Ms. Hen reviews The Ten Thousand Doors of January

 

The Ten Thousand Doors of January

Alix E. Harrow

Hatchett Book Group

2019

Ms. Hen happened to buy this book because she was perusing science fiction books online, and this one popped up. When she bought it, she didn't realize that it was written by the same writer who wrote one of her favorite books last year, A SPINDLE SPLINTERED, the one about Sleeping Beauty. This book is longer, and it took more time to read, but Ms. Hen thought it was worth it.

This novel is about a young girl named January who lived in a house in Vermont with her guardian, Mr. Locke, whose father travels the world looking for unusual objects for Mr. Locke, or at least that's what January believes for a long time. 

When January is seven, she goes to Kentucky with Mr. Locke, and she is in a field, and finds a door that leads to another world. She steals a coin from this world, and keeps it, and does not tell her guardian that she has it. There are many doors, or Doors, to various worlds that January is yet to discover. She finds her true family history, and much more on her journey.

This novel reminded Ms. Hen of several others she has read, such as THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA, THE WIZARD OF OZ, and ALICE IN WONDERLAND.  It's like these novels, but much darker, and this novel is not meant for children. The idea of a different world behind a door, or another object, is a running theme through children's literature, but not usually for adults.

Ms. Hen loved this novel. She thinks it's a perfect book to escape the darkness of the world. It's about finding home, love, and the truth. Poor January was deceived her whole life, and when she discovers the truth, it's like a veil is lifted from in front of her eyes. She's braver than she imagines, and Ms. Hen wonders if there will be more books in this series. She thinks the end is open-ended, and a possibility exists there could be more...

Ms. Hen wasn't planning on reading this novel right away, but it's January, and the title has January in it, so she thought it was appropriate. Even though most of the novel is not a winter novel, Ms. Hen adored being whisked away to places behind doors that she didn't know could exist. Anything could be behind a new door, and Ms. Hen would like to find all the beautiful new worlds if they exist.

Ms. Hen reviews Mexican Gothic

Mexican Gothic

Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Jo Fletcher Books

2020

Ms. Hen decided to read this because she read an article about the best sci-fi books. It was the same article in which she found the previous book she read.

This novel is a gothic romance novel set in Mexico. The protagonist, Noemi, is a socialite and a party girl. She is sent to the house where her cousin, Catalina, lives with her husband to see what is wrong with Catalina. Noemi's father received a strange note from Catalina that makes him worried. When Noemi arrives at the house, she realizes that it's very strange, and a little haunted. Catalina's husband, Virgil, lives there with Florence, Francis, and Harold, and some servants. There is little talking in the house, and Florence lays down the law. Noemi doesn't realize what she's getting herself into, and neither did Ms. Hen because she became very confused.

Ms. Hen did not love this book. She found the Noemi shallow, and unlikeable, and also, she could not get into the story. She didn't believe the story, if that's possible. She thought it might have been something someone made up, which a novel ultimately is, but she couldn't bring herself to sink into the novel like others she has read. When she read her previous book, THE PAPER MENAGERIE, she got into every story, even though they were short stories, and she believed them. How does a reader believe a story? That's a question for the ages. Also, the end of this novel got very confusing and ridiculous, and weird, and even though Ms. Hen likes weird things, this was unbelievably weird, which she didn't like.

Ms. Hen doesn't recommend this book. Instead, if you want to read a Gothic romance, read REBECCA, which this book aspires to be, but falls flat in the attempt.

 

Ms. Hen reviews The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories

 

The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories

Ken Liu

Saga Press

2016

Ms. Hen decided to read this collection of short stories, because she looked up a list of the best science fiction books, and this book appeared, so she decided to give it a try.

This collection of short stories encapsulates many different spheres. Ms. Hen was astounded how each story seemed to be an entire world. Great worldbuilding exists in these stories, and Ms. Hen was sad when each one was over. She thinks that a lot of them could be novels unto themselves.

"The Regular," is a sci-fi detective story about a young woman who is murdered and how solving the mystery unfolds. "All the Flavors," is historical fiction about Chinese men who travel to the United States, ending up in Idaho, and make a life there. "A Brief History of the Trans-Pacific Tunnel," is alternate history about a tunnel dug underneath the Pacific Ocean, that brought the United States out of the Great Depression in the 1930s.

The story, "The Paper Menagerie," is about a young boy whose mother makes him origami animals that come to life. He becomes ashamed of his mother when he gets older, but the he finds the animals again, discovering his mother wrote him a note on one of them. "The Man Who Ended History: a Documentary," will haunt Ms. Hen for a long time with its graphic descriptions of the Japanese torturing the Chinese during WWII. This story is depressing, but it cheered Ms. Hen up because it made her realize that her life isn't really that bad...

Ms. Hen thinks this book is fantastic, and it took her a long time to read. The print is very small, and she's glad it took time to read it, so she could live in each world for a time.

Some chickens and hens appeared in this book, which Ms. Hen always enjoys. Her favorite moment with a chicken is in the story, "All the Flavors," when Obee and Logan are in court, and Logan wants Obee to dip his hand in the blood of a hen to make an oath to swear the truth, "The blood of the hen dripped into the bowl until the hen stopped kicking in Ah Yan's hands." Ms. Hen thinks this is the perfect way to make a vow.

Ms. Hen loved this book. She thinks it's a great way to start her year. The world is weird, and it keeps getting weirder, and books like this help Ms. Hen feel better about her place in the wild, weird world.

Ms. Hen's Top Ten

Ms. Hen would like to wish everyone a Happy New Year! Last year was challenging for her, but rewarding at the same time. There is often positive with the negative. Ms. Hen is looking forward to the New Year to see what adventures it brings. She hopes that you have success and happiness next year, and you can find ways to laugh, any way to laugh, because that is one of the important things in life, and what makes being on this Earth bearable.

These are Ms. Hen's top ten books she read last year, in no particular order:

The Pull of the Stars

http://mshenreviewsthings.blogspot.com/2021/01/ms-hen-reviews-pull-of-stars.html

The Testaments 

http://mshenreviewsthings.blogspot.com/2021/03/ms-hen-reviews-testaments.html

 

Klara and the Sun  

http://mshenreviewsthings.blogspot.com/2021/04/ms-hen-reviews-klara-and-sun.html

The Midnight Library

http://mshenreviewsthings.blogspot.com/2021/06/ms-hen-reviews-midnight-library.html

If I Had Your Face

http://mshenreviewsthings.blogspot.com/2021/07/ms-hen-reviews-if-i-had-your-face.html

Constance 

http://mshenreviewsthings.blogspot.com/2021/09/ms-hen-reviews-constance.html

No Gods, No Monsters

http://mshenreviewsthings.blogspot.com/2021/10/ms-hen-reviews-no-gods-no-monsters.html

Spindle, Splintered 

http://mshenreviewsthings.blogspot.com/2021/11/ms-hen-reviews-spindle-splintered.html

A Thousand Splendid Suns 

http://mshenreviewsthings.blogspot.com/2021/12/ms-hen-reviews-thousand-splendid-suns.html

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine 

http://mshenreviewsthings.blogspot.com/2021/12/ms-hen-reviews-eleanor-oliphant-is.html

Ms. Hen and I say thank you, and happy reading and everything else!

Best,

S.O.