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.

Book Summary

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.