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Beyond the Black Door
Kamai was warned never to open the black door, but she didn't listen ...
Everyone has a soul. Some are beautiful gardens, others are frightening dungeons. Soulwalkers―like Kamai and her mother―can journey into other people's souls while they sleep.
But no matter where Kamai visits, she sees the black door. It follows her into every soul, and her mother has told her to never, ever open it.
When Kamai touches the door, it is warm and beating, like it has a pulse. When she puts her ear to it, she hears her own name whispered from the other side. And when tragedy strikes, Kamai does the unthinkable: she opens the door.
A.M. Strickland's imaginative dark fantasy features court intrigue and romance, a main character coming to terms with her asexuality, and twists and turns as a seductive mystery unfolds that endangers not just Kamai's own soul, but the entire kingdom ...
Everyone has a soul. Some are beautiful gardens, others are frightening dungeons. Soulwalkers―like Kamai and her mother―can journey into other people's souls while they sleep.
But no matter where Kamai visits, she sees the black door. It follows her into every soul, and her mother has told her to never, ever open it.
When Kamai touches the door, it is warm and beating, like it has a pulse. When she puts her ear to it, she hears her own name whispered from the other side. And when tragedy strikes, Kamai does the unthinkable: she opens the door.
A.M. Strickland's imaginative dark fantasy features court intrigue and romance, a main character coming to terms with her asexuality, and twists and turns as a seductive mystery unfolds that endangers not just Kamai's own soul, but the entire kingdom ...
400 pages, Hardcover
First published October 29, 2019
183 people are currently reading
20405 people want to read
About the author
A.M. Strickland
6 books562 followersA.M. Strickland was a bibliophile who wanted to be an author before she knew what either of those words meant. She splits her time between Alaska and Spain with her spouse, her pugs, and her piles of books. She loves traveling, dancing, tattoos, and writing stories about sympathetic monsters. She is the author of Court of the Undying Seasons, In the Ravenous Dark, and Beyond the Black Door.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 718 reviews
March 25, 2022
As soon as I read the blurb and saw the amazing cover, I clicked to request and when I saw it on my dashboard, I thanked my lucky stars and wore my dancing shoes to perform a scene from singing in the rain but I forgot I was living in LA and it rarely rains here but I kept on dancing!
I think I created to shine the dark objects and show its beauty by sharing my long and appreciative sentences. When it comes something dark, twisty, edgy, my ascendant sign Scorpio takes the front seat to drive me to the dark side of the moon because I really entertain too much of disturbing, nerve bending stories instead of showing some frustration or nervous reaction!
But you know the feeling you get too excited about something but it may drive you up the wall with disappointment because you didn’t get what you highly expected!
This is what happened to me after reading this book. I had some questions on my mind about queer rep because the characters seemed like developed a little haphazardly, artificially. It gave me the feeling the author wanted to take the attention of the readers by choosing an asexual heroine ( which had also grabbed my attention to read this book because I wanted to see attributes, characteristic virtues and I was curious how the author reflected the POV of character’s own sexuality and interaction with others) but it seemed like the author didn’t study her lesson well before writing this story and the situations, relationship dynamics between her characters which were a little dull, flat and awkward for me to digest it properly. It reminded me of high school plays with low budget production (or no budget)
Mythological part was nice touch and I wanted to read more about those parts captured my all attention and maybe I gave my all points to those parts but it didn’t save the whole development.
The relationship dynamics and description, back stories of characters didn’t work for me! I understood the reasoning behind them but I still have my own confusions.
I liked to read diversity stories which gives me more hope and joy to see people in our modern world learn to respect each other’s differences and respect their bravery because we have every right to choose who we are and everybody should be more moderate and supportive each other’s free expressions and opinions.
Maybe this story didn’t work for me but I’m hopeful I’m gonna read much better ones because too many brilliant debut authors are about to release their new works. And I know I will find my best diverse fantasy book sooner than I expected.
I already purchased Gideon the Ninth and so excited to devour it with one bite (actually it will take more bites because this book is also too long but slow burn fantasy stories always fit well with me, I have enough bottles of Chardonnay to enjoy myself!)
Special thanks to NetGalley and Imprint for sharing me this ARC COPY in exchange my honest review.
I think I created to shine the dark objects and show its beauty by sharing my long and appreciative sentences. When it comes something dark, twisty, edgy, my ascendant sign Scorpio takes the front seat to drive me to the dark side of the moon because I really entertain too much of disturbing, nerve bending stories instead of showing some frustration or nervous reaction!
But you know the feeling you get too excited about something but it may drive you up the wall with disappointment because you didn’t get what you highly expected!
This is what happened to me after reading this book. I had some questions on my mind about queer rep because the characters seemed like developed a little haphazardly, artificially. It gave me the feeling the author wanted to take the attention of the readers by choosing an asexual heroine ( which had also grabbed my attention to read this book because I wanted to see attributes, characteristic virtues and I was curious how the author reflected the POV of character’s own sexuality and interaction with others) but it seemed like the author didn’t study her lesson well before writing this story and the situations, relationship dynamics between her characters which were a little dull, flat and awkward for me to digest it properly. It reminded me of high school plays with low budget production (or no budget)
Mythological part was nice touch and I wanted to read more about those parts captured my all attention and maybe I gave my all points to those parts but it didn’t save the whole development.
The relationship dynamics and description, back stories of characters didn’t work for me! I understood the reasoning behind them but I still have my own confusions.
I liked to read diversity stories which gives me more hope and joy to see people in our modern world learn to respect each other’s differences and respect their bravery because we have every right to choose who we are and everybody should be more moderate and supportive each other’s free expressions and opinions.
Maybe this story didn’t work for me but I’m hopeful I’m gonna read much better ones because too many brilliant debut authors are about to release their new works. And I know I will find my best diverse fantasy book sooner than I expected.
I already purchased Gideon the Ninth and so excited to devour it with one bite (actually it will take more bites because this book is also too long but slow burn fantasy stories always fit well with me, I have enough bottles of Chardonnay to enjoy myself!)
Special thanks to NetGalley and Imprint for sharing me this ARC COPY in exchange my honest review.
October 12, 2019
Please do not let my 3 star rating dissuade you from picking up this book, because Beyond the Black Door has a multitude of remarkable aspects going for it. The atmosphere is dreamy and lush, and honestly Strickland is a knockout at creating a setting that comes to life. Could get lost in her dreamy world 10/10 times. My issues were personal, not objective, and lie within the author's choice to do more "telling than showing" when it comes to the world-building and initial story setup. The plot is unique and riveting, and I think the representation here is SO important, which makes me so grateful that the author chose to put pen to paper and create visibility for a part of the queer spectrum that is still heavily overshadowed. If you are looking for a fantasy that is equal parts gentle intimacy and powerful self discovery, please give Beyond the Black Door a chance this fall.
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy via NetGalley.
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy via NetGalley.
Read
August 19, 2020Hey all! Now that the cover is out in the wild, I figured I’d share a bit more insider-info about BEYOND THE BLACK DOOR. This is a YA dark fantasy with court intrigue, assassinations, fancy dresses, twisty romance, evil love interests, a fair bit of blood, and cool stuff like bottomless staircases in endless dark castles. It should appeal to fans of Beauty and the Beast retellings (though it’s not a retelling, itself), Phantom of the Opera, and Labyrinth. Also, there are lots of queer characters: a demi-biromantic asexual main character, an ace love interest, and ace/trans and gay side characters. Also, it has specifically ace romance.
Since this book is fairly dark and twisted, it may come as no surprise that there are some content warnings that come with it (also, here is your warning for the mild spoilers that may follow):
CWs regarding the queer content:
-Some internalized acephobia that the MC works through (specifically that she’s not “normal”), but that is resolved on the page
-The asexual MC forces herself into a sexual situation because she thinks she has to (she stops it before it goes very far, but still, it’s there)
-Not a forced outing of the MC as ace, per se, but she is put on the spot for sure before she comes out (though it’s a relief for her after, if that helps)
-Some misgendering of a trans character who hasn’t yet switched pronouns and is working to get to that point (more on that choice here: https://twitter.com/AdriAnneMS/status...)
CWs regarding emotional or physical violence/harm:
-Emotionally abusive/manipulative romantic relationships (though the emotional abuse/manipulation is in most cases called out)
-Parent death (on page)
-Attempted self-harm/suicide (a “noble sacrifice” attempt that fails with no physical harm done, but again, it’s there)
-Lots o’ physical violence in general—people getting stabbed to death, kidnapped, hit, etc.
-Birth control manipulation of a partner (neither party being the MC) that results in a pregnancy
If this strikes you as too much, I understand; it’s not going to be for everyone. I essentially wrote this book for my 16-year-old self. I sought out dark-and-twisty content as a teen, especially with dark-and-twisty relationships, and it would have been great if some of that stuff addressed the issues I was going through. BTBD is what I wish I had then. So, despite all the content warnings, I hope the book helps, not hurts—or at least entertains!—but first and foremost, please take care of yourselves.
Since this book is fairly dark and twisted, it may come as no surprise that there are some content warnings that come with it (also, here is your warning for the mild spoilers that may follow):
CWs regarding the queer content:
-Some internalized acephobia that the MC works through (specifically that she’s not “normal”), but that is resolved on the page
-The asexual MC forces herself into a sexual situation because she thinks she has to (she stops it before it goes very far, but still, it’s there)
-Not a forced outing of the MC as ace, per se, but she is put on the spot for sure before she comes out (though it’s a relief for her after, if that helps)
-Some misgendering of a trans character who hasn’t yet switched pronouns and is working to get to that point (more on that choice here: https://twitter.com/AdriAnneMS/status...)
CWs regarding emotional or physical violence/harm:
-Emotionally abusive/manipulative romantic relationships (though the emotional abuse/manipulation is in most cases called out)
-Parent death (on page)
-Attempted self-harm/suicide (a “noble sacrifice” attempt that fails with no physical harm done, but again, it’s there)
-Lots o’ physical violence in general—people getting stabbed to death, kidnapped, hit, etc.
-Birth control manipulation of a partner (neither party being the MC) that results in a pregnancy
If this strikes you as too much, I understand; it’s not going to be for everyone. I essentially wrote this book for my 16-year-old self. I sought out dark-and-twisty content as a teen, especially with dark-and-twisty relationships, and it would have been great if some of that stuff addressed the issues I was going through. BTBD is what I wish I had then. So, despite all the content warnings, I hope the book helps, not hurts—or at least entertains!—but first and foremost, please take care of yourselves.
