A great combination of secret societies, mystery, and adventure that perfectly hits the spot for a quick and fun read. I enjoyed Book of Doors, so this was an instant grab for me. Happy to see my few concerns, mainly with plot development from that book are far improved here. Everything makes sense while having that fantastical element.

Note: ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

“The Society of Unknowable Objects” is a thrilling, magical adventure. A society made up of four members is tasked with finding magical ordinary objects and keeping them safe from those who seek to abuse their power. I loved the pacing of this story, each new chapter pivots to an enticing turn of the plot. I enjoyed Magda’s enthusiasm and journey as a main character. This story is filled with twists that will surprise any reader! This is a fun novel to get lost in while also spurring thought on how we might decide to handle some of these unique scenarios. I can’t wait to see what Brown writes next.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Quick very high level summary.
Magical objects and a secret society, yes please. Their newest member Magda, is tasked with tracking down a new artifact that has surfaced in Hong Kong. Magda immediately finds herself thrust into adventure and danger. There’s a killer and so much more then she could have ever imagined about the society itself.

My Take.
I adore magical realism when it is done correctly and blends seamlessly with the real world aspects of the story and in this novel the author does just that. We have a wonderful blend of adventure, mystery, family secrets and magic that honestly kept me curious and excited to turn the page. This is read is fast paced from the beginning and rarely lets up. The author even gives us a bit of plant horror and I do love some frightening vegetation. The character development is done well but the world building is truly where this story shines in my opinion. This was my first Gareth Brown novel and after enjoying this one so much that “The Book of Doors” has quickly moved up my TBR.

4.25⭐️

I really enjoyed Book of Doors so I was excited to receive an ARC for the authors new book. This was similar vibes to Book of Doors in its magical elements in the real world. It was a fantastical read and I could not wait to learn more as I went. I love his books for the splash of romance that feels like a cherry on top. I was screaming at the epilogue, thank you Gareth Brown.

I would recommend this book to people who like magical realism, mystery, and an adventure.


Thank you to Netgalley and publisher for this ARC!

Thank you so so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC of this novel!

I read The Book of Doors by this same author a few weeks ago and could not put it down I loved it so much, so I knew once I got my hands on this one, it would be the same!

Keep writing Gareth! I will read anything you write!!

4.5/5

i'm so happy to be back in this magical world that gareth brown has created! i read and loved the book of doors last year and was ecstatic to read this next book in the same universe (and the ending makes it seem like there will be a crossover in the future?!?! dying!).

this one follows magda and the society of unknowable objects whose main purpose is to protect the magical artefacts they've found and keep it out of the wrong hands. but this story specifically explores what makes magic good or evil, and who decides to keep and control it. i adored the new characters introduced here, they each had such opposing beliefs/views on magic and the use of it, which caused a very interesting dynamic between them and added to the overall themes of the book. i especially enjoyed the continuation of discovering unique magical objects that the author has created. it's fascinating and such a fun time learning what abilities these objects will allow the user to have.

i did think this was a bit slow at times, but the character development was superb. the first 60% of the book set up all the action that happens in the last third of this book and my god, once i got that far, i couldn't put the book down. like the book of doors, there's a lot of gore which i don't always see in books like these and i really REALLY enjoy that because it adds a layer of darkness to the story that i love.

i wasn't a fan of how the "romance" in this developed, especially since the characters literally hardly knew each other and didn't have enough interactions to justify that. could have done with out it but it worked out in the end.

love this universe - i can't wait to read whatever book comes next from this author.

Before Imelda passed away, she left a note for her daughter telling her about a secret society whose sole purpose was the protection of magical items. Knowing magic is real changed Magda’s life but is the risk of knowing ultimately worth it?

A little bit of magic. A little bit of mystery. A little bit of heartache. This book really had it all. Strong family bonds. Friendships that turned to family. The need to fit in when all you feel is alone. Each character truly had depth and development throughout the story, both individually and as a member of the group. Even Owen, who overall wasn’t the best human in the world, was someone you found yourself feeling a little bad for. When all was said and done, I found myself kind of hoping this would be a series so I could read more about these characters and the unknowable objects.

**Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for providing me with an ARC**

Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for this eARC!!
I ADORED Book of Doors so much that I was really excited for this one!

