Status
Available
Call number
Collection
Publication
William Morrow (2024), 416 pages
Description
Cassie Andrews works in a New York City bookshop, shelving books, making coffee for customers, and living an unassuming, ordinary life. Until the day one of her favorite customers--a lonely yet charming old man--dies right in front of her. Cassie is devastated. She always loved his stories, and now she has nothing to remember him by. Nothing but the last book he was reading. But this is no ordinary book...It is the Book of Doors. Inscribed with enigmatic words and mysterious drawings, it promises Cassie that any door is every door. You just need to know how to open them.Then she's approached by a gaunt stranger in a rumpled black suit with a Scottish brogue who calls himself Drummond Fox. He's a librarian who keeps watch over a unique set of rare volumes. The tome now in Cassie's possession is not the only book with great power, but it is the one most coveted by those who collect them. Now Cassie is being hunted by those few who know of the Special Books. With only her roommate Izzy to confide in, she has to decide if she will help the mysterious and haunted Drummond protect the Book of Doors--and the other books in his secret library's care--from those who will do evil. Because only Drummond knows where the unique library is and only Cassie's book can get them there. But there are those willing to kill to obtain those secrets. And a dark force--in the form of a shadowy, sadistic woman--is at the very top of that list.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member hcnewton
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
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WHAT'S THE BOOK OF DOORS ABOUT?
Cassie Andrews grew up in the Northwest and had what you'd call a typical, nice life (with a little tragedy, because we all do). She grew up, had one big adventure, and then settled into New York City, and is
She quickly discovers that this isn't any ordinary book—in fact, it's called "The Book of Doors" and the inscription inside it tells her that every door is any door. An odd thing to say, but she discovers that it means she can open and step through any door with the book in her hand. Cassie and her roommate Izzy have some fun with the book, before Izzy starts to worry about the cost of this magic.
Cassie's undeterred, however, and keeps experimenting. It's not too long before a man called The Librarian (by some) finds them—warning Cassie that she's in danger because of this book. There are many "special books" like the Book of Doors (not all as powerful), and there are those who want to add her book to their collection and will stop at nothing to get it. As these people are equipped with their own special, magical books—the things they can do are pretty remarkable.
Can Cassie stay ahead of these people—or off of their radar entirely? Can she use her book to help the Librarian keep his collection of books safe from a mysterious woman determined to possess them all?
TIME TRAVEL
This is more of a Fantasy kind of Time Travel than a Hard Sci Fi Time Travel. That's really not a profound observation on my part, come to think of it—everything these books do is described as magical. So a lot of your typical rules when it comes to Time Travel are thrown out. You're not going to get a butterfly effect here, or see what happens if you go back and keep your dad and mom from going to the Enchantment Under the Sea dance together. It's more along the lines of what the Wyld Stallyns did (at least in the first movie, I can't speak to the others).
I mention this just so you know what you're getting into—I have friends who take a very purist approach to Time Travel, and want scientific explanations for everything (hopefully with a good amount of theorizing). They will probably not appreciate this book for that. On the other hand—I have friends who get tired of that kind of thing—they'll have a lot of fun with Brown's take. There are probably more people who won't care, and will just have fun with the wibbly wobbly of it all.
THE REST OF THE MAGIC
There are many more books than The Book of Doors running around (more than we're told specifically about), and all of them have applications you wouldn't immediately think about. What the Book of Illusion can do by someone who knows what they're doing? Awesome. The Book of Luck is pretty much what the tin says. The Book of Despair...it's worse than you think, at least when used by someone who knows what they're doing (and who should never be allowed to use it).
I'm tempted to keep listing the books, but that would get boring for you and me. The great thing about Brown's magic system is the wide diversity of magical abilities and the way they're used. I don't know how much time he spent coming up with the ideas behind them, or if he just had a handful and then created a new book when he wrote himself into a corner—but either way, a good deal of ingenuity is displayed here, and I want to see more of it. (honestly, I assume he did a thorough job of coming up with the books beforehand, but I just like the idea of him getting to the point where says..."I need a Book of Antigravity so Cassie can float away from a thrown knife."*)
* Not anything that actually appears in the book.
