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The Door That Led to Where
AJ Flynn has just failed all but one of his GCSEs, and his future is looking far from rosy. So when he is offered a junior position at a London law firm he hopes his life is about to change - but he could never have imagined by how much.
Tidying up the archive one day, AJ finds an old key, mysteriously labelled with his name and date of birth - and he becomes determined to find the door that fits the key. And so begins an amazing journey to a very real and tangible past - 1830, to be precise - where the streets of modern Clerkenwell are replaced with cobbles and carts, and the law can be twisted to suit a villain's means. Although life in 1830 is cheap, AJ and his friends quickly find that their own lives have much more value. They've gone from sad youth statistics to young men with purpose - and at the heart of everything lies a crime that only they can solve. But with enemies all around, can they unravel the mysteries of the past, before it unravels them?
A fast-paced mystery novel by one of the country's finest writers, THE DOOR THAT LED TO WHERE will delight, surprise and mesmerise all those who read it.
Tidying up the archive one day, AJ finds an old key, mysteriously labelled with his name and date of birth - and he becomes determined to find the door that fits the key. And so begins an amazing journey to a very real and tangible past - 1830, to be precise - where the streets of modern Clerkenwell are replaced with cobbles and carts, and the law can be twisted to suit a villain's means. Although life in 1830 is cheap, AJ and his friends quickly find that their own lives have much more value. They've gone from sad youth statistics to young men with purpose - and at the heart of everything lies a crime that only they can solve. But with enemies all around, can they unravel the mysteries of the past, before it unravels them?
A fast-paced mystery novel by one of the country's finest writers, THE DOOR THAT LED TO WHERE will delight, surprise and mesmerise all those who read it.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2015
58 people are currently reading
1372 people want to read
About the author
Sally Gardner
115 books630 followersAKA Wray Delaney
Sally Gardner grew up and still lives in London. Being dyslexic, she did not learn to read or write until she was fourteen and had been thrown out of several schools, labeled unteachable, and sent to a school for maladjusted children. Despite this, she gained a degree with highest honors at a leading London art college, followed by a scholarship to a theater school, and then went on to become a very successful costume designer, working on some notable productions.
After the births of twin daughters and a son, she started first to illustrate and then to write picture books and chapter books, usually with fairytale- or otherwise magical subject matter. She has been called 'an idiosyncratic genius' by London’s Sunday Times.
Sally Gardner grew up and still lives in London. Being dyslexic, she did not learn to read or write until she was fourteen and had been thrown out of several schools, labeled unteachable, and sent to a school for maladjusted children. Despite this, she gained a degree with highest honors at a leading London art college, followed by a scholarship to a theater school, and then went on to become a very successful costume designer, working on some notable productions.
After the births of twin daughters and a son, she started first to illustrate and then to write picture books and chapter books, usually with fairytale- or otherwise magical subject matter. She has been called 'an idiosyncratic genius' by London’s Sunday Times.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 241 reviews
March 17, 2015
See more reviews at YA Midnight Reads
3.5 stars
Sally Gardner's novels have garnered (HAHA DID YOU SEE WHAT I DID THERE?! I'm funny. Deal with it people) a lot of praise and recognition over the years so it's no surprise that I read this book with high expectations. While this book had a rocky start for me, I found this to be a thoroughly enjoyable for most of the part.
AJ Flynn is your average teenager. He lives with his single mother who doesn't want anything to do with AJ because she believes that he is a total waste of space--and that belief is further backed up when AJ fails all but one of his GCSEs at school. So arguably, AJ spends more time (and practically lives) with his friendly neighbour than at home with his mother and her drunk-ass boyfriend. I felt incredibly sorry for AJ, his life hasn't been the easiest at all and the only thing he knows about his father is that he's dead. Yes that's right, AJ doesn't even know his father's name because his mother won't tell him. Poor dude. Anyway, AJ manages to land a job at a law firm and while he's tidying up some files, he comes across a key with his name and date of birth on it. Curiosity gets the better of him and AJ discovers that the key is to a door that takes him... to London 1830.
The Door that Led to Where is a perfectly balanced blend of mystery thriller, fantasy, historical fiction and time-travel glamoured by the authentic array of characters and brilliant plot lines that entwine with each other. In a way, I see this novel as a coming-of-age story as we are thrown into two different periods of time that actually have more in common than you'd think. It's an adventurous novel filled excitement and incredible depth, and you soon find yourself attached to all the characters, particularly AJ.
My main and possibly only criticism was that this book was that this book was incredibly slow to begin with. It states in the blurb that this is a fast-paced novel but I honestly wasn't feeling that at the start. However, things do pick up significantly once the epic-ness of time-travel kicks in. It's hard to get time-travel right, and Sally Gardner put in exceptional effort in here. I was bored in a few places throughout the book too, occasionally, but that wasn't a big issue.
The Door that Led to Where is a richly-crafted tale and Sally Gardner has some seriously amazing writer skills. There's no doubt that I'll be reading more of her novels for the years to come.
3.5 stars
Sally Gardner's novels have garnered (HAHA DID YOU SEE WHAT I DID THERE?! I'm funny. Deal with it people) a lot of praise and recognition over the years so it's no surprise that I read this book with high expectations. While this book had a rocky start for me, I found this to be a thoroughly enjoyable for most of the part.
AJ Flynn is your average teenager. He lives with his single mother who doesn't want anything to do with AJ because she believes that he is a total waste of space--and that belief is further backed up when AJ fails all but one of his GCSEs at school. So arguably, AJ spends more time (and practically lives) with his friendly neighbour than at home with his mother and her drunk-ass boyfriend. I felt incredibly sorry for AJ, his life hasn't been the easiest at all and the only thing he knows about his father is that he's dead. Yes that's right, AJ doesn't even know his father's name because his mother won't tell him. Poor dude. Anyway, AJ manages to land a job at a law firm and while he's tidying up some files, he comes across a key with his name and date of birth on it. Curiosity gets the better of him and AJ discovers that the key is to a door that takes him... to London 1830.
The Door that Led to Where is a perfectly balanced blend of mystery thriller, fantasy, historical fiction and time-travel glamoured by the authentic array of characters and brilliant plot lines that entwine with each other. In a way, I see this novel as a coming-of-age story as we are thrown into two different periods of time that actually have more in common than you'd think. It's an adventurous novel filled excitement and incredible depth, and you soon find yourself attached to all the characters, particularly AJ.
My main and possibly only criticism was that this book was that this book was incredibly slow to begin with. It states in the blurb that this is a fast-paced novel but I honestly wasn't feeling that at the start. However, things do pick up significantly once the epic-ness of time-travel kicks in. It's hard to get time-travel right, and Sally Gardner put in exceptional effort in here. I was bored in a few places throughout the book too, occasionally, but that wasn't a big issue.
The Door that Led to Where is a richly-crafted tale and Sally Gardner has some seriously amazing writer skills. There's no doubt that I'll be reading more of her novels for the years to come.