February 6, 2023
I truly enjoyed this young adult fantasy read! This is my first time reading A.M. Strickland and I loved the world she created with god and goddesses and mythisiem. Her storytelling is fabulous and she's not afraid to address the subject of A sexuality or crossed souls her term for transgender. I've said for years that I think the soul can become confused. Most religions believe in reincarnation,so who's to say this isn't what's happening. I don't really give a shit what others think people are people.The soul at first is sexless and I think sometimes we forget this. In this tale their is a black door and Kamai's mom a soul walker cautions her never to open this door when she is soul walking for what's behind the door is better left alone. I loved the storyline it was unique and something new and the characters were interesting and multi dimensional. I will admit as always I was drawn to the dark one and in this book it is Vehyn, but their was something about him that made me want to know his full story.Although he is self serving and very mysterious and at times very manipulative,you can see the loneliness and every time kamai comes to see him he goes out of his way to engage her and keeping her coming back by only giving her little bits of information.But with every visit he is pulling her more into his world of darkness and even after she learns the truth about him and herself theirs no going back. Kamai must stop him and not let him out,but that doesn't stop what she's feeling for him,he has been apart of her since birth and their connection is a forever thing.Now the door that she so foolishly opened has to be closed and with it what she feels for Vehyn. Their were so many awesome moments in this book and my deep hope is that maybe A.M. Will maybe at some point continue kamai and vehyn's story. I find this fantasy world and characters very interesting. Until next time Luv's💞💋
November 7, 2020
*before I get into the actual review, as you see below I received an ARC from Netgalley awhile ago. I had plans to read that version, but never got around to it, then bought a finished ebook copy when it was on sale. I ended up reading the finished version of the ebook, but still many, many thanks goes out to Netgalley and the publishers and author for giving me the chance to read an early copy of this. I’m just sad I didn’t get around to it, but was very happy to have read it all the same. Now, onto the review!*
———————————————
This book was precious and will live rent free in my mind for many moons to come!
The politics and mythology in this was interesting. The characters were lovely and intriguing and I absolutely adored the friendships in this. The pace was well developed and the mystery to this kept me interested the whole time.
And the representation in this? Beautiful. Exquisite. My heart bled many times for Kamai. I’m an ace myself and am here to say that I felt her pain and when she said felt broken because she doesn’t want sex or to even be naked with or around someone else..... that spoke to me more than anything else ever will. Because I have been there. I’m still there. But I’ve come to realize that, yes, I will always struggle with who I am because of things I’ve had to deal with from my past, but I’m slowly realizing that I am who I am and that’s okay. It will take me a long time to fully accept myself for having a lack of interest in sex or sexual things, but I hope to one day stop thinking of myself as less than, or weird, or broken.
And by going on this journey with Kamai, I know that, someday, I will get there. And I will owe many thanks to this book and Kamai as a character, for helping me along the way. <3
—————————————————-
Netgalley just came through with approving me for an ARC of this, idk what kind of book gods are looking upon me but regardless, thank you book gods!!!
----------------------------------
A main character who is asexual? Set in a fantasy world?? With a stunning cover like THAT????
*breaks down door*
Who do I have to bribe to get my hands on a copy of this?
———————————————
This book was precious and will live rent free in my mind for many moons to come!
The politics and mythology in this was interesting. The characters were lovely and intriguing and I absolutely adored the friendships in this. The pace was well developed and the mystery to this kept me interested the whole time.
And the representation in this? Beautiful. Exquisite. My heart bled many times for Kamai. I’m an ace myself and am here to say that I felt her pain and when she said felt broken because she doesn’t want sex or to even be naked with or around someone else..... that spoke to me more than anything else ever will. Because I have been there. I’m still there. But I’ve come to realize that, yes, I will always struggle with who I am because of things I’ve had to deal with from my past, but I’m slowly realizing that I am who I am and that’s okay. It will take me a long time to fully accept myself for having a lack of interest in sex or sexual things, but I hope to one day stop thinking of myself as less than, or weird, or broken.
And by going on this journey with Kamai, I know that, someday, I will get there. And I will owe many thanks to this book and Kamai as a character, for helping me along the way. <3
—————————————————-
Netgalley just came through with approving me for an ARC of this, idk what kind of book gods are looking upon me but regardless, thank you book gods!!!
----------------------------------
A main character who is asexual? Set in a fantasy world?? With a stunning cover like THAT????
*breaks down door*
Who do I have to bribe to get my hands on a copy of this?
Read
May 23, 2020
October 10, 2021
Dark fantasy. Morally grey, Slytherin characters. Court intrigue. #Ownvoices ace rep. Soulwalking. Phantom of the Opera atmosphere. Fancy dresses. Endless castles. Is there any doubt why I was intrigued by Beyond a Black Door?
From the very first page, I found myself transported into Kamai’s world. The idea of soulwalking and this haunting, forbidden Black Door full of possibilities was beguiling. I was drawn in instantly but as the story progressed, the plot meandered and so did my interest. There was no end goal in sight. We were plagued with repetitive conversations and inner dialogue that achieved nothing.
There was something about this world that never made it feel real. I don’t know whether it was the promise of court intrigue that failed to deliver but the scale was off. To explain in the vaguest of terms, the only way you can raise the stakes so high is to convince us of the consequences. We need to know about this world, its people and the politics to understand the scope of the damage that could be caused by this Big Bad Thing. If you have that, you give us a sense of urgency to prevent this Thing from happening. Without it, you give us a shallow, underdeveloped villain with shaky motivations and no stakes. Strickland didn’t capture that looming dread for me. I could barely envision the size of the secret societies, let alone how they operated or what threat they truly posed. It really affected my investment.
It properly shocked me, though! I never knew what was going to come next, which I say with an abnormal amount of enthusiasm because my brain has zero chill and always guesses the ending. Always.
I also loved the world-building. While I wanted more from certain aspects, the way that everything tied together through this world’s religion was brilliant. It added so much detail and little moments that helped develop my understanding of the characters. And there was something so damn beautiful about it? I would love a Language of Thorns-style book about it. I think Strickland’s writing would work wonders for that.
Also, the characters. I loved Kamai and Kihan and Zereni, simple and plain as that. Their banter & friendships absolutely made this story for me.
… but the romance was Yikes. Oh boy. When I first heard villain romance, I came running but as the story progressed, I kind of assumed Kihan was going to be the love interest and forgot about it. I shouldn’t have because I was not prepared for what was delivered. Here’s the thing, for me ‘villian romance’ does not equal romanticised abuse. I know there are people out there who legitimately ship Alina x the Darkling but I’m not here for that dynamic. At all. I enjoy reading about villains, sure, but I don’t enjoy reading about abusive, creepy men grooming a child… so I’ll leave it at that.
I genuinely thought Kihan was going to be the love interest and I was a tad hesitant about that even. Kamai is a month or so underage when they met and Kihan is her bodyguard but I would much prefer to read about that kind of ‘taboo’ romance.
However, all of that was mostly saved by way Strickland tackled sexuality and gender. It was difficult to read about characters working through their internalised acemisia for sure but it was wonderfully done. The emphasis placed on allowing yourself the time to come out to yourself and the importance of surrounding yourself with supportive people was impeccable.
I have never read about a trans character who purposefully uses incorrect pronouns because they are not ready to come out yet. It was difficult to see Kihan being misgendered but I also believe it is incredibly important to have different experiences and all walks of life represented. A.M. Strickland talked more about their decision to write Kihan’s journey this way in a Twitter thread.
There is something about Strickland’s writing that felt like being read a fairytale. She made it feel like Kamai’s journey was now a legend being retold as a bedtime story. It created this lush, magical atmosphere cloaked with an irresistible eeriness… but it also disconnected me from the characters. I never felt like I was living the story alongside Kamai. I found myself upsettingly disengaged.
Overall?
There were aspects of Beyond the Black Door that I adored and aspects I rather disliked. The entire book played a tug-of-war with my emotions. I was put off by the writing style and the romance almost got to me, but it was ultimately the characters and the ornate world-building that made me adore it so. If you’re looking for a queer fantasy this spooky season, look no further.
➸ Trigger warnings for .
▷ Representation: Kamai (mc) is demi-biromantic & ace; Vehyn (li) is ace; Kalin (sc) is trans & ace; Zereni (sc) is gay & poc; Hallan & Razim (scs) are poc; queer & poc scs.
◯ Review copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Please note that this review uses quotes taken from an uncorrected proof copy subject to change.
Blog • Trigger Warning Database • Twitter • Instagram
“I simply adore the delicate way you put things. How you cover the truth in softness to make it less sharp. Rose blossoms over thorns.”
From the very first page, I found myself transported into Kamai’s world. The idea of soulwalking and this haunting, forbidden Black Door full of possibilities was beguiling. I was drawn in instantly but as the story progressed, the plot meandered and so did my interest. There was no end goal in sight. We were plagued with repetitive conversations and inner dialogue that achieved nothing.
There was something about this world that never made it feel real. I don’t know whether it was the promise of court intrigue that failed to deliver but the scale was off. To explain in the vaguest of terms, the only way you can raise the stakes so high is to convince us of the consequences. We need to know about this world, its people and the politics to understand the scope of the damage that could be caused by this Big Bad Thing. If you have that, you give us a sense of urgency to prevent this Thing from happening. Without it, you give us a shallow, underdeveloped villain with shaky motivations and no stakes. Strickland didn’t capture that looming dread for me. I could barely envision the size of the secret societies, let alone how they operated or what threat they truly posed. It really affected my investment.
It properly shocked me, though! I never knew what was going to come next, which I say with an abnormal amount of enthusiasm because my brain has zero chill and always guesses the ending. Always.
I also loved the world-building. While I wanted more from certain aspects, the way that everything tied together through this world’s religion was brilliant. It added so much detail and little moments that helped develop my understanding of the characters. And there was something so damn beautiful about it? I would love a Language of Thorns-style book about it. I think Strickland’s writing would work wonders for that.
Also, the characters. I loved Kamai and Kihan and Zereni, simple and plain as that. Their banter & friendships absolutely made this story for me.
… but the romance was Yikes. Oh boy. When I first heard villain romance, I came running but as the story progressed, I kind of assumed Kihan was going to be the love interest and forgot about it. I shouldn’t have because I was not prepared for what was delivered. Here’s the thing, for me ‘villian romance’ does not equal romanticised abuse. I know there are people out there who legitimately ship Alina x the Darkling but I’m not here for that dynamic. At all. I enjoy reading about villains, sure, but I don’t enjoy reading about abusive, creepy men grooming a child… so I’ll leave it at that.