QUIBBLES
It's not a perfect book. Few are, so this isn't about me listing off reasons to avoid this book. I just want to be thorough as I talk about it.
First off, the book (particularly in the beginning) relies too much on the POV characters looking at reflections of themselves. This is a pretty common thing—some would call it a cliche (particularly as a woman character describes some of her physical attributes)—and the first time that someone did it, I rolled my eyes and moved on. But then it happened again, quickly after that, while it was still echoing in my ear. And then again. And it became a thing I paid too much attention to because it happened so much. If mirrors and reflections had become very important to the magic or plot as a whole—I might have spent a paragraph or two lauding this. But it didn't. It just distracted and kind of annoyed me.
The "Big Bad" doesn't have a name. She's simply, "the woman." If she was a character who showed up in other places, and we were supposed to figure out which of female characters she was—that'd be one thing. But there's never a doubt about that, she's simply "the woman." She doesn't even get a nickname like "She Who Must Not Be Named" or even "The Big Bad." Surely, at some point, the subculture surrounding these special books would've started referring to her as something along those lines. A name, a title (like The Bookseller did), something whispered in the shadows. Not just "the woman."
There are probably other flaws in the book—undoubtedly there are*—but these are the only two that jumped out at me (and kept doing so). In the end—both were easily overcome by the weight of all the good-to-great things about it. But I was irked enough that I had to talk about them a bit.
* Just before I hit "Publish," I remembered a chapter focused on "the woman" that made me briefly consider stopping entirely. I am so glad that I persevered, and it wasn't that difficult to.
Now, let's get back to the good stuff. I probably won't think about these issues again myself, when I think back on this book, I'm only going to think of what I say next.
SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT THE BOOK OF DOORS?
If you took Peng Shepherd's The Cartographers and merged it with Robin Sloan's Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore, you'd get something sort of like this. The secret subculture that arose around these special books—subcultures, really—made me think of these books, as well as the devotion to something that's increasingly archaic—a typeface, paper maps, antique books, etc. There is great power, as well as great affection, in these artifacts of a former age. Sure, they're not magical or mystical like Shepherd, Sloane, or Brown say. But these novels resonate for the same/similar reasons, these things call to us.
Setting aside all the magic and plot and character—just focusing on what The Book of Doors says about books in general, is pretty special. This aspect alone is going to speak to a lot of readers (most people who'd call themselves "readers," in fact.). And you could spend time just flipping through those parts of the book.
On the whole, this novel was a slow burn for me—I was instantly drawn to the idea behind the books, I liked Cassie, and the way that Brown showed her reacting to the book. But then once we got into the story about "the woman" and the Librarian, my interest waned a lot. I'm not sure it should've, and many will likely have a different reaction, but it did. But as I kept reading, I got more and more invested and my inner-critic shut up because he was as interested in what was going to happen next as the rest of me was.
By the time you figure out what Brown's end-game was—and Cassie's, too—it's so satisfying to see it all play out. It's really a very tidy book and everything means something. But it's not just the plot that works so well, all the emotional beats are so well-executed that you will be tempted to go back through Brown's non-existent backlist to see where he figured out to write them so effectively.
If you like the idea of a kind of magic you've not seen before, magical time travel (among other things), an off-the-radar subculture devoted to this magic (or at least the idea behind it), and a quiet bookseller finding her inner strength and perseverance in the face of evil—you're going to want to check out The Book of Doors. I strongly recommend you do.
---
WHAT'S THE BOOK OF DOORS ABOUT?
Cassie Andrews grew up in the Northwest and had what you'd call a typical, nice life (with a little tragedy, because we all do). She grew up, had one big adventure, and then settled into New York City, and is
Show More
having a typical life—with enough fun and love to keep going, but nothing exciting happens to her. Then one day a regular customer that she'd befriended dies and leaves a book for her. It's a lovely little book, so she takes it home with her.She quickly discovers that this isn't any ordinary book—in fact, it's called "The Book of Doors" and the inscription inside it tells her that every door is any door. An odd thing to say, but she discovers that it means she can open and step through any door with the book in her hand. Cassie and her roommate Izzy have some fun with the book, before Izzy starts to worry about the cost of this magic.
