Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review via Net Galley. They give me no money, nor do they in any way influence my thoughts. Those are 100% my own for better or worse.
Moving right along.
All of the buzz I’ve heard about this book up until this point seems to be 100% correct. I absolutely loved this book. But before I go into why I loved it, can we talk about that cover?? As of right now, I don’t know that the cover has been finalized, but…can we just go ahead and do that? This wins. Full stop. It’s beautiful! As soon as I saw the cover on Net Galley I knew I needed to try to get this book. And honestly, you guys…the story lives up to the promise I feel is made by a beautiful cover. So, the synopsis given by the publisher is this: 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.
As promised, this book is capital ‘L’ Lush. I cannot believe that this is a debut novel. Harrow writes like someone who has written, I don’t know, TEN THOUSAND stories before. Her ability to tell a story is something really wonderful to bear witness to. It reminds me of a combination of Cornelia Funke’s Inkworld series combined with Clive Barker’s Imajica and Weaveworld (to my mind that is very high praise indeed since I LOVE every one of those books). I actually struggled to complete my college-assigned readings because I didn’t want to put this book down. The characters and the worlds she built are beautiful, complex, and truly wonderful. I fell a little bit in love with January, and most especially with Bad. My determination: 5 out of 5 arbitrary items of rating. This book is slated for release on September 10 – exactly 1 month. Go buy it – you won’t be disappointed. Honestly, I’m going to buy the physical copy myself because I already feel like I want to re-read it when I finish school next month.
The Ten Thousand Doors of January Redhook Books Release Date: September 10, 2019 ISBN 9780316421997