~Thank you Five Mile Press Australia for sending me this copy!~
June 27, 2017
پیشروی سیر اصلی داستان جوریه که میخوای زودتر به آخرش برسی تا ببینی که شخصیت اصلی در نهایت چه تصمیمی گرفت. تصمیم گرفت در زمان به عقب برگرده یا جایی که متولد شده بمونه. شروع داستان معمولیه. اِ جِی فلین 16 ساله دوباره خراب کرده، فقط یکی از امتحاناشون پاس کرده و مادرش هم یه قرار مصاحبه برای شرکت در مدرسه حقوق لندن براش ترتیب داده. زندگی مادرش هم سخته و در داستان حضور داره. از اونجایی که اِی جی کتابخونه، موقع مصاحبه درسیش، از آثار کلاسیک صحبت میکنه و باعث میشه و مصاحبه کننده ازش خوشش بیاد. اما قبل از اینکه آینده امیدوار کننده ای داشته باشه، یه در پیدا میکنه که به گذشته باز میشه. چیزی که با این در متوجه میشه، رفتار مادرش، عدم حضور پدرش، و دوستانش رو توجیه میکنه. خیلی خوب توصیف میکنه که اگه یه شانس دیگه داشتی که به عقب برگردی و کلا یه مدل دیگه زندگی کنی، چطور این کار رو میکردی یا نمیکردی و باید به چه نکاتی توجه بکنی.
نثرش ساده و متنش هم سریع پیش میره.
نثرش ساده و متنش هم سریع پیش میره.
January 16, 2017
I did not enjoy this book at all: I wanted to stop reading halfway through. The movement of the story halfway through just dragged on so much. Additionally, the plot was just lost on me! It is a blend between time travel, murder mystery and modern life drama: the murderer was completely sprung upon us at the last second because it wasn't a character we had any depth into until the final few pages and the whole time travel thing was just completely lost on me: such an over-complicated plot and it just wasn't my thing.
September 21, 2015
the premise and the story overall are pretty interesting! such a shame the writing fails and doesn't deliver the greatness this book could achieve!
full review here: https://catshelf.wordpress.com/2015/0...
full review here: https://catshelf.wordpress.com/2015/0...
January 26, 2022
This book was insane from start to finish and unfortunately I don’t think I mean that in a complimentary way. It actually read like I was watching a poorly written episode of Eastenders - it was that level of bizarre. I actually have no idea how this was an award winner for YA fiction it was… questionable.
It was supposed to be full of 16 year old boys, but the way in which this was written felt like it was aimed at much younger children. It was also full of general editing and punctuation errors which weren’t a big deal, but bugged me. None of the characters seemed to talk in a normal or authentic way at all, and most of it just made me cringe. They were ridiculously bland and two dimensional. The protagonist was the most interesting out of a questionable bunch, and that’s saying something considering he was ridiculously boring.
Speaking of characters, the two side characters in here were written borderline offensively. One is half-black and the other Turkish (?) I believe and compared to White British AJ they’re written horrifically and I’m surprised nobody else picked up on it. They’re both so stereotypical - working class, talk a lot less eloquently than AJ, have issues with drug abuse and absent parents, in trouble with the law, no jobs or prospects… it just rubbed me the wrong way completely.
The confusion I had while reading this was due to how short it was, coupled with the plot that had too much going on and a ridiculously fast pace. You barely had any time to process anything before we were jumping into action again. We don’t really get much thinking or explanation of events, just a jumble of dialogue in place of worldbuilding. I got lost repeatedly and had no clue what was going on.
I didn’t like this book at all, not for me.
It was supposed to be full of 16 year old boys, but the way in which this was written felt like it was aimed at much younger children. It was also full of general editing and punctuation errors which weren’t a big deal, but bugged me. None of the characters seemed to talk in a normal or authentic way at all, and most of it just made me cringe. They were ridiculously bland and two dimensional. The protagonist was the most interesting out of a questionable bunch, and that’s saying something considering he was ridiculously boring.
Speaking of characters, the two side characters in here were written borderline offensively. One is half-black and the other Turkish (?) I believe and compared to White British AJ they’re written horrifically and I’m surprised nobody else picked up on it. They’re both so stereotypical - working class, talk a lot less eloquently than AJ, have issues with drug abuse and absent parents, in trouble with the law, no jobs or prospects… it just rubbed me the wrong way completely.
The confusion I had while reading this was due to how short it was, coupled with the plot that had too much going on and a ridiculously fast pace. You barely had any time to process anything before we were jumping into action again. We don’t really get much thinking or explanation of events, just a jumble of dialogue in place of worldbuilding. I got lost repeatedly and had no clue what was going on.
I didn’t like this book at all, not for me.
July 6, 2022
نسخه ترجمه این کتاب رو از نشر پیدایش خوندم:)
دری که به کجا باز شد
توصیفات زیادی داشت درباره لندن سالای ۱۳۸۰
و البته لندن حال حاضر و بدبختی هایی که یه نوجوون و جوون میتونه داشته باشه.
دوستش داشتم
دری که به کجا باز شد
توصیفات زیادی داشت درباره لندن سالای ۱۳۸۰
و البته لندن حال حاضر و بدبختی هایی که یه نوجوون و جوون میتونه داشته باشه.
دوستش داشتم
August 18, 2021
Got this for my birthday from my bestie and loved it so much.
The story is not the most original one (timeslip, first love, friends and hardships) but the characters were golden. It's been a while since I enjoyed a YA narrator as much as I enjoyed AJ's voice in this book. He's clever and sarcastic and very easy to love.
I loved the theme of leaving your friends behind (letting go of something) because it's best for them.
The mystery wasn't the most clever thing. I figured it out early on but that's not was this story is mainly about (at least for me).
Also, the ending was perfeeeect!
The story is not the most original one (timeslip, first love, friends and hardships) but the characters were golden. It's been a while since I enjoyed a YA narrator as much as I enjoyed AJ's voice in this book. He's clever and sarcastic and very easy to love.
I loved the theme of leaving your friends behind (letting go of something) because it's best for them.
The mystery wasn't the most clever thing. I figured it out early on but that's not was this story is mainly about (at least for me).
Also, the ending was perfeeeect!
August 15, 2017
Very cool concept, and written in a way that I enjoyed (though it took me a while to get used to the British-ness and the fact that it was third person. after like, four first person books in a week, that was really throwing me off, lol. and the British slang in this is veryyy heavy).
I didn't really get attached to any of the characters, except maybe Elsie, but I did really like the bond between the three boys. I could really tell how much they cared about each other .
The mystery moved very quickly throughout this story--almost too quickly, to be honest. Questions were being answered before I'd even thought to ask them, and while I appreciate a plot that doesn't drag on, I like to be left in the dark for at least a little while before the twist is revealed.
But all in all, this was a decent book, and another easy read once I got the hang of the writing.
3 stars!
I didn't really get attached to any of the characters, except maybe Elsie, but I did really like the bond between the three boys. I could really tell how much they cared about each other .
The mystery moved very quickly throughout this story--almost too quickly, to be honest. Questions were being answered before I'd even thought to ask them, and while I appreciate a plot that doesn't drag on, I like to be left in the dark for at least a little while before the twist is revealed.
But all in all, this was a decent book, and another easy read once I got the hang of the writing.
3 stars!
