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A review by hstone
A Hall of Keys and No Doors by Emmie Mears
4.0
"You're not broken," he said. "Hurt and broken are two different things."
A Hall of Keys and No Doors is an introspective novel about death, survival, and love. If you're looking for a pulse-pounding fantasy adventure, this isn't that kind of story. Instead, it utilizes an interesting premise (woman inherits a house with magical keys that can alter reality, introducing fortune and misfortune in equal measure) to tell a very human story about the struggle to move forward after tragedy.
This book is sincere in its portrayal of grief, the time it takes to recover from loss, and some of the obstacles to that recovery. Beyond its emotional honesty, what made this book stand out was the believable relationships between all of the characters. I was particularly fond of the strong friendship between Jace and Ella, which provided them both with the kind of unconditional love and support not seen enough in fiction.
Of course, I would also be remiss if I did not also mention the wonderful queer representation in the book. The story features a bisexual protagonist and a lesbian couple, all of whom end up with happy endings. Mears is an #ownvoices author, and if you're looking for LGBT-positive fiction, you can't do better than this. I look forward to checking out their next novel, Look to the Sun.
A Hall of Keys and No Doors is an introspective novel about death, survival, and love. If you're looking for a pulse-pounding fantasy adventure, this isn't that kind of story. Instead, it utilizes an interesting premise (woman inherits a house with magical keys that can alter reality, introducing fortune and misfortune in equal measure) to tell a very human story about the struggle to move forward after tragedy.
This book is sincere in its portrayal of grief, the time it takes to recover from loss, and some of the obstacles to that recovery. Beyond its emotional honesty, what made this book stand out was the believable relationships between all of the characters. I was particularly fond of the strong friendship between Jace and Ella, which provided them both with the kind of unconditional love and support not seen enough in fiction.
Of course, I would also be remiss if I did not also mention the wonderful queer representation in the book. The story features a bisexual protagonist and a lesbian couple, all of whom end up with happy endings. Mears is an #ownvoices author, and if you're looking for LGBT-positive fiction, you can't do better than this. I look forward to checking out their next novel, Look to the Sun.