I genuinely thought Kihan was going to be the love interest and I was a tad hesitant about that even. Kamai is a month or so underage when they met and Kihan is her bodyguard but I would much prefer to read about that kind of ‘taboo’ romance.
However, all of that was mostly saved by way Strickland tackled sexuality and gender. It was difficult to read about characters working through their internalised acemisia for sure but it was wonderfully done. The emphasis placed on allowing yourself the time to come out to yourself and the importance of surrounding yourself with supportive people was impeccable.
“I raised my chin, refusing to feel ashamed… acknowledgement and support had already changed something within me. I felt stronger, lighter… brighter. Like a new moon floating in the sky, cloaked in secretive darkness, but with a glowing core. Not empty. Not broken. Whole and wholly myself.”
I have never read about a trans character who purposefully uses incorrect pronouns because they are not ready to come out yet. It was difficult to see Kihan being misgendered but I also believe it is incredibly important to have different experiences and all walks of life represented. A.M. Strickland talked more about their decision to write Kihan’s journey this way in a Twitter thread.
There is something about Strickland’s writing that felt like being read a fairytale. She made it feel like Kamai’s journey was now a legend being retold as a bedtime story. It created this lush, magical atmosphere cloaked with an irresistible eeriness… but it also disconnected me from the characters. I never felt like I was living the story alongside Kamai. I found myself upsettingly disengaged.
Overall?
There were aspects of Beyond the Black Door that I adored and aspects I rather disliked. The entire book played a tug-of-war with my emotions. I was put off by the writing style and the romance almost got to me, but it was ultimately the characters and the ornate world-building that made me adore it so. If you’re looking for a queer fantasy this spooky season, look no further.
“Steel in someone’s hand can be used for good or ill; it is not for the blacksmith to decide. He creates the weapon, not what is done with it”
➸ Trigger warnings for .
▷ Representation: Kamai (mc) is demi-biromantic & ace; Vehyn (li) is ace; Kalin (sc) is trans & ace; Zereni (sc) is gay & poc; Hallan & Razim (scs) are poc; queer & poc scs.
◯ Review copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Please note that this review uses quotes taken from an uncorrected proof copy subject to change.
Blog • Trigger Warning Database • Twitter • Instagram
July 21, 2019
ARC provided by the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review (Thank you!)
Beyond the Black Door follows Kamai, a Soulwalker that can enter people's souls or Nehyn, a representation of one's soul.
Every time Kamai visits someone's Nehyn there's a Black Door that follows her. Kamai's mother is hiding secrets and tells her never, never to open that door. However, like a good old fairytale, circumstances lead the heroine to open it.
What's beyond the Black Door? Kamai will find out.
I must say I'm impressed. The author built an intricate world with beautiful mythology and imagery. I enjoyed very much learning about the culture, rules, and classes, the worldbuilding was quite compelling.
I thought the asexual protagonist (which falls into the grey area of assexuality?) and the LGBTI representation was well done. This is perhaps the very first YA Fantasy where I feel that LGBTI rep is not underwhelming and that is instead, fair and inclusive.
This book was unique in everything I've ever read. Nowadays, we find a lot of hypersexualized YA, so having an ace protagonist was so refreshing. There are all kinds of people in the world and all of them should have their representation in fiction as well. It is important to acknowledge all sexual orientations.
I loved the way the author introduced the theme in the plot, and actually having the characters discussing it.
The characters, all of them I found really interesting. Kamai our heroine, I could relate to her so much. However, no matter how much I enjoyed Vehyn, (and I very much did) I must say that
About the supporting characters, I pretty much loved every single one of them and I loved to hate the villains. Kamai's mother was amazing. Kamai's father was also amazing as a character because he makes you feel so conflicted about how to feel about him. Lenara, Nikha, and Zeniri were an amazing trio. And Razim...Razim took me by surprise because I ended up loving him so much that I kept wishing he had more screentime.
I loved how much these characters made me connect to them.
The twists kept me hooked, there was never a dull moment in this book and if I had to describe it I would say it in three words: Dark, hopeful and bittersweet. It is a dark book but it also carries a meaningful message in other aspects.
If you enjoy Dark fantasy YA, villain as love interest trope, and very unique characters than you should definitely enjoy this. And look at that wonderful cover, it is so aesthetic!
TW: Violence, Death, toxic relationship, Attempted suicide. Also, TW for people with trypophobia.
Beyond the Black Door follows Kamai, a Soulwalker that can enter people's souls or Nehyn, a representation of one's soul.
Every time Kamai visits someone's Nehyn there's a Black Door that follows her. Kamai's mother is hiding secrets and tells her never, never to open that door. However, like a good old fairytale, circumstances lead the heroine to open it.
What's beyond the Black Door? Kamai will find out.
I must say I'm impressed. The author built an intricate world with beautiful mythology and imagery. I enjoyed very much learning about the culture, rules, and classes, the worldbuilding was quite compelling.
I thought the asexual protagonist (which falls into the grey area of assexuality?) and the LGBTI representation was well done. This is perhaps the very first YA Fantasy where I feel that LGBTI rep is not underwhelming and that is instead, fair and inclusive.
This book was unique in everything I've ever read. Nowadays, we find a lot of hypersexualized YA, so having an ace protagonist was so refreshing. There are all kinds of people in the world and all of them should have their representation in fiction as well. It is important to acknowledge all sexual orientations.
I loved the way the author introduced the theme in the plot, and actually having the characters discussing it.
The characters, all of them I found really interesting. Kamai our heroine, I could relate to her so much. However, no matter how much I enjoyed Vehyn, (and I very much did) I must say that
About the supporting characters, I pretty much loved every single one of them and I loved to hate the villains. Kamai's mother was amazing. Kamai's father was also amazing as a character because he makes you feel so conflicted about how to feel about him. Lenara, Nikha, and Zeniri were an amazing trio. And Razim...Razim took me by surprise because I ended up loving him so much that I kept wishing he had more screentime.
I loved how much these characters made me connect to them.
The twists kept me hooked, there was never a dull moment in this book and if I had to describe it I would say it in three words: Dark, hopeful and bittersweet. It is a dark book but it also carries a meaningful message in other aspects.
If you enjoy Dark fantasy YA, villain as love interest trope, and very unique characters than you should definitely enjoy this. And look at that wonderful cover, it is so aesthetic!
TW: Violence, Death, toxic relationship, Attempted suicide. Also, TW for people with trypophobia.
January 16, 2020
**2/5 stars**
*Waffle House vine voice* Can I get a healthy YA fantasy romance? Can I PLEASE get a healthy YA fantasy romance?
Alright, so this was a tough one to like. On one hand, we have a demi-biromantic asexual protagonist in a genre that demands heterosexual romance. On the same hand we also have a transgender bisexual best friend. But then on the other hand we've got this sickening "love story" between the main character Kamai and her abuser/villain, Vehyn.
If you think this book can get away with excusing abuse and male possessiveness simply because it has queer representation, you're dead wrong, comrades.
At this point I don't really care about spoilers so let me show you just how problematic the romance is with this little bit from the last page of the book:
"...you couldn't help loving whom you loved. Or how you loved. I loved Vehyn, despite who he was, despite the dark power over me that he shouldn't have had. Maybe I even loved certain shades of that. That didn't make me evil, or wrong. But I also knew I needed to pull away before I got hurt too badly" (392).
Oy vey.
There are so many things wrong here that I have no idea where to start. Throughout the book, Vehyn refers to our MC Kamai as "his," as his possession. He is always described as approaching Kamai with possessive, "predatory" stances. Yet right from the get-go, Kamai is infatuated with him. I don't want to dismiss this as Stockholm Syndrome. I want to lay the responsibility where it should lie: on the author. Strickland chose to construct the romance this way. Strickland chose to make this girl fall in love with a possessive, violent abuser and then excuse it at the end with "you couldn't help loving whom you love." Sure, you can't help love. But as an author of YA literature you have a duty to your YA audience not to perpetuate the idea that is natural—even desired—that abuse victims, victims of possessive, unhealthy relationships, should love being possessed, being emotional and physical property of the abuser. Part of the message at the end is that "maybe Vehyn will change." You can't tell your YA audience to count on an abuser to change. I feel like this should be an absolute no-no, yet Strickland wrote it. I am amazed.
It is incredibly ironic that the romance is this ridiculously problematic when this is a book that's obsessed with female and gender queer oppression under patriarchy. Maybe Strickland thought it was an edgy move but she gets no creativity points from me.
What my reading of Beyond the Black Door has told me is that we really need to be critical of the literature we are accepting at face-value as "representation" and "diversity." We may need to be extra critical because marginalized readers are at even higher risk of entering abusive relationships. They do not need to be reading books that romanticize abuse and misogynistic possessiveness. YA authors: you can write edgy books without glorifying abuse. YA fantasy does not exist in a vacuum. It has direct consequences on the individuation of young readers, thus it has real-world consequences. If y'all can't keep this in mind then I'm going to have to keep hounding y'all.
I would give Beyond the Black Door one star if it didn't have interesting world building and characters, but it does. RIP.
*Waffle House vine voice* Can I get a healthy YA fantasy romance? Can I PLEASE get a healthy YA fantasy romance?
Alright, so this was a tough one to like. On one hand, we have a demi-biromantic asexual protagonist in a genre that demands heterosexual romance. On the same hand we also have a transgender bisexual best friend. But then on the other hand we've got this sickening "love story" between the main character Kamai and her abuser/villain, Vehyn.
If you think this book can get away with excusing abuse and male possessiveness simply because it has queer representation, you're dead wrong, comrades.
At this point I don't really care about spoilers so let me show you just how problematic the romance is with this little bit from the last page of the book:
"...you couldn't help loving whom you loved. Or how you loved. I loved Vehyn, despite who he was, despite the dark power over me that he shouldn't have had. Maybe I even loved certain shades of that. That didn't make me evil, or wrong. But I also knew I needed to pull away before I got hurt too badly" (392).
Oy vey.