May 1, 2015
My first Sally Gardner, and not a disappointment. A clever time-slip novel, set in the 21st and 19th centuries, the main character of AJ is instantly recognisable - a lost and aimless youth who is given a break when he is taken into chambers as a baby clerk. But the position reveals more of the past, and in particular AJ's past, than he bargained for.
May 11, 2015
Firstly, let me admit that I had not read anything by Sally Gardner before this book. Secondly, I ask myself the question : why did I leave it this long?
The Door That Led to Where is fabulous. A time-slip/mystery/friendship/fantasy/realist novel that defies being categorised (obviously), and holds the reader right to the very end. Gardner's characters are top-notch. You become invested in them without even noticing it is happening - until you read the last few pages with tears in your eyes.
AJ and his mates, Slim and Leon, are as close as brothers, and they are always in some kind of trouble. When AJ's mum manages to get him an interview for a baby clerk position at a law firm she used to clean for, it seems that AJ's life might finally be turning around.
And turn around it does, but in ways that AJ could not possibly have imagined. It is revealed early on that AJ is a Dickens aficionado, and this certainly helps him to navigate 19th century London when he unlocks "the door" of the title. He revels in the new environment and becomes deeply involved in the goings on, on the other side of the door.
There are mysteries to be solved - on both side of the door - where is Leon? What happened to AJ's father, who was the previous holder of the key to the door? What is Mr Baldwin, a partner in the law firm AJ works for, up to?
Added to all this is the wonderful relationship AJ has with "Auntie Elsie" who lives in the same block of flats as AJ and his family. When he leaves the family flat because he can no longer stand living with his mother, Elsie becomes a grandmother figure and they look after one another. I loved this relationship and seeing it develop. The story straddles the two time zones really well - in a believable way (at least for me) - and never gets bogged down in the scientific "jargon" that so often accompanies a story like this one. Whilst it is definitely rooted in the 21st century, this is really, in essence, a mystery story that just happens to span 150 years. AJ, Slim and Leon become different people as the story progresses (or become who they were meant to be) - and they way the three end up really sat well with me. I am hoping there may be a second book in the works as there were a couple of loose ends not tied up - I think this could be a really engaging series if that was to happen.
Because there is some swearing in the text, I would say this is recommended for ages 14 and up, but if you have a mature reader who would cope with some fruity language as part of the plot (not gratuitous) I would say 12 and up. Now, to find the next Sally Gardner to read!
The Door That Led to Where is fabulous. A time-slip/mystery/friendship/fantasy/realist novel that defies being categorised (obviously), and holds the reader right to the very end. Gardner's characters are top-notch. You become invested in them without even noticing it is happening - until you read the last few pages with tears in your eyes.
AJ and his mates, Slim and Leon, are as close as brothers, and they are always in some kind of trouble. When AJ's mum manages to get him an interview for a baby clerk position at a law firm she used to clean for, it seems that AJ's life might finally be turning around.
And turn around it does, but in ways that AJ could not possibly have imagined. It is revealed early on that AJ is a Dickens aficionado, and this certainly helps him to navigate 19th century London when he unlocks "the door" of the title. He revels in the new environment and becomes deeply involved in the goings on, on the other side of the door.
There are mysteries to be solved - on both side of the door - where is Leon? What happened to AJ's father, who was the previous holder of the key to the door? What is Mr Baldwin, a partner in the law firm AJ works for, up to?
Added to all this is the wonderful relationship AJ has with "Auntie Elsie" who lives in the same block of flats as AJ and his family. When he leaves the family flat because he can no longer stand living with his mother, Elsie becomes a grandmother figure and they look after one another. I loved this relationship and seeing it develop. The story straddles the two time zones really well - in a believable way (at least for me) - and never gets bogged down in the scientific "jargon" that so often accompanies a story like this one. Whilst it is definitely rooted in the 21st century, this is really, in essence, a mystery story that just happens to span 150 years. AJ, Slim and Leon become different people as the story progresses (or become who they were meant to be) - and they way the three end up really sat well with me. I am hoping there may be a second book in the works as there were a couple of loose ends not tied up - I think this could be a really engaging series if that was to happen.
Because there is some swearing in the text, I would say this is recommended for ages 14 and up, but if you have a mature reader who would cope with some fruity language as part of the plot (not gratuitous) I would say 12 and up. Now, to find the next Sally Gardner to read!
October 10, 2017
AJ and his friends, Slim and Leon live in the poorer part of London. They don’t have a lot of advantages and their life is a tough as you’d believe, gangs, drugs, absent parents. They have all been told that they’ll end up losers. AJ, who only passes one of his final exams, receives out of the blue a job offer at a law firm. There he finds a key labeled with his name and birth date. When he finds the door that the key opens, it leads him to another London in 1830 and this is where the intrigue begins. Who is the good guy and who is not? Where do all the trinkets from the 19th century come from? Anyone who likes historical fiction while at the same time having a parallel story set in the 21st century will enjoy this novel especially since the juxtaposition the two time periods works very well.
- lisab
- lisab
July 18, 2015
I didn't know what to expect from The Door That Led To Where, I actually hadn't head anything about it before I received an email from the publisher. I have heard a lot about Sally Gardner though, especially her book Maggot Moon which I know has gotten a lot of high praise and amazing reviews. I had decided to look up The Door That Led To Where on Goodreads and see what it was about. I was instantly intrigued by this book, it not only contained time travel, it was also set in London, two things I love reading about. I decided then and there that this was a book I needed to read.
My dilemma with this book.
I find this book quite difficult to review, mostly because of the fact it's aimed at younger audience than the one I am used to. It's not aimed at young children, given the fact it contains a fair bit of violence, murder and a lot of swearing. But it doesn't read like a young adult book either, it definitely falls between the two. It's meant that when I've been reviewing it I've been looking at it differently, reviewing it as a book that's aimed more at younger teens. It's not the sort of book that I usually read, but it's one I ended up thoroughly enjoying and it has made me very excited to try more books by this author.
I completely understand now why Sally Gardner gets so much praise, she's one talented author. She not only brought to life a modern day London, she also brought 1830's London to life as well. This was one of those times where the time travel aspect of the book worked perfectly for me. It didn't bother me in the way it has a habit of doing in most other time travel books, usually because I tend to over think it. I loved the whole concept of Jobey's Door, that all AJ needed to do was walk through it and he'd find himself in the 1830's.
There's time travel and London!
I like the characters in this book, especially those of AJ and his two best friends, Leon and Slim. They're characters that feel very real, who talk and act exactly how you'd imagine people in their situation and from their area and upbringing would. I also like that they're characters that a younger teen reader can identify with. It also helps that Gardner creates wonderful banter between them all, and anyone who knows me knows that I love great banter between characters. They're three boys who haven't had the easiest start in life and are struggling, so the past is an escape for them all. It opens up chances for the boys that they wouldn't have dreamed of. I liked seeing the characters and their varying feelings about the past and what it could offer them. It's also good to see characters wrestling with the decision to stay in the past or to face their future in our time.
