The Ten Thousand Doors of January: A Panoramic Review (Adult)

The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow

"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.

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 awaits in Alix E. Harrow’s spellbinding debut–step inside and discover its magic." (from Goodreads)

My reaction: For me, The Ten Thousand Doors of January was a book that is objectively quite well-written (especially for a debut), but did not suck me in and make it impossible for me to put it down. On the contrary, I read it in bits and pieces, a little at a time -- which ended up more or less working, as I was able to remember the big picture storyline, and I flipped back to previous sections when needed. For the first three-quarters or so, the book alternates between January's perspective and the story of Adelaide (a story-within-a-story format), and I found it a bit jarring at times to go back and forth between them. 

I liked both January and Adelaide as protagonists, and just generally I thought the characterization here was very well done. The characters were distinctively drawn, and it was nice to see a diverse cast. However, I never totally connected with January or Adelaide, and felt like I was held at a bit of a distance from them. 

The writing style really stood out to me as well. While it tended to the flowery and purple prose-y side of things, and therefore was not that accessible or page-turning in quality, there was something so very quotable about so many of the lines I came across. When I first started reading it, it felt a bit deja-vu-ish, in that it kept reminding me of books from my childhood. Harrow's writing has a quality that is reminiscent of Neil Gaiman's; little pearls of wisdom and reflection are dropped throughout, and phrased in a beautiful and powerful way. 

Best aspect: the concept of the Doors leading to other worlds -- not that this is a fresh concept or anything (hey, it's been done in so many well-known fantasy novels), but I thought the way it was handled here was neat. There are doors to pretty much every kind of world imaginable, and  since stories are basically like doors to other realms, the whole thing is kinda meta. Most readers would be thrilled if they could have January's powers to open Doors! Definitely reader wish fulfillment territory. (However, I should note that most of the book does take place in our world, and that considering the premise, more page time could have been spent actually in some of the other worlds, rather than just hearing stories about them.)

I also really appreciated the touching and thought-provoking themes and ideas Harrow raises throughout the story, including family, loyalty, friendship, abandonment, independence, "otherness," and forgiveness. While the writing is not the most accessible, the themes threaded through this story most certainly are. While there is a touch of romance here, it is not central to the story arc; rather, the story revolves around January's journey to discovering her strength and values. 

If I could change something... as I said, the writing did tend to the overly descriptive, to the point where I was like, "Do you really need another metaphor here?" Metaphors can be used very effectively, but they also need to be used fairly sparingly in order to make the most impact. It's the kind of writing where you feel like a thesaurus may have been employed quite a lot, and unfortunately that can actually make things harder for a reader to visualize, and can impede the flow of reading. So I think that should have been addressed in editing, to ensure that the writing style didn't slow down the momentum of the story. 

I also found the plot very predictable. I think this is probably the weakest aspect of the book -- most of the "reveals" really didn't seem terribly surprising to me (or at least, I had guessed at them by the time January figures them out). Spoilers, highlight to read: I mean, I didn't guess that Yule Ian was her father when he was first introduced, but by the time January finds out that he is, I'd put the pieces together. And I wondered pretty early on if Mr. Locke was the fellow who had bought the land from Adelaide's aunts, and had burned the Door after January opened it.

If you haven't read it: and you enjoy books about self-discovery, friendship, adventure, and wanderlust, pick this one up. 

If you have read it: did you guess the "twists" ahead of time like I did?

Just one more thing I wanted to mention: I found the notion that revolution and change occurs because things "leak" through the Doors an interesting one, and I wish it had been explored further. (Maybe in a future companion novel???)

Quote: Hard to pick just one! Here are a few I particularly liked:

That afternoon, sitting in that lonely field beside the Door that didn't lead anywhere, I wanted to write a different kind of story. A true kind of story, something I could crawl into if only I believed it hard enough.

Those of you who are more than casually familiar with books -- those of you who spend your free afternoons in fusty bookshops, who offer furtive, kindly strokes along the spines of familiar titles -- understand that page riffling is an essential element in the process of introducing oneself to a new book. It isn't about reading the words; it's about reading the smell, which wafts from the pages in a cloud of dust and wood pulp. It might smell expensive and well bound, or it might smell of tissue-thin paper and blurred two-colour prints, or of fifty years unread in the home of a tobacco-smoking old man. Books can smell of cheap thrills or painstaking scholarship, or literary weight or unsolved mysteries.

