Title: The Book of Doors
Author: Gareth Brown
Published: 15th February 2024
Publisher: Transworld Publishers
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 3/5 stars
Because some doors should never be opened. New York bookseller Cassie Andrews is not sure what she’s doing with her life. She lives quietly, sharing an apartment with her best friend, Izzy. Then a favourite customer gives her an old book. Full of strange writing and mysterious drawings, at the very front there is a handwritten message:
This is the Book of Doors. Hold it in your hand, and any door is every door.
Cassie is about to discover that the Book of Doors is a special book – a magic book. A book that bestows extraordinary abilities on whoever possesses it. And she is about to learn that there are other magic books out there that can also do wondrous – or dreadful and terrifying – things.
Because where there is magic there is power and there are those who will stop at nothing to possess it. Suddenly Cassie and Izzy are confronted by violence and danger, and the only person who can help them is Drummond Fox who has a secret library of magical books hidden in the shadows for safekeeping, a man fleeing his own demons. Because there is a nameless evil out there that is hunting them all.
Because this book is worth killing for.
Huge thank you to Transworld Publishers and NetGalley for the ebook copy for my book review of The Book of Doors.
I am a sucker for books about books and booksellers, so when I read the blurb of this novel I couldn’t wait to pick it up! This book follows Cassie, a bookseller in New York who is gifted a mysterious book which can turn any door into every door you want. The Book of Doors is one of a collection of magical books that can do a range of other things. These books give whoever holds them power, so inevitably there are people who want these books to commit evil.
For a fantasy novel this book isn’t huge, it’s on the shorter side for fantasy. However this isn’t a bad thing, it is a well-rounded story which has been tightly edited to keep the plot moving. It is such a fast-paced and thrilling read, the characters jump from one action-packed scene to another. I read it very quickly and I think it would be an excellent introduction to the fantasy genre.
Cassie our main character is fun, she has a touch of “the chosen one” about her, but not enough to totally put me off her. She reacts to the magic that she uncovers in a very relatable way, and I liked how she adapted from being a bookseller into something completely different. Her best friend Izzy was probably my favourite character overall. She was energetic and hilarious and kept the plot light when it needed to be. Their friendship was also very sweet, and I liked that Cassie took Izzy along for the ride.
This novel cleverly deals with a number of different strains of magic, including time travel. Although it took me a wee while to fully wrap my head around this, and to figure out the actual timeline, once it was clear I loved it! Well thought out and cleverly done!
Overall I really enjoyed The Book of Doors. It’s an interesting start to a new fantasy series, and a great way to explore the genre.
Huge thank you again to Transworld Publishers and NetGalley for the proof.
Buy The Book of Doors from Waterstones or Bookshop.org
