The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow Book Review

Sometimes you find yourself judging a book by its cover, it can't be helped, it is an automatic instinct to make presumptions at times. And I'll admit that is exactly what I did when it came to Alix E. Harrow's novel The Ten Thousand Doors of January. I looked at the front cover and my first thought was, that's beautiful and my second thought was I bet that story is going to be magical.

And do you know what.... I was right.

I'll be honest even if I had been wrong, I'd made an instant connection with the book and I was always going to give that book a go whether it was in my usual comfort zone or not.

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.

The story starts and ends with a confident and intriguing protagonist, January, a girl of colour who is growing up in a place that she knows she doesn't truly belong.


Her no nonsense and quite logical attitude was rather refreshing in the mix of what I can only describe as an astonishing fantasy tale.

The saying goes that as one door closes another opens and this couldn't be more true in this instance.

A child, motherless and left time and time again by her father, lives in the care of a man, that for appearances sake seems to care a great deal for her, but as you turn the pages, it will soon be discovered that not all is as it seems.

Growing up in such privilege isn't all it is made out to be when you don't quite fit in.

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.

I couldn't believe this was the author's debut novel.

It is written with such finesse - a book within a book - 

As the adventures intensifies throughout the tale, the words flow effortlessly, at times it was like reading poetry.

So many worlds and an abundance of doors that as fast as they appear, disappear. It is all truly captivating and what I enjoyed the most was the great balance between the storyline itself and the details of worlds conjured up over time.

All so magical.

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.

I'd describe this a unique coming of age story. 

A young lady embarking on an epic journey through time and words. She is destined to find her true self and many other great things as this mysterious adventure ensues.

Energetic, enchanting and enriching.

This is a book that you must read.