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The Door That Led to Where

Sally Gardner

$17.99

Paperback

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English
Hot Key Books
01 January 2015
ABBEY'S BOOKSELLER PICKS ----- AJ has a pretty toxic relationship with his mother, who has never told him anything about his father. The only adult who looks out for him is old Elsie, who lost her son many years ago. When AJ finishes school with only one pass (in English) his mother gives him an ultimatum. Forced to attend an interview with a legal firm, much to his surprise he is offered a job; but even more to his surprise, he finds a key in the firm's archives, marked with his name and date of birth. The key opens a mysterious door - and on the other side is London of the 19th century. As he passes back and forth, and introduces his only real friends (both neglected boys like himself) to 1830s London, they find that there isn't really much difference - or is there? The time-travel element is weak, but the characterisation and storyline are strong and the plot absorbing. Ages 13+ Lindy

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When the present offers no hope for the future, the answers may lie in the past. AJ Flynn has just failed all but one of his GCSEs, and his future is looking far from rosy. So when he is offered a junior position at a London law firm he hopes his life is about to change - but he could never have imagined how much. Tidying up the archive one day, AJ finds an old key, mysteriously labelled with his name and date of birth - and he becomes determined to find the door that fits the key. And so begins an amazing journey to a very real and tangible past - 1830, to be precise - where the streets of modern Clerkenwell are replaced with cobbles and carts, and the law can be twisted to suit a villain's means. Although life in 1830 is cheap, AJ and his friends quickly find that their own lives have much more value. They've gone from sad youth statistics to young men with purpose - and at the heart of everything lies a crime that only they can solve. But with enemies all around, can they unravel the mysteries of the past, before it unravels them? A fast-paced mystery novel by one of the UK's finest writers, The Door That Led to Where will delight, surprise and mesmerise all those who read it.

By:  
Imprint:   Hot Key Books
Country of Publication:   United Kingdom
Dimensions:   Height: 180mm,  Width: 140mm,  Spine: 25mm
Weight:   240g
ISBN:   9781471401114
ISBN 10:   1471401111
Publication Date:  
Recommended Age:   From 13 to 15 years
Audience:   Young adult ,  Preschool (0-5)
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active

Reviews for The Door That Led to Where

Captures the mood of a generation. * The Times * Gardner pulls off a brilliant balancing act as her flawed hero travels between the two periods, discovering that, sometimes, a fresh start in a new environment can restore and heal those whose future - or past - looks hopeless. Rollicking stuff. -- Sally Morris * Daily Mail * Sally Gardner is quite possibly my favourite children's author of all time. Her poetic prose and seemingly effortless ability to flit from genre to genre never ceases to astonish me * The Independent * Striking, elegant ... Gardner's humane message will resonate with teens everywhere: keep looking for that door, as one day you'll find it - and maybe, once you've gone through, you'll even want to lock it behind you -- Philip Womack * The Spectator * As the three tangle with poison, treachery and love, the novel asks whether the past was better at granting the young responsibility, opportunities and adulthood... subtle, beautifully written and captivating. Enjoy. * New Statesman * The story, which is set in the present and in 1830, makes both centuries vivid and credible. Unfolding a complicated mystery without losing us, it is told with uncliched brio and contains characters to care about, while making us consider what a difference a fresh start could make to those who have few opportunities * The Sunday Times * Gardner vividly juxtaposes the drug deaths and gang rivalry of the present with the top hats and formality of the early 19th century ... Gardner's clever tale is enjoyably complex. * Financial Times *


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