I thought they would be more intertwined than they were, but the same world building was there. I loved each aspect and Brown does a great job of sucking you in. However, I felt like this book focused a lot more on the "darkness" of magic and the storyline was kinda dark. I had a harder time connecting to the characters in this one, and struggled to maintain attention when switching between all of the storylines/POVs. Some of the dialogue feels forced and unauthentic, especially between the two main characters. I would've liked to feel more connected and feel more creativity that I know Brown is capable of. I am excited that it seems like there will be more in this world?! And I might try to read this book again at publication and reread Book of Doors and see if I enjoy the edited version more.

I will say that the prologue sucked me RIGHT in and I know that prologues are so hard because it sets up the tone for the book....but I enjoyed this one a lot. Brown is good at painting a big picture from the smallest detail and then slowly zooming out as you read through the books.

Thank you!

🌅Although I was actively reading two books deep in my TBR pile, with six others lined up, when I saw that I was approved for this ARC, I just knew it would be jumping up in the pile. And I am so glad I did! Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for this advanced reader copy; it was worth the queue-jumping. Some stories dazzle with concept alone, but The Society of Unknowable Objects manages to deliver on both imagination and execution. Gareth Brown has crafted another smart, suspenseful adventure steeped in hidden magic, secret societies, and the murky morality of power—anchored by a conflicted, sometimes annoying protagonist you can’t help but root for.

The plot centers on Magda Sparks, an author and the newest member of a clandestine group tasked with safeguarding magical artifacts disguised as ordinary items. When word surfaces that a new object has emerged in Hong Kong, Magda naively yet optimistically volunteers to investigate, only to find herself hunted, nearly killed, and forced to use a dangerous artifact that the rest of her Society doesn't even know exists. Her narrow escape sets off a chain of events that unravels long-buried secrets—not only about the Society itself, but about Magda’s past and the people she's come to trust. What begins as a simple retrieval becomes a globe-trotting quest that confronts the very question of whether magic can—or should—be controlled.

What I loved most about this book was its momentum and the magical system Gareth Brown crafted. It is incredibly clever, with enchanted objects that are subtle but powerful, and always come with a cost. Brown’s writing includes characters who feel distinct, complex, and often unpredictable, the pacing is brisk without being overwhelming, and the worldbuilding is immersive without ever slowing the plot. I especially appreciated that while this story connects loosely to The Book of Doors, it stands entirely on its own—and rewards longtime readers with sly callbacks that feel earned rather than distracting.

If I had one critique, it’s that a few of the villains border on caricature, lacking the nuance or redeeming traits that make the rest of the cast so engaging and believable. Still, their exaggerated menace fits the larger-than-life tone, and it doesn’t detract from the emotional core of the story, which lies squarely with Magda and her evolving understanding of truth, legacy, and choice.

Content-wise, this is a relatively clean read, though there are scenes involving violence, grief, and some morally gray decision-making. This was a quick read and a joy to read—packed with thought-provoking themes, delightful twists, and an epilogue that will leave fans of The Book of Doors giggling with excitement. If you enjoy speculative fiction, magical realism, or secret histories, you will find plenty to devour here. I already can’t wait for whatever Gareth Brown writes next.

Gareth Brown delivers another excellent fantasy with his sophomore novel, The Society of Unknowable Objects, and another memorable character in Magda Sparks. When Magda's mother died, a letter told her all about magical items, and she became a member of The Society — four people who met twice a year to protect the items and their secrets. But this year, something has gone wrong, and Magda and the other members must fight to regain control. Readers who enjoyed Brown’s first book (The Book of Doors) and other fantasy readers will not be disappointed with this book, which has the right mix of fun, danger, and magic.

Publication Date: August 12, 2025

Imagine living in a world where everyday objects did extraordinary things? A world of magic, like you only read about in books. Now, imagine those objects getting into the wrong hands. People doing horrible things. That is why Magda, our MFC, is told the society exists and was formed by four families and the secret passed onto the oldest male child upon death.

Up until now, they have met twice a year, drank tea and had (in the words of one member) cheap biscuits. So when a new object comes to light, Magda can’t wait to go. She is a writer, her schedule her own.

