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4.06 AVERAGE
4.06 AVERAGE
LOVE LOVE LOVE.
Had such a great time reading this book and following the journey of January. Such a beautiful book and reminder to stay wild and free.
Had such a great time reading this book and following the journey of January. Such a beautiful book and reminder to stay wild and free.
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
I don't know why but I have been wrapped up in a lot of portal fantasies recently and this one really hit the mark.
The characters were well rounded and I really enjoyed the premise of the different worlds. The ending was great and I was genuinely surprised by the reveal of January's parents. I should have put two and two together but I am not great at picking up on clues, apparently.
The characters were well rounded and I really enjoyed the premise of the different worlds. The ending was great and I was genuinely surprised by the reveal of January's parents. I should have put two and two together but I am not great at picking up on clues, apparently.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
adventurous
reflective
I started reading this and I couldn't put it down anymore. Wow. This was so well written in every way! It takes a lot of skill to write a book set in 1900 that doesn't alienate the reader in 2025. And wow, the storytelling, everything. Very warmly recommended.
emotional
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:
No
It took a little effort to stop mentally referencing The Starless Sea; but I got there and was able to enjoy the story as the separate wonderfully written entity that it is.
Spoilers:
The ever so dangerous enemies that pursue January are all too easily taken out and the demise of the Founder is a disappointing use of deus ex machina.
I was disappointed that after all the effort to lead us down the path of January's self realization and education about the doors, that we were not taken along the ride for a while exploring new worlds.
Spoilers:
The ever so dangerous enemies that pursue January are all too easily taken out and the demise of the Founder is a disappointing use of deus ex machina.
I was disappointed that after all the effort to lead us down the path of January's self realization and education about the doors, that we were not taken along the ride for a while exploring new worlds.
(Content Warnings at the end of this review, so fair warning for minor spoilers there)
I don't know how to describe this book in a way that does it justice - it is breathtaking. I am a sucker for anything that could be described as a "love letter to stories" and this book absolutely deserves that praise. For me, this book also evoked the combination of magic & hardship of CS Lewis' Narnia series.
It shows us the true meaning of family (including found family), the value in finding yourself & learning what strength lies dormant within you, the power of storytelling, and the importance of finding magic in the world (perhaps literally, but I'm mostly speaking figuratively here). What it means to finally feel safe, and what it means to then leave that safety to find something new.
Alix Harrow is a wonderful writer, I was swept away and she made me laugh, cry and shout throughout the book. I also have to praise the choice of cover illustration (by Lisa Marie Pompilio) because this is absolutely a book you can judge by its gorgeous cover.
I will now cover content warnings for those who find them helpful, so fair warning that there may be minor spoilers below here:
**Content Warnings**
- animal abuse
- bereavement (including death of a parent)
- child abuse & neglect
- mistreatment/abuse relating to mental health
- self-injury
I don't know how to describe this book in a way that does it justice - it is breathtaking. I am a sucker for anything that could be described as a "love letter to stories" and this book absolutely deserves that praise. For me, this book also evoked the combination of magic & hardship of CS Lewis' Narnia series.
It shows us the true meaning of family (including found family), the value in finding yourself & learning what strength lies dormant within you, the power of storytelling, and the importance of finding magic in the world (perhaps literally, but I'm mostly speaking figuratively here). What it means to finally feel safe, and what it means to then leave that safety to find something new.
Alix Harrow is a wonderful writer, I was swept away and she made me laugh, cry and shout throughout the book. I also have to praise the choice of cover illustration (by Lisa Marie Pompilio) because this is absolutely a book you can judge by its gorgeous cover.
I will now cover content warnings for those who find them helpful, so fair warning that there may be minor spoilers below here:
**Content Warnings**
Spoiler
- animal abuse
- bereavement (including death of a parent)
- child abuse & neglect
- mistreatment/abuse relating to mental health
- self-injury