There are so many things wrong here that I have no idea where to start. Throughout the book, Vehyn refers to our MC Kamai as "his," as his possession. He is always described as approaching Kamai with possessive, "predatory" stances. Yet right from the get-go, Kamai is infatuated with him. I don't want to dismiss this as Stockholm Syndrome. I want to lay the responsibility where it should lie: on the author. Strickland chose to construct the romance this way. Strickland chose to make this girl fall in love with a possessive, violent abuser and then excuse it at the end with "you couldn't help loving whom you love." Sure, you can't help love. But as an author of YA literature you have a duty to your YA audience not to perpetuate the idea that is natural—even desired—that abuse victims, victims of possessive, unhealthy relationships, should love being possessed, being emotional and physical property of the abuser. Part of the message at the end is that "maybe Vehyn will change." You can't tell your YA audience to count on an abuser to change. I feel like this should be an absolute no-no, yet Strickland wrote it. I am amazed.
It is incredibly ironic that the romance is this ridiculously problematic when this is a book that's obsessed with female and gender queer oppression under patriarchy. Maybe Strickland thought it was an edgy move but she gets no creativity points from me.
What my reading of Beyond the Black Door has told me is that we really need to be critical of the literature we are accepting at face-value as "representation" and "diversity." We may need to be extra critical because marginalized readers are at even higher risk of entering abusive relationships. They do not need to be reading books that romanticize abuse and misogynistic possessiveness. YA authors: you can write edgy books without glorifying abuse. YA fantasy does not exist in a vacuum. It has direct consequences on the individuation of young readers, thus it has real-world consequences. If y'all can't keep this in mind then I'm going to have to keep hounding y'all.
I would give Beyond the Black Door one star if it didn't have interesting world building and characters, but it does. RIP.
June 16, 2021
3.75 rounded up to 4 stars.
*********************************************
I was supposed to read this the day it came out, so about 2 years ago. Better late than never, right?
Also the reason why I'm very excited for this book is because of the ace rep. I don't think I've ever read a book where the main character is asexual. But if I really think about it there's one ace main character that I know yet that was never officially addressed.
*********************************************
I was supposed to read this the day it came out, so about 2 years ago. Better late than never, right?
Also the reason why I'm very excited for this book is because of the ace rep. I don't think I've ever read a book where the main character is asexual. But if I really think about it there's one ace main character that I know yet that was never officially addressed.
July 28, 2025
Beyond The Black Door is a dark fantasy that follows an asexual and demi-biromantic protagonist who can walk souls through her journey on seeking revenge for the death of a close one but essentially, about the black door she comes across during her soul-walks because that door is holding someone—or something—that might be the reason for the darkness spreading in her life and her world.
⇾ Plot
The complex plot of this story is a strong aspect: the revenge for a close one's death soon becomes a seductive mystery intertwined with an evil element spreading through this world, while the characters are exploring their sexual identities and developing their arcs too. The main protagonist is a 'soulwalker'—she can enter people's souls in the sleeping realm—and witnesses a black door every time she walks a soul. The door is locked and that's how her mother wanted it to be. But curiosity reaches a level when it can no longer be ignored and that sparks an event in this story that brings even more intrigue to the entire plot.
⇾ Setting
The world-building is so intricate and detailed, it brings this fictional world to life. From the scene descriptions to the various outfits, skin colors, and professions being mentioned, the world appears diverse and real enough to imagine the story unfolding in it. Speaking of the vibes, there is a subtle hint of light among the dark clouds evidently floating through the entire story. Some scenes and instances give a spooky feel too and are perfect for readers who prefer to be lightly horrified before the sun rises again. Not only this, secret organizations bring a more hidden world under the light and that creates even more excitement.
⇾ Writing
The writing is another strong aspect of Beyond The Black Door. It lays out the story in a smooth manner and allows the readers to connect with the characters through their dialogues. The voice given to each character, in terms of their speech, is distinct and sits well with their established or growing personalities.
⇾ Characters
The characters are very different from each other but are still tied up together by a string of secrets waiting to be disclosed.
✹ Kamai: female protagonist, ace + demi-biromantic, soulwalker, hates when men try to 'claim' her, emotional but logical, brave enough to walk into unexpected places.
✹ Vehyn: male villain, ace love interest, mysterious and intriguing, doesn't disclose any secrets and that gets annoying at times but you still love him for the slight smirks and dark aura.
✹ Razim: straight male protagonist, Kamai's fake step-brother, part of a secret organization, wants to protect the female MC but he needs protection too.
✹ Nikha: asexual and trans side character. addresses switching pronouns, fighter and great with blades, Kamai's best friend, will kill you if try to hurt her loved ones.
⇾ Representation
Beyond the Black Door deserves all the praise for a great representation in terms of exploring and concluding one's sexual identity. Though, I'm not a part of the represented community so my opinions should be considered secondary to an ownvoices reader. The strongest bit about the representation was the metaphorical use of a moon chart to explain the different sexual identities and even the varying degrees to which someone might belong to that particular identity. Not only was it a great way for someone to understand how nothing about sexuality is black and white, but it also showcased a great discussion among characters in a fantasy world regarding sexuality.
Moving on to the asexual representation, the story definitely shows a great arc of the MC questioning her identity, coming to terms with it, and finally embracing it with all the love she has—and should be having—for herself. In an environment where sex workers are common and is also a potential career choice for her, she discovers her asexuality. The representation of a trans character was also appropriately subtle and smooth with the character's personality being projected before bringing his/her label to light. However. the trans character does mention at some point that he prefers the male pronouns but is still addressed by she/her by the MC—which has been explained by the author here.
Overall, Beyond The Black Door is perfect for fans of YA dark fantasy who are interested in a strong female MC and an intriguing villain set in a world of secrets, mythology-derived rivalry, and sexual diversity.
⇾ Plot
The complex plot of this story is a strong aspect: the revenge for a close one's death soon becomes a seductive mystery intertwined with an evil element spreading through this world, while the characters are exploring their sexual identities and developing their arcs too. The main protagonist is a 'soulwalker'—she can enter people's souls in the sleeping realm—and witnesses a black door every time she walks a soul. The door is locked and that's how her mother wanted it to be. But curiosity reaches a level when it can no longer be ignored and that sparks an event in this story that brings even more intrigue to the entire plot.
⇾ Setting
The world-building is so intricate and detailed, it brings this fictional world to life. From the scene descriptions to the various outfits, skin colors, and professions being mentioned, the world appears diverse and real enough to imagine the story unfolding in it. Speaking of the vibes, there is a subtle hint of light among the dark clouds evidently floating through the entire story. Some scenes and instances give a spooky feel too and are perfect for readers who prefer to be lightly horrified before the sun rises again. Not only this, secret organizations bring a more hidden world under the light and that creates even more excitement.
⇾ Writing
The writing is another strong aspect of Beyond The Black Door. It lays out the story in a smooth manner and allows the readers to connect with the characters through their dialogues. The voice given to each character, in terms of their speech, is distinct and sits well with their established or growing personalities.
⇾ Characters
The characters are very different from each other but are still tied up together by a string of secrets waiting to be disclosed.
✹ Kamai: female protagonist, ace + demi-biromantic, soulwalker, hates when men try to 'claim' her, emotional but logical, brave enough to walk into unexpected places.
✹ Vehyn: male villain, ace love interest, mysterious and intriguing, doesn't disclose any secrets and that gets annoying at times but you still love him for the slight smirks and dark aura.
✹ Razim: straight male protagonist, Kamai's fake step-brother, part of a secret organization, wants to protect the female MC but he needs protection too.
✹ Nikha: asexual and trans side character. addresses switching pronouns, fighter and great with blades, Kamai's best friend, will kill you if try to hurt her loved ones.
⇾ Representation
Beyond the Black Door deserves all the praise for a great representation in terms of exploring and concluding one's sexual identity. Though, I'm not a part of the represented community so my opinions should be considered secondary to an ownvoices reader. The strongest bit about the representation was the metaphorical use of a moon chart to explain the different sexual identities and even the varying degrees to which someone might belong to that particular identity. Not only was it a great way for someone to understand how nothing about sexuality is black and white, but it also showcased a great discussion among characters in a fantasy world regarding sexuality.
Moving on to the asexual representation, the story definitely shows a great arc of the MC questioning her identity, coming to terms with it, and finally embracing it with all the love she has—and should be having—for herself. In an environment where sex workers are common and is also a potential career choice for her, she discovers her asexuality. The representation of a trans character was also appropriately subtle and smooth with the character's personality being projected before bringing his/her label to light. However. the trans character does mention at some point that he prefers the male pronouns but is still addressed by she/her by the MC—which has been explained by the author here.
Overall, Beyond The Black Door is perfect for fans of YA dark fantasy who are interested in a strong female MC and an intriguing villain set in a world of secrets, mythology-derived rivalry, and sexual diversity.
September 12, 2019
Originally published on The Nerd Daily | Review by Annie Deo
Do you like dark fantasy? Did you watch Labyrinth and wish that the Goblin King would romantically sweep you around a ballroom? Are you one of the Phantom of the Opera fans that think Christine made a mistake and should’ve chosen Erik? Fascinated by the myth of Hades and Persephone? Well, here’s the perfect book for you!
First you may want to check out the content warnings posted by the author if you have any potential triggers—I always appreciate when authors look out for their readers like this and allow the audience to make an informed decision before starting a book. While the warning about emotionally abusive/manipulative romantic relationships may cause some readers to reconsider, this was actually what convinced me the book would do justice to the central romance. There’s nothing worse than a defanged villain, because why even bother with a villain/heroine romance if it’s going to play out the same way as a sweet fluffy friends-to-lovers romance? If the love interest is a bad guy, it SHOULD be dark and questionable and manipulative to the max! Conversely, supposedly sweet romances that have toxic underpinnings and are unintentionally problematic cause a whole lot of frustration with the mixed messages and lack of awareness at the abusive nature of the relationships portrayed. But Beyond The Black Door is upfront and self-aware about its characters and romance, which is brilliant!
Our protagonist Kamai is a young woman with the rare ability to soul-walk, a skill that she shares with her mother and develops in secret as it’s considered highly dangerous and therefore illegal unless one is a priest or priestess. Kamai is capable of exploring other people’s souls which always take the form of a house of some sort, ranging from simple shacks to elaborate palaces. While the visual depiction of each person’s soul house or nehym differs from person to person, the one constant is the mysterious black door that follows her around, always lurking somewhere in every nehym, waiting for her to stumble upon it. Since her mother’s main rule was to forbid Kamai from ever opening that door, it’s obviously an enormously enticing challenge to stay away from it!
