The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow

 September 21, 2020

The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow

January Scaller lives with her guardian, Cornelius Locke, in a vast mansion filled with odd and unusual objects.  Her father works for Mr. Locke, traveling the world and collecting rarities for him, leaving January alone much of the time.  January is sure that Mr. Locke loves her, for she finds gifts that he leaves for her, most recently a wonderful book called The Ten Thousand Doors.  But then her father doesn't return from one of his trips.  With her faithful canine companion Bad (short for Sindbad, her favorite great adventurer and explorer) by her side, January resolves to go and look for her father or at least find out what happened to him.

First:  let me tell you that Bad the dog is fine at the end of the book, and he and January are together.

This is a wonderful fantasy adventure story about the power of words, books, and doors.  There is a book-within-a-book which I actually liked better than the story that frames it.  I'm not going to say too much more because that would spoil the story.  Wonderful characters, great world building and a complex plot, plus a beautiful cover, all contribute to making this a most satisfying read.  Set aside some time, curl up with your favorite cozy throw, and immerse yourself in January's world.