Cassie's undeterred, however, and keeps experimenting. It's not too long before a man called The Librarian (by some) finds them—warning Cassie that she's in danger because of this book. There are many "special books" like the Book of Doors (not all as powerful), and there are those who want to add her book to their collection and will stop at nothing to get it. As these people are equipped with their own special, magical books—the things they can do are pretty remarkable.
Can Cassie stay ahead of these people—or off of their radar entirely? Can she use her book to help the Librarian keep his collection of books safe from a mysterious woman determined to possess them all?
TIME TRAVEL
This is more of a Fantasy kind of Time Travel than a Hard Sci Fi Time Travel. That's really not a profound observation on my part, come to think of it—everything these books do is described as magical. So a lot of your typical rules when it comes to Time Travel are thrown out. You're not going to get a butterfly effect here, or see what happens if you go back and keep your dad and mom from going to the Enchantment Under the Sea dance together. It's more along the lines of what the Wyld Stallyns did (at least in the first movie, I can't speak to the others).
I mention this just so you know what you're getting into—I have friends who take a very purist approach to Time Travel, and want scientific explanations for everything (hopefully with a good amount of theorizing). They will probably not appreciate this book for that. On the other hand—I have friends who get tired of that kind of thing—they'll have a lot of fun with Brown's take. There are probably more people who won't care, and will just have fun with the wibbly wobbly of it all.
THE REST OF THE MAGIC
There are many more books than The Book of Doors running around (more than we're told specifically about), and all of them have applications you wouldn't immediately think about. What the Book of Illusion can do by someone who knows what they're doing? Awesome. The Book of Luck is pretty much what the tin says. The Book of Despair...it's worse than you think, at least when used by someone who knows what they're doing (and who should never be allowed to use it).
I'm tempted to keep listing the books, but that would get boring for you and me. The great thing about Brown's magic system is the wide diversity of magical abilities and the way they're used. I don't know how much time he spent coming up with the ideas behind them, or if he just had a handful and then created a new book when he wrote himself into a corner—but either way, a good deal of ingenuity is displayed here, and I want to see more of it. (honestly, I assume he did a thorough job of coming up with the books beforehand, but I just like the idea of him getting to the point where says..."I need a Book of Antigravity so Cassie can float away from a thrown knife."*)
* Not anything that actually appears in the book.
QUIBBLES
It's not a perfect book. Few are, so this isn't about me listing off reasons to avoid this book. I just want to be thorough as I talk about it.
First off, the book (particularly in the beginning) relies too much on the POV characters looking at reflections of themselves. This is a pretty common thing—some would call it a cliche (particularly as a woman character describes some of her physical attributes)—and the first time that someone did it, I rolled my eyes and moved on. But then it happened again, quickly after that, while it was still echoing in my ear. And then again. And it became a thing I paid too much attention to because it happened so much. If mirrors and reflections had become very important to the magic or plot as a whole—I might have spent a paragraph or two lauding this. But it didn't. It just distracted and kind of annoyed me.
The "Big Bad" doesn't have a name. She's simply, "the woman." If she was a character who showed up in other places, and we were supposed to figure out which of female characters she was—that'd be one thing. But there's never a doubt about that, she's simply "the woman." She doesn't even get a nickname like "She Who Must Not Be Named" or even "The Big Bad." Surely, at some point, the subculture surrounding these special books would've started referring to her as something along those lines. A name, a title (like The Bookseller did), something whispered in the shadows. Not just "the woman."
There are probably other flaws in the book—undoubtedly there are*—but these are the only two that jumped out at me (and kept doing so). In the end—both were easily overcome by the weight of all the good-to-great things about it. But I was irked enough that I had to talk about them a bit.
