Because there is so much I have to share about this story. The writing was all kinds of perfect. I loved being able to connect to the story and this world. And gosh, the setting. I just cannot. So good. It takes place in Chicago during WW2, from 1941 to 1946. Reading about this was so very painful. It was all written so well.
I must say that contemporary books are not really my thing, but I have to try a few at times. And I already adored Laura. I'm so so glad I gave this book a try. Because I loved every moment of it. It is contemporary but also historical and also full of ghosts. Which I loved too. There was not a single part of this book that I found boring. Not a single part I hated reading about. I mean, my heart was breaking most of the time, but I loved it even so. There was one death I wish had not been true. As it ruined me the most. Yet it was done so well too, and so I cannot complain too much. Sigh. I simply loved this book to pieces. All the different characters were so good to read about. Gosh. I loved all of them so much. Okay, I fully hated one of the nuns, but she so deserved it.
This book tells the story about Frankie. And is told through the eyes of a ghost named Pearl. Which was all kinds of different and exciting. Even though we do not read the book fully through the point of view of Frankie we still get every part of her thoughts on most things. Because of how the ghost is watching her, reading her thoughts and feelings. The book begins when Frankie is fourteen years old. It slowly goes on until she is nineteen. Which I liked a bunch, as we learn so much about her, and nothing felt rushed at all.
But where do I begin to describe Frankie? Hmm. She was the most adorable girl. I loved her to pieces. She has lived at an orphanage for years now with her younger sister and her older brother, though she almost never sees him. Because of the girls and boys being kept apart, since this orphanage is run by nuns. Which I would never have been able to survive. Gosh. The whole religion thing is not for me, but I did not mind reading about it at all. Everything was interesting and exciting and so I loved this orphanage.
We learn so much about Frankie in this book. Her mom died years before and her father left his children at this orphanage. He visits once every two weeks, always bringing food and gifts. But it is not the same as living with him. Then he marries someone else. And comes to visit with her, letting his girls know that they are moving away. And only taking their older brother with them. And all five children of his new wife, leaving behind Frankie and her sister. And gosh. This ruined my heart. It was fully cruel and evil. Hmph.
At first I had so much trouble with Toni, Frankie's sister. They argued so often. But near the end she did something else. And I started loving this girl something fierce. Which I'm so thrilled about. But ha. Their father. I never grew to care for him. I only began hating him more and more. Oops. The older brother was sweet, though, but almost never there. Frankie and Toni spend so many years at the orphanage. It could be horrible there, with the nuns being so strict, and the food being very terrible. But still. They were safe.
Safe from the war and safe from their father's evil new wife. Reading about life at the orphanage was all kinds of fun, to be honest. Frankie had some really sweet friends and I adored those girls beyond words. They were amazing. And she had a boy too. And it was beyond sweet reading about her first love. It hurt. But it was so good. Sam was the best. Some of the nuns were kind. But one of them was not. And I hated her with such passion. A punishment she made near the end of the book made me cry. It hurt soso badly.
This book was a little about the war too. Which was also heartbreaking to read about. It was also about how women were punished and treated. That hurt to read about too. But was so important as well. And everything was written so good. Sigh. But this story was also a ghost story. Being told from the point of view of Pearl. It is the story of Frankie, which was so good and heartbreaking, but it was also the story of Pearl. And oh my gosh how badly I loved Pearl. Getting to know this dead girl ruined me the very most.
So much of her life was a secret. So many things we did not learn until closer to the end of the book. And everything new learned ruined my heart even more. My gosh. This girl went through a lot. And it hurt so badly to read about. But so good. Yes. So good. This ghost do a lot of things as well. She visits a bunch of places, which I loved. She meets a ghost friend, whom I adored too. Getting to slowly learn her whole story, why she was dead, how she had lived, was beyond incredible. I very much loved reading about her.
I have already written so much about this book. Yet not nearly enough. Most of the story takes place at the orphanage. And not one single part of this story was boring. Frankie was a girl who followed the rules. Sometimes, haha. I adored her to pieces. Pearl was amazing too. Everything about this book made my heart race. In fear, in pain, in hope. The ending was a little bittersweet, but mostly sweet. This book was also filled with history. And most of the book was real too. And I loved all of that so much. Sigh. So good.
There are so many parts of this book I want to write about. I think I have gotten most of it down. Okay, I'm far from having written down all my thoughts about everything, but gosh. I have to stop sometime, haha. This book was just so good. And I cannot stop writing about it. Sigh. You all need this book in your life. I'm so glad that I decided to read it. It hurt me. So very much. Not always a good hurt. Yet I adored every part of it. Which is the very best feeling, to be honest. This book was fully rude. But fully perfect. I loved it tons.
Thirteen Doorways, Wolves Behind Them All was everything I wanted it to be and so so much more. It ruined every part of my heart. And I loved it even more because of it. This is a book I know I would read again. It is a book I know I will think about for a long time. It is a book I will not forget. Everything about it was perfect. Heartbreaking, but so good. And beyond important. I need you all to read this book too. You will not regret it. Huge thank you to a special friend for trading me the ARC. I must get the hardcover too.
I love the title. <3
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