4/5 Butterflies
I'm actually just going to get straight to the point with this review and rate the book. It's a definite four out of five for me. The murder mystery element will be what appeals to the books target audience, it'll keep them reading. I loved and appreciated how well written this was, and how Gardner brought to life a part of London that tourists don't see, the more run down side to it. This was a 4/5 read for me because it's not my usual read, but I can see it being a 5/5 read for younger readers. I'd recommend this to parents who come in to my library, asking for advice on what to give their children to read. I'd also recommend to anyone who loves a good middle grade book, with an intriguing premise, interesting characters and a hint of mystery.
* I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review.
My dilemma with this book.
I find this book quite difficult to review, mostly because of the fact it's aimed at younger audience than the one I am used to. It's not aimed at young children, given the fact it contains a fair bit of violence, murder and a lot of swearing. But it doesn't read like a young adult book either, it definitely falls between the two. It's meant that when I've been reviewing it I've been looking at it differently, reviewing it as a book that's aimed more at younger teens. It's not the sort of book that I usually read, but it's one I ended up thoroughly enjoying and it has made me very excited to try more books by this author.
I completely understand now why Sally Gardner gets so much praise, she's one talented author. She not only brought to life a modern day London, she also brought 1830's London to life as well. This was one of those times where the time travel aspect of the book worked perfectly for me. It didn't bother me in the way it has a habit of doing in most other time travel books, usually because I tend to over think it. I loved the whole concept of Jobey's Door, that all AJ needed to do was walk through it and he'd find himself in the 1830's.
There's time travel and London!
I like the characters in this book, especially those of AJ and his two best friends, Leon and Slim. They're characters that feel very real, who talk and act exactly how you'd imagine people in their situation and from their area and upbringing would. I also like that they're characters that a younger teen reader can identify with. It also helps that Gardner creates wonderful banter between them all, and anyone who knows me knows that I love great banter between characters. They're three boys who haven't had the easiest start in life and are struggling, so the past is an escape for them all. It opens up chances for the boys that they wouldn't have dreamed of. I liked seeing the characters and their varying feelings about the past and what it could offer them. It's also good to see characters wrestling with the decision to stay in the past or to face their future in our time.
4/5 Butterflies
I'm actually just going to get straight to the point with this review and rate the book. It's a definite four out of five for me. The murder mystery element will be what appeals to the books target audience, it'll keep them reading. I loved and appreciated how well written this was, and how Gardner brought to life a part of London that tourists don't see, the more run down side to it. This was a 4/5 read for me because it's not my usual read, but I can see it being a 5/5 read for younger readers. I'd recommend this to parents who come in to my library, asking for advice on what to give their children to read. I'd also recommend to anyone who loves a good middle grade book, with an intriguing premise, interesting characters and a hint of mystery.
* I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review.
February 19, 2022
Thoroughly enjoyed! Such a lovely and interesting read. A totally different take on an time travel fiction. The characters were so likable and lovable and I was rooting for a happy ending for all of them. The relationship between the friends was just so heartwarming. Want to read more from this author!!
March 3, 2016
Really 3.5 *'s because it is quite an adventure. My first read of the author; and I'm not sure which age range this is geared to: 11 to 15 or Young Adult - since the protagonist is 17.
Nice bit of time-travel back to 1830's London; and a nice little murder-mystery to solve.
AJ (otherwise Aiden Jobey) joins a Grey's Inn law company as a baby clerk - since he's only managed to get the one GCSE. Sorting through old documents he finds an old-fashioned key with his name written on the label, and this key is the key to travelling back in time.
His friends, Slim and Leon have their own problems which AJ is keen to help out in whatever way he can. All three come from difficult backgrounds and circumstances, which actually make them street-wise in many ways. There is rather a lot of to-and-fro-ing by AJ from time to time (sorry, couldn't resist the pun), but he picks up details of the murder of his grandfather as he goes. It is a rather intricate crime he solves (with a bit of help from Leon!), and simple choices are made by a number of important people as to "when" they stay and live, at the conclusion.
I did enjoy this little read, although I suppose it is rather simplistic in essence.
One of the Costa finalists.
Nice bit of time-travel back to 1830's London; and a nice little murder-mystery to solve.
AJ (otherwise Aiden Jobey) joins a Grey's Inn law company as a baby clerk - since he's only managed to get the one GCSE. Sorting through old documents he finds an old-fashioned key with his name written on the label, and this key is the key to travelling back in time.
His friends, Slim and Leon have their own problems which AJ is keen to help out in whatever way he can. All three come from difficult backgrounds and circumstances, which actually make them street-wise in many ways. There is rather a lot of to-and-fro-ing by AJ from time to time (sorry, couldn't resist the pun), but he picks up details of the murder of his grandfather as he goes. It is a rather intricate crime he solves (with a bit of help from Leon!), and simple choices are made by a number of important people as to "when" they stay and live, at the conclusion.
I did enjoy this little read, although I suppose it is rather simplistic in essence.
One of the Costa finalists.
May 7, 2015
Unlike some writers, Sally Gardner doesn't have a recognisable writing style. Her historical novels like the The Red Necklace and I, Coriander have an entirely different prose style than Maggot Moon (with its very distinctive voice) or this latest novel -- which is an entirely different thing again. What is consistent throughout are her forays into history, the fascination with magic, and her championing of the underdog protagonist. This is the most realistic of Gardner's novel, although it does have a time-travel component to it! Its main character, AJ Flynn, is very much a contemporary creation, though. (The novel opens with AJ being castigated for doing badly on his GCSE exams.) AJ is searching for an identity -- both in terms of his past and his present. Please read my full review at http://tracbook.blogspot.co.uk/2015/0....
March 15, 2016
Absolutely stunning cover - underneath the dust jacket is a map of London! It was difficult determining which genre to shelve this book, there is historical fiction as the reader is transported back to Victorian England, thus combining time travel and elements of fantasy. I really enjoyed this book and it left me feeling satisfied. Absolutely no need for a sequel. I highly recommend this. I went into this book blind so i'm keeping this review as vague as possible :)
August 4, 2024
"He waited and there was nothing, just the patient tick-tock of a clock measuring a different time."
This story is such a unique idea, packed with historical and in-the-present action.
The book design is equally unique, a slightly ajar door leading to a map of 1830s London.
Now the book is travelling back to the library discard shop for someone else to enjoy.
August 5, 2017
„The Door That Led to Where“ is an excellent contemporary YA book, but a not so excellent historical novel. This is the first book by Sally Gardner that I read, though I’ve heard (from Ella) that she is pretty well-known as an author of children’s and young adult books, and I can very well believe that; her characters are authentic and realistic, the voice of her main character, AJ, is enjoyable, and the plot of this book is tight and tense, even though it’s not quite as sprawling as a book with this kind of plot could have been. But I guess that’s a problem of the genre more than a problem of this particular book.
THE ELECTRONIC JUNGLE
I really enjoyed the parts of the book that took place in the present. Gardner describes the hopelessness, but also the humanity of Stoke Newington, a well-known working-class part of London, so emphatically that you can’t help but feel for all the inhabitants of this fictional version of Stokey. AJ’s hopeless life in particular left me with a pretty bad heart-ache; I mean, a boy who not only never knew his father, but who grew up with a mum who always blamed him for everything and apparently never even hugged him until he was 17??? That shit is awful, but it makes for great rooting interests. I wanted AJ to succeed, to have a lovely life of his own and to show his mother and bratty little sister that he was worth something after all, that he was not just a waste of space or a moocher living off what little money his mother has.
