The Door That Led to Where by Sally Gardner (review)

In this British import, sixteen-year-old AJ is not sure how he landed a plum job with a law firm, but he hopes it’s a ticket out of a grim home life with his bitter mom, useless stepdad, and little sister. His new job becomes a mysterious adventure, however, after AJ discovers a key that has his name on it and realizes his hiring may have had a deeper purpose. That key opens a door into the nineteenth century, and now AJ is learning about his dead father, time travel, and priceless treasures, all while still trying to keep his friends out of danger. It’s an intriguing choice that AJ decides to bring Slim and Leon, his best friends who are struggling in current London (drugs, gangs, and girls are all sources of trouble) with him to Victorian England; while readers will be relieved that the friends immediately settle in and thrive there, it’s pretty implausible, and it’s disappointingly convenient that neither has a single person they’d miss or who would miss them in the present day. There are also simply too many people in this cast, and most add little to the main thread. Even so, Dickens fans and historical fiction buffs may enjoy this clever concept, and they’ll be pleased to see AJ find a bit of peace, too, even if he is stuck in the present.