Now we have to talk about these characters because they are incredible! The first shout-out goes to my girl January, who is one of the most realistic characters I’ve ever read.

Other than that, I think the story flowed wonderfully, it’s not hard to follow along and every turn of the page just gets more and more interesting. I think I may have made it sound too ~scientific~, but I promise you it was delightful! It’s a careful and, again, intimate kind of story telling that just hits you in the feels. I LOVED IT! The study of the actual physical shape of words and letters was so interesting. It’s a flowery, purple prose that has its wild, metaphoric phrases that still surrender you completely under the book’s enchantment. The actually writing style itself was incredibly whimsical. It is a personal, intimate kind of story telling that I absolutely love. It’s as if we are sitting side by side and actually being told this story over some cookies and drinks. I don’t know what the technical term is, but it is when the narrator directly addresses the reader as the story goes on. I was absolutely enchanted from the very first page and all of it has to do with Harrow’s writing style! First we have to talk about the narrative voice. I didn’t know exactly what to expect going into this book, but I didn’t actually think I would love it this much. *Thank you Hachette Book Group Canada for the review copy!* The Likes: Harrow’s spellbinding debut–step inside and discover its magic. Lush and richly imagined, a tale of impossible journeys, unforgettable love, and the enduring power of stories awaits in Alix E. Each page turn reveals impossible truths about the world and January discovers a story increasingly entwined with her own. A book that carries the scent of other worlds, and tells a tale of secret doors, of love, adventure and danger. Locke, she feels little different from the artifacts that decorate the halls: carefully maintained, largely ignored, and utterly out of place.

In a sprawling mansion filled with peculiar treasures, January Scaller is a curiosity herself. 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.

The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. I am sure if someone were to pop-psycho analyse me then I would fully understand this inner wanderlust and desire to leave this world for something different, but I’m not sure I want to know those answers yet. They are literal stories of escape from this world, just like books are the metaphoric escape from our real lives. I just love stories that go beyond this world and yet keep that connection alive. The Narnia books were my introductory novels to this genre and…well we all know how obsessed I am with that series. Portal fantasy is probably my favourite type of fantasy and I don’t read it often.

The 10000 doors of january review