The mystery in the present was also very engaging, especially because the stakes were pretty high thanks to AJ’s background. Should he go investigating that strange key and file with his name on it, or should he leave it be, because it’s not his property, but that of the people he works for? Why did he even get a job in legal chambers, with no experience whatsoever, and with only one GCSE? Who are the counsellors working there, and why do they seem to know his father? Who is his father, anyway? All of these questions kept me reading, and most of the answers to these questions drew me even deeper into this book.
But then the time travel happened, and with the time travel, the eye rolling started.
WRONG, WRONG, WRONG, WRONG
This book suffers from two different sets of errors. The first set of errors is especially annoying, because it is so easily preventable that most other books manage to avoid it. The thing is, the editing of this book is so goddamn bad. Not only are words missing or repeated (on one page, there were three editing mistakes like that), but at the very beginning, when the time travel first happens, the book gives the year they have travelled to as 1930. So imagine my confusion when AJ later says he is in the year 1830. Does the door lead to different time periods? Why are all the same people as in 1930 in 1830 as well? Is this a rebirth type situation?
The answer, of course, was that ‘1930’ had been an editing mistake in the first place. It was meant to mean 1830, and let’s be honest, such a plot-relevant mistake because of nothing but poor editing is just not acceptable. I can overlook the one or other missed ‘to’ or ‘going’, but I can’t overlook a mistake that literally throws me off the plot and makes it impossible for me to understand what’s going on until I figure out that there was a mistake in the book itself. And it’s not like this is a self-published book or anything. It’s not a debut novel either. This is just unacceptable. Though it has to be said that this is not Gardner’s fault, but her publisher’s.
The second set of errors will not surprise anybody who has read any of my reviews on historical novels: The historic alpart of this book was just not right. There are some things I can forgive, and some things that other authors usually get wrong which Gardner got right – for example, half-black Leon and Turkish Slim have no problems whatsoever in 1830 London, which is honestly as it should be. However, it is surprising coming from an author who apparently nailed the Tudor era in ‘I, Coriander’, one of Ella’s favorites, that Gardner gets the role of women in 1830 England so. wrong.
At one point in the book, AJ reads a set of etiquette books, one for men and one for women. I’m going to quote here, and I’m pretty sure you’ll quickly notice why I got pissed off when I read it.
Just… Everything about this is wrong. Everything. First of all, can we stop harping on those poor corsets??? They just did the same job as bras do today. They were not unpleasant. They did not restrict breathing. MEN wore corsets as well, especially in the 1830s. Nobody ever talks about the fact that a lot of men liked a smooth silhouette as much as women did, but whenever we talk about corsets, they are these torture instruments of patriarchal doom. Just… Bullshit. Stop that. It’s just so extra stupid in this context, because the middle-aged generation in 1830 would have been in their youth during the Regency period, when – gasp – corsets were not in fashion! Why would they force their daughters to wear corsets if their own wives did not do so? And 1830 corsets weren’t even really used to reduce your waist! 1830 is not interchangeable with 1850, and even then nobody forced people to wear a corset. It was just good tone, in most circumstances, like wearing a bra is today.
And then we come to the books. The way reading is portrayed in Jane Austen novels, which take place a mere decade before this book’s past-part, is a good indication for how reading women were viewed at that time: There were books that were considered appropriate for women to read (the bible, treatises on virtues, educational novels, generally books that jived with the moral understanding of the time), and books that were not considered appropriate (books with immoral subjects, basically). Women were not forbidden to read books. You’re thinking of the puritans, not 1830 London.
Same with theatre. Theatre just was not forbidden for women. It was not. It was a major source of entertainment for the upper and middle classes. Same as books. Why would a wealthy young lady stoop to sewing when she could instead read French books and become sophisticated and an interesting conversationalist?
Also, the whole ‘frail constitution’ thing? Also not a thing in the 1830s. That’s a Victorian thing. 1830 is not Victorian. I repeat, 1830 is NOT interchangeable with 1850. I expect more from an author writing a time travel novel, really. Sally Gardner is teaching young people things about history that just are not true. She is perpetuating the insulting falsehood that women in the past had awful lives and were treated horribly by men and were not allowed to have any fun. We have enough of that in YA already, really.
WHEN RECKLESS YOUNG ADULT FICTION BECOMES DANGEROUS
Now we come to my last point, and the reason why I don’t feel comfortable giving this book more than 2 points. You remember AJs mum? The woman who never hugged him until he was 17, who either ignored him entirely or told him he was a useless piece of shit and that she regretted having him? Who told him her boyfriend would beat him up if he didn’t do what she said?
That woman got a redemption.
Yep, you heard that right. Once the secret about AJ’s dad is revealed, she suddenly starts to be nice to her child. Her child who she mentally and emotionally abused and (as is implied) beat for 17 years. Suddenly she started being nice to him, hugging him, being worried about him. And the book condones her behaviour. We are basically asked to just forget the fact that this woman is an abuser who tortured a child for nearly two decades. Suddenly, AJ gets along with her again. She gets rid of her boyfriend (who was definitely not the reason for her behaviour, since he apparently was only with her for a few years), and suddenly she wants AJ to forgive her and to have a new start. And AJ does – which, to be fair, is realistic, since he would likely have been hungering for his mother’s approval all his life, and he never had the chance to build up the kind of self-esteem and resilience to withstand an abuser who tries to make you ‘forgive’ them.
But it’s a horrible, horrible message, especially for a young adult novel. A child should never feel obligated to forgive an abusive parent, and that is exactly what this book tells its young readers – that everything can be good again, that your mum or dad who have been hitting you and making you feel like shit since you were a toddler might one day just turn around and be nice again, that they might have a reason to be so awful and when certain things happen, they will stop being awful. (And the reason AJ’s mum had wasn’t even good. Tons of women are left with children by men who tell them they want to marry them. That is not a reason, or an excuse, to abuse your child. Nothing, ever, could excuse the kind of abuse AJ’s mum heaps on her son. Nothing.)
A lot of this novel’s theme was reconnecting with your past, learning about your background, and making decisions for your future. However, some parts of your past need to be excised, not reconnected with. An abusive parent should not be portrayed as a sympathetic person who just needs to get over a loss and learn how to love her son. She robbed her child of a childhood. She hurt her own child just because she was angry his father left her.
Parental abuse is a common theme in this book, actually – AJ’s mum is abusive, Leon’s mum was a drug-addict and neglected him and his brother, and Slim’s parents just plain ignored him. But other with Leon’s mother, where his dealing with her sickness is portrayed pretty well, and with Slim’s parents, who are never quite addressed, the portrayal of AJ’s mum is dangerous for young readers of this book, and it might be dangerous for other survivors of parental abuse. There are Young Adult books out there that actually treat parental abuse and its effects on the abused child very well, like Caraval did for example, but “The Door That Led to Where” treats the topic of parental abuse in a reckless and irresponsible way, which is the final reason why I cannot give this book more than 2 points.