The mystery of the black door, what it represents, and the seductive being within develops alongside great personal strife and upheaval in Kamai’s life as she arrives in the capital to be presented at the royal court. On one hand, she faces Vehyn who is a mesmerising and aggressively magnetic influence who reels her in against all common sense; on the other, Kamai contends with a complicated web of conspiracies, secret guilds and political intrigue. At times Kamai is frustratingly naive and reckless, and many readers will no doubt despair at her continuing to make poor choices. But well, teenagers aren’t known for having the best judgement and given the circumstances under which she is left adrift without proper guidance or support, it’s somewhat understandable that she gets herself into one scrape after another!
The pacing felt slow off the mark, for instance Vehyn wasn’t introduced until about a quarter of the way through despite being a major character and driving force of the novel! For those who appreciate a good mystery, the tantalising lead-up to his entrance won’t dampen their enthusiasm, but readers like myself who are looking forward to the main romantic pairing interacting with each other may be tempted to skim past some of the early set-up chapters. There is quite a bit of exposition to sit through as we’re introduced to the religious beliefs that govern Kamai’s society; while fascinating, it felt like a lecture at times, often because Kamai was parroting back information that she had been taught for our benefit.
However once the pieces were in place and the larger picture of this world assembled, I appreciated the rich mythology created by the author with gods based on the sun, moon, and the earth. Instead of just naming them for these elements and calling it a day, there is effort put into the more intricate details. For example, to show how aspects of each deity might influence the way people behave, pious women cover their head with a scarf to pay respect to Heshara, the moon goddess who hides her face during the day. Then there’s the employment they seek—the Solar Arts governed by the sun god Tain include finance, law, medicine and other intellectual occupations. The world-building was very imaginative and fun to think about with the mythology being incorporated in different unexpected ways.
Now to the most important and celebrated part of the book – the LGBT+ representation! The blurb states that Kamai’s asexuality is a central theme and it’s developed wonderfully here. Asexuality isn’t widely known or understood in our society, and while it’s starting to be explored in YA books, this is the first time I’ve encountered a central ace protagonist in speculative fiction who is experiencing a coming-of-age storyline, and even better, one that involves romantic attraction! People who have some idea of what it means to be asexual will often picture Sherlock Holmes or Sheldon Cooper, arrogant aloof characters who shun human contact and feel superior to their fellows. It’s usually a surprise to realise that asexual people may actually desire romance, given that fictional representation includes notable aro-aces like Jughead Jones and Felicity Montague (The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy) who are coolly confident in their lack of interest in relationships.
However in Beyond The Black Door, a new dynamic is presented as Kamai struggles with her orientation and being different from others. This puts her into sexual situations to see if she can make herself feel like she’s ‘supposed to’ and later trying to work out the limits of what she’s comfortable with while experimenting with her connection to Vehyn. She has a beautiful arc of grappling for self-acceptance and overcoming the intrinsic feeling that she’s damaged because she’s not like everyone else. The specificity with which her feelings are written ring very true to me as a fellow ace, but regardless of orientation, these themes of alienation, of feeling alone and misunderstood and striving to fit in are universally relatable to a wider audience. Kamai’s journey in dealing with her asexuality raises the profile of this minority, helping aces in the audience to feel more visible and offering clarity to other readers who may not have understood or even realised this identity existed. The author cleverly incorporates the mythology she’s created to help illustrate the different aspects of the asexual spectrum via the phases of moon, which is such a great metaphor!
The distinguishing feature of this book is definitely the diverse representation – aside from Kamai, a notable side character identifies as both ace and trans (or ‘soul-crossed’), plus a range of minor characters are depicted as being bisexual or gay. This will likely be a hook for a lot of readers, but while the diversity may prompt someone to pick this up, the beautiful imagery and lush descriptions along with the tantalising mysteries will be what keeps them reading. After a slow start to establish this new world, the court intrigue and fascinating character dynamics lead into quickly accelerating action and stunning plot developments that will keep you tense and frantically turning the page!
Do you like dark fantasy? Did you watch Labyrinth and wish that the Goblin King would romantically sweep you around a ballroom? Are you one of the Phantom of the Opera fans that think Christine made a mistake and should’ve chosen Erik? Fascinated by the myth of Hades and Persephone? Well, here’s the perfect book for you!
First you may want to check out the content warnings posted by the author if you have any potential triggers—I always appreciate when authors look out for their readers like this and allow the audience to make an informed decision before starting a book. While the warning about emotionally abusive/manipulative romantic relationships may cause some readers to reconsider, this was actually what convinced me the book would do justice to the central romance. There’s nothing worse than a defanged villain, because why even bother with a villain/heroine romance if it’s going to play out the same way as a sweet fluffy friends-to-lovers romance? If the love interest is a bad guy, it SHOULD be dark and questionable and manipulative to the max! Conversely, supposedly sweet romances that have toxic underpinnings and are unintentionally problematic cause a whole lot of frustration with the mixed messages and lack of awareness at the abusive nature of the relationships portrayed. But Beyond The Black Door is upfront and self-aware about its characters and romance, which is brilliant!
Our protagonist Kamai is a young woman with the rare ability to soul-walk, a skill that she shares with her mother and develops in secret as it’s considered highly dangerous and therefore illegal unless one is a priest or priestess. Kamai is capable of exploring other people’s souls which always take the form of a house of some sort, ranging from simple shacks to elaborate palaces. While the visual depiction of each person’s soul house or nehym differs from person to person, the one constant is the mysterious black door that follows her around, always lurking somewhere in every nehym, waiting for her to stumble upon it. Since her mother’s main rule was to forbid Kamai from ever opening that door, it’s obviously an enormously enticing challenge to stay away from it!
The mystery of the black door, what it represents, and the seductive being within develops alongside great personal strife and upheaval in Kamai’s life as she arrives in the capital to be presented at the royal court. On one hand, she faces Vehyn who is a mesmerising and aggressively magnetic influence who reels her in against all common sense; on the other, Kamai contends with a complicated web of conspiracies, secret guilds and political intrigue. At times Kamai is frustratingly naive and reckless, and many readers will no doubt despair at her continuing to make poor choices. But well, teenagers aren’t known for having the best judgement and given the circumstances under which she is left adrift without proper guidance or support, it’s somewhat understandable that she gets herself into one scrape after another!
The pacing felt slow off the mark, for instance Vehyn wasn’t introduced until about a quarter of the way through despite being a major character and driving force of the novel! For those who appreciate a good mystery, the tantalising lead-up to his entrance won’t dampen their enthusiasm, but readers like myself who are looking forward to the main romantic pairing interacting with each other may be tempted to skim past some of the early set-up chapters. There is quite a bit of exposition to sit through as we’re introduced to the religious beliefs that govern Kamai’s society; while fascinating, it felt like a lecture at times, often because Kamai was parroting back information that she had been taught for our benefit.
However once the pieces were in place and the larger picture of this world assembled, I appreciated the rich mythology created by the author with gods based on the sun, moon, and the earth. Instead of just naming them for these elements and calling it a day, there is effort put into the more intricate details. For example, to show how aspects of each deity might influence the way people behave, pious women cover their head with a scarf to pay respect to Heshara, the moon goddess who hides her face during the day. Then there’s the employment they seek—the Solar Arts governed by the sun god Tain include finance, law, medicine and other intellectual occupations. The world-building was very imaginative and fun to think about with the mythology being incorporated in different unexpected ways.
Now to the most important and celebrated part of the book – the LGBT+ representation! The blurb states that Kamai’s asexuality is a central theme and it’s developed wonderfully here. Asexuality isn’t widely known or understood in our society, and while it’s starting to be explored in YA books, this is the first time I’ve encountered a central ace protagonist in speculative fiction who is experiencing a coming-of-age storyline, and even better, one that involves romantic attraction! People who have some idea of what it means to be asexual will often picture Sherlock Holmes or Sheldon Cooper, arrogant aloof characters who shun human contact and feel superior to their fellows. It’s usually a surprise to realise that asexual people may actually desire romance, given that fictional representation includes notable aro-aces like Jughead Jones and Felicity Montague (The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy) who are coolly confident in their lack of interest in relationships.
However in Beyond The Black Door, a new dynamic is presented as Kamai struggles with her orientation and being different from others. This puts her into sexual situations to see if she can make herself feel like she’s ‘supposed to’ and later trying to work out the limits of what she’s comfortable with while experimenting with her connection to Vehyn. She has a beautiful arc of grappling for self-acceptance and overcoming the intrinsic feeling that she’s damaged because she’s not like everyone else. The specificity with which her feelings are written ring very true to me as a fellow ace, but regardless of orientation, these themes of alienation, of feeling alone and misunderstood and striving to fit in are universally relatable to a wider audience. Kamai’s journey in dealing with her asexuality raises the profile of this minority, helping aces in the audience to feel more visible and offering clarity to other readers who may not have understood or even realised this identity existed. The author cleverly incorporates the mythology she’s created to help illustrate the different aspects of the asexual spectrum via the phases of moon, which is such a great metaphor!
The distinguishing feature of this book is definitely the diverse representation – aside from Kamai, a notable side character identifies as both ace and trans (or ‘soul-crossed’), plus a range of minor characters are depicted as being bisexual or gay. This will likely be a hook for a lot of readers, but while the diversity may prompt someone to pick this up, the beautiful imagery and lush descriptions along with the tantalising mysteries will be what keeps them reading. After a slow start to establish this new world, the court intrigue and fascinating character dynamics lead into quickly accelerating action and stunning plot developments that will keep you tense and frantically turning the page!
did-not-finish
October 18, 2019DNF at 13% (though I was considering it around 5%..)
Just not feeling this one. I was pulled in by the ace rep and while the worldbuilding (character's ability?) is sorta intriguing.. I'm just not feeling it.
Just not feeling this one. I was pulled in by the ace rep and while the worldbuilding (character's ability?) is sorta intriguing.. I'm just not feeling it.
May 17, 2020
This is the dark fantasy of my heart. It was intriguing, it was atmospheric, it was everything I wanted.
I really loved this book, and took my time reading it. The world was so interesting, and I loved the writing style, which really drew me in, and made me feel like I was reading a fairytale. The main character went through a lot of character development as well, which is always essential to me.
I'm so used to seeing the main character falling in love with the villain and them having a pretty abusive relationship, that the way this was handled in this book was truly a blessing. Because here, I loved the villain, he even had a lot of character growth. But the relationship also wasn't healthy, and I'm so glad to see a main character acknowledge that on the page.
And there's so much ace rep! I loved how unapologetically ace this was, in the sense where asexuality is viewed as normal from the start (though not from the main character herself, who does state that she feels broken), and there's a detailed discussion of the split attraction model, and asexuality, and gender and sexuality in general, being a spectrum.
