and adventure and soon I found I couldn't put it down! The attention to detail was wonderful: I was completely engrossed in January's world. The book is January's story but we also get to read the text of The Ten Thousand Doors and I really liked that we were learning about the magic behind them at the same time as January.
January is a likeable heroine - exotic and unusual looking, she is not sure where she fits in the upmarket society in which she lives and often feels lonely and isolated. But as the story progresses, she finds people who care for her and would do anything for her and I loved these friendships. There is Samuel, the grocer's son with whom she shares a love of books, her companion Jane who was sent to her by January's father and her loyal dog, Bad (short for Sinbad). I really liked that it was set in the early 1900s - it really added to the atmosphere of the book.
Full of adventures and excitement, this felt truly original, full of mythical creatures and magic, with one of the strongest heroines I have come across in a while! I really enjoyed this and Harrow has left it open for a possible sequel which I would be keen to read.

What a thrilling adventure this book has been. It’s a debut full length novel for the author and a truly magical fantasy, engagingly written and it had a huge impact on me.

It's a portal fantasy about exploring other worlds and finding your place in them. There is a moving side love story which I absolutely enjoyed, there are even two of them if you ask me.

I don't want to go into details of the plot, so I will focus more on what I loved and how this book made me feel.

January is such a great character, I loved seeing her grow and change and become her own person. There are lots of adventures, some dark undertones but no true horror elements.

At the heart of it for me this is a powerful story about love and wandering and storytelling. I feel I like I have highlighted most of the book, so many passages spoke to my heart - about the power of the words, the importance of change, the sense of (not)-belonging, love - between partners, in the family, among friends.

The first half was somewhat slow-paced, more about setting the stage and the second half was full of adventure and action. There were lots of twists and turns to plot and found myself unable to put the book down.

The writing is exquisite, it made me cry and broke my heart but also made me happy and hopeful. And that epilogue, it’s a thing of beauty.

CW (as per the author and my own interpretation of the text): Abuse - physical and psychological; manipulation; violence against animals; forced hospitalization in mental hospital; mind control; racism; sexism; self-harm imagery (without intent to self-harm); violence; colonialism.

From the blurb, this book sounds like it will be a little like The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, or The Magician’s Nephew, a story about curious children and magical doors, taking them from their stuffy house into different worlds where they find new and strange adventures. It sounds like the work of C.S. Lewis, or even something from Edith Nesbit’s Five Children and It series. Old fashioned and charming, magical and adventurous, reminding me of autumn evenings with a roast dinner and the Sunday evening family literary adaptation that the BBC used to do.

This book is so much more than that. There are recurring themes of ownership, of colonialism, freedom, and race amongst other things. Rather than being a flight of fancy to different worlds but returning home in time for supper, this book is grounded very much in this world, and the adventure is about escaping from the shackles imposed upon an individual by society. It’s a romance, of sorts, but not for the titular January.

There are two intertwining stories – that of January, and that of Yule Ian and Adelaide. January is trapped in the dubious care of Mr Locke while her father travels the world, left only with her own imagination and, eventually, a temperamental dog for company. Adelaide is a young girl from the rural southern states of America, who dreams of freedom and travel, and one day meets a strange black boy in her field, who appears to have come through a mysterious door. Yule Ian and Adelaide become besotted with each other on that one day, but then are parted and have to find their way back together. January reads their story when she finds the book The Ten Thousand Doors, and realises it has parallels with her own.

Set in the early 1900s in America, January describes herself as an “in-between” person. She’s black, but she’s also not because Mr Locke lends her credibility and a social “whiteness”. But she’s also not as dark as her father, she’s mixed race, and has been raised “white”, so when she’s around other black people she still feels like an outsider. The nature of the book means there’s a lot of talk of duality, of thresholds, and of two different worlds. These are dealt with both metaphorically and literally, and the fact that January’s struggle between what Mr Locke wants her to be and what she wants to be; what society sees her as and what she is; and her parents from two radically different worlds (particularly in the time and location) is played out alongside the driving plot really provides a wonderful thematic mirror.

I found the opening a little difficult to track, because it jumped between different ages of January for a bit, and I got a little muddled, but once January hit 17 and discovered the book things settled down and I was able to follow things because they generally tumbled chronologically together. I also found Yule Ian and Adelaide’s story easier to follow once it dropped the pretence of being an academic study and instead became a biography. Reading on a kindle isn’t the greatest for books which have footnotes, so it felt a little staccato until I passed that section.

