A review by tolove_abook
The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow

adventurous emotional 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? It's complicated

4.75

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~~~

January Scaller lives in a mansion that feels like a museum. Her guardian, Mr. Locke, is an esteemed member of the New England Archeological Society and a collector of peculiar treasures. January often feels like she is just another object on display - a foreign, dark-skinned girl, ignored and out of place in early 1900s Vermont. She desperately misses her father who is off exploring exotic locations in search of new items for Mr. Locke’s collection. 

One day, when she is very young, January finds a door standing in the middle of a field.  She smells salt and sea and knows, deep down, that the door is magical. But Mr. Locke will not listen to the wild imaginings of a child. He expects her to be a proper young lady and will accept nothing less. Years later, she finds a book about magic doors and remembers the forgotten door of her childhood. 

When January learns her father died while on an expedition, something in her fractures. Mr. Locke and the other members of the Archeological Society see that January isn’t the tame, civilized girl they thought, and she finds herself in an increasingly dangerous situation. She is soon forced to flee and embarks on a truly remarkable adventure. 

This book is for readers who believe in the power of the written word. It’s for those of us who know books and writing can provide escape and sanctuary. As always, Alix E. Harrow’s prose is achingly beautiful and her characters are multifaceted, complicated women for whom you can’t help but cheer. This is an exceptional debut novel!