Want to read more of my reviews? Visit me on The Bookabelles Blog or follow me here on Goodreads :)
THE ELECTRONIC JUNGLE
I really enjoyed the parts of the book that took place in the present. Gardner describes the hopelessness, but also the humanity of Stoke Newington, a well-known working-class part of London, so emphatically that you can’t help but feel for all the inhabitants of this fictional version of Stokey. AJ’s hopeless life in particular left me with a pretty bad heart-ache; I mean, a boy who not only never knew his father, but who grew up with a mum who always blamed him for everything and apparently never even hugged him until he was 17??? That shit is awful, but it makes for great rooting interests. I wanted AJ to succeed, to have a lovely life of his own and to show his mother and bratty little sister that he was worth something after all, that he was not just a waste of space or a moocher living off what little money his mother has.
The mystery in the present was also very engaging, especially because the stakes were pretty high thanks to AJ’s background. Should he go investigating that strange key and file with his name on it, or should he leave it be, because it’s not his property, but that of the people he works for? Why did he even get a job in legal chambers, with no experience whatsoever, and with only one GCSE? Who are the counsellors working there, and why do they seem to know his father? Who is his father, anyway? All of these questions kept me reading, and most of the answers to these questions drew me even deeper into this book.
But then the time travel happened, and with the time travel, the eye rolling started.
WRONG, WRONG, WRONG, WRONG
This book suffers from two different sets of errors. The first set of errors is especially annoying, because it is so easily preventable that most other books manage to avoid it. The thing is, the editing of this book is so goddamn bad. Not only are words missing or repeated (on one page, there were three editing mistakes like that), but at the very beginning, when the time travel first happens, the book gives the year they have travelled to as 1930. So imagine my confusion when AJ later says he is in the year 1830. Does the door lead to different time periods? Why are all the same people as in 1930 in 1830 as well? Is this a rebirth type situation?
The answer, of course, was that ‘1930’ had been an editing mistake in the first place. It was meant to mean 1830, and let’s be honest, such a plot-relevant mistake because of nothing but poor editing is just not acceptable. I can overlook the one or other missed ‘to’ or ‘going’, but I can’t overlook a mistake that literally throws me off the plot and makes it impossible for me to understand what’s going on until I figure out that there was a mistake in the book itself. And it’s not like this is a self-published book or anything. It’s not a debut novel either. This is just unacceptable. Though it has to be said that this is not Gardner’s fault, but her publisher’s.
The second set of errors will not surprise anybody who has read any of my reviews on historical novels: The historic alpart of this book was just not right. There are some things I can forgive, and some things that other authors usually get wrong which Gardner got right – for example, half-black Leon and Turkish Slim have no problems whatsoever in 1830 London, which is honestly as it should be. However, it is surprising coming from an author who apparently nailed the Tudor era in ‘I, Coriander’, one of Ella’s favorites, that Gardner gets the role of women in 1830 England so. wrong.
At one point in the book, AJ reads a set of etiquette books, one for men and one for women. I’m going to quote here, and I’m pretty sure you’ll quickly notice why I got pissed off when I read it.
The second book was on social rules for ladies. It was shocking. As far as he could make out, ladies weren’t allowed to read books or go to the theatre. Even Shakespeare was thought to be too much for their frail constitutions to bear. When he reached the part about how a lady must always be corseted he wondered why there hadn’t been a mass rebellion.
Just… Everything about this is wrong. Everything. First of all, can we stop harping on those poor corsets??? They just did the same job as bras do today. They were not unpleasant. They did not restrict breathing. MEN wore corsets as well, especially in the 1830s. Nobody ever talks about the fact that a lot of men liked a smooth silhouette as much as women did, but whenever we talk about corsets, they are these torture instruments of patriarchal doom. Just… Bullshit. Stop that. It’s just so extra stupid in this context, because the middle-aged generation in 1830 would have been in their youth during the Regency period, when – gasp – corsets were not in fashion! Why would they force their daughters to wear corsets if their own wives did not do so? And 1830 corsets weren’t even really used to reduce your waist! 1830 is not interchangeable with 1850, and even then nobody forced people to wear a corset. It was just good tone, in most circumstances, like wearing a bra is today.
And then we come to the books. The way reading is portrayed in Jane Austen novels, which take place a mere decade before this book’s past-part, is a good indication for how reading women were viewed at that time: There were books that were considered appropriate for women to read (the bible, treatises on virtues, educational novels, generally books that jived with the moral understanding of the time), and books that were not considered appropriate (books with immoral subjects, basically). Women were not forbidden to read books. You’re thinking of the puritans, not 1830 London.
Same with theatre. Theatre just was not forbidden for women. It was not. It was a major source of entertainment for the upper and middle classes. Same as books. Why would a wealthy young lady stoop to sewing when she could instead read French books and become sophisticated and an interesting conversationalist?
Also, the whole ‘frail constitution’ thing? Also not a thing in the 1830s. That’s a Victorian thing. 1830 is not Victorian. I repeat, 1830 is NOT interchangeable with 1850. I expect more from an author writing a time travel novel, really. Sally Gardner is teaching young people things about history that just are not true. She is perpetuating the insulting falsehood that women in the past had awful lives and were treated horribly by men and were not allowed to have any fun. We have enough of that in YA already, really.
WHEN RECKLESS YOUNG ADULT FICTION BECOMES DANGEROUS
Now we come to my last point, and the reason why I don’t feel comfortable giving this book more than 2 points. You remember AJs mum? The woman who never hugged him until he was 17, who either ignored him entirely or told him he was a useless piece of shit and that she regretted having him? Who told him her boyfriend would beat him up if he didn’t do what she said?
That woman got a redemption.
Yep, you heard that right. Once the secret about AJ’s dad is revealed, she suddenly starts to be nice to her child. Her child who she mentally and emotionally abused and (as is implied) beat for 17 years. Suddenly she started being nice to him, hugging him, being worried about him. And the book condones her behaviour. We are basically asked to just forget the fact that this woman is an abuser who tortured a child for nearly two decades. Suddenly, AJ gets along with her again. She gets rid of her boyfriend (who was definitely not the reason for her behaviour, since he apparently was only with her for a few years), and suddenly she wants AJ to forgive her and to have a new start. And AJ does – which, to be fair, is realistic, since he would likely have been hungering for his mother’s approval all his life, and he never had the chance to build up the kind of self-esteem and resilience to withstand an abuser who tries to make you ‘forgive’ them.
But it’s a horrible, horrible message, especially for a young adult novel. A child should never feel obligated to forgive an abusive parent, and that is exactly what this book tells its young readers – that everything can be good again, that your mum or dad who have been hitting you and making you feel like shit since you were a toddler might one day just turn around and be nice again, that they might have a reason to be so awful and when certain things happen, they will stop being awful. (And the reason AJ’s mum had wasn’t even good. Tons of women are left with children by men who tell them they want to marry them. That is not a reason, or an excuse, to abuse your child. Nothing, ever, could excuse the kind of abuse AJ’s mum heaps on her son. Nothing.)