* Just before I hit "Publish," I remembered a chapter focused on "the woman" that made me briefly consider stopping entirely. I am so glad that I persevered, and it wasn't that difficult to.
Now, let's get back to the good stuff. I probably won't think about these issues again myself, when I think back on this book, I'm only going to think of what I say next.
SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT THE BOOK OF DOORS?
If you took Peng Shepherd's The Cartographers and merged it with Robin Sloan's Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore, you'd get something sort of like this. The secret subculture that arose around these special books—subcultures, really—made me think of these books, as well as the devotion to something that's increasingly archaic—a typeface, paper maps, antique books, etc. There is great power, as well as great affection, in these artifacts of a former age. Sure, they're not magical or mystical like Shepherd, Sloane, or Brown say. But these novels resonate for the same/similar reasons, these things call to us.
Setting aside all the magic and plot and character—just focusing on what The Book of Doors says about books in general, is pretty special. This aspect alone is going to speak to a lot of readers (most people who'd call themselves "readers," in fact.). And you could spend time just flipping through those parts of the book.
On the whole, this novel was a slow burn for me—I was instantly drawn to the idea behind the books, I liked Cassie, and the way that Brown showed her reacting to the book. But then once we got into the story about "the woman" and the Librarian, my interest waned a lot. I'm not sure it should've, and many will likely have a different reaction, but it did. But as I kept reading, I got more and more invested and my inner-critic shut up because he was as interested in what was going to happen next as the rest of me was.
By the time you figure out what Brown's end-game was—and Cassie's, too—it's so satisfying to see it all play out. It's really a very tidy book and everything means something. But it's not just the plot that works so well, all the emotional beats are so well-executed that you will be tempted to go back through Brown's non-existent backlist to see where he figured out to write them so effectively.
If you like the idea of a kind of magic you've not seen before, magical time travel (among other things), an off-the-radar subculture devoted to this magic (or at least the idea behind it), and a quiet bookseller finding her inner strength and perseverance in the face of evil—you're going to want to check out The Book of Doors. I strongly recommend you do.
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LibraryThing member susan.h.schofield
I loved this debut novel from Gareth Brown. It had so many great elements - some fantasy, mystery, time travel. All of the characters were so interesting, and I loved the friendships among them. It definitely requires the reader to have an open mind. The book was well written and I look forward to
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reading more from Gareth Brown in the future. Thanks to NetGalley for the digital ARC. Show Less
LibraryThing member jmchshannon
THE BOOK OF DOORS by Gareth Brown is a clever story with a very different take on time travel. All books are magic, but Mr. Brown presents a world in which certain books have a specific type of magic. One makes you feel nothing but joy. One helps you to create illusions. One causes pain. And one
One of the best things about THE BOOK OF DOORS is that it is a standalone story that explains all its mysteries. By the end of the story, you know what happens to each of the characters, know the pertinent elements of their backstory, see how the books come to exist, and get closure on the characters' futures. Mr. Brown tidily wraps everything up for his readers, something that doesn't often happen in fantasy novels.
While book lovers often talk about books as a way to discover new worlds and experience different cultures without ever leaving home, THE BOOK OF DOORS takes that idea and makes it real - except for the leaving home part. It is less about a love of books and more about the living embodiment of what books can do for its readers. While Cassie's book is a literal door to anywhere, the other books are equally powerful. Everyone who calls themselves a reader has an experience of strong emotional reactions or imagining something that doesn't exist simply through the words on a page.
As for Cassie's Book of Doors, Mr. Brown changes the idea of time travel we've seen in previous novels. If I had to guess, Mr. Brown was not a fan of any of the Back to the Future series, given that his book makes that series impossible. Gone is the idea that the past is malleable, and any change you make to the past would have consequences for your future - the very premise of all three Back to the Future movies. Instead, in THE BOOK OF DOORS, the past is fixed and cannot be changed.
