Although a bit bit of slow burner, it is well worth sticking with this book. Beautifully written and truly a masterpiece.

I read Gareth's first book "Book of Doors" and loved it. Dare I say that this surpasses it. I loved every page and didn't want it to finish. The characters were fantastic and - an appeal to Gareth. Can I have a sequel please? This would make a brilliant film too. More please Gareth.

I was really pleased to get an email inviting me to review this book as I'd enjoyed his previous novel, The Book of Doors. I had hoped that it would be a continuation of that story but it wasn't. There are references to it though which I liked, so it seems more like it's a Fox Library universe rather than an actual series as such. The premise was interesting, a society that has pledged to collect magical objects to keep them safe and away from those who may want to use them for nefarious reasons. Part of that idea isn't new, I get the feeling there are other books with that kind of premise and it never seems to end well. I was a little disappointed that the plot didn't seem to be quite what I was expecting from the blurb. The first half of the book is actually quite slow and seems to drag the plot out very far. I didn't expect that part of the plot to take up quite so much of the book.

There aren't too many characters, about 7 or 8, but some of them didn't seem to have very much to them. I very much liked James, his attitude and general personality was very uplifting. Magda was okay but she seemed to be a bit lacking for a main character. She just got overshadowed by James who was a much stronger character and also by Frank. Will was very insubstantial, and Henrietta didn't quite fulfil her potential. I also got really confused every time she was referred to as Henry, for some reason, it took me a while to remember who that was. I didn't like Owen at all, which was probably fine seeing as he was the bad guy. The book ended up being quite a bit darker than I'd anticipated and I wasn't entirely sure I liked that. I think there was a similar dark streak in The Book of Doors which didn't quite gel with the rest of it so it might just be this particular author's style. Still the book is well-written and I did want to know what happened, but I don't think I enjoyed it or connected with it as much as I would have liked. That was such a shame as I was really looking forward to it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy to review.

This was another gripping story from Gareth Brown set within the same magical real world backdrop as The Book of Doors. I really liked that it started in a completely fresh place and thought the concept of the Clockwork Cabinet and Society immediately gave momentum to the story. It would have been nice to link back into the Book world sooner though as the final section of the book felt a little rushed.
I'd definitely recommend this book to people who enjoyed The Night Circus but this was definitely darker and felt quite gothic at points so not always an easy read.

Magda had been a member of the Society of Unknowable Objects since her mother’s death.

They were created to collect and protect and keep secret the magical items of the world. For the first time in 40 years, a new item has come to light and Magda travels to Hong Kong to secure it.

Brown has such a way at describing vivid images. Whether that be a character and their personality through their quirks or the setting of a bustling city with restaurants tucked in side streets that are worth the heat.

<b>‘I’ve been holding secrets for so long it’s like my fist has turned to stone. It’ll take a while to uncurl the fingers.’
</b>
Like his previous book, there is a light romance - brought together by situation and trauma and complementing each other in interests and values (mainly food).

Personally, I found there was too many unneeded perspective changes and it might have been better keeping it more intimate. It caused reception and sometimes ruined the pacing or added unnecessary backstory or tangents.

Then again, this is a unique style of Brown’s that gives you a wider picture and gives you more depth to the cast.

<b>‘Why do men like you always blame other people for your own choices?’</b>

I would recommend reading the Book of Doors first as there are allusions and Easter Eggs to catch with an epilogue that hints at an interconnected world we will explore.

Arc gifted by Transworld Publishing.

After The Book of Doors being one of my favourite books last year, I had some serious expectations of The Society of Unknowable Objects and it absolutely delivered!

I love the exploration of Magic and ethics and the shades of grey between good and evil, I love the character so much and I was on the edge of my seat the entire time.

I cannot wait for the next book in this series.

Wow! I loved this book so much. I really enjoyed The Book of Doors and this had similar vibes. THAT ENDING - jeez. I need another book now. Thank you to the writer, publisher and NetGalley for letting me read this.

One single sentence “She would stay that way for almost two years.” and I was hooked!

At times I couldn’t read this book fast enough, I was dying to know what happened!

I really enjoyed it. I love sci-fi books and I’d say this fits firmly in that category, with a little bit of fantasy mixed in.

You really end up rooting for the characters, and a nice little cliffhanger setting us up for a sequel, which I look forward to reading when it’s released!

A disappointing book. The writing was very unsophisticated and the book felt more like a teenager / young adult book than one for adults. The plot felt clunky, the characters were two dimensional and the dialogue lacked authenticity. The pace was very much stop and start. Not an enjoyable read for me.

Set in the same world as The Book of Doors, the story follows Magda, an author-turned-researcher for the society, who is sent to Hong Kong to retrieve an artefact. However, she quickly finds herself being pursued by ruthless individuals who will stop at nothing to claim these objects for themselves.

I found this to be a thrilling, imaginative story with great characters and an exciting plot. Perfect for fans of magical realism and adventure!

The Book of Doors was my favourite book of last year! The Society of Unknowable Objects, although not a sequel, follows the same pattern and links in perfectly with the first book. It starts a little slower than the first book, but actually this is important in setting the scene.
This is a dark story, a secret society who seek to find magical objects and keep them safe. But what happens if they fall into the wrong hands?? The characters are fabulous and I felt like I got to know them all! Almost like a band of quirky superheroes!!
Like the first book, Brown explores death and grief. Here examining what would happen if we brought our loved ones back.

A captivating, magical and powerful read. The Society of Unknowable Objects has a brilliant cast of characters, fascinating objects, mystery and plenty of high stakes. I hope there’s a sequel because I’d love to see more of Magda and the society. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC.

Drawing inspiration from Frankenstein, a fun story about a society searching for magical objects, to prevent people from misusing them and creating a similar monster to one already made. In the same world as the Book of Doors, but sadly I didn’t find the characters nor the society as compelling and couldn’t help comparing the two. As magical as the worldbuilding is, there was a spark of interest missing

From the author of the Book of Doors another tale of good and bad actors in the world of magic. The Society of Unknowable Objects exists to safeguard a collection of magic devices and keep them out of the hands of bad actors. Frank, the society's leader, hears of a new Object in Hong Kong, and sends Magda, the newest member of the group to check it out. She immediately finds that the object has attracted another seeker, who will kill to get hold of it. She escapes and returns to London but quickly finds that she will never be free that she will never befree of the assailant. She goes on the offensive and travels to America to follow him into the deep south where she finds there is more than one person desiring the Object and a fast action thriller is set up. Gareth Brown has great imagination and writes well - I thoroughly enjoyed this.

Chock full of weird, and often disturbing, magic is Gareth Brown’s follow up to the Book of Doors. The Society of Unknowable Objects is largely set in an old bookshop, Bell Street Books, in London’s Marylebone. The Society comprises four members: Frank who runs both the bookshop and the Society; Magda, a novelist; Will, a watchmaker and the often absent Henrietta who is a thief. It reads like a thriller but gets a bit bog downed by domestic trivia. Their mission is to safeguard the magical objects they hold so that they don’t fall into the wrong hands but, of course there are more objects out there and in the wrong hands! All the characters are well rounded even the rather annoying and over emotional Magda. I can see a sequel here, and a TV series or film too, especially with the nod to The Book of Doors at the end. Thanks to NetGalley and Transworld Publishers for the eARC.

Magda is one of the four members of a society of unknowable objects.
She is also a writer and a nice human.
She suddenly finds herself in the midst of danger and mystery when she travels to Hong Kong on a mission.
Gareth’s writing is clear and rich, often unexpected from a book of such mystery and fantasy