One thing I found interesting was that, although we are given the impression that there are countless doors (ten thousand, in the book, being given as a number so big it is uncountable, and thus meaning infinite), Harrow doesn’t get distracted by describing all of them. January herself only actually goes through two in the narrative, although another character describes one in detail, and we hear snippets about others. The concept is easily one which could make a narrative more winding and unwieldy, so Harrow’s decision to keep the plot tight and focused really helps the book flow and not get bogged down in continually re-establishing the location. It also leaves things open for further exploration in a possible sequel.

While the book resolves itself and answers most of the questions pertaining to January, Adelaide, and Yule Ian, it leaves plenty of answers open for further investigation. What happens to Jane and Samuel? What about the rest of the Archaeological Society? Is January ever really free and safe? But despite leaving some threads slightly loose for picking up in the future, the book still resolves itself well and doesn’t feel open-ended. It feels poetic more than anything, with the light touch it’s given, and also thematic – the whole point of the book is that doors should be left open for future travels, so giving the plot a more definite ending would be counter to the message of the whole story.

I’ll admit at times I found January a little frustrating, as she seems committed to denying things which seemed obvious to me as a reader. It made sense for her character, and is narratively sensible, but at times it was maddening because it kept dragging her back into danger. This was a definite case of narrative irony making things a little agonising for the reader, but at the same time her hope and belief did make me wish that she was right, and that I had misunderstood what was happening. She was so earnest it made me want her to be right.

It’s really quite a lovely book, and everything is placed so delicately that it feels very gentle in its delivery. Harrow has a beautiful style which means that nothing seems overly described or laboured, she has faith in the ability of her reader to piece things together, and she doesn’t make a show out of big reveals. This means the narrative flows smoothly and is quite a pleasure to read.

Briefly:

- A book that is all at once expansive and personal, it has a sweeping love story that is handled with beautiful delicacy, and a tale of finding yourself and your personal freedom.
- While race is clearly not ignored in the book, it is also not the focal point. Harrow doesn’t pretend racism doesn’t exist in historical USA, but she doesn’t let that define or distract from her character’s story.
- This is a period book but it almost feels timeless, strangely distinct from worldly concerns and instead looking both more internally than daily life, and far further afield than simply planet Earth. It’s a strange balancing act, but it’s done very, very well.

Rating: 5/5 – I wouldn’t be sorry to spend more time with this book, but at the same time I also think the open ending works beautifully if no more books are forthcoming.

I saw a couple of rave reviews for this book and was able to get hold of it before it was archived on NetGalley. I was lucky to get access to the ARC but the review is completely based on my own reading experience.

Where should I begin? I could start with the fact that like a few others of its ilk, its a fantasy/sci-fi story wrapped within the cloak of historical fiction to add to the ambience. It is wordy in the way that the story draws strength from those descriptions (you have to have a personal taste for it though), despite that fact it is an easy read and I flew through most of it. I could even mention that while it is not one tale, it is not ten thousand either like the title might have you think. It is two stories in one, one of the past and one which we currently follow. January Scaller is almost a pampered pet of a rich white man. She is his ward technically but in every way she is subject to his rules. She is trained from a young age to brush aside anything that doesn't directly concern her well being. As she grows older, she chaffs at the secrecy. One day she gets her hands on a book, which hints at Doors, with a big D for more emphasis. It suddenly picks up speed after that and I think January would explain it better than I could. There is a callous presentation of how little the men in power thought of their actions in the 'weaker' parts of the world which they plundered and exploited, it is beyond January's capability to understand the situation since she has travelled only in the company of her guardian. 

There are two love stories in this, one more believable than the other. The older one did not impress its craze on me and I couldn't fathom the efforts that that story required for it to reach its goal. The second is slowly built on information and daily routine, making it more acceptable. It is the kind of book that you get swept away with (no pun intended) but when you reflect- as I had to before setting this review down, some things do not add up. It is a great book and as no website allows me to give a 4.5, I have to give it 4 stars out of 5.

I really look forward to what this author would write next!

The Ten Thousand Doors is a book made for people that love books about traveling to other worlds, parallel worlds through magical doors. I grew up reading the books of Narnia so this book, about a girl that discovers a book that tells her a tale about different worlds, about love, and the more she read the more will she will learn about herself.

This is a book that will make you wish you can find a door to step through and discover a new world. I quite enjoyed reading about January and her life as a ward to Mr. Locke and her yearning for her father who is out in the world gathering treasures for Mr. Locke. And, I definitely liked the chapters that dealt with The Ten Thousand Doors, the book that January found. Through the book did both January and I as a reader discover more about the doors and also about the truth of what is going on in the world. Because there is a danger, something is luring. Someone out there doesn't like the doors...

The Ten Thousand Doors is a book for those that love to read about magic, about love and adventure. For those that are looking for a good time. I enjoyed reading this book and I can't wait to read more books by Alix E. Harrow.

