Reviews tagging 'Cursing'

The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow

10 reviews

r_j_setser's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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 book destroyed my emotions and then repaired them as easy as one opens a door.

The Ten Thousand Doors of January is a deeply emotional coming-of-age novel with a splash of fantasy. While I can't say that it's an "enjoyable" read, it is definitely one that can play your emotions effortlessly and I have no choice by to give it five stars. The writing style is absolutely breathtaking, January is a unique and lovable main character who will always have you rooting for her, and the double time-line makes the plot very engaging. 

I never grew tired of the story or lost interest, but there were a few scenes where I had to step away and take a breath just because of the emotional intensity. This book got the closest to making me cry as any book has in a very long time. I will recommend it to anyone looking for a low fantasy, historical novel with a healthy dose of heartbreak and healing. 

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Classism, Forced institutionalization, Racism, Self harm, Blood, and Animal cruelty

Minor: Cursing

Content warnings:

Mild cursing. No on-page spice (only a couple of kisses). There are heavy themes of racism and classism (true to historical records) and some mildly detailed self-harm scenes. The forced institutionalization scenes span through a couple chapters and can be difficult to read at times.

craftysnailtail's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective 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

4.75

I can't get enough of Harrow's style of writing. Her metaphors and descriptions are like nothing I've encountered in writing before. Everything feels lyrical and alive. It's honestly difficult to move on after reading one of her books because it's like I have a book hangover, but in the worst way. I love the story and the characters, but what I can't move on from is Harrow herself. Her style almost ruins reading anything else after finishing a novel of hers.

Overall, I highly recommend this book just for Harrow's style alone, but it's also a fascinating plot with creative and well developed characters. Yes, it starts off rather slow, but that's extremely intentional. Yes, January feels frustratingly naive, but of course she is given her living situation. This book is all about adventure, imagination, and developing your own life's narrative. One of the top books I read all year and I recommend it to everyone!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Grief, Emotional abuse, and Self harm

Moderate: Child abuse, Colonisation, Confinement, Cursing, Death of parent, Sexism, Slavery, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, and Racial slurs

Minor: Abandonment, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, and Death

skbat's review

adventurous dark inspiring mysterious tense 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? It's complicated

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Animal cruelty, Grief, Gun violence, and Abandonment

Moderate: Torture, Murder, Death, Death of parent, Violence, Self harm, Animal death, Colonisation, and Racism

Minor: Sexual assault, Cursing, Fire/Fire injury, Misogyny, Pregnancy, and Alcohol

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.

---

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

marioosa517's review

adventurous dark mysterious 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? No

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Abandonment, Gaslighting, Medical trauma, Blood, Classism, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Racism, and Self harm

Minor: Death, Stalking, War, Cursing, Body horror, Alcohol, Child abuse, Gore, Grief, Animal cruelty, and Cultural appropriation

carbs4life's review

adventurous emotional inspiring reflective 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

5.0

I enjoyed the Harrow’s prose. It had a way of sucking me into this story and it wraps up nicely. Ten Thousand Doors is full of adventure and romance across worlds. The romance is contained to journal entries which I found quite effective and does not distract from the main direction of the plot. 

It is an imaginative and interesting story. One that I found myself thinking about when I wasn’t reading. I believe I’ll keep this book on my mind for years imagining the world that Alix Harrow built. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment

Moderate: Forced institutionalization and Racism

Minor: Animal cruelty, Blood, Cursing, and Confinement

meagangrace's review

3.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Blood, Self harm, and Violence

Moderate: Gun violence, Abandonment, Toxic relationship, Racism, Murder, Grief, Death, and Cursing

randiriel's review

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring tense 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

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Abandonment, Blood, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Grief, and Racism

Minor: Cursing, Murder, Pregnancy, Slavery, and Vomit

memoriast's review

slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Forced institutionalization, and Self harm

Moderate: Abandonment, Racism, and Violence

Minor: Alcohol, Animal cruelty, and Cursing

claudiamacpherson's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring 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

When January Scaller was young, she found a door to another world. As she grows up in the care of her father's wealthy benefactor, however, she is forced to squeeze herself into the role of sensible, obedient ward...until one day she finds a fantastical book that just might be true.

I had high hopes for this book (because I loved Harrow's <i>The Once and Future Witches</i> so much), and it did not disappoint! There was genuinely nothing I disliked about this story. The premise was sort of <i>The Magician's Nephew</i> meets <i>Inkheart</i> but also entirely its own. I loved the characters, not just January but all of the minor characters as well (and I would <b>love</b> spinoff stories about Jane or Samuel or any of the others!). I adore Harrow's writing style and her little asides and comments on words and letters throughout the story.

Even the ending was perfect, except for the fact that I wanted more!

Happy ending meter (no specific spoilers, just the general vibe):

Happy!

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Blood, Confinement, Cursing, Gun violence, and Self harm

Minor: Racism and Violence