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4.06 AVERAGE
4.06 AVERAGE
adventurous
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
adventurous
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
adventurous
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:
Yes
First note: This book has footnotes, which I did not realize because of the nature of my ebook formatting and I feel deeply betrayed. So consider this a warning: there are footnotes, find them. Missing footnotes is a great tragedy and should be prevented when possible.
Second note: It's difficult for me to speak about this book in a meaningful way. Reading it was challenging for me but I'm almost certain that that is because this final quarter of 2020 has destroyed my attention span along with so much else. I kept reading because I felt that I probably liked it, I probably liked it very much. But as with so much else about this year, the waters are a bit muddied.
All that said, this book is the examination of portal fantasy that I have been waiting for. At this point, I've read a lot of portal fantasy "for adults" and this was the first one that really worked for me. Harrow discusses the hopes and the risks and the need for escape inherent in the genre with a clarity and a precision that I found delightful.
This book also talks about power in a way that feels deeply contemporary in an honest and valuable way. I was apprehensive about the setting at first but over time it absolutely won me over. And January is great.
Second note: It's difficult for me to speak about this book in a meaningful way. Reading it was challenging for me but I'm almost certain that that is because this final quarter of 2020 has destroyed my attention span along with so much else. I kept reading because I felt that I probably liked it, I probably liked it very much. But as with so much else about this year, the waters are a bit muddied.
All that said, this book is the examination of portal fantasy that I have been waiting for. At this point, I've read a lot of portal fantasy "for adults" and this was the first one that really worked for me. Harrow discusses the hopes and the risks and the need for escape inherent in the genre with a clarity and a precision that I found delightful.
This book also talks about power in a way that feels deeply contemporary in an honest and valuable way. I was apprehensive about the setting at first but over time it absolutely won me over. And January is great.
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I like the prose, it's very immersive and makes you part of the story. Over it didn't have me hooked. The doors and portals are a byproduct of uncovering family secrets and January spends little time in them. The pace can drag and I wasn't crazy about the ending.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Murder, Abandonment
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Classism
Themes of racism and class privilege, colonialism, freedom and escape, significance of family and identity.
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
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