January Scaller is an oddity. A ward of the rich and powerful Mr Cornelius Locke, her father's employer, with skin the colour of cinnamon, she spends her childhood trying to be a good girl and conforming to the society of 19th century America. Until, aged 7, she finds a Door that opens onto a world smelling of sea brine and possibilities and is changed forever. Scattered among her world are Doors, all leading to different worlds and offering different adventures. But January soon finds herself locked in a world filled with unkindness and enemies that will do anything to destroy the Doors, with only a mysterious book to guide her.

I loved this. There's something so distinctly nostalgic about the magic, with it's mixture of portals and adventure that just calls to me. It's told over two separate perspectives, as January recounts her past, as well as by an unknown narrator of 'The Ten Thousand Doors', the book which January finds in a box within Mr Locke's collection. The way the two stories begin to intertwine is extremely well done, and neither story took anything away from the other, or slowed the pace. Instead, they serve to enhance each other - almost like two worlds colliding, or sitting beside each other - much like the Doors themselves, they bolster the magical feeling and give emotional depth to the stories. It's almost Ouroboros in nature too, and beautifully written with it, and makes me want to reread this all over again with my new perspective.

January is a wonderful heroine, with plenty of passion and exuberance to carry the story all by herself. She's willful, likeable, yet woefully repressed and lonely due to Mr Locke and the social constructs of being an 'odd' colour in a world that hates anyone who isn't white, privileged and powerful. To see her emerge as a strong woman, and grow into herself by her own means was wonderful to see. Her relationships with dog Bad, Italian grocery boy Samuel and 'maid' Jane are also well written and beyond the one dimensional. None of these characters are perfect, or morally all 'good', but each has a love for January that transcends worlds and allows her to carry on when she's at her lowest. Some of the injustices she faces during her story made me so angry, and I really cared about what happened to her. The romance elements to this are also minimal, touching yet sweet, and only further enhance January as a character. Love is used as a tool to being a better person, one who understands their own abilities and strength. I loved that.

January's relationship with Mr Locke is also complex and difficult to define. She's woefully naive as to his nature, constantly hoping to see the good in him, believing that he loves her as a daughter. From the outside looking in, the reader could come to a different conclusion, but January's feelings for him are understandable - if a little wrong and ultimately frustrating (in a good way) in my opinion. Also, the name. Mr Locke. Honestly, there's so many subtle nuances to this story it's unreal.

This wasn't perfect by any means. I wanted more time spent within the many, many different worlds and the various adventures that could have occurred here. It missed a few golden opportunities with regards to Jane and the cat-women in this respect. Also, some parts of the story are a little rushed and could have been slowed down to accommodate a break in the relentless pace during the second half of the book. In particular, within Arcadia. This was a place I wanted to explore more, and be expanded on, as well as have more details about Molly and her motley crew of forgotten/lost people. She seemed an absolute dynamite character. I also would have liked more time exploring the mysterious secret society and it's members. The ones we do see are incredibly unique and interesting, and I think this was a bit of a missed opportunity. However, the depth and warmth of the main characters and the magical portals just shines through. I admit, I cried several times because I loved these people so much, and on finishing I sat for a good ten minutes with a smile on my face. It was that special.

I would love the author to continue telling January's story, but this does sit perfectly as a stand alone. Magical. Adventurous. Beautiful. Do judge this book by it's cover.

I received this book from the publisher via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

I just loved this book! It’s a little slow at the start, but for me it was the good sort of cosy slow that means you feel wrapped up in the magic of the story.

You start getting to know January and her situation and that does take a little while to warm up. But once she’s grown and you start learning about her and get to the book in the book, it really starts to weave together so well. And when the action started I felt so connected to January and her story. I was cheering her on every step. Plus I wanted to hug her so much!

I found that there’s not really any twists in the sense of it’s laid out so you sort of see them coming, but that adds to the feel of it. The atmosphere is so strong in this book!

A strong 4.5 stars, I really recommend it!

The Ten Thousand Doors of January is a beautifully written book, the prose is wonderful, the writing a thing to sink into and let it wrap you up in the magical story it weaves.

Certain parts of the novel really stuck in my mind, our first encounter with a Door in the middle of a field was one of them. As the reader you really felt the mystery and anticipation of that moment and were just waiting for it to happen again.

The characterisations in this novel were wonderful as well, no one felt flat or two dimensional, they were all well fleshed out people with their own motivations and desires. I loved Bad as well (always a sucker for animals)

I was enamoured on page one. An absolutely beautiful ode to stories and words and other worlds. The only thing that brought the rating down for me was that I'm just not that big of a fan of stories within stories, which heavily featured in this book. Even still, a lovely novel.