Not only does Mr. Brown's time travel idea turn the idea of time travel on its head, but it removes all of the danger of time travel. (Yes, time travel is theoretical, but let's pretend we could do it and it was physically safe.) No more time paradoxes. No more threat of nonexistence should your past self meet with your time-traveling self. The options Mr. Brown's idea gives time travel are limitless, and Cassie only touches the surface of it.
While other stories out there revolve around a love of reading, THE BOOK OF DOORS takes the idea of the power of books and makes it literal. The story is a simple one, and the characters are equally one-noted. But any lover of books will appreciate the world Mr. Brown builds.
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opens any door anywhere. One of the best things about THE BOOK OF DOORS is that it is a standalone story that explains all its mysteries. By the end of the story, you know what happens to each of the characters, know the pertinent elements of their backstory, see how the books come to exist, and get closure on the characters' futures. Mr. Brown tidily wraps everything up for his readers, something that doesn't often happen in fantasy novels.
While book lovers often talk about books as a way to discover new worlds and experience different cultures without ever leaving home, THE BOOK OF DOORS takes that idea and makes it real - except for the leaving home part. It is less about a love of books and more about the living embodiment of what books can do for its readers. While Cassie's book is a literal door to anywhere, the other books are equally powerful. Everyone who calls themselves a reader has an experience of strong emotional reactions or imagining something that doesn't exist simply through the words on a page.
As for Cassie's Book of Doors, Mr. Brown changes the idea of time travel we've seen in previous novels. If I had to guess, Mr. Brown was not a fan of any of the Back to the Future series, given that his book makes that series impossible. Gone is the idea that the past is malleable, and any change you make to the past would have consequences for your future - the very premise of all three Back to the Future movies. Instead, in THE BOOK OF DOORS, the past is fixed and cannot be changed.
Not only does Mr. Brown's time travel idea turn the idea of time travel on its head, but it removes all of the danger of time travel. (Yes, time travel is theoretical, but let's pretend we could do it and it was physically safe.) No more time paradoxes. No more threat of nonexistence should your past self meet with your time-traveling self. The options Mr. Brown's idea gives time travel are limitless, and Cassie only touches the surface of it.
While other stories out there revolve around a love of reading, THE BOOK OF DOORS takes the idea of the power of books and makes it literal. The story is a simple one, and the characters are equally one-noted. But any lover of books will appreciate the world Mr. Brown builds.
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LibraryThing member Kris_Anderson
After reading the blurb for The Book of Doors by Gareth Brown, I was eager to read it. I started reading and soon wondered if the person who wrote the blurb had read the book. I did not find myself liking any of the characters. The characters were underdeveloped. Cassie lacked personality and Izzy
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was a downer. The characters reactions were off. If I open a door and find something unexpected, I expect the character to be surprised, wonderous, curious, and “how in the world.” There were comments about eating and food that were unnecessary (female body shaming comments). The antagonist is a sadist, but we are not told why. The villain seems to kill for no other reason than it brings her pleasure. There is extreme violence (torture). I was not expecting such gore. The stories pacing is either too slow or too fast (more telling than showing). The book did not have a flow. It jumps around from character to character as well as from different timelines. It makes for a confusing tale. I thought the book was drawn out with repetitive details. There is also foul language and terrible racial comments. I really did not appreciate the comment that the worst thing that ever happened was when women started feeling they were equal to men. The ending was anticlimactic. The Book of Doors lacked magic, fantasy, and fun. This booklover struggled to complete The Book of Door, but I did it helpful for my insomnia. Show Less
LibraryThing member Mrsmommybooknerd
"The Book of Doors" is a captivating debut novel that blends magic, adventure, and romance into a contemporary fantasy tale. With its mysterious book, engaging characters, and thrilling plot, it's sure to enchant fans of modern fantasy literature.
