A review by thereadinghammock
The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow

adventurous emotional mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

While I usually enjoy meandering story telling and have no issues jumping back and forth between storylines within a novel, the pacing and format of January's chapters and Yule Ian's were so jarring for me and I found myself struggling for much of the first half of the book. Once the stories began to converge, however, I was all in. I LOVED being able to piece mysteries together just before they were revealed (sometimes a chapter or two ahead of January's revelations). As someone who often guesses wrong in "whodunit" stories, it makes me feel like an accomplished sleuth. I especially loved the emphasis on the power of words in this story. Between how January wrote as a storyteller, and the power they have as blessings within the City of Nin, such as tattoos marking life milestones and blessings stitched into ship sails.

I went into this book with high enough expectations to have been a bit nervous. I enjoyed Once & Future Witches, and my sister had finished this book before me and praised it as having a Starless Sea vibe (while still being quite it's own book). When someone compares a book to one of your all time favorites, the worry of disappointment is high. After a bit of a slow start, I was quite pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed TTDOJ!

<spoilers>I nearly cried at the Scaller family reunion on the pier. My heart breaking for Yule Ian, warring with the guilt of leaving his daughter behind, against his will, but reuniting with his wife after nearly 20 years apart. With Adelaide, letting him stew in his grief for just a moment, before gesturing to January and Bad, limping their way down the dock to celebrate the family reunion they never thought was possible. I also love the open door left for us, the reader, as January reveals her story is the one she wrote for Samuel, to help him remember. And I truly hope January is able to find Jane and write her a way home too.
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