Magda’s whole world view changes in a short period of time, but at least she has new ideas for not just her next novel, but many more to follow. She is a strong woman, but she uses humor to deflect, especially when she isn’t sure of herself or the world she thought she knew.

Friendship, learning to let go of what you thought you knew and seeing the world through a new lens were some of my favorite parts of the book. I recommend this book for readers of fantasy, mystery thrillers, magic and magical realism and adventures. I would like to thank William Morrow and NetGalley for a copy of this book. As always, all opinions are my own and my review is voluntarily given. Happy reading!

Magda and her friends are ordinary people that are apart of a secret society tasked with finding and protecting hidden magical objects with extraordinary powers. However, they’re not the only ones chasing these objects…

I absolutely devoured this book. I thought the storyline was engaging, and I loved that towards the middle it felt more like a thriller. Although I didn’t feel a connection to the fmc, I did enjoy Magda and her relationships with each of her friends.

If you like Harry Potter mixed with the Amazing Race, you will love this book!!

Madga is a member of the secret society of unknowable objects, objects that are magic. There are only four of them and they vow to keep magical objects locked up so they can't be used for evil. A new object is found in Hong Kong and Madga is sent to retrieve it.

James has found the object and he knows of the society, one of the former members told him. He's found a chess piece. However, a stranger shows up, kills James and takes the piece. Madga manages to get away. When she returns to London she learns new things about the society and she hunts the killer.

This author's imagination knows no bounds.
I was first fascinated by his storytelling in The Book of Doors. Could he repeat the success of that book?
In this latest release, he most definitely did.

This book has a small common theme with his prior release, where an ordinary object holds power. But instead of various books, this story involves more random objects - where a chess piece can allow you to control others, or a necklace gives the wearer the ability to fly. What happens if these objects get into the wrong hands? That is precisely what the Society of Unknowable Objects is for, to project those objects. And one member, Magda Sparks is thrown into the thick of things when she attempts to secure an object and things go very wrong.

Where things really get interesting is when not one, but two villains are revealed. As previously mentioned, the objects the society protects have immeasurable power, and these villains hold nothing back once they acquire an object. Can they be stopped? If so, how? Magda and her ragtag group (James Wei, Will Pinn, Henrietta Wiseman and Frank Simpson) have some tricks up their sleeves, aka their own special objects, and work together to fight back. Did I think they stood a chance against someone like Lukas (whose story I didn't see coming)? I had my doubts.

I'm usually a quick reader and can finish a book in 2-3 days. This one almost took me a week due to me being in the process of moving. While I would rather have been reading this fascinating story than packing, I'm glad I didn't rush it. There is a lot going on in this book and it is one to be savored. So, if you are ready for a story unlike any other, a highly recommend you check this one out!

THE SOCIETY OF UNKNOWABLE OBJECTS involves a secret society, magical items and a quest. The society is small and its members are prone to arguments. The magical objects are fun but underutilized in the book and the quest is to make right what magic has fouled up. The characters are well developed and the changing locales of the plot are lively and engaging. The magical items are more often referred to than used, which is disappointing. The author is prone to lots of excessive verbiage when I really wanted the tale to keep moving. Admittedly, I began to scan the text, looking for the plot to resume. I wish he had exchanged all the internal monologues and repetitive arguments with magical objects doing their magic. There are some very nice plot twists that end the book well. I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Secret societies and mysterious artifacts are usually a winning combination with me. Unfortunately, this book falls apart at the line level, particularly pacing and perspective (and grammar, but I read an unedited proof, so I expect this will be cleaned up by the time the book is published). I knew within the first few pages that this wasn't a writing style I would enjoy. The prologue aims to establish an atmosphere of intrigue and imminent danger, but it lacks the tight pacing required to legitimize a threat and is narrated with a scattered lens, like a kaleidoscopic scene shot through too many cameras from too many angles. Rather than enhance the story's realism, this made the threat patently unthreatening and the setting dizzying. I was ready for the prologue's narrator to die pages before she finally did.

But prologues can be a hard sell, so I went into the first few chapters with only somewhat dimmed enthusiasm. In my view, the writing did not improve. The pacing remained unsteady, the narratorial voice (such as it was) felt robotic, and the author demonstrated no faith in his readers' comprehension of the text, cluttering the story with unnecessary explanations that further stalled the pace.