LibraryThing member srms.reads
3.5⭐️
After a long-time customer passes away while visiting the bookstore where she works, Cassie Andrews finds herself in the possession of a strange little book, “The Book of Doors” – a magical book that leads Cassie and her friend Izzy to wherever they desire, opening any closed door to
With a cast of interesting characters, an imaginative plot, and an immersive setting, The Book of Doors by Gareth Jones is an engaging read. I loved the premise of this novel and thoroughly enjoyed following the adventures of Cassie, Izzy and Drummond, who I thought was an intriguing character. Cassie is an endearing protagonist and I enjoyed getting to know her. The narrative is shared through multiple perspectives and timelines and the author weaves a magical tale bringing all the threads together in a well-crafted narrative. Though the story flows well, it does suffer from inconsistent pacing, minor repetitiveness, and verbosity. (There were a few dialogues and descriptions I thought were offensive and unnecessary, but that’s more a personal observation.) The time travel element was interesting but left me with unanswered questions. I liked the protagonist and her friends and though the villains in the story were evil enough and also provided an element of comic relief, they weren’t strongly developed characters.
In short, though I loved parts of the story and was entertained, I didn't enjoy this novel as much as I had hoped.
Many thanks to William Morrow and NetGalley for the digital review copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
After a long-time customer passes away while visiting the bookstore where she works, Cassie Andrews finds herself in the possession of a strange little book, “The Book of Doors” – a magical book that leads Cassie and her friend Izzy to wherever they desire, opening any closed door to
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their destination of choice. Unbeknownst to Cassie, this special book is one of a unique collection - each of which possesses unique magical powers that can be harnessed for good or evil. The books have been hidden throughout history in different corners of the world and several people have devoted their lives to finding and owning them – each with their own agenda - Drummond Fox, the “Librarian” and owner of a magical library, a mysterious ”Detective” with a secret mission, book collectors who’d go to any length to find those books and use their magical powers to further their own interests, among whom is the “Woman” whose quest for the books has left death and destruction in its wake. We follow Cassie, Izzy, and Drummond as they try to find as many books as possible before they fall into the wrong hands.With a cast of interesting characters, an imaginative plot, and an immersive setting, The Book of Doors by Gareth Jones is an engaging read. I loved the premise of this novel and thoroughly enjoyed following the adventures of Cassie, Izzy and Drummond, who I thought was an intriguing character. Cassie is an endearing protagonist and I enjoyed getting to know her. The narrative is shared through multiple perspectives and timelines and the author weaves a magical tale bringing all the threads together in a well-crafted narrative. Though the story flows well, it does suffer from inconsistent pacing, minor repetitiveness, and verbosity. (There were a few dialogues and descriptions I thought were offensive and unnecessary, but that’s more a personal observation.) The time travel element was interesting but left me with unanswered questions. I liked the protagonist and her friends and though the villains in the story were evil enough and also provided an element of comic relief, they weren’t strongly developed characters.
In short, though I loved parts of the story and was entertained, I didn't enjoy this novel as much as I had hoped.
Many thanks to William Morrow and NetGalley for the digital review copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
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LibraryThing member oldandnewbooksmell
Trigger Warnings: death, torture, loss of parent
Cassie spends most of her simple life either working at a New York bookstore or hanging out in her tiny apartment she shares with her roommate, Izzy, reading. One day, one of her favorite customers, Mr. Webber - a lonely but charming older gentleman -
Shortly after discovering how to use the book, she is approached by a Scottish stranger in a rumpled black suit who calls himself Drummond Fox - others call him The Librarian, he who keeps watch over a unique set or rare books. Cassie’s book isn’t the only one with great power, but it is the most sought after by those who collect them. Now, Cassie is being hunted.
Drummond is the only one who knows where the unique library is and Cassie is the only one who can get them there to keep the book’s safe. But there are those who are willing to do anything to get their hands on these books, especially a sadistic woman at the very top of the list.
First off, the amount of time I spent thinking about where I would go if I had the book of doors myself during the time I wasn’t able to read was kind of crazy. I read this as much as I could during my free time over the week it took me to read it. I always felt like I read a ton, even when I hadn’t, mostly because I would be so immersed in it and would disappear in its pages.
I really enjoyed how connected everything was. Some things I called out a bit in advance, but a lot of it I would be surprised at how connected everything was. This was a heart-pounding read that sticks with you. It’s been almost a week since I read it before I’ve had time to write this review and I’m still thinking of crazy stuff that happened with this.