It is fashionable among intellectuals and sophisticates to scoff at true love -- to pretend it is nothing but a sweet fairy tale sold to children and young women, to be taken as seriously as magic wands or glass slippers. I feel nothing but pity for these learned persons, because they would not say such foolish things if they had ever experienced love for themselves.

May she wander but always return home, may all her words be written true, may every door lie open before her.

Final verdict: 4 shooting stars. 

Disclaimer: I received a copy for review from the publisher.

 

Guest Post: How Much Should You Emphasize Your Character's Mental Illness?

I'm pleased to welcome Dr. Carolyn Kaufman, author of The Writer's Guide to Psychology, back to the blog! I interviewed her last year for Psychtember (you can read Part 1 here and Part 2 here) and this time she's participating with a guest post in response to a question I sent her. Take it away, Carolyn!

One thing I've noticed with many YA books is that when a character has a mental illness, the whole story becomes focused around that aspect and it turns into an "issue book." Do you think this is helpful, or would it be beneficial to have more stories that feature teens that just happen to have mental illnesses? Why?

I think “issue books” often do a nice job of showing what it’s like to deal with a psychological problem, which benefits teens who are dealing with a mental health issue in their own lives, or in the life of a friend or family member. As our ability to recognize and talk about psychological issues has expanded (and as diagnostic criteria have expanded), we’ve become more aware of psychological problems that used to get misdiagnosed or swept under the proverbial carpet. Even people who have not been directly impacted by a psychological disorder can benefit, because we all are bombarded with TV shows, movies, and even cartoons that make assumptions (many of them wrong) about what someone with such a disorder is like. Getting an insider’s point of view makes us more empathetic.

I do like stories that address psychological problems without making said problems the axis on which the story turns, however. Though many people with undiagnosed or newly diagnosed problems are consumed by the disorder that’s bogging them down, many, many people learn to manage their diagnoses. The diagnosis then becomes an ongoing part of their lives, but not by any means the thing that defines them.

In other words, when someone is first diagnosed with something like ADHD or bipolar disorder (manic depression) or panic attacks, they may go through a stage of using the diagnosis as part of their identity.  For example, they may say to people, “I’m bipolar,” or “One of my prominent characteristics is my ADHD,” or “I really have to think about my panic attacks before I can do anything else.”  But just like teens with epilepsy or diabetes learn to adapt and make dealing with the problem part of their daily routine, so too do many people with psychological problems.  And I’m not sure that’s portrayed often enough in fiction—people coping with their problems.

Granted, stories are more exciting when there’s drama and conflict, but the period when someone is first diagnosed isn’t the only time that things can be shaken up! For example, someone who has learned to manage a disorder must also learn if, when, and how they are going to tell others. For example, when and how does a 17-year-old girl who’s trying to impress her new boyfriend tell him she has a problem with bipolar disorder? There’s still a great deal of stigma toward mental illness, and it is usually much harder to say “I have manic depression” than it is to say “I get migraines” or “I have diabetes.” She will probably worry about how her boyfriend is going to take it, whether he’s going to think she’s “crazy” for having to take meds and visit a psychiatrist, whether he’ll tell other people. And even if he handles it well, what if his parents disapprove? And what’s he going to do the first time he sees actual symptoms? Will he be supportive, demeaning, afraid, angry?

In addition to that, her lifestyle may not mesh with her peers’ expectations. She may not be able to stay up all night, sleep irregular hours, eat like her body is a garbage disposal, let her blood sugar drop too low, use popular remedies (like appetite suppressants, high-caffeine drinks, or over-the-counter-cold medicine), or drink alcohol. (Yes, 17 is under the legal drinking age, but we know that many teens experiment before that.) Things like this can trigger bipolar episodes or exacerbate symptoms.

Also remember that stressors can aggravate many psychological conditions, so even a character who normally deals well can be thrown off track by a breakup, changing schools, or a parental divorce.

