Reviews tagging 'Self harm'

Le diecimila porte di January by Alix E. Harrow

120 reviews

sparklefarm's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

Alix Harrow really knows how to surround me in a beautiful story, emotionally destroy me, and then knit me back together again, full of hope. I loved getting lost in The Once and Future Witches and The Ten Thousand Doors of January was no different. I listened to the audiobook (stellar, by the way) and yelled in my car more times than I have for any other book, I think. The characters are complicated and imperfect, and you root for them nonetheless. At times the plot was "predictable" but I didn't care because the storytelling itself was beautiful. The journey was enough. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm and Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Blood and Animal cruelty

carolined314's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Abandonment, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Self harm, War, Xenophobia, Violence, and Racial slurs

Minor: Pregnancy

thequiltyreader's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad 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

4.0

I really enjoyed this story. There are a number of back stories, while slow in places they tie nicely together in the end.

I loved the occasional exploration of using particular words, capitalisations and the general importance of words.

There are fleeting references to various other lands / worlds through the Doors and I would have loved it if these had been explored in some way.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Cultural appropriation, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Self harm, Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Blood, Classism, Bullying, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Murder, Violence, and Death

beccaand's review against another edition

adventurous emotional 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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Forced institutionalization, and Self harm

Moderate: Violence, Death of parent, Animal cruelty, Racism, Blood, and Abandonment

Minor: Xenophobia and Animal death

lswan's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious fast-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm

kleebo's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Animal cruelty, and Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Racism

thereadinghammock's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

4.25

While I usually enjoy meandering story telling and have no issues jumping back and forth between storylines within a novel, the pacing and format of January's chapters and Yule Ian's were so jarring for me and I found myself struggling for much of the first half of the book. Once the stories began to converge, however, I was all in. I LOVED being able to piece mysteries together just before they were revealed (sometimes a chapter or two ahead of January's revelations). As someone who often guesses wrong in "whodunit" stories, it makes me feel like an accomplished sleuth. I especially loved the emphasis on the power of words in this story. Between how January wrote as a storyteller, and the power they have as blessings within the City of Nin, such as tattoos marking life milestones and blessings stitched into ship sails.

I went into this book with high enough expectations to have been a bit nervous. I enjoyed Once & Future Witches, and my sister had finished this book before me and praised it as having a Starless Sea vibe (while still being quite it's own book). When someone compares a book to one of your all time favorites, the worry of disappointment is high. After a bit of a slow start, I was quite pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed TTDOJ!

<spoilers>I nearly cried at the Scaller family reunion on the pier. My heart breaking for Yule Ian, warring with the guilt of leaving his daughter behind, against his will, but reuniting with his wife after nearly 20 years apart. With Adelaide, letting him stew in his grief for just a moment, before gesturing to January and Bad, limping their way down the dock to celebrate the family reunion they never thought was possible. I also love the open door left for us, the reader, as January reveals her story is the one she wrote for Samuel, to help him remember. And I truly hope January is able to find Jane and write her a way home too.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Blood, Confinement, Abandonment, Animal cruelty, and Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Self harm, Gaslighting, and Classism

Minor: Misogyny, Stalking, Animal death, and Self harm

pythonesque's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Racism, Animal cruelty, Xenophobia, and Misogyny

Moderate: Blood, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Self harm, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail

jodieorange's review against another edition

adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm

serendipitysbooks's review against another edition

adventurous challenging mysterious 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? Yes

4.0

 The Ten Thousand Doors of January was a time travelling adventure fantasy. January was a fantastic character and I enjoyed seeing her triumph over evil and gain some agency in her own life. The imagery of doors was effective and I enjoyed the nods to the power of books. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Self harm, and Animal cruelty

Moderate: Racism