To give an example from the second chapter, "Behind him, on the shelf where he kept first editions and other valuable books, there was also a collection of Magda's six published novels, one of each turned out to face the shop. This display always warmed Magda's heart, a tangible demonstration of Frank's pride in her writing success." Everything after "six published novels" could have been deleted without losing the text's meaning, and because every description reads like this, the author ends up telling you the same information in triplicate before moving on. In the space of this page and the next, Frank is physically described twice, once from outside the shop and once after Magda steps inside. His every gesture is announced and then choreographed, like, "Frank looked up as she approached and beckoned her in with a wave of his hand," closely followed by, "Frank flapped a hand at her, dismissing the question as he squeezed back behind the desk." The first dialogue appears here as well, after which Magda finds herself "frustrated at the lack of answers and impatient to get on with it." All I will say of the dialogue itself is that it is stilted and circuitous and somehow does less for pacing than the redundant descriptions. Case in point: "Downstairs with you, and I'll be right with you."

Gareth Brown is a masterclass in magical realism. I loved The Book of Doors last year and I absolutely loved this one as well. The plot of this book is complex but Brown lays everything out so well that it’s an amazing rollercoaster ride. His characters are all so unique - Magda is the perfect main character to follow because she is still able to maintain some optimism, some belief that magic is awe-inspiring, and it makes her journey that much more entertaining.

This was a book I had to actively put down to sleep or work - I could’ve devoured it in one sitting. I loved every single facet of this book.

Thank you to NetGalley, Gareth Brown, and William Morrow for an advanced review copy.

First I would like to thank NetGalley and William Morrow for the ARC of tbis novel.

I read The Book of Doors earlier this year and so I was so excited to get an advanced copy of his newest book. The Book of Doors is a top 10 read of the year for me so I was a little worried that it wasn’t going to live up to that one and unfortunately I was correct.

At first this book felt so similar to The Book of Doors I was wondering what was going on but once I realized they were both set in the same universe then it made so much more sense. It had that same wonderful Magical Realism feeling that The Book of Doors had with a new story and new characters. You don’t need to have read TBoD but if you do then so much of it will make more sense.

I think the biggest difference for me was that I didn’t find the characters in this book to be nearly as likeable and I had a much harder time connecting with them and rooting for them.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and it was a solid magical realism book I would recommend but I would recommend reading his first one to get the full experience of the book.

4/5 stars

Gareth Brown is back and has officially beaten the curse of the bad second book!

When you come out with a debut that is beloved and five stars all around, coming in with a second that is just as good is a feat. Even reading his authour notes and how he struggled writing this, you can tell he felt the pressure and I’m so relieved he was able to avoid a bad second book. And not only that, give us something truly amazing that I cannot choose which of his books are my favourite.

There is something about Brown’s writing that is incredibly nostalgic while being completely new. When you love a little bit of whimsy, grounded magic but without it being romance heavy, it’s hard to find. But reading Brown makes me feel like I’m 11 years old reading Harry Potter for the first time. And that’s not to say that the themes aren’t adult because they very much are, but he gives me that indescribable feeling.

Taking us on a journey in a world where magic exists but is a danger, where do we draw the line? Can it bring us joy, save lives, or be the reckoning we never saw coming?

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (4.5 stars) – Magical, Mysterious, and Utterly Addictive!

Gareth Brown has done it again! After falling in love with The Book of Doors, I was beyond excited to dive into The Society of Unknowable Objects, and it did not disappoint.

Set in the same universe, this story brings readers into a secret society tasked with protecting magical artifacts—and let me tell you, discovering what each of those items could do was half the fun. I loved having the inside scoop going in, knowing we were back in a world where magic is real, dangerous, and oh-so-alluring.

The atmosphere was rich, the magical elements were perfectly imaginative, and the stakes? Absolutely gripping. Murder, mystery, and magic blend seamlessly in this compelling tale of hidden societies and powerful objects.

Truly, I didn’t have a single complaint. It was smart, fun, and had just the right dose of danger. I’m so thrilled this novel exists in the same world as The Book of Doors—I wasn’t ready to leave it behind, and thankfully, I didn’t have to.

Huge thanks to Gareth Brown, William Morrow, and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review. I’ll be recommending this one to every fantasy reader I know.