The Door That Led to Where

October 3, 2016
A.J. Flynn’s future looks bleak: his grades are less than desirable, his home life is rocky, and his friends Leon and Slim are always in and out of trouble. When A.J. is offered a job as a junior clerk at a London law firm, things take a turn for the extraordinary. Finding a peculiar key labeled with his name and birthday leads 17-year-old A.J. to a nondescript door that transports him to 1830s London, where secrets about his paternity and family history are revealed. But the magic of time travel is tempered by murders in the past and in the present, as well as the harsh realities of the lives of A.J. and his friends. A.J., Leon, and Slim begin Gardner’s novel as boys from whom society expects nothing but trouble, but when they are presented with an opening to make something of themselves, they seize it, powerfully illustrating the good that can come out of opportunity and second chances. Skillfully blending time travel, intrigue, and social commentary, Gardner (Maggot Moon) delivers a thought-provoking page-turner. Ages 12–up. Agent: Catherine Clarke, Felicity Bryan Associates.

In Printz honoree Gardner's (Maggot Moon, 2014) time-travel historical mystery, 17-year-old white Londoner AJ Flynn, having passed only one of his qualifying exams, faces a bleak future until he discovers a door to the 1830s and the possibility of a different life in another century.AJ's mom considers him "a waste of space," his drunken stepfather is "a huge, blancmange slug of a man," and all he knows about his father is that he is dead. He lands a junior position in a law firm and, while tidying the archives one day, comes upon a key labeled with his name. Finding the door that fits the key, AJ learns not only how his father died, but that he time traveled to obtain 19th-century snuffboxes that he sold in the 21st century at great profit. AJ's Turkish friend, Slim, is being pursued by a gangster whose girlfriend he dated, while his friend Leon, a Jamaican, is on the wrong side of the dealer whose drugs killed his mother. AJ takes both through the portal, where they find a chance to start over. The convoluted time-travel mystery has verve, but readers will encounter some bumps. AJ's fondness for Dickens (he excelled at English if nothing else) prepares him somewhat for life in the early 19th century, though the ease with which the characters adapt to different centuries strains credibility. Too, many of the large cast of characters add nothing to the plot beyond a thicket of complications. Liberally peppered with both swears (from both times) and Dickens references, this gritty coming-of-age story is best suited to readers as fundamentally romantic as AJ. (Fantasy. 12-18) COPYRIGHT(1) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

October 1, 2016

Gr 7 Up-AJ Flynn is a typical underachiever. He has failed all but one of his final exams, and now that he is 17, his future seems grim. Despite his less than stellar academic career, AJ lands an interview with a prestigious London law firm thanks to his mother's connections. Once he is hired, AJ finds a key that opens a door to the past-1830 London. During his journey between worlds, AJ has a decision to make. Should he stay in the present or start a new life in the past? Gardner creates a world where a door that connects the present to the past seems believable. She anchors each version of the city using the appropriate landmarks of London, past and present. The characters feel universal, and many teens will be able to connect to their hopes and dreams. The pacing and plot development are seamless, which adds to the story's easy readability. VERDICT Recommended for general purchase for YA collections.-Jeni Tahaney, Duncanville High School Library, TX

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 15, 2016
Grades 7-10 After acing his English exam and failing every other one, AJ feels fortunate when his knowledge of Dickens' novels helps him land a job as an office boy at Baldwin Groat, a London law firm. The old place holds secrets, though, and among them are a mysterious old key, the identity of AJ's father, and a means of time travel into London circa 1830. Mr. Baldwin's murder looms over the narrative. After AJ helps his two best friends by hiding them in the nineteenth century, a decision with lasting repercussions, he must decide whereor rather whenhe will lead his life. Gardner, author of the Printz Honor Book Maggot Moon (2013), offers a genre-blending novel with elements of contemporary realism, fantasy, historical fiction, murder mystery, and romance. The settings and characters are vividly drawn. Resourceful and reflective, AJ makes a sympathetic protagonist, initially trying to make the best of his meager options, then trying to comprehend what's happening around him, and finally taking an active role in setting things right. An original time-travel novel.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)