Reviews tagging 'Slavery'

The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow

8 reviews

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

anastasiamakes's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful sad slow-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've really enjoyed all of the Harrow I've read so far and can't believe I waited so long to get round to this one which I think is my favourite of the bunch.

It's whimsical but dark, tackles important topics without feeling preachy, and made me cry happy tears.

I have so many quotations highlighted in this book, it's just so beautifully written.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Grief, Abandonment, Self harm, and Death of parent

Moderate: Blood, Racism, and Animal cruelty

Minor: Cultural appropriation, Colonisation, Gun violence, and Slavery

spineofthesaurus's review

adventurous emotional hopeful reflective

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Blood, Body horror, Classism, Colonisation, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Xenophobia, and Cultural appropriation

Moderate: Alcohol, Death, Drug use, Murder, Pregnancy, Torture, Ableism, Gun violence, Sexual harassment, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Slavery, Abortion, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Stalking

directorpurry'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? No

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Blood, Xenophobia, Racism, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Kidnapping, Confinement, Emotional abuse, and Animal cruelty

Moderate: Slavery

dariusmortee's review

adventurous dark emotional inspiring mysterious slow-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

Holy shit why haven’t I read this book sooner. It’s so good and magical and exactly in my alley. 

I would compare this book to The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern in vibes. 

Alix managed to write this book in a way I start to believe there may be actually Doors hidden in our world. It makes me want to go and explore, see if I can end up in different worlds, without minding the risk of ending up in a shitty one. I love how stories are woven through this book it makes it so much more magical. 

The Once and Future Witches was my first book by Alix E Harrow and I will absolutely read more if she decides to publish them. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Classism, Racism, Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Confinement, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Death of parent, Slavery, Gaslighting, Torture, Forced institutionalization, and Grief

saturnsierra's review

adventurous challenging dark tense slow-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

3.5

It was a very slow start for me, but the plot picks up around page 100.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm

Moderate: Blood, Misogyny, Racism, Classism, Colonisation, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Mental illness, and Slavery

starshine1's review

mysterious

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Forced institutionalization, and Animal cruelty

Moderate: Confinement, Racism, Sexual harassment, and Slavery

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