Reviews with content warning for Gun violence - The Ten Thousand Doors of January

Read this because people compare it to “The Starless Sea”. I can see why and I see the similarities but Starless Sea is definitely my favorite out of these two.
This was a nice read. A lovely book about books and stories, adventures and different worlds. It has its dark moments but it fits into the book imo

Content Warnings

flyawaybooks's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous inspiring mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Content Warnings

waytoomanybooks's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

Harrow writes beautiful prose and excellently nails the desperate longing for something more that every young woman feels growing up in a world full of adults who make it their mission to squash their spirits. January, Ade, and Jane are brave and strong in the face of prejudice and heartache, and I can't help but sympathize with them on a rather personal level.

The concept of looking for an escape, a way out, a Door is deeply relatable. There is nothing more appealing to me than a door. Especially when that door is old, secluded, or has a special Something that has drawn me to it. I find it difficult to resist the urge to try to open every door I pass, and then I am left wondering what was behind it, even years after I've passed it by. It was so cathartic to see a character who is just like me in that regard, always asking questions and looking for answers.

If there was anything I'd say against it, it's that descriptions of events, people, places, etc. trailed on for too long until it felt as though I was reading a list of adjectives. She's also quite fond of the words "oil," "greasy," "shush," and "bronze." And the ending was rather abrupt.

Overall, I enjoyed this read. And it hits a lot of bullet points in my reading wheelhouse: female MC, historical settings, time travel, magical realism, secret doors/passages, and women on journies.

Content Warnings

elliebeemellie's review

Go to review page

adventurous dark medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

This book was terrible and lovely and exactly the sort of bittersweet adventure I wanted so badly as a child. The beginning was slow, but the writing turned lovely, and I loved the exploration of deliciously complicated character relationships. I can't say too much without spoiling bits of the book, but the story explores themes about love and abuse and neglect in really interesting ways.
.
.
“There's only one way to run away from your own story, and that's to sneak into someone else's.”

"Worlds were never meant to be prisons, locked and suffocating and safe. Worlds were supposed to be great rambling houses with all the windows thrown open and the wind and summer rain rushing through them, with magic passages in their closets and secret treasure chests in their attics."

Content Warnings

laurenleigh's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

This was kind of a weird one for me. I think I should have liked it more? It was a beautifully written and engaging story about the power of words and the magic of books, while also being a striking social commentary on power. Framing our world as one of many, so as to analyze its bizarre inconsistencies and wild prejudice? Brilliant. There were several sentences I’d want to underline and quote here if I had the space. And the narrator was good too! I think I just wasn’t in the right headspace, because I wasn’t as taken with this novel as I probably should have been. I’m going to read it again in print later. That’s why I’m still giving it 5 stars! Five stars means I want to reread. So even if I didn’t totally love this reading experience, I think it was me, not the book!

Content Warnings

heytherekaity's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

hello yes I LOVE this book!!!!!

do you like portal fantasies? have you ever wished the Wayward Children series were full length books instead of novellas? do you dream of a grown up version of The Magician's Nephew? because if so, WOW do I have the book for you!

The Ten Thousand Doors of January is an absolutely PHENOMENAL book and you should read it as soon as you possibly can!!!

and also Alix E. Harrow is one of my ALL TIME FAVORITE authors and somehow I ended up reading her debut THIRD (I read A Spindle Splintered first, then The Once and Future Witches) and OH MY STARS it's just SO GOOD! her writing style just really works for me and I wish she had at least ten more books for me to read RIGHT NOW! (but there will be more soon and I will wait. patiently. or at least attempting to wait patiently)

Blog | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest | Goodreads | Readerly

Content Warnings

More...