The Ten Thousand Doors of January is a beautiful emotional historical fantasy.

As I started to read The Ten Thousand Doors of January, I didn't know what to expect. It seemed like a beautiful historical novel As the story continued it more and more magical. It's like as January experiences magic, she sees more magic in her world.

The magic system in The Ten Thousand Doors of January is one I hadn't read before, but I was sold on it straight away.

Alix .E. Harrow writing portrayed January emotion in a way that I felt her loneliness and isolation. The emotional element is strong in this book.

Two stories are weaved throughout the book. Both stories would work as individual stories but also work perfectly together.

As my copy of is an Advanced Reader Copy of The Ten Thousand Doors of January the quote might not be in the finished copy. But I hope it doesn't as it sums up all writing;

"Who knew writing a story would be so much work? I have a newfound respect for all those maligned dime novelists and romance writers."
This book makes me hope that every door I open is just as magical as January.

My Rating for The Ten Thousand Doors of January is 4.5 out of 5.

An absolutely gorgeous, magical story about love across different worlds and finding a way home. Beautifully written, heart-wrenching and highly original. You know you will love this book from simply reading the blurb and you will not be disappointed.

In some ways a very modern take on the basic idea behind the Narnia chronicles (worlds behind doors). I liked it because I like stories that are a bit different and this is different, imaginative and compelling. While there are obviously fantasy elements it also deals with real world issues and January Scaller is a unique central character. It's both mind bending and grounded in the here and now. I wouldn't say it quite merits classic status but it's certainly an easy four stars. Recommended and I'll certainly add it to my library on publication.

Thanks to NetGalley and Litte, Brown Group UK for ARC.

I loved the concept of The Ten Thousand Doors of January and can easily see the book having lots of fans.

It is a story about family, belonging, love and finding and following your own path. It isn’t set in some sort of magical kingdom but in our everyday world at the turn of the twentieth century, which just happens to have doors to other worlds. Elements of history with inherent racism and social injustice are woven into the story. This is magical realism rather than outright fantasy and what I liked about the book the most.

Many early reviewers have found the writing beautiful and fell in love with the story and while I can easily see why, I didn’t quite feel the same way. I found it a bit too affected and the plot slow, somewhat disjointed. At the same time, The Ten Thousand Doors of January is an impressive debut and I’d be interested to see what Alix E. Harrow writes next.

My thanks to Little, Brown Book Group, Orbit and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review The Ten Thousand Doors of January.

It is heartbreaking and magical novel. The story brought back memories of the Wayward Children by Seanan McGuire, but The Ten Thousand Doors of January has this melancholic and dark mood. I got excited about receiving this book because I heard a lot of good reviews, and the "doors" caught me.

I don't want to spoil anything about this book but I got these His Dark Materials vibes with W. Locke & Co. It is mysterious and has these dark agenda motive. A melancholic mood was set in this book even though having these magical doors as the main premise of the story, which is very interesting and it caught my attention.

Every door has its world, like the Wayward Children Series and The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis. These doors have magical places on the other side but it was governed rulers but not all. If someone wandered around these places, they should follow the rules or dominate it.

The story of Adelaide and Yule was fantastic. It was romantic and heart-breaking.

The whole totality of the story was well-written. Magical and memorable.

Part fantasy, part romance and part historical fiction, The Ten Thousand Doors of January is a vividly delightful book about love, family and magic!

January Scaller has always felt out of place. Living in a mansion with his father's boss Mr. Locke, January is trained to be a perfect lady of the house but in her heart she dreams to be free and go on an adventure of a lifetime. One day, she accidentally comes across a book, which contains stories as other worldly and as impossible as any. The book is her escape from the reality, her friend and her solace but as she immerses herself in the story of these characters, she makes a discovery which will forever change not only her life but the world around her as well.

Deeply poignant and extremely well-written, The Ten Thousand Doors of January transported me to an ethereal world with an engrossing plot and lovable cast of characters. January is an endearing heroine, one whose trials ignites empathy in the heart of readers. She is brave, resourceful and selfless, she makes mistakes and honestly, she trusts too easily at times but all that makes her deeply humane and flawed. The relationship she shares with everyone around her is beguiling and equal parts interesting but the best relationship in this book has to be that between January and her fiercely loyal dog, Bad. Reading their relationship felt so organic and wholesome.