Finally, I think a lot of authors do extensive research to try to understand a disorder they want to portray, and we all know how tempting it is to use everything we’ve learned! But sometimes a light touch is best.  You can, like I said above, remind yourself that the disorder is a part of the person’s life, something that needs to be managed, not something that defines him or her.

I have a character who has panic attacks in social situations that involve pressure. This isn’t a huge part of the novel, and I never even name the problem (i.e. panic attacks). Instead, I just show him doing his best to deal with each attack as it comes. In a good novel, a vulnerability like this really should flare up and cause problems at a crucial moment, but again, it doesn’t need to define the character or the novel.

Carolyn Kaufman, PsyD's book, THE WRITER'S GUIDE TO PSYCHOLOGY: How to Write Accurately About Psychological Disorders, Clinical Treatment, and Human Behavior helps writers avoid common misconceptions and inaccuracies and "get the psych right" in their stories. You can learn more about The Writer's Guide to Psychology, check out Dr. K's blog on Psychology Today, or follow her on Facebook!

Thanks very much, Carolyn, for this insightful look at how to write a character with mental illness without turning the story into an "issue book"!

Readers — do you like it when a book zeroes in on a particular mental health issue, or do you prefer to see stories where it's there, but not the main focal point? Can you recommend some YA books that aren't "issue books" but still accurately portray a character with a mental illness?

Guest Post: Writing Mental Health Well

I'm delighted to welcome Dr. Sarah Fine from The Strangest Situation to the blog! First, a bit about her:

Sarah Fine got her doctorate in clinical psychology and specializes in working with children and their families. She also writes young adult fiction and is represented by Kathleen Ortiz at Nancy Coffey Literary. Her blog, The Strangest Situation, is about the (messy, awesome, blurred, thrilling) intersection of those two endeavors.

And here's Sarah's guest post for Psychtember:

I frequent the forums at AbsoluteWrite, and fairly regularly, I see folks asking about how to write characters with certain mental illnesses. And sometimes, in the query forums, I see queries referring to characters who are “schizo” (which always makes me cringe) or who have obsessive compulsive disorder, bipolar disorder, or anxiety. I also get plenty of questions in my inbox from writers wanting to make sure their plots and characterizations are accurate. Mental illness is a hot topic!

Some people might ask: Why are people so keen to write this type of “darkness” into their stories and characters (Hi, Meghan Cox Gurdon! Yes, I AM talking to you!)?

Let’s start with this:

About 20% of children and adolescents in the United States have an emotional or mental disorder.

That’s … a lot. Many of us have loved ones and friends who have been diagnosed with a mental illness. Many of us have ourselves been diagnosed with a mental illness. I know of few people whose lives have been untouched by depression or anxiety or some other emotional or mental disorder. And so, many of us want to write stories that include these elements. The question is—how do you do it well?

A few humble suggestions:

1. Go for individuality. Not every person with a certain diagnosis has the same symptoms or behaves in the exact same way. FAR FROM IT. Just because you know one person with bipolar disorder doesn’t mean you understand all people with bipolar disorder, right? Because children and adolescents (and adults) with emotional and mental disorders are an incredibly diverse bunch, don’t go for the obvious stereotype. Examples of books that include highly individualized portrayals of characters with diagnosed mental illnesses: Cryer’s Cross, by Lisa McMann, and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, by Mark Haddon.

2. Go for depth. No matter what the diagnosis, each person IS A PERSON with likes, dislikes, fears, quirks, preferences, strengths, and talents, right? It’s the details that make them 3-D: mannerisms, speech patterns, passions, pet peeves. A good character, regardless of a diagnosis, will have all of these. And without them, all you’ve got is cardboard. Examples of books that have accomplished this kind of depth: Harmonic Feedback, by Tara Kelly and Hold Still, by Nina LaCour.