I’ve already been recommending this to quite a few of my colleagues, but I believe any of those who love a good magical realism/fantasy book with a story that will keep you turning pages as quickly as you can will greatly enjoy this book as well.
*Thank you William Morrow and NetGalley for an advance digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
Cassie spends most of her simple life either working at a New York bookstore or hanging out in her tiny apartment she shares with her roommate, Izzy, reading. One day, one of her favorite customers, Mr. Webber - a lonely but charming older gentleman -
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dies right in front of her. As the EMTs are taking him away, Cassie notices a small book in Mr. Webber’s possession. But it’s not an ordinary book… It's the Book of Doors, which has a message that any door is every door.Shortly after discovering how to use the book, she is approached by a Scottish stranger in a rumpled black suit who calls himself Drummond Fox - others call him The Librarian, he who keeps watch over a unique set or rare books. Cassie’s book isn’t the only one with great power, but it is the most sought after by those who collect them. Now, Cassie is being hunted.
Drummond is the only one who knows where the unique library is and Cassie is the only one who can get them there to keep the book’s safe. But there are those who are willing to do anything to get their hands on these books, especially a sadistic woman at the very top of the list.
First off, the amount of time I spent thinking about where I would go if I had the book of doors myself during the time I wasn’t able to read was kind of crazy. I read this as much as I could during my free time over the week it took me to read it. I always felt like I read a ton, even when I hadn’t, mostly because I would be so immersed in it and would disappear in its pages.
I really enjoyed how connected everything was. Some things I called out a bit in advance, but a lot of it I would be surprised at how connected everything was. This was a heart-pounding read that sticks with you. It’s been almost a week since I read it before I’ve had time to write this review and I’m still thinking of crazy stuff that happened with this.
I’ve already been recommending this to quite a few of my colleagues, but I believe any of those who love a good magical realism/fantasy book with a story that will keep you turning pages as quickly as you can will greatly enjoy this book as well.
*Thank you William Morrow and NetGalley for an advance digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
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LibraryThing member shelleyraec
When Cassie Andrews goes to rouse regular bookstore patron Mr Webber so she can lock up, she’s saddened to discover he has passed away. On his lap is his beloved copy of The Count of Monte Christo, and next to him is an unfamiliar leather volume. On the very first page is an inscription, “This
I think it’s best I don’t go into too much detail so that the narrative keeps its surprises. Suffice to say The Book of Doors holds an extraordinary power, and for Cassie the magic is life-changing. Unfortunately the joy of it is tainted when Cassie learns The Book of Doors is unique but not the only one of its kind, and she becomes the target of some ruthless collectors.
Though Cassie is the main character, the narrative of The Book of Doors moves between multiple perspectives of both her allies and enemies. Brown’s portrayal of several of these characters is a little clumsy and simplistic at times, but they generally make for an interesting support cast and include Cassie’s roommate Izzy; an enigmatic Scot named Drummond Fox (aka The Librarian); a sadistic and distasteful book hunter, Hugo Barbary; and the even more terrifying collector, ‘The Woman’.
Often whimsical, especially as Cassie travels the world through the doors she opens, the story has more darker moments than I was expecting. The Book of Doors, in fact all of the magic Books are both a source of wonder and, in the wrong hands, a source of horror. There are several scenes of fast paced action and high tension as Cassie, and her friends, are faced with those who wield the books with the intention of doing harm.
I found the pacing of The Book of Doors to be a little uneven but largely by necessity due to the narrative shifting back and forth in time. I’m not generally a fan of time travel as a rule, but I think Brown handles the logistics of it well.
An imaginative novel offering adventure, mystery and a hint of romance, The Book of Doors to an enchanting read, which should particular appeal to those who believe in the magic of books.