This book also gives us a front row seat on racism and various other social issues of the early 20th century. The combination of the above with an enchanting storyline and diverse characters makes The Ten Thousand Doors of January a perfect read. Honestly, this is one of the best portal fantasies that I have read and I am so excited to see what Alix E. Harrow does next.

P.S- January parents story was my favourite part of the entire book. I just can't resist myself a good star crossed lovers trope. Plus, its kind of similar to Outlander, which is one of my favourite book of all time.

The story of January Scaller, The Ten Thousand Doors Of January brings us a new and intriguing fantasy story that will leave you wanting more. This book starts in the early 1900s, as a young woman begins on a journey of self-discovery after finding a mysterious book in this captivating and lyrical debut.
The writing throughout this book is just as floral and stunning as its cover. Even describing the small parts of the scenery in the beginning of this book is just done with such perfect writing and that is something that flows throughout the book as the story continues to entrance and entice you and just full on grabs at your emotions at the end of the story.

Though in moments it can remind you of Seanan Mcguire’s ‘Wayward Children’ series, or even in The Chronicles Of Narnia in elements, this is a book that takes you on an incredible adventure. slowly building us to the moment when January discovers that book that will remind her of the door she saw as a child and finding all new ones to run through throughout this book and telling the stories she finds on the other side.

Wonderful characters that feel real, and a story that just enthrals from the moment it begins, The Ten Thousand Doors Of January is a book you have to go through, as soon as you possibly can.

Wow. This book was definitely a journey. It is a Must Read.

So, the book follows January, the main character, a young girl who is an outsider; she is motherless, has a skin colour that is considered incredibly odd, a father who works away from home, and a guardian with an aptitude for collecting odd and fascinating items. The story really begins when January finds a door that seemingly leads to another place, however, she is urged to forget this as it is fanciful thinking and instead is instructed to behave properly and to contain her imagination. That is until she finds a book, meets a mysterious woman and falls into a story much bigger than she realises.

That is all I will say in regards to the plot as I would not wish to spoil it. However, I will say I loved this book! The story is incredible, original and full of twists and turns that kept me so intrigued that I could hardly bring myself to put the book down.

The narrative style and the writing itself is easy to get into, rather poetic and masterfully done. The balance of mystery, comedy and seriousness is incredible. Though some of the plot-twists are able to be predicted, It seems deliberate (or at least down to the incredible writing). Moreover, some of the plot-twists are rather surprising and shocking- which is wonderful.

The characters are easy to connect with, are interesting and deep and so are easy to love! The world that has been crafted is astounding and realistic (or as realistic as it can be).

I loved the title, the book cover and basically everything about the story- I was never bored and the way the narrative is used is downright impressive.

*I received a digital advance copy of this book from Netgalley (Publishers The Little Brown Book Group UK) in exchange for an honest review*

The Ten Thousand Doors of January is definitely one to watch for. I loved the writing, and I think Harrow is a very promising writer, and I look forward to what she'll come up in the following years.
Sometimes you gel with a writer's style immediately, and that was the case with this book. I really liked the style of writing. The beginning of the book was sort of a coming of age tale, where we get to know January, the main character. Then, we slowly start to learn about the doors, and start to discover about the two worlds and what happened to January's parents.
The beginning of this book was great, I was super hooked. I loved the historical details sprinkled very nicely in the narration. It was almost perfection.
However, it followed very slowly for my liking. It took a long time to get to the milestones. This slowness decreased the tension and the pace of the book massively. January lost her charm a bit, the other characters were not fleshed out as well.
Overall, I loved the uniqueness of the story, I loved January, I LOVED the writing. It was so beautiful.
But, the reason of 4 stars instead of 5 is really slow pace, lack of tension and enough action.

Regardless, I really recommend this book. Still a very enjoyable read. Harrow's talent for storytelling is remarkable and one to watch.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in exchange for an honest review.

Wow...not sure How to describe how absolutely fabulous this story is!
January is a young child currently in the care of the very rich and influential mr Locke who employs her father to travel the world hunting out artefacts. One day January finds a notebook that marks the beginning of her adventure. Doors that portal into other worlds and friendships that keep her going along the way. Loved every page 💕

I really loved this. It's a rollercoaster read, with brains - gripping and clever. The idea of multiple worlds isn't new but it's done so well here and I really felt the anguish of trying to find your way home to the right world. This book was touching, magical, inventive and romantic. Highly recommend it.