There are two things to be aware of. First, the main character is biromantic asexual, but it takes her the full book to come to terms with her asexuality, and she really struggles with it. This might help a lot of readers who feel the same way, and I think it's very important that we have different kinds of rep, including this kind. But it might be something that's triggering for other people to read as well, so it is important to know this up front.
Second, one of the most important side characters is a trans man. But for most of the book, he isn't out yet, and after he comes out, he doesn't immediately start using "he/him" pronouns, but keeps using "she/her" for a while longer until he feels ready. Again, I think it's very important to see different types of representation, including types where the character struggles with their gender or sexuality. I also think it was handled respectfully by the author (who is non-binary). But it is something to be aware of before going in.
Rep: biromantic asexual MC, trans side character
CWs: death of a parent, murder, blood, internalized aphobia, internalized transphobia
I really loved this book, and took my time reading it. The world was so interesting, and I loved the writing style, which really drew me in, and made me feel like I was reading a fairytale. The main character went through a lot of character development as well, which is always essential to me.
I'm so used to seeing the main character falling in love with the villain and them having a pretty abusive relationship, that the way this was handled in this book was truly a blessing. Because here, I loved the villain, he even had a lot of character growth. But the relationship also wasn't healthy, and I'm so glad to see a main character acknowledge that on the page.
And there's so much ace rep! I loved how unapologetically ace this was, in the sense where asexuality is viewed as normal from the start (though not from the main character herself, who does state that she feels broken), and there's a detailed discussion of the split attraction model, and asexuality, and gender and sexuality in general, being a spectrum.
There are two things to be aware of. First, the main character is biromantic asexual, but it takes her the full book to come to terms with her asexuality, and she really struggles with it. This might help a lot of readers who feel the same way, and I think it's very important that we have different kinds of rep, including this kind. But it might be something that's triggering for other people to read as well, so it is important to know this up front.
Second, one of the most important side characters is a trans man. But for most of the book, he isn't out yet, and after he comes out, he doesn't immediately start using "he/him" pronouns, but keeps using "she/her" for a while longer until he feels ready. Again, I think it's very important to see different types of representation, including types where the character struggles with their gender or sexuality. I also think it was handled respectfully by the author (who is non-binary). But it is something to be aware of before going in.
Rep: biromantic asexual MC, trans side character
CWs: death of a parent, murder, blood, internalized aphobia, internalized transphobia
July 27, 2020
2.5/3 stars
I’m going to be generous and round up.
Immediate thoughts (pardon the rambles):
I had HIGH hopes for this one. Imagine my disappointment at the 80% mark when it was still Going Nowhere.
Listen, this book has some really cool concepts. I mean, soulwalkers and everyone’s different soul houses and the creepy ass Darkness should have SHINED here. Instead we listened to the MC’s meandering inner-monologue the whole time while Nothing Happened. But fear not, it all gets wrapped up in a nice, pretty, rushed AF bow in the end.
Honestly, my biggest issue here was rep. LGBTQ representation in this book is SO AWKWARD. Our MC is asexual. Another character is trans. And that would be awesome, if these were tied into the story. Instead it’s done in this way where it’s mentioned, and our MC just thinks about how okay those things are. Like, that’s it. It isn’t fluid or nuanced in any way. Just these blunt statements of wokeness (this applies to talk of sex workers also). It was so weirdly uncomfortable to read.
Lastly, the “love” interest. Just, no. You couldn’t choose more manipulative, controlling, creepy love interests if you tried. All. The. No.
Did this book have some awesome concepts? Yes. Were they executed well at any point? Uh, they were not.
Edit to add: I wrote this at 1am, so it’s worth clarifying, the variety of sexualities in this book isn’t written incorrectly. It’s just written in a way that the author REALLY needs you to know it’s supported. Which is not a bad thing, necessarily. It’s just out of place within the story and done in such a way that it comes across as awkward.
I’m going to be generous and round up.
Immediate thoughts (pardon the rambles):
I had HIGH hopes for this one. Imagine my disappointment at the 80% mark when it was still Going Nowhere.
Listen, this book has some really cool concepts. I mean, soulwalkers and everyone’s different soul houses and the creepy ass Darkness should have SHINED here. Instead we listened to the MC’s meandering inner-monologue the whole time while Nothing Happened. But fear not, it all gets wrapped up in a nice, pretty, rushed AF bow in the end.
Honestly, my biggest issue here was rep. LGBTQ representation in this book is SO AWKWARD. Our MC is asexual. Another character is trans. And that would be awesome, if these were tied into the story. Instead it’s done in this way where it’s mentioned, and our MC just thinks about how okay those things are. Like, that’s it. It isn’t fluid or nuanced in any way. Just these blunt statements of wokeness (this applies to talk of sex workers also). It was so weirdly uncomfortable to read.
Lastly, the “love” interest. Just, no. You couldn’t choose more manipulative, controlling, creepy love interests if you tried. All. The. No.
Did this book have some awesome concepts? Yes. Were they executed well at any point? Uh, they were not.
Edit to add: I wrote this at 1am, so it’s worth clarifying, the variety of sexualities in this book isn’t written incorrectly. It’s just written in a way that the author REALLY needs you to know it’s supported. Which is not a bad thing, necessarily. It’s just out of place within the story and done in such a way that it comes across as awkward.
May 17, 2021
OMG I loved that book and yeaaaaaaah ACE Rep! I was super happy about that because this is not something you usually see and as an ACE I was super happy about that!
But even without the rep I found the concept of the book, people walking in other people's dreams absolutely brilliant! Loved the concept of the doors, the dream places, the magic system and everything!
I want to read another book by that author!
But even without the rep I found the concept of the book, people walking in other people's dreams absolutely brilliant! Loved the concept of the doors, the dream places, the magic system and everything!
I want to read another book by that author!
June 21, 2024
My book baby. I feel like for most people that’s Harry Potter, or Percy Jackson, or some YA dystopian. A book that made you love reading for the first time.
That’s this one for me :)
First read June-July 2021, after third read comment:
I remember flipping every page with love, so happy to be rediscovering my love for books. It was so wildly different from every other book I knew about (queer and dark fantasy). And it was such a magical moment. I remember reading extra slow to take in every word. And when I had accidentally skipped a few, I went back and read it to myself so sing-song-y, sometimes even aloud to get more of that energy out. I’ve never read a book in such a way again after that, and that’s okay as well. I grew up: I learned to be critical and smarter… And not to be too sappy, but I’m so glad it was this book I picked up back then! I haven’t stopped reading since <3
Second read Aug-Oct 2022:
Somehow even better than the first time I read this???? Literally incredible. The plot is so crazy intertwined and genius.
Third read Feb-June 2024:
Vehyn still makes me feel all sorts of ways. He really goes from 0 to 100 so quickly. Dark to soft, honest to twisted… Vehyn is literally everything.
First book I bought myself… after years of not reading. Everything about this book makes me feel all sorts of emotions. Every reread I do see more of its faults, tho, but that’s okay :) It’s part of the process, it’s a debut after all. And a genre I don’t really like anymore…
But still I enjoyed every read through :))
That’s this one for me :)
First read June-July 2021, after third read comment:
I remember flipping every page with love, so happy to be rediscovering my love for books. It was so wildly different from every other book I knew about (queer and dark fantasy). And it was such a magical moment. I remember reading extra slow to take in every word. And when I had accidentally skipped a few, I went back and read it to myself so sing-song-y, sometimes even aloud to get more of that energy out. I’ve never read a book in such a way again after that, and that’s okay as well. I grew up: I learned to be critical and smarter… And not to be too sappy, but I’m so glad it was this book I picked up back then! I haven’t stopped reading since <3
Second read Aug-Oct 2022:
Somehow even better than the first time I read this???? Literally incredible. The plot is so crazy intertwined and genius.
Third read Feb-June 2024:
Vehyn still makes me feel all sorts of ways. He really goes from 0 to 100 so quickly. Dark to soft, honest to twisted… Vehyn is literally everything.
First book I bought myself… after years of not reading. Everything about this book makes me feel all sorts of emotions. Every reread I do see more of its faults, tho, but that’s okay :) It’s part of the process, it’s a debut after all. And a genre I don’t really like anymore…
But still I enjoyed every read through :))
Want to read
October 3, 2019Apparently the MC is a biromantic asexual and there's a villain romance 👀👀👀
June 26, 2019
So. This book was a LOT. I picked it up for the asexuality rep bc hello it is I an asexual person! And I want to say first off - the ace rep was FLAWLESS. I loved seeing my sexuality in a fantasy book. However, as someone critiquing a fantasy book (ace stuff aside)...I actually had some issues with it. And I want to be honest about it all because I think people should know.
ASEXUALITY REP:
One of my FAVORITE things about this book was the little moon chart that explained gender identity and sexuality. The author says there will be a print of the chart in the finished copy (I read the ARC). It was just so GENIUS as a metaphor to explain how gender identity and your sexuality work. And I loved how even though this was a fantasy world/setting, the characters took the time to discuss sexuality and really understand how it works.
It was odd because this book is about sex workers so I wasn't sure how an ace person would fit into that, but I loved how it all worked. We really got to see the MC explore her sexuality and figure out if she enjoyed physical touch/kissing/romance and how that all affected her. I felt so seen and it was really kind of amazing to read. If I had had this book 10 years ago I think my entire life would be different.
My only issue with the ace rep is potentially at the beginning of the book it's hinted at that Kamai doesn't have a soul + she also spends a lot of her inner monologuing claiming that she's broken and asking if she's even capable of love. Now, as the book goes on everything dispels that and basically tells her she's fine at she is, but I was very weary of it at the beginning bc so often those remarks are used against ace people and I didn't want that in this book. So, I forgive the author...but it's still important to note that there are those phrases in there.
(I did love her weird relationship with Vehyn but I wish we got to see their relationship more! She just kind of claims that they're in love and we don't actually get to see much of them falling for each other.)
CRITIQUES:
First of all, I don't have the knowledge or experience to actually critique this BUT there is a trans character in this book and I'm not sure if the author wrote him in the best way. Mainly what happens is halfway through the book, a woman explains to her friends that she thinks she's "soul-crossed" (which I do actually think is a beautiful way to explain trans people) and she identifies more as a man. However, she doesn't insist people call her a him until the very end of the book where she publicly announces that she's a man and changes her name. I felt weird about it mainly because even after the woman explains she identifies as a man, everyone continues to call him a her...but then again, they do that because he told them to. All that to say, I don't know enough about trans rep to know if that's harmful or if that's valid - which is on me more than anyone, but I wanted to see if anyone had an opinion about it for future reference. I want to get pronouns right and my brain started to get very muddled with this character bc I viewed him as a him, but the MC kept calling him a her.
