Thirteen Doorways, Wolves Behind them All is a young adult historical fiction novel set in Chicago during World War II. Frankie and her brother and sister are living in an orphanage because her mother died and her father has set out to start a new life that doesn't involve them. Frankie is starting to age out of the orphanage, taking classes on stenography and typing while her brother is drafted into the army. Her story is told through the eyes of a ghost who has been spying on her and the other girls in the orphanage, and over the course of the book the ghost reveals her own story as well. There is a mystery here, too. How did she die?
I loved this book. I know it's long on atmosphere and short on plot, so you have to enjoy that kind of story. Things do happen but it's very important to the author to make sure you're immersed in the mood of it all, so she sidetracks with a subplot, fairy tales, and lots of details about the scenery and tone. In that way it reminds me of The Night Circus or even The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue. I love ghosts, I love books that make me feel like I'm inside the world with the characters, and I love a good mystery, so this book checked off those boxes for me. I thought the writing was gorgeous. I actually pictured everything happening in the same color palette as the cover of the book, with the exceptions of the fox, the trumpet, and Marguerite's dress.
I also cheered when I read this quote: "Why does the world demand girls be beautiful, but when they are, punish them for it? why does it punish girls either way? Why does the world want girls to be sorry, some even more than others? Sorry, sorrier, sorriest." It was something Taylor Swift said in her Netflix documentary; at one point she swore in an interview and then clapped her hand over her mouth and said "Sorry!" Then, "Why am I sorry? I'm sorry I swore in the house that I bought with the money I earned from the songs that I wrote about my life..." I digress.
But this book was lovely. I loved it. :)