A lot of this novel’s theme was reconnecting with your past, learning about your background, and making decisions for your future. However, some parts of your past need to be excised, not reconnected with. An abusive parent should not be portrayed as a sympathetic person who just needs to get over a loss and learn how to love her son. She robbed her child of a childhood. She hurt her own child just because she was angry his father left her.
Parental abuse is a common theme in this book, actually – AJ’s mum is abusive, Leon’s mum was a drug-addict and neglected him and his brother, and Slim’s parents just plain ignored him. But other with Leon’s mother, where his dealing with her sickness is portrayed pretty well, and with Slim’s parents, who are never quite addressed, the portrayal of AJ’s mum is dangerous for young readers of this book, and it might be dangerous for other survivors of parental abuse. There are Young Adult books out there that actually treat parental abuse and its effects on the abused child very well, like Caraval did for example, but “The Door That Led to Where” treats the topic of parental abuse in a reckless and irresponsible way, which is the final reason why I cannot give this book more than 2 points.
Want to read more of my reviews? Visit me on The Bookabelles Blog or follow me here on Goodreads :)
September 4, 2017
Trigger warnings: murder, violence, drug abuse, death of a parent.
This...was slow to start. Like, there was no time travel involved until about a third of the way through this not-very-long book.
And there was a LOT going on here. There was AJ's home situation. His friends and THEIR home situations. AJ mysteriously getting a job. AJ trying to work out the mystery around his father. AJ time travelling. AJ trying to solve the mystery. AJ trying to find the papers to prove what he's discovered.
Like...this book is under 300 pages. And that is a LOT. Especially when you add in the fact that you're jumping back and forth between the present day and the 1830s and there's a whole host of characters to introduce in both worlds.
So. I liked this? But...I don't think it really did either world justice, and I kind of wanted a more obvious cuts between the past and the present, because sometimes I had trouble distinguishing when AJ had time travelled...
This...was slow to start. Like, there was no time travel involved until about a third of the way through this not-very-long book.
And there was a LOT going on here. There was AJ's home situation. His friends and THEIR home situations. AJ mysteriously getting a job. AJ trying to work out the mystery around his father. AJ time travelling. AJ trying to solve the mystery. AJ trying to find the papers to prove what he's discovered.
Like...this book is under 300 pages. And that is a LOT. Especially when you add in the fact that you're jumping back and forth between the present day and the 1830s and there's a whole host of characters to introduce in both worlds.
So. I liked this? But...I don't think it really did either world justice, and I kind of wanted a more obvious cuts between the past and the present, because sometimes I had trouble distinguishing when AJ had time travelled...
May 26, 2019
2.5 stars
January 3, 2020
Helped Claudia with this for her accelerated reader as she was struggling to get into it. I think I enjoyed it more than she did.
October 23, 2023
I loved this simple crime book set in present day London..its about 3 friends who all better their lives by entering a door that travels back into London 200 years ago to solve crime.
December 7, 2024
I had no expectations. I entered up loving the book. I didn't even skip the mundane parts of the story. The characters felt real, the pacing (subjectively experienced) which I care so much about when I read, was just right for the most part.
December 23, 2019
Solid book but the mystery before the murders was figured out to quickly and was staring you right in the face so even though it was well put together I didn't find it interesting. What I was interested in is the decision AJ made in the end and how everything would end for him and his friends.
And wouldn't them staying in the past drastically change the future? If so would we only see this change once the door is locked or would it only happen once they do something drastic like solving a series of murders or have children? Is there only one door? Is so why? Why AJ's family when anyone can go through the door? If they were time travelers couldn't they go to any time since the door would exist at any time past its creation? So many questions with no answers.
Also, AJ's mom was a giant B in the beginning and I understand her becoming a caring mother after he almost dies but the change was too drastic to fast since we really didn't talk to her till the end of the book.
I had a few problems, mostly with the time travel but I'd be interested in reading a sequel if one is ever written.
And wouldn't them staying in the past drastically change the future? If so would we only see this change once the door is locked or would it only happen once they do something drastic like solving a series of murders or have children? Is there only one door? Is so why? Why AJ's family when anyone can go through the door? If they were time travelers couldn't they go to any time since the door would exist at any time past its creation? So many questions with no answers.
Also, AJ's mom was a giant B in the beginning and I understand her becoming a caring mother after he almost dies but the change was too drastic to fast since we really didn't talk to her till the end of the book.
I had a few problems, mostly with the time travel but I'd be interested in reading a sequel if one is ever written.
November 26, 2016
This oddly-titled book will have readers turning its pages compulsively to get to the ending so they can figure out what its protagonist decides to do: Should he go back in time or should he stay where he was born? The book starts off in a fairly typical fashion. Sixteen-year-old AJ Flynn has messed up once again, only passing one of his major exams, and his mother has set up an interview for him at a London law firm. His home life is less than pleasant as his mother, someone he regards as "the enraged red reptile" (p. 3), is often embroiled in conflicts with the neighbors or her latest abusive boyfriend. If it weren't for AJ's two friends, Leon and Slim, who have their own life challenges, and an elderly neighbor who provides sanctuary and love, life would be extremely bleak for the young man. But AJ is a reader, and during the job interview, he charms his future employer with his knowledge of the classics, including the complete works of Charles Dickens. Readers will be pleased that AJ's lot is starting to change, but before he or they have much time to bask in that hope for a brighter future, a brief encounter with an elderly professor and his work in the back room lead to his discovery of a key that opens a door to the past. What he learns there goes a long way toward explaining his mother's behavior, his missing father, and offers a second chance for his friends who, against all odds, find themselves at home in a very different place and time. Since there are some mysteries regarding death and possible poisonings as well as the possibility of romance, readers will read quickly to show how things turn out. It bears considering to contemplate what each of us might have done if faced with the choice of staying in our present time or moving back in time to live in a very different century. For many women, these modern times would be much more palatable, but not necessarily for everyone. This is the type of book that is even more enjoyable on a second read since readers can consider how the author ties all the parts together so neatly.
May 13, 2015
Spoilers below.....
I liked this story about a boy called AJ living in current London. I liked his character from the first page, and although his mother was truly horrible to him, (he called her the red reptile), AJ is a gentle character, loyal to his mates Slim and Leon and with a love of Dickens.
When his mum gives him a letter from a local law firm, offering him a job interview, he is surprised but keen. With help from a neighbour (who has looked after him more than his mother ever has), he is soon working. One day while tidying at the law firm, he discovers a key with a label with his name and date of birth on it.
This key is to change not only his life but those of his friends. It is a key to a door that appears through a strange fog in a particular local car park. The door opens to a hallway in his family home back in 1830.
This door has been used by several people in his family including his father.
AJ is soon drawn into a mystery and crime that must be solved - it involves the disappearance of his father after he was born. His father was from 1830 and he travelled back and forth between times - selling 1800's snuffboxes.
Just like Lucas (AJ's father) met his mum from this time, AJ met Miss Esme back in 1830. He knew what he felt for her was something special, and he didn't want to leave her behind. But she felt she was born in the wrong time and so travelled through the door to now. Leon and Slim - after getting in trouble with the police and other thugs, were taken back to 1830 to hide, and they both decide to stay there. In current London, they are just hooded youths who are statistics of being early school leavers and could end up like Leon's drug addict mother, but back in 1830 they can start again.
