Thirteen Doorways, Wolves Behind Them All

In 1941 Chicago, teenage Frankie and her younger sister Toni live in an orphanage run by nuns, despite having a living father who placed them there after remarrying. Their daily life consists of strict rules, basic education, and work duties, with occasional visits from their father that bring both hope and disappointment. The story is narrated by Pearl, a ghost who died years earlier and now observes the living inhabitants of the orphanage. As World War II intensifies and affects life on the home front, Pearl watches Frankie navigate friendship, first love, and the yearning for independence while uncovering layers of her own unfinished business. Through parallel storylines of Pearl's past life and Frankie's present struggles, the novel explores themes of abandonment, resilience, and female agency in mid-20th century America. Their intertwined narratives reveal how societal constraints and expectations shaped the lives of young women across different decades and circumstances.

Readers appreciated the lyrical writing style and unique ghost narrator perspective, though many found the pacing slow in the first half. The historical fiction elements and portrayal of 1940s Chicago resonated with fans of the genre. Likes: - Complex character relationships, especially between sisters - Integration of real historical events and social issues - Atmospheric descriptions of wartime Chicago - Balance of supernatural and realistic elements Dislikes: - Slow start makes it hard to get invested initially - Some felt the ghost storyline overshadowed the main plot - Multiple timeline shifts confused certain readers - Several noted the ending felt rushed Ratings: Goodreads: 3.8/5 (3,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.2/5 (150+ ratings) BookPage: 4/5 "The ghost's observations are haunting and poetic" - Kirkus Reviews reader "Takes patience to get through the first 100 pages" - Goodreads reviewer "Historical details bring 1940s Chicago to life" - Amazon reviewer

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✧ The book was inspired by the true story of Laura Ruby's mother-in-law, who was placed in a Chicago orphanage during the Great Depression despite having a living father. ✧ Chicago's Guardian Angel Orphanage, which operated from 1865 to 1974, served as the model for the institution depicted in the novel. ✧ The ghost narrator Pearl's storyline is based on real accounts of young women who died during the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic in Chicago. ✧ The book was a National Book Award finalist in 2019 and received a Printz Honor for excellence in young adult literature. ✧ Author Laura Ruby wrote multiple drafts of the novel over ten years, initially attempting to tell the story from different perspectives before settling on Pearl's ghostly narration.