“Once we have agreed that true love exists, we may consider its nature. It is not, as many misguided poets would have you believe an event in and of itself; it is not something that happens, but something that simply is and always has been. One does not fall in love; one discovers it.”
― Alix E. Harrow, The Ten Thousand Doors of January
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Author: Alix E. Harrow
Publisher: Redhook
Format/Source: Physical Book
Goodreads, IndieBound, Amazon, Book Depo
From GoodReads:
In the early 1900s, a young woman embarks on a fantastical journey of self-discovery after finding a mysterious book in this captivating and lyrical debut.
In a sprawling mansion filled with peculiar treasures, January Scaller is a curiosity herself. As the ward of the wealthy Mr. Locke, she feels little different from the artifacts that decorate the halls: carefully maintained, largely ignored, and utterly out of place.
Then she finds a strange book. A book that carries the scent of other worlds, and tells a tale of secret doors, of love, adventure and danger. Each page turn reveals impossible truths about the world and January discovers a story increasingly entwined with her own.
Lush and richly imagined, a tale of impossible journeys, unforgettable love, and the enduring power of stories awaits in Alix E. Harrow’s spellbinding debut–step inside and discover its magic.
The Cat Lady Breaks Down…..
Plot: ★★★★★
World: ★★★★★
Writing: ★★★★★
Character Development: ★★★★★
…the writing…..
So beautiful! I actually can’t believe this is a debut novel. Alix E. Harrow is our new writing goddess. The writing style in this book is so lyrical and magnificent. I was so captivated the entire book that I clung to every word. This almost never happens to me. I generally read books quickly and devour them that way. This book was the exact opposite. She describes the characters wonderfully, explains the worlds gorgeously, and blew every last cell in my mind. On top of being so incredibly amazing, it is so poetic. It really reminded me of Strange the Dreamer, which is my all-time favorite book.
…the plot….
The plot is so intriguing from the start. We follow a young woman named January who discovers a book full of stories and learns so much about herself. Her father is away and she is growing up feeling very lonely. Thankfully someone comes along, and reveals more to her than she ever knew before. This takes us all on a wonderful adventure exploring wonderful worlds and a journey of self discovery.
...the characters…
January is who I want to be when I grow up. That may be an exaggeration, but I’m only slightly joking. She grows so much throughout this novel that I can barely stand it. She is so mature and handles what is thrown at her so well too! Her wit pulls her through and helps her get through all of her struggles.
Jane is our next big character. I am in love with her! She is so wonderful and fiercly protects January at all costs. I really need a companion novel solely dedicated to her.
Bad! Bad is a dog, and that is all you really need to know about him. I am always up for a book that has a dog at the forefront!
Samuel is bae. He sticks by January’s side no matter the danger. That is all I can say that is spoiler free. ♥
….final thoughts…
This book has me completely shook! I finished it almost a week ago and I still can’t stop thinking about it. There was a small amount of romance, which was perfect. The adventure was beautiful and the worlds that are introduced are engaging. This book has definitely jumped to my top 5 for 2019 and one of my most favorite books of all time. I don’t think anything I read in the last month and a half of the year will be better than this.
tl;dr
The Ten Thousand Doors of January is the book oh 2019. It’s adventerous magical realism is the perfect dose for anyone. It’s wild, capitivating, and so poetic, you will want to wrap yourself in the book and never leave. Alix E. Harrow is an author to keep an eye on, and I believe anything we see from her moving forward will be just as beautiful and amazing.
About the Author:
Alix E. Harrow has been a student and a teacher, a farm-worker and a cashier, an ice-cream-scooper and a 9-to-5 office-dweller. She’s lived in tents and cars, cramped city apartments and lonely cabins, and spent a summer in a really sweet ’79 VW Vanagon. She has library cards in at least five states.
Now she’s a full-time writer living in with her husband and two semi-feral kids in Berea, Kentucky. It is, she is very sure, the best of all possible worlds.