This story was a good mystery but a little confusing in places. The time travel component was simple but effective, and the characterisation was great.
I liked this story about a boy called AJ living in current London. I liked his character from the first page, and although his mother was truly horrible to him, (he called her the red reptile), AJ is a gentle character, loyal to his mates Slim and Leon and with a love of Dickens.
When his mum gives him a letter from a local law firm, offering him a job interview, he is surprised but keen. With help from a neighbour (who has looked after him more than his mother ever has), he is soon working. One day while tidying at the law firm, he discovers a key with a label with his name and date of birth on it.
This key is to change not only his life but those of his friends. It is a key to a door that appears through a strange fog in a particular local car park. The door opens to a hallway in his family home back in 1830.
This door has been used by several people in his family including his father.
AJ is soon drawn into a mystery and crime that must be solved - it involves the disappearance of his father after he was born. His father was from 1830 and he travelled back and forth between times - selling 1800's snuffboxes.
Just like Lucas (AJ's father) met his mum from this time, AJ met Miss Esme back in 1830. He knew what he felt for her was something special, and he didn't want to leave her behind. But she felt she was born in the wrong time and so travelled through the door to now. Leon and Slim - after getting in trouble with the police and other thugs, were taken back to 1830 to hide, and they both decide to stay there. In current London, they are just hooded youths who are statistics of being early school leavers and could end up like Leon's drug addict mother, but back in 1830 they can start again.
This story was a good mystery but a little confusing in places. The time travel component was simple but effective, and the characterisation was great.
December 19, 2015
Oh how I should have been allowed to love this book, and how far it went from greatness. A young lad in modern London, bereft of education except the one he gave himself in the library regarding Dickens and some other books (yet completely ignorant about Roman gods) finds his destiny includes a portal back to late 1820s London, and a future that insists he land the most unlikely of present-day jobs, however lowly, at a fancy lawyer's, where the cases include a strange one of artefacts of the antique world being both genuinely ancient and new at the same time. The book is written with all the earnest clarity, simplicity and freshness of the best of young reading – and all the unsubtlety that should not come with it. Take a few F-words and some drugs out of it and it could be brilliant for all age groups. Certainly if you're old enough for that, however, you are old enough to see how bonkers and crap it actually is.
Here is the world's most misplaced and oft-used chocolate brazils joke. Here is a lad almost 17 and only just getting his GCSE results – in October. Here is another hoodie knowing the meaning of 'miasma', in amongst several teens completely competently fitting in with the language of 200 years ago. Here is a glass-panelled interior door back then, when I have a feeling they wouldn't exist – one of many tiny beats that just felt ill-researched. I may be wrong, but they mounted up. And all the while the things that had made the book diminished in contrast – the 'Great Expectations' I had of a pastiche turning into a murder mystery that has to pile on the convolutions just to hide how bloody obvious it all is. In the end it's purely a contrived nonsense – leading, in fact, nowhere.
Here is the world's most misplaced and oft-used chocolate brazils joke. Here is a lad almost 17 and only just getting his GCSE results – in October. Here is another hoodie knowing the meaning of 'miasma', in amongst several teens completely competently fitting in with the language of 200 years ago. Here is a glass-panelled interior door back then, when I have a feeling they wouldn't exist – one of many tiny beats that just felt ill-researched. I may be wrong, but they mounted up. And all the while the things that had made the book diminished in contrast – the 'Great Expectations' I had of a pastiche turning into a murder mystery that has to pile on the convolutions just to hide how bloody obvious it all is. In the end it's purely a contrived nonsense – leading, in fact, nowhere.
February 5, 2020
Would have given zero stars if I could but "zero stars" would need the addition of poor grammar so here's just 1 star for the sake of it.
Wow, where do I begin. It has no climax. Well, no obvious/satisfying/exciting one, anyway. I kept reading this book while waiting for the build up to come but none came and it was only after I finished the whole book and asked myself where the climax was did I actually somewhat realize where it was. As I'm writing this, I'm still in denial and confusion over it.
The main character (and all the other characters) is not particularly interesting or lovable. At one point, I just started to dislike the mc. The only good point about him might be that he's a somewhat good employee. None of the other characters stood out to me and I never looked forward to coming across any of them. There are some that I feel weren't even necessary. Perhaps if the roles of the unnecessary characters were given to other more important characters, it would make those characters more interesting.
This book will not be what you expect when you read the synopsis. It will be a lot less exciting (there's no adventure or high-stakes or anything particularly mysterious), characters will be a lot more boring and less lovable (I reached a point where I couldn't remember who was who because they hadn't stood out enough) and you will likely be skimming through it after some point.
It just felt like a mess and although the book is quite short, it felt too dragged out at some points and I had to force myself to finish this. But it also felt like it lacked elaboration at some points as well. A very unsatisfying read. The cover felt like the only good thing about this book at times.
Wow, where do I begin. It has no climax. Well, no obvious/satisfying/exciting one, anyway. I kept reading this book while waiting for the build up to come but none came and it was only after I finished the whole book and asked myself where the climax was did I actually somewhat realize where it was. As I'm writing this, I'm still in denial and confusion over it.
The main character (and all the other characters) is not particularly interesting or lovable. At one point, I just started to dislike the mc. The only good point about him might be that he's a somewhat good employee. None of the other characters stood out to me and I never looked forward to coming across any of them. There are some that I feel weren't even necessary. Perhaps if the roles of the unnecessary characters were given to other more important characters, it would make those characters more interesting.
This book will not be what you expect when you read the synopsis. It will be a lot less exciting (there's no adventure or high-stakes or anything particularly mysterious), characters will be a lot more boring and less lovable (I reached a point where I couldn't remember who was who because they hadn't stood out enough) and you will likely be skimming through it after some point.
It just felt like a mess and although the book is quite short, it felt too dragged out at some points and I had to force myself to finish this. But it also felt like it lacked elaboration at some points as well. A very unsatisfying read. The cover felt like the only good thing about this book at times.
October 5, 2016
AJ finishes school with only one GCSE but his mother manages to get him an interview at a law firm in the city, after which, much to his surprise, he is offered a job. Whilst tidying up the company's "museum" he finds a key that has his name on the label. There follows a wonderful time-travelling story about smuggling, poisoning, murder and gang rivalry. I loved the friendship aspect of this book, the humour, the way Victorian London is vividly portrayed and, probably most of all, book references thrown in for good measure ... AJ is a boy who loves to read because, as he says "there are so many books out there, about different times, amazing worlds, knowledge without limits ...".
The story moves between present day and Victorian London so readers who find time travel tales confusing probably won't like it and there's also some swearing so it's maybe not for younger readers (although they've probably heard worse on TV but sometimes parents can be funny about swearing in books!) unless you cover this in your lending policy but I would recommend this book to most, with its intriguing storyline and rich variety of characters.
The story moves between present day and Victorian London so readers who find time travel tales confusing probably won't like it and there's also some swearing so it's maybe not for younger readers (although they've probably heard worse on TV but sometimes parents can be funny about swearing in books!) unless you cover this in your lending policy but I would recommend this book to most, with its intriguing storyline and rich variety of characters.
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