Enter into January Scallar’s magical world! One that will wrap itself around you and envelope you in its heady fantasies. And admit it … once you see this cover, it just beckons to be opened!

January grows up in the care of the eccentric and arrogant Mr Locke at the beginning of the 19th century. He calls himself her ‘adoptive father’ while her real father, more often not, is off travelling to foreign shores to forage for exotic treasures that can then be shown off, auctioned off or disposed of in whichever way Locke and his cronies of the Archeological Society see fit. In other words, January’s father is actually a mere employee doing his boss’s dirty work, something that she comes to realise as she grows older and which impacts on her formative years as she comes to understand the values, attitudes and opinions of class and society.

Accompanied by her loyal dog, Bad and her ccompanion Jane, sent by her father to be herfriend and protector when he surely realised the hardships she would endure as she grew older, January embarks on a courageous journey to ‘elsewhere’ – a place she has yearned to venture to. It is an adventure fraught with danger and pitfalls but she’s determined to open that first door aand step through it, no matter what.

Harrow has attacked this ambitious project and triumphed! This multi-layered story is richly crafted with the artistic brush of one who knows exactly how to create something eenchanting. There’s adventure, love, betrayal, sweeping history and heaby doses of marvelous, magnetic magic!

This is a 5-star read to lose yourself in!

A Story of Magic, Other Worlds, Doors and Adventure

The Ten Thousand Doors of January is quite simply a gorgeous, imaginative and creative book that I absolutely loved. At its heart, it pays homage to the magical power of words to transport us to other places, not only as we would expect for ourselves as readers but also for the characters themselves.

Words are power in The Ten Thousand Doors of January, but this beautiful book is also a story of magic, other worlds and above all doors and adventure.

The story begins with the childhood of the main character, January Scaller, at the beginning of the 20th century. She is an almost orphan who has been more or less adopted by a wealthy collector of antiques and artefacts from around the world.

The household she lives in is similar to the house in Noel Streafeild's 'Ballet Shoes' but with much more mystery and much more money. Her father is alive but is a remote presence in her lonely life, being employed by her guardian to travel the world and discover rare treasures.

January doesn't fit in, but as she grows up she is drilled into propriety by her guardian, Mr Locke. He can't quite stifle her unique connection with words though, nor does he know about the book she finds called The Ten Thousand Doors. It tells the story of Adelaide Larson and her discovery of doors that are pathways to other worlds.

The knowledge she acquires from this book encourages her to seek out the truth for herself but the truth is dangerous and there are many others who are always one step ahead.

Some of my favourite parts of the book were the excerpts from The Ten Thousand Doors. It was magical and exciting and made me as well as January believe that doors do exist; that it is possible to travel from your own reality into another.

Doors are fascinating tools in literature. They can be symbols of change and new beginnings, but are also used as portals that lead elsewhere. Alix E Harrow has used them to create worlds that I highly recommend you step in to.

Many thanks to Tracy Fenton at Compulsive Readers and Orbit Books for inviting us on this Blog Tour. T

This is a beautifully constructed and written story about the creation of storytelling and its world. It's about travel through portals and fantasy spaces; it really draws you into the magical worlds of literary imaginations. It's about doorways, books, emotions, dangers, patriarchy, racism, love and character stereotypes - don't expect action and pace, this book explores and meanders along, but in a beautiful way and it's such a homage to books and readers. Don't let the slow start put you off, keep going as it becomes worth it. A great batch of characters, in particular: January, Samuel and of course Bad! This is certainly a beautiful book for us bibliophiles - happy to recommend.

This was a beautiful, compelling and highly original story that I absolutely adored. I loved books about traveling to different worlds when I was a kid so this book really appealed to me from the start. It’s a book that might be hard to review as I want to do the book justice but, at the same time, not give away any spoilers.

January was a fantastic main character who I warmed to instantly and I enjoyed following her throughout the book. She goes through a huge journey which was very interesting to follow her on. She starts off as quite a meek, sheltered little girl, but a few hard knocks and meetings with some mean characters soon rubs the naivety off her turning her into a confident women who’s able to stand up for herself. I actually felt very sad when I finished the book and had to leave her behind.

This book was beautifully written and so well constructed that it seemed like it could actually have happened. The author has an amazing imagination and it was wonderful to see the world she had created. She manages to build an intriguing new world whilst also including some great historical detail which makes the story seem real as the world seems familiar. It’s a lot of different genres mixed together which works incredibly well and results in one of the best books I’ve ever read!

Huge thanks to Tracy Fenton for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Orbit for my copy of this book via Netgalley.