"The Ten Thousand Doors of January" by Alix E. Harrow

Recommend: Yes; Spoilers: No

You know that feeling... that feeling when you go... "yes, I had read/felt this in a book...".... and you don't remember anything else. Just snippets of why a particular part of *some* book put its hooks in you. The Ten Thousand Doors of January, has been like that for me. There's been this tiny tug in my brain concerning a girl, a door, and the door leading to.... And I could not remember which book.

I bumbled across Harrow's "Once and Future Witches" (in NPR's 2020 books' list and our local bookstore: Words) and read it. And at the end of *that* book I saw another name: The Ten Thousand Doors of January. And I went Aaah.... is that the book which had the door. Or is that the book which lead to the feeling that we assume protagonists are white (even when they are not). It turns out the answer was the same for both those thoughts. But I could not chase it down.

But flicking through pages of my Kindle, I actually saw the book (this is when I miss having a physical library). I actually owned The Ten Thousand Doors of January (Amazon informs me that I acquired it on Dec 19, 2019). And it was the one with a girl and a door.... and a feeling.

I'm reading it again now. Re-reading a book you loved the first time, and which left you with that tug is like... meeting a friend after a very long time.You know pleasures await you, you know there is somersetting good that happens, and something bad that happens, but you don't remember exactly what. Its rediscovering all the joys of conversations, all the tics people have (and writers too). 

I'm really enjoying this reread. With all the anticipation, and the savoring of words, without the push of "what happens next".

BTW, did you notice the fascinating title? Its not just "Ten Thousand Doors" which sounds mundane, but  The Ten Thousand Doors of January, which packs specificity, and hints at mystery.