This book feels like a classic in the making. Set in the early 1900s and following a girl called January who doesn't really know who she is or where she belongs. Her guardian is a powerful man who collects rare artefacts & specimens and he treats her the same -crushing her natural personality & inquisitiveness. We follow January as she learns who she is as she desperately tries to reunite with her missing father. The layers of story gradually reveal themselves and we learn that there is more both more darkness and more wonders in the world.
Exquisite writing and evocative language that will have you looking for your own doorways to elsewhere - hoping to catch the scent of a far away sea.

Wow. Just, WOW. Hands down my favorite read of the year (so far) and one of my all-time faves. The Ten Thousand Doors of January is the perfect blend of historical fiction, fairy tale, fantasy and mystery. Though slow-paced, I was hooked from the very beginning. The pace and tone (whimsical and dark) suits the story perfectly, all the characters, particularly January, are engaging and the writing is one of the most beautiful and lyrical I’ve read in a long time (and all that without entering the realm of the purple prose). I rarely annotate a book while reading it and here I lost count of the number of passages I highlighted.

As soon as I finished it I ordered a physical copy so I guess that means something :)

This book was definitely one of the most unique stories that i've ever read. It was written beautifully. The story was really slow paced and it took me while got into the story. I cried couple of times. It was definitely worth to read. I am really happy that i got an arc.

I was lucky enough to get my hands on an ARC of Alix Harrows beautiful novel. I was sucked in from the first page and was sucked through the door to a world full of steam trains, evil societies, and tragic love stories.
I read Harrow's short story and enjoyed her writing style and her tragic tale between two women who cannot be together. And although I adored the Ten Thousand Doors of January I felt it was missing the queer aspect that I adored in her short story, which is why for me this is a 4-star review.

However, this book was fast-paced and beautifully written with a plot that was wonderfully thought out, Overall a beautifully put together novel that captured the fantasy as well as the historical of a changing world.

An amazing story, I love how it emphasises the power storytelling and books can hold. The writing is so beautiful, almost lyrical in its style, it’s fantasy, romance, adventure, it’s all kinds of tales wrapped in one amazing book. This was one of my most anticipated reads and I was not disappointed at all, I love the fact it still exceeded my anticipation.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

This is a fantastic story about the power of storytelling. It crystallises everything that readers love about writing; escapism, layered world building, fantasy, fully realised and flawed characters. This is a grown up homage to all those tales that we read as children about portals into other worlds. Not a wardrobe or flying carpet here but a battered book; the most wonderful gateway of all.

ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

5 Stars

It's the early 1900s and January Scaller, young ward of curiosity collector Mr Locke, has just happened upon a door that leads to another world...

The Ten Thousand Doors of January is a beautifully lyrical historical fantasy story that, like all the best historical novels, has as much to say about today as it does the period it takes place in. Why do some people want to keep doors open and others want to lock them shut and throw away the key? Why might one find refuge behind a door, but then want to keep others from finding that same refuge? What power do words and stories have over doors - and, in a way, are they doors in themselves?

Basically, I adored this book. It encapsulates everything I love about fiction - the kind of fairytale-esque fantasy that stokes childlike wonder in your heart, characters you can't help but love, a riveting mystery that remains just as compelling even if you've already worked out the twists, and an underlying social commentary that is more hopeful than despairing. It can be bleak at times, but also humorous - I love Bad the dog with all my heart!

Simply the perfect book to get lost in.

A supremely impressive and accomplished debut, The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E Harrow is magical in every sense of the word. Initially I was drawn to the book by that gorgeous cover, it is so striking and beautiful, and having read the book, it is perfectly suited to the story being told.
That story is a magical coming of age tale, and our heroine is the titular January Scaller. In the early 1900's January is growing up as the ward of the wealthy Mr Locke, a man who lives for his collection of the rare and unusual, and at times she feels more like another object in his collection rather than someone of worth in her own right. Her mother died long ago, and her father spends most of his time hunting down rare artifacts for Mr Locke , leading to January feeling alone and abandoned. One day she finds a strange book, one that draws her in to the story of a woman by the name of Adelaide who finds a mysterious doorway into another world ,and from there goes on a quest that will lead to danger, adventure , love and heartbreak. As January becomes more engrossed in the story she finds that the only danger may not be between the covers, and as she discovers just how closely her life is entwined with the story within the blue book she cherishes, she embarks on a quest as dangerous and adventurous as any she could have imagined.
Books about portals to distant worlds are always fascinating , and this is no different, The author has done an incredible job of creating a story filled with magic and wonder, with more than a hint of danger and intrigue. The historical setting works well, and added an extra dimension of interest to the story, particularly given January's heritage and experience as a person of colour. Aside from January, there is a wonderful cast of supporting characters, my favourite being Jane, the acerbic Amazonian protector sent by January's father , whose history is revealed in some of the more dramatic passages of the book.
The writing in this book is simply glorious, there are so many passages that I found myself highlighting on my Kindle , her turn of phrase is incredibly polished. This is clearly a book written by someone who loves words and reading, and that love shines through in so many places.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

