Hannah Silver isn't like other kids. She's never gone to
public school. She lives in Cliff House, a lighthouse that's
been in her family for generations. She doesn't have
internet or a cellphone. She sees traps on stairways that no
one else can see, except her twin sister, Nancy. Oh, and
Nancy lives inside Hannah's mind. Then there is Belinda, a
nice, older woman, always the voice of reason, who also
happens to be a voice inside Hannah's head. Hannah just
wants to be normal. She wants to go to school and have
friends and the internet and no voices inside her head
telling her skip the even steps or disaster will strike, but
a normal life isn't meant for Hannah. Hannah is a Silver of
Cliff House, and she's about to find out what that means.
THE DOOR by Andy Marino is a fantastical journey into a
world of vivid imagination and color. One of the really
lovely aspects of THE DOOR is that it is so imaginative. The
real world and the other world Hannah journeys to are richly
detailed. The other world feels large and complex, filled
with fantastical sights and sounds and tastes. I have a
little trouble seeing this world in my head at times because
it is just so large and detailed that the picture inside my
mind became a little cluttered.
Hannah is a very interesting character. I like that she's
dealing with issues that many children and adults face. Her
anxiety when she forgets to perform a ritual to complete
tasks is real, and it has kept her from doing the things she
wants. Seeing her struggle to manage her anxiety, and the
steps she takes to help herself, are wonderfully inspiring.
The plot though doesn't stand up to fantastical setting and
Hannah's interesting character. It was a little too
convoluted and winding. Hannah is dragged into the other
world quickly, and because of this, some of the connections
aren't developed enough, so the sense of loss and betrayal
is just a shadow of what it should be. Character development
for minor characters and their motivations felt secondary to
the worldbuilding. This took some of the surprise out of the
major plot points because I've seen secondary characters
fill the same role in other books.
THE DOOR by Andy Marino imagines a truly fantastical world,
which is vividly described, but the plot felt similar to
many others. The conclusion for THE DOOR leaves room for
more novels about Hannah Silver. I'd love to see more out of
this world and from Hannah as she gets older. If your child
is a fan of fantasy worlds, with very odd, and kind of
gross, pets, then THE DOOR is a fantastical tale that
promises to spark their imagination.
For years, the door has stayed closed. Hannah Silver hardly
notices it as she goes about her strange life in an isolated
lighthouse. But when a pair of mysterious strangers -- a boy
and his guardian -- show up at the lighthouse, things start
to go very wrong. Hannah's life is shattered. And the door
is now wide open.
In order to save herself and her family, Hannah must walk
through this door.
Into another world.
A world where she doesn't belong.
A world that wants to capture her and make sure she never
makes it back home.
In THE DOOR, author Andy Marino gives readers an
extraordinary adventure in a place they have never, ever
seen before.
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