Publication: 12th September 2019 – Orbit
EVERY STORY OPENS A DOOR
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.
But her quiet existence is shattered when she stumbles across 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 reveals more impossible truths about the world, and January discovers a story increasingly entwined with her own.
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I have been looking forward to reading THE TEN THOUSAND DOORS OF JANUARY for a long time so it’s my absolute pleasure to welcome you on my stop on the blog tour for this remarkable debut novel by Alix E. Harrow. A huge thank you to Tracy Fenton for inviting me to join the blog tour and providing me with a copy of the novel.
THE TEN THOUSAND DOORS OF JANUARY is such a magnificent read! There is a fantastic and likable heroine that I cheered on from the first to the last page. There is a captivating and magical plot that kept me glued to the page. And, lastly but not least, a beautiful writing style that made me say to myself “Just one more chapter” and suddenly I found myself at the end of the novel.
January Scaller is the protagonist of the novel. When we meet her she is seven years old. She is orphan of mother, her father travels a lot for work, and she is left in the care of Mr. Locke, her father’s employer. During a work trip with Mr. Locke, January finds her first door. But this is not a simple door and January finds herself in a different world. Years pass by, January forgets about the door and, to please Mr. Locke, she behaves like the good girl she is expected to be, but then she finds a book, a book that narrates of doors, new worlds, adventures, and a beautiful love story and her life changes forever.
January is a special character. Red-skinned and with no past, she is accepted by the outside world because of her relationship with Mr. Locke, a wealthy and important white man. January is also brave, smart, and resourceful, useful skills when she finds herself chased by the villains of the novel. Like every hero in the novels, January has her own helpers: Jane, a mysterious and courageous woman who appeared suddenly in January’s life; Samuel Zappia, January’s childhood friend, and, my absolute favourite, (Sin)Bad, her loyal dog.
The story is beautiful and enchanting. There is folklore, magic, friendship, and love that come to life thanks to the author unique prose. I loved the structure of the novel, especially the book within the book. Like January, I was fascinated and engrossed in the book and I couldn’t wait to read more.
The author masterfully mixes fantasy and literary fiction, so even if you don’t like fantasy novels, you are going to enjoy THE TEN THOUSAND DOORS OF JANUARY, an unforgettable and original story that will stay with me for a long time.
Book After Book 