“Perhaps one cannot walk through a door and back out again without changing the world.”

This was a book within a book, worlds within a world, dream come true. I was enchanted and mesmerised from the very beginning. My heart is full of hope and possibilities, and my imagination is so happy and fulfilled, yet because you can never have enough magical portals in your life, I’m left yearning for more.

I want to tell you everything about this book but don’t want to ruin it for you so I’ll only tell you this:

January Scaller finds a Door when she’s seven but, because she’s so eager to please, she focuses her attention on becoming the “good girl” she’s expected to be.

“I spent the years after the blue Door doing what most willful, temerarious girls must do: becoming less so.”

Years later, the memory of that Door resurfaces when she finds a life changing book.

“It smelled like adventure itself had been harvested in the wild, distilled to a fine wine, and splashed across each page.”

I believed in the worlds behind these Doors without hesitation. Perhaps some of my belief can be explained away by the fact that I’ve casually sought my own door since first reading ‘The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe’ and more fervently since ‘Every Heart a Doorway’ but it’s really because this book was just that good!

Whenever I read a book that mentions another book I always investigate further. Does that book exist in my world? Do I need to add it to my ever expanding to be read list? If it doesn’t exist in my world, will the author ever write it? I was thrilled that the primary book January reads in this book actually exists and its chapters are included within this book! This is one of my dreams come true! Of course, the book within the book had references to other books, which don’t exist (yet - I checked), but I was so excited to be reading an actual book within a book and it was perfect!

‘The Ten Thousand Doors of January’ explores the power of words, the nature of power and the price of freedom. January experiences abandonment and loss, and I ached for her as she longed for acceptance and belonging. I empathised with the feeling of being pressured to conform to others’ expectations of you even when they diminish you and the courage it takes to live beyond your labels, learning to follow your own truth.

January’s Doors take her to places, physically and internally, that compelled me to want to follow in her footsteps. This book took a lot longer than I had planned to read due to illness, but each time I picked it up I was immersed in January’s story again within a paragraph.

I learned of Alix E. Harrow’s brilliance when I read ‘A Witch’s Guide to Escape: A Practical Compendium of Portal Fantasies’ during my (ongoing) 2019 Hugo Awards readathon. My love of this short story resulted in my unceremoniously moving ‘The Ten Thousand Doors of January’ to the top of my reading queue.

I highlighted so many passages as I read this book; there were so many beautiful sentences I know I’ll need to revisit. January is a bookworm, so a kindred spirit of mine, and often spoke of books and reading in ways that felt like she was reaching into my own soul:

“There’s only one way to run away from your own story, and that’s to sneak into someone else’s.”

Some of the sentences I highlighted tell you nothing of the story but said plenty to me about the talent of its author. This is someone who can transform the ordinary into something memorable.

“His hair clung to his skull in a white scimitar, as if the heat of his working mind had burned it away from the top of his head.”

“She shrugged again; I began to see them as practical gestures, designed to shed the weight of resentment threatening to settle on her shoulders.”

While I greedily want a sequel I mostly hope there isn’t one. This book ends so perfectly that I want the exquisite agony of needing more to linger. I knew there was something special about this author when I read and reread ‘A Witch’s Guide to Escape’ but after going through the Doors with January I’m certain of it. I don’t care what Alix writes about next; I’ll be reading it no matter what.

Content warnings include racism, xenophobia, assault on beloved dog and actions that could be described as self harm, except the intention is different than what I would consider true self harm behaviour.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Orbit, an imprint of Little, Brown Book Group (UK), for the opportunity to fall in love with this book early. I want everyone to read it!