3. Go for reality. If you’re writing a person who’s been diagnosed with a disorder, there has to be impairment. Some aspect of daily functioning must be problematic as a result. That’s what makes it a disorder. Mental illness is not pretty, or delicate, or elegant, or convenient, or attractive. Mental and emotional disorders bring enormous costs—in lost opportunities and broken relationships, stumbles and tragedies, not to mention incredible suffering. I'm totally not saying it has to be all-painful-all-the-time, because people live and cope and thrive despite having these disorders every day. I'm just saying don’t trivialize it. Use individuality to make your character sympathetic. Use talents and quirks to make the character attractive. Use strengths and resilience to help the character triumph. But don’t gloss over the illness. Awesome examples: Cracked Up To Be, by Courtney Summers, and Willow, by Julia Hoban.

4. Go for accuracy. What are the basic diagnostic criteria for the disorder you’re writing about? Do you understand them? Do you know what they actually mean, how they actually look? Do you know much about the disorder itself? If you’re in the research stage for your book, I suggest you start here or here. (I also suggest you be careful of the internet, because, man, there’s a lot of wild, unfounded information out there.) But don't just read the facts. Read a few personal stories. And of course, if you know someone with that diagnosis who's willing to give you a perspective, listen and take a lot of notes, because that will give you a lot more depth and warmth--and intensity, especially if you’re writing about a teen.

Oh, and if you happen to have the diagnosis yourself, I STILL suggest you get other perspectives. Writing a character who is a thinly veiled version of you can be a trap--what's it going to feel like if one of your betas says your MC is unsympathetic? It's gonna feel personal! So be careful with that (and that goes for every character, not just ones with mental illnesses). Examples of blisteringly accurate portrayals of mental illness: Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson and Compulsion, by Heidi Ayarbe.

5. Go for perspective. Just because your character has a mental illness, that doesn’t mean you have an issue book (unless you want to). It doesn’t mean that your book is about mental illness. Your book is about a character (and probably more than one), right? The mental illness does not define that character. Great examples of this: Will Grayson, Will Grayson, by John Green and David Levithan, and The Things a Brother Knows, by Dana Reinhardt.

There you have it, my quick guide for writing characters with mental or emotional disorders. Any questions? Do you have some additional points to add to this list? What about good books to suggest or that demonstrate one of these points? There are so many excellent ones out there (and, of course, a few that aren’t so excellent, but we don’t have to name those). Are you writing a book that includes a character with a mental illness? How have you gone about it?


Thanks very much, Sarah, for these helpful suggestions!

Heads-Up: Inkpop Writing Contest for The Siren's Cry

This week at inkpop.com there is a writing contest to win (along with other HarperTeen books) The Siren's Cry by Jennifer Anne Kogler! This is book 2 in the Otherworldlies series.

The challenge? "Dreams can be a powerful tool to help propel a narrative. Now it's your turn. Write a short story or poem featuring a dream that drives the action of your story."

You can find all of the details about how to enter HERE. Apparently the winners will be picked by Jennifer Anne Kogler herself! The deadline is August 18th. Good luck!

Heads-Up: Inkpop Writing Contest for A Need So Beautiful

This week at inkpop.com there is a writing contest to win (along with other HarperTeen books) A Need So Beautiful by Suzanne Young! I've been hearing a lot of good things about this one in the blogosphere.

The challenge? "Write a short story, poem or person essay about love that overcomes all obstacles."

You can find all of the details about how to enter HERE. Apparently the winners will be picked by Suzanne Young herself! The deadline is July 14th. Good luck!

Head's-Up: Inkpop Writing Contest for Delirium

This week at inkpop.com there is a writing contest to win (along with other HarperTeen books) Delirium by Lauren Oliver!

The challenge? "Write a story, poem or essay that depicts a scene of love. Whether it's a disease, a challenge or something that must be overcome or come to terms with, write a creative project that puts love at the center of your challenge!"

You can find all of the details about how to enter HERE. The deadline is Feb. 17th.

This book has been one of the most hotly anticipated YA books of 2011 (it's certainly been on my wishlist), so if you'd like a chance at winning it get your entries in! Plus, what could be more appropriate than a little creative writing about love on Valentine's Day? :)

Head's-Up: Inkpop Writing Challenge for A Touch Mortal

I know there are a lot of bloggers anticipating Leah Clifford's A Touch Mortal and a lot of bloggers who enjoy creative writing, so some of you might be interested in a writing contest going on at inkpop.com this week.