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is the Book of Doors. Hold it in your hand, and any door is every door.”, and a note bequeathing the book, which looks like a journal, to Cassie. I think it’s best I don’t go into too much detail so that the narrative keeps its surprises. Suffice to say The Book of Doors holds an extraordinary power, and for Cassie the magic is life-changing. Unfortunately the joy of it is tainted when Cassie learns The Book of Doors is unique but not the only one of its kind, and she becomes the target of some ruthless collectors.
Though Cassie is the main character, the narrative of The Book of Doors moves between multiple perspectives of both her allies and enemies. Brown’s portrayal of several of these characters is a little clumsy and simplistic at times, but they generally make for an interesting support cast and include Cassie’s roommate Izzy; an enigmatic Scot named Drummond Fox (aka The Librarian); a sadistic and distasteful book hunter, Hugo Barbary; and the even more terrifying collector, ‘The Woman’.
Often whimsical, especially as Cassie travels the world through the doors she opens, the story has more darker moments than I was expecting. The Book of Doors, in fact all of the magic Books are both a source of wonder and, in the wrong hands, a source of horror. There are several scenes of fast paced action and high tension as Cassie, and her friends, are faced with those who wield the books with the intention of doing harm.
I found the pacing of The Book of Doors to be a little uneven but largely by necessity due to the narrative shifting back and forth in time. I’m not generally a fan of time travel as a rule, but I think Brown handles the logistics of it well.
An imaginative novel offering adventure, mystery and a hint of romance, The Book of Doors to an enchanting read, which should particular appeal to those who believe in the magic of books.
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LibraryThing member shazjhb
I do not like fantasy but will read speculative fiction. This was a particularly entertaining book with many twists and turns. It is easy to miss things and it is easy to wonder about the books. The characters were great and the issue of time travel was great. I am sure there will be a part 2 but
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then I would have forgotten about everything. Show Less
LibraryThing member marquis784
I really enjoyed this novel but there were many areas that became muddled and seem to drag on longer than needed. I was also rather underwhelmed with the ending. These are just my initial responses. Cassie and Izzy both annoyed me for very different reasons. Izzy is that friend who is loud and
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obnoxious who you pray loses her tongue. Cassie is a naive, passive overly sensitive person who lacks knowledge of self preservation. There were other moments in the story where I yelled at the characters who had certain books to use them to defend themselves. At times, it almost felt like the character forgot they had the ability to prevent the tragedies they witnessed unfolding. Show Less
LibraryThing member rmarcin
A clever magical fantasy book.
A young woman is closing up the bookstore when an elderly customer dies in the shop. Later she finds a book that he left for her. When she opens the book, she finds writings and drawings. The book is magical and takes her to places near and far. However, the book
She is also mourning the death of her grandfather from cancer, and would love to see him again. As she works with the people to try and return the special books to their rightful place, she gets to time travel.
A very interesting story of risks we take to achieve various goals.
A young woman is closing up the bookstore when an elderly customer dies in the shop. Later she finds a book that he left for her. When she opens the book, she finds writings and drawings. The book is magical and takes her to places near and far. However, the book
Show More
brings danger with it. She is also mourning the death of her grandfather from cancer, and would love to see him again. As she works with the people to try and return the special books to their rightful place, she gets to time travel.
A very interesting story of risks we take to achieve various goals.
Show Less
Awards
LibraryReads (Monthly Pick — February 2024)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2024
Physical description
416 p.; 9 inches
ISBN
0063323982 / 9780063323988
Local notes
Due Feb 2024
The death of an elderly man in a small bookshop leads a bookseller to the discovery of a book that could take her wherever she pleases through any door. But it quickly sets a target on her back as her book becomes the most sought after by people with less than pure intentions.
GSFF Feb 2024. Signed by the author, one of 2000 numbered copies with exclusive dust jacket, hidden foiling, and decorative sprayed page edges.
The death of an elderly man in a small bookshop leads a bookseller to the discovery of a book that could take her wherever she pleases through any door. But it quickly sets a target on her back as her book becomes the most sought after by people with less than pure intentions.
GSFF Feb 2024. Signed by the author, one of 2000 numbered copies with exclusive dust jacket, hidden foiling, and decorative sprayed page edges.