^^UPDATE ABOUT THIS FROM THE AUTHOR: https://twitter.com/AdriAnneMS/status...
I also want to say that from a fantasy perspective, I think the world building could have been stronger. By the time we got to the end of the book, I felt like I had a basic knowledge of the world, but even that was not really explained well. I wanted it to be more fleshed out (this book could've been like another 100-300 pages probably). More than that, I felt like it cut a lot of corners with a few cop outs and a lack of good explanations. The magic of the world makes sense, but how it was used and how the mythology of the world was used/explored was very basic. (And I know this is a standalone YA fantasy but come on I have high standards!) I still don't think I could tell you how all the goddess mythology works even after 400 pages.
Additionally, I felt like some of the dialogue was a little bit...amateur. A lot of times the dialogue took me out of the story because it seemed like something I would write in a basic first draft and it didn't seem super realistic. (But that's like...extreme nit-picking on my part SORRY)
--
So at the end of the day, I really LOVED this book because it was great ace rep...however, I had a lot more issues with it than I wanted and at the end of the day I felt that the ace rep > the actual world/technical writing of the book. I think it could have been fleshed out more and edited a little deeper. I will definitely be recommending it to my ace pals though!!
ASEXUALITY REP:
One of my FAVORITE things about this book was the little moon chart that explained gender identity and sexuality. The author says there will be a print of the chart in the finished copy (I read the ARC). It was just so GENIUS as a metaphor to explain how gender identity and your sexuality work. And I loved how even though this was a fantasy world/setting, the characters took the time to discuss sexuality and really understand how it works.
It was odd because this book is about sex workers so I wasn't sure how an ace person would fit into that, but I loved how it all worked. We really got to see the MC explore her sexuality and figure out if she enjoyed physical touch/kissing/romance and how that all affected her. I felt so seen and it was really kind of amazing to read. If I had had this book 10 years ago I think my entire life would be different.
My only issue with the ace rep is potentially at the beginning of the book it's hinted at that Kamai doesn't have a soul + she also spends a lot of her inner monologuing claiming that she's broken and asking if she's even capable of love. Now, as the book goes on everything dispels that and basically tells her she's fine at she is, but I was very weary of it at the beginning bc so often those remarks are used against ace people and I didn't want that in this book. So, I forgive the author...but it's still important to note that there are those phrases in there.
(I did love her weird relationship with Vehyn but I wish we got to see their relationship more! She just kind of claims that they're in love and we don't actually get to see much of them falling for each other.)
CRITIQUES:
First of all, I don't have the knowledge or experience to actually critique this BUT there is a trans character in this book and I'm not sure if the author wrote him in the best way. Mainly what happens is halfway through the book, a woman explains to her friends that she thinks she's "soul-crossed" (which I do actually think is a beautiful way to explain trans people) and she identifies more as a man. However, she doesn't insist people call her a him until the very end of the book where she publicly announces that she's a man and changes her name. I felt weird about it mainly because even after the woman explains she identifies as a man, everyone continues to call him a her...but then again, they do that because he told them to. All that to say, I don't know enough about trans rep to know if that's harmful or if that's valid - which is on me more than anyone, but I wanted to see if anyone had an opinion about it for future reference. I want to get pronouns right and my brain started to get very muddled with this character bc I viewed him as a him, but the MC kept calling him a her.
^^UPDATE ABOUT THIS FROM THE AUTHOR: https://twitter.com/AdriAnneMS/status...
I also want to say that from a fantasy perspective, I think the world building could have been stronger. By the time we got to the end of the book, I felt like I had a basic knowledge of the world, but even that was not really explained well. I wanted it to be more fleshed out (this book could've been like another 100-300 pages probably). More than that, I felt like it cut a lot of corners with a few cop outs and a lack of good explanations. The magic of the world makes sense, but how it was used and how the mythology of the world was used/explored was very basic. (And I know this is a standalone YA fantasy but come on I have high standards!) I still don't think I could tell you how all the goddess mythology works even after 400 pages.
Additionally, I felt like some of the dialogue was a little bit...amateur. A lot of times the dialogue took me out of the story because it seemed like something I would write in a basic first draft and it didn't seem super realistic. (But that's like...extreme nit-picking on my part SORRY)
--
So at the end of the day, I really LOVED this book because it was great ace rep...however, I had a lot more issues with it than I wanted and at the end of the day I felt that the ace rep > the actual world/technical writing of the book. I think it could have been fleshed out more and edited a little deeper. I will definitely be recommending it to my ace pals though!!
June 29, 2019
This book was so addicting and so good. There were times where I couldn't pick it up because I knew I'd never put it down. I stayed up way later than usual last night to finish it. The world building and the mythology and so intricate and unique and well built. Asexuality is beautifully explored. The relationships are complex and incredible. There is a trans character who realizes on page that they're trans, but still asks to be referred to by the gender and name they were assigned at birth, so some people may have issues with that, but I thought the reasoning made sense in text (and the author went into more detail on the decision here, if you're curious).
I love this book so, so much and I'm so glad it exists and I'm very ready to scream about it constantly.
I love this book so, so much and I'm so glad it exists and I'm very ready to scream about it constantly.
September 15, 2019
5/5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
e-ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Kamai and her mother are Soulwalkers- which means they can journey into other people's souls while they are asleep. Some souls are lush, beautiful gardens- others dark, terrifying things, and in every soul Kamai comes across a black door; one her mother constantly warns she must never open-no matter what, but when tragedy strikes- all of those warnings are ignored and the black door is opened.
I haven't been able to stop thinking about Beyond The Black Door since I finished it! This was an instant favorite for me and I can already see myself rereading it in the near future! I can't remember the last time I connected to a character the way I did Kamai. I was hooked from the very first chapter and I'm kinda sad that it's over, but SO GLAD I was given the opportunity to read this one early! Soulwalking is such an interesting concept to me. This will definitely make you question the appearance of your own soul, and whether or not you'd be able to resist opening the black door yourself! I would highly recommend giving this a chance- I'm REALLY looking forward to seeing what else this author is capable of going forward!
e-ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Kamai and her mother are Soulwalkers- which means they can journey into other people's souls while they are asleep. Some souls are lush, beautiful gardens- others dark, terrifying things, and in every soul Kamai comes across a black door; one her mother constantly warns she must never open-no matter what, but when tragedy strikes- all of those warnings are ignored and the black door is opened.
I haven't been able to stop thinking about Beyond The Black Door since I finished it! This was an instant favorite for me and I can already see myself rereading it in the near future! I can't remember the last time I connected to a character the way I did Kamai. I was hooked from the very first chapter and I'm kinda sad that it's over, but SO GLAD I was given the opportunity to read this one early! Soulwalking is such an interesting concept to me. This will definitely make you question the appearance of your own soul, and whether or not you'd be able to resist opening the black door yourself! I would highly recommend giving this a chance- I'm REALLY looking forward to seeing what else this author is capable of going forward!
May 11, 2020
4.5 stars
I am VERY surprised by the relatively low rating for this book on Goodreads. I thought it was such an enjoyable and fast-paced read, and the sheer amount of diversity was incredible! I loved the asexuality rep a heck of a tonne!
Full thoughts to come.
I am VERY surprised by the relatively low rating for this book on Goodreads. I thought it was such an enjoyable and fast-paced read, and the sheer amount of diversity was incredible! I loved the asexuality rep a heck of a tonne!
Full thoughts to come.
April 15, 2021
This is a tough book to rate. It was also a tough book to get through, despite how much I wanted to love it. I was actually drawn to this book because of Strickland's upcoming release In The Ravenous Dark. That synopsis intrigued me, so I decided to check out her prior writing to get a feel for it, and once I read that this book had an asexual protagonist, I was even more excited to jump in. But those hopes were crushed pretty severely.
Let's start with the pros:
-The concept of walking into others' souls through their dreams is just downright cool.
-Asexual characters are practically nonexistent in fantasy, so the inclusion of that alone is something to be admired. Not to mention the colorful cast of queer characters that fill out the rest of the book as well.
Now on to the cons, which will be a much longer list so brace yourselves:
-The biggest problem with this book is the fact that the love interest is a GIANT WALKING RED FLAG WITH BLINKING LEDS. Not only is he a possessive, manipulative creep, he's also ew.
-Also when he kisses her hand as a greeting he...licks her hand? Which was weird.
-All the kissing that happens in this book is weirdly detailed. I can't tell if it's because the MC is ace and therefore is describing the physical sensation more than the emotional feeling, but she sure does know exactly which lip is being kissed and the exact location of people's tongues within her mouth, so that's that I guess.
-Her step brother who also grew up with her has a weird, possessive, lustful and sometimes violent crush on her, which, incestuous implications aside, .
-The main character somehow blames the idea of love for her mother's death, and keeps repeating the mantra of "never fall in love" to herself because bad things will happen. Maybe the lesson there instead should have been
-Despite the joys of having queer characters abound in this book, there's also a strange scene towards the middle of the book where a fantastical version of the Kinsey Scale is introduced and said queer characters are essentially forced to out themselves to total strangers. One of these strangers even says to the asexual MC that her being ace is "inconvenient" because of their plot to won't work. The stranger brushes this off with a "no offense" which. Yikes.
-Speaking of yikes, the asexual main character is told from birth by her mother that she doesn't have a soul. Then she is dubbed a "New Soul", this universe's name for asexuality, which comes off as pretty damn infantilizing.
-The plot twists are laughably obvious.
-Have I mentioned the love interest being Red Flag City? I have? Let me emphasize it again.
- YIKES.
-
-Speaking of the narrative, this book suffers from a terrible case of telling, not showing. I still don't know much about the MC aside from the fact that she's asexual and has bad taste in love interests. The pacing of the beginning goes by so fast, and the worldbuilding is dumped on us through clunky storytelling. New elements are dropped when they need to be, and not a moment sooner. Even small things like the loving blessing gesture could have been shown early on between the main character and her mother, but instead, the significance is only explained later in words rather than shown through an actual loving relationship.
I seem like I'm ripping this book apart, but there's a reason why this wasn't a one star. I was definitely engrossed in the story, and I saw a lot of potential in the worldbuilding and characters. Nikha was a standout to me, though Kamai's POV was so unremarkable in actually exploring her own personality that I forgot her name until I just looked it up again. I am still interested in Strickland's future works, but I hope some of the problems I had with this book are improved upon.