The challenge? "Write a story, poem or essay that take a paranormal creature or character and puts them in a more mortal setting. Now werewolves don't roam the woods, but rather shop on the streets of Paris. Or Angels are finding themselves stuck in art museums rather than heaven. Write a poem, short story or essay that takes something or someone out of their natural element."

You can find all of the details about how to enter HERE. Prizes include A Touch Mortal and the winner's choice of other HarperTeen books! The deadline is Feb. 10th. Good luck! :)

The Gettysburg Approach to Writing & Speaking Like a Professional: Review

The Gettysburg Approach to Writing & Speaking Like a Professional by Philip Yaffe

Goodreads' description: 

"Effective writing and speaking are critical for all students and professionals in this challenging and competitive world. Professional level writing and speaking depend on only a handful of easy-to-understand principles. The Gettysburg Approach goes straight to the foundations, defines these principals and explains how to apply them. Through a variety of examples and simple exercises, this exceptional guide will help anyone sharpen their skills and rapidly learn to write and speak clearly, concisely, and persuasively."

I don't normally review non-fiction books, but since I was a full-time university student until recently, and I am currently still studying part-time, I thought I could approach this book from that perspective. It is intended more for the business professional, so many of the examples in the book are targeting that demographic; however, the conceptual foundations are general enough to be applicable to any kind of expository writing and presentations.


Content:

There are two main sections, one on the basics of good writing and the other on oral presentations. Yaffe argues that essentially the same approach should be taken to speaking as to writing: it should be clear, concise and dense. I appreciated that he used conceptual formulae to explain how to achieve each of these qualities. For example, D (density) = PL (precise information, logically linked). Furthermore, I liked that he teased out how listening to a presentation differs from reading an article, and pointed out how that will naturally affect how the presentation should be delivered.

Most of his tips made a good deal of sense, and I particularly enjoyed the section on the 'inverted pyramid' model of journalistic writing. I did quibble with a couple of his recommendations – for instance, he suggested only including images in a slide when you are intending to make a specific point about the illustration. In my experience, if the presentation only contains text, the audience interest starts to wane after a few slides. 

Readability/writing style:

Although I don't recommend trying to finish this book in one sitting, it is relatively easy to read given the topic. Yaffe's points are made clearly and often backed up with examples, and follow a logical progression. The layout, by breaking down the text into short sections with headings, facilitates understanding. My one gripe is that I did catch a few typos (spelling and punctuation errors) and grammatical problems (sentence fragments, though that may have been intentional). Normally I wouldn't pay so much attention to these, but this is a book on improving writing, so it is critical that it should be error-free. Generally, it would have benefited from more careful editing.

The tone of the book was generally informative without being terribly dry. However, occasionally it lapsed into a kind of 'sales pitch' I did not appreciate, and at other times it was a bit too didactic. I did find his use of quotes to be thoughtful and sometimes humorous, livening up the material a little.


Applicability:

Yaffe mentions at the beginning that he used to think "the essence of good writing was intricate sentences liberally sprinkled with sophisticated vocabulary." I think this is a very common misconception for writers starting out. His story of receiving lower grades than expected on his first papers in journalism school rang true with me. I remember learning the hard way, for my psychology research papers, that the professors weren't looking for flowery, smooth writing but simple, logical arguments grounded in cited evidence.

The author provides short examples of his tips throughout the text, and fleshes some of them out further in the accompanying appendices (for instance, ways of increasing reader interest, how to use a Q&A analysis, and even a comparison of the Gettysburg Address and Shakespeare.) This helps to show how the conceptual model is reflected in real-life examples. The appendices also include exercises (with answers) for improving certain aspects of writing and analyzing speeches.

Overall, I think it would be most useful to a beginner to expository writing (perhaps a first- or second-year college student new to writing research papers or making class presentations), but even those who consider themselves more seasoned writers/speakers may find this book a helpful resource.

(I'm not including a rating here because my rating system was designed for fiction, and I don't think it would work well for a non-fiction book.)




Disclaimer: I was asked to review this book by the author and given a copy by the publishers. This did not affect my review in any way.