Content levels
Trigger warnings
Heroine archetypes
Protagonist archetypes
Tropes
Synopsis
"A gorgeous, aching love letter to stories, storytellers, and the doors they lead us through...absolutely enchanting." —Christina Henry, bestselling author of Alice and Lost Boys A young woman in the early 1900s embarks on a fantastical journey of self-discovery after finding a mysterious book in this captivating and lyrical novel. 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 await in Alix E. Harrow's spellbinding debut—step inside and discover its magic. Praise for The Ten Thousand Doors of January : "One for the favorites shelf... Here is a book to make you happy when you gently close it. Here you will find wonder and questions and an unceasingly gorgeous love of words which compasses even the shape a letter makes against a page."― NPR Books "Devastatingly good, a sharp, delicate nested tale of worlds within worlds, stories within stories, and the realm-cracking power of words."―Melissa Albert, New York Times bestselling author "A love letter to imagination, adventure, the written word, and the power of many kinds of love."― Kirkus Reviews A Los Angeles Times bestseller Finalist for the 2020 Hugo, Nebula, Locus, and World Fantasy Awards. For more from Alix E. Harrow, check out The Once and Future Witches .
Is The Ten Thousand Doors of January appropriate for my child?
Suitable for most readers 14 and up.
A lyrical fantasy with themes of colonialism, captivity, and identity; features moderate peril and danger but no explicit content or strong language.
What to know going in
This book has moderate violence, mild sexual content, and mild language. Content notes include child abuse, captivity, and death of parent (see the full list above).
Publisher ages reflect reading level; our rating reflects content maturity — they can differ.
Who'll love this
A magical story about a girl who discovers a book full of secret doors that may unlock the mystery of who she really is.