The Ten Thousand Doors of January

The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow

Have you ever seen a more beautiful book cover?  Me neither.  

I have to admit I struggled a little to get into this book.  However, because I heard good things about it, I didn’t give up. During the first few chapters, I was concerned the story was just too weird.  By chapter 4 I was connecting to the characters and wanting to read more. By chapter 10 I didn’t want to put the book down.

The Premise: January Scaller is almost an orphan.  Her father is still alive, but spends his time traveling around the world finding collectible artifacts.  His employer, Mr. Locke, is January’s semi-adopted father figure. She lives with and is supported by him, since her father is rarely around.

One day, while on a trip with Mr. Locke, January wanders out into a field and finds a door.  Yes, a door… in the middle of the field. (see what I mean about weird?) She goes through the door and finds herself in another world.  But soon she hears Mr. Locke calling for her, so she goes back. And so the tale begins…

The books narration is mostly from January’s perspective, but occasionally we hear from her mother and father, slowly learning what happened in the past, and why her father lives the life that he does.

The Ten Thousand Doors of January is a magical puzzle that slowly reveals itself to you, a story of love and loss, of unique worlds and interesting characters. If magical realism makes your brain implode, this is not the book for you.  However, if you like (or don’t mind) some fantasy in your books, you may want to give this one a try. Just be patient…