Let's start with the pros:
-The concept of walking into others' souls through their dreams is just downright cool.
-Asexual characters are practically nonexistent in fantasy, so the inclusion of that alone is something to be admired. Not to mention the colorful cast of queer characters that fill out the rest of the book as well.
Now on to the cons, which will be a much longer list so brace yourselves:
-The biggest problem with this book is the fact that the love interest is a GIANT WALKING RED FLAG WITH BLINKING LEDS. Not only is he a possessive, manipulative creep, he's also ew.
-Also when he kisses her hand as a greeting he...licks her hand? Which was weird.
-All the kissing that happens in this book is weirdly detailed. I can't tell if it's because the MC is ace and therefore is describing the physical sensation more than the emotional feeling, but she sure does know exactly which lip is being kissed and the exact location of people's tongues within her mouth, so that's that I guess.
-Her step brother who also grew up with her has a weird, possessive, lustful and sometimes violent crush on her, which, incestuous implications aside, .
-The main character somehow blames the idea of love for her mother's death, and keeps repeating the mantra of "never fall in love" to herself because bad things will happen. Maybe the lesson there instead should have been
-Despite the joys of having queer characters abound in this book, there's also a strange scene towards the middle of the book where a fantastical version of the Kinsey Scale is introduced and said queer characters are essentially forced to out themselves to total strangers. One of these strangers even says to the asexual MC that her being ace is "inconvenient" because of their plot to won't work. The stranger brushes this off with a "no offense" which. Yikes.
-Speaking of yikes, the asexual main character is told from birth by her mother that she doesn't have a soul. Then she is dubbed a "New Soul", this universe's name for asexuality, which comes off as pretty damn infantilizing.
-The plot twists are laughably obvious.
-Have I mentioned the love interest being Red Flag City? I have? Let me emphasize it again.
- YIKES.
-
-Speaking of the narrative, this book suffers from a terrible case of telling, not showing. I still don't know much about the MC aside from the fact that she's asexual and has bad taste in love interests. The pacing of the beginning goes by so fast, and the worldbuilding is dumped on us through clunky storytelling. New elements are dropped when they need to be, and not a moment sooner. Even small things like the loving blessing gesture could have been shown early on between the main character and her mother, but instead, the significance is only explained later in words rather than shown through an actual loving relationship.
I seem like I'm ripping this book apart, but there's a reason why this wasn't a one star. I was definitely engrossed in the story, and I saw a lot of potential in the worldbuilding and characters. Nikha was a standout to me, though Kamai's POV was so unremarkable in actually exploring her own personality that I forgot her name until I just looked it up again. I am still interested in Strickland's future works, but I hope some of the problems I had with this book are improved upon.
October 25, 2019
Beyond the Black Door is a serious page-turner that combines thrilling fantasy and dark romance with a beautiful approach to understanding gender and sexuality and a nuanced consideration of love, friendship, and potentially destructive relationships. Perhaps we cannot choose who we love, but we can choose how to act on it. I could not get enough of it and wanted read it all in one sitting! (alas, life got in the way of that) While there are a lot of differences, I suspect many fans of the Grisha series by Leigh Bardugo would be very into this book.
Kamai, like her mother, is a soul-walker with the ability to uncover people's secrets while they sleep. Her mother is a pleasure-artist, which allows her to get close to people while they sleep, but Kamai is uninterested in sex and must find her own path to soul-walking. Kamai's soul is hidden, but in the soul-realm there is a mysterious black door that always follows her. Her mother warns her never to open the black door, and for many years she obeys. Until the day she doesn't....
I won't spoil the book because part of the thrill is discovering what IS beyond the black door, and what happens when Kamai opens it. This is a twisty book full of intrigue, dangerous romance, and world overseen by gods and goddesses. I loved everything about it, but beware that it is definitely on the darker side and there are going to be some content warnings associated with it.
Further into the book, the world-building includes this truly beautiful approach to understanding gender and sexuality, including the concept of the "soul-crossed" where someone's soul and body don't match in terms of gender. (This is related to a trans side character and it's fantastic) It also offers a wonderful distinction between attraction, romance, & sex unpacking the fact that just because someone is uninterested in sex doesn't necessarily mean they are uninterested in romance, and vice versa (i.e. asexual & aromantic are two different things) and that all of these things lie on a spectrum. This is laid out in such a simple yet elegant way, I wish we could use this to help everyone trying to understand themselves and other people, all without necessarily having to use labels to do it! It's only one small part of the book, but one I really loved. In case anyone is wondering, Kamai comes to realize (although she does not use these specific words or labels in the book) that she is a cis-woman, asexual, bi-romantic, and demi-romantic.
I don't want to say too much more about the plot for fear of spoiling it, but I adored this book and would love to see more people reading it! I received an advance copy for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Kamai, like her mother, is a soul-walker with the ability to uncover people's secrets while they sleep. Her mother is a pleasure-artist, which allows her to get close to people while they sleep, but Kamai is uninterested in sex and must find her own path to soul-walking. Kamai's soul is hidden, but in the soul-realm there is a mysterious black door that always follows her. Her mother warns her never to open the black door, and for many years she obeys. Until the day she doesn't....
I won't spoil the book because part of the thrill is discovering what IS beyond the black door, and what happens when Kamai opens it. This is a twisty book full of intrigue, dangerous romance, and world overseen by gods and goddesses. I loved everything about it, but beware that it is definitely on the darker side and there are going to be some content warnings associated with it.
Further into the book, the world-building includes this truly beautiful approach to understanding gender and sexuality, including the concept of the "soul-crossed" where someone's soul and body don't match in terms of gender. (This is related to a trans side character and it's fantastic) It also offers a wonderful distinction between attraction, romance, & sex unpacking the fact that just because someone is uninterested in sex doesn't necessarily mean they are uninterested in romance, and vice versa (i.e. asexual & aromantic are two different things) and that all of these things lie on a spectrum. This is laid out in such a simple yet elegant way, I wish we could use this to help everyone trying to understand themselves and other people, all without necessarily having to use labels to do it! It's only one small part of the book, but one I really loved. In case anyone is wondering, Kamai comes to realize (although she does not use these specific words or labels in the book) that she is a cis-woman, asexual, bi-romantic, and demi-romantic.
I don't want to say too much more about the plot for fear of spoiling it, but I adored this book and would love to see more people reading it! I received an advance copy for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
October 22, 2019
I am a reader who enjoys the plot of the story rather than romance.
This book was a beautiful tale with an intricate worldbuilding which gave me Kamai, a Soul Walker who could enter souls, Nehyn, and get all the secrets
Every time Kamai entered a soul, there was a black door following her. She had been warned never to open that door by her mother. Circumstances changed when her mother was killed and she had to live with an unknown father. Curiosity and boredom killed the cat, and she did. Life changed for her both in her reality and behind the black door. Secrets piled on, and soon it was time to take action.
My first book by author A. M. Strickland, I was pulled into this dark world by the strange rhythm in the lines, they were complex and breathtaking. Each facet was well thought of. The descriptions kept the story alive.
The story moved at a steady pace. Kamai was trained and indoctrinated in a secret society. As the main character, she was either too naive or too intelligent. I was quite ambivalent about her down the book. But in the last few chapters, she grew up.
But it was Vehyn who lit up the prose. His entry into the world was electric. A gray character with a charisma and charm, he carried darkness around him and made it attractive. Who is Vehyn, you ask? READ THE BOOK!! I enjoyed his chapters in the story more than the rest.
The plot twists were interweaved, slowly unfurling at the right moment. My niggles too caught up with me. The story had more of narration which slowed the read. The dialogues too needed to be powerful.
The build up of momentum came later, and the last few chapters raised the suspense when the secrets came to light about the master of darkness. Overall, quite a captivating finish.
This book was a beautiful tale with an intricate worldbuilding which gave me Kamai, a Soul Walker who could enter souls, Nehyn, and get all the secrets
Every time Kamai entered a soul, there was a black door following her. She had been warned never to open that door by her mother. Circumstances changed when her mother was killed and she had to live with an unknown father. Curiosity and boredom killed the cat, and she did. Life changed for her both in her reality and behind the black door. Secrets piled on, and soon it was time to take action.
My first book by author A. M. Strickland, I was pulled into this dark world by the strange rhythm in the lines, they were complex and breathtaking. Each facet was well thought of. The descriptions kept the story alive.
The story moved at a steady pace. Kamai was trained and indoctrinated in a secret society. As the main character, she was either too naive or too intelligent. I was quite ambivalent about her down the book. But in the last few chapters, she grew up.
But it was Vehyn who lit up the prose. His entry into the world was electric. A gray character with a charisma and charm, he carried darkness around him and made it attractive. Who is Vehyn, you ask? READ THE BOOK!! I enjoyed his chapters in the story more than the rest.
The plot twists were interweaved, slowly unfurling at the right moment. My niggles too caught up with me. The story had more of narration which slowed the read. The dialogues too needed to be powerful.
The build up of momentum came later, and the last few chapters raised the suspense when the secrets came to light about the master of darkness. Overall, quite a captivating finish.
July 11, 2020
Review coming soon, but in short: I just really loved this book okay???
June 25, 2019
Unlike anything I've ever read before. The mythology of the world in Beyond the Black Door is so interesting (three gods representing the sun, moon and earth) and woven into the story beautifully.
I love a good romance in my fantasy books, so I wasn't sure how the story would play out with a asexual main character, but I really appreciate how the author presented Kamai's feelings - especially in all the ways being biromantic asexual is nuanced.
All the twists and secrets kept me on my toes. I just simply wanted to keep reading because the world created was fascinating and dark and magical.
Recommended.
I love a good romance in my fantasy books, so I wasn't sure how the story would play out with a asexual main character, but I really appreciate how the author presented Kamai's feelings - especially in all the ways being biromantic asexual is nuanced.
All the twists and secrets kept me on my toes. I just simply wanted to keep reading because the world created was fascinating and dark and magical.
Recommended.
Read
May 11, 2020DNF at 68%. I just couldn't click with this one.
January 21, 2020
This was probably the best handling of a villain romance I've ever read. Also, I loved the asexual representation.
did-not-finish
June 21, 2025I think I started losing interest when Shadow-Daddy-living-in-the-castle-beyond-the-door-she-was-told-not-to-fucking-open asked her what her favourite dish was and she immediately responded "Garlic and coconut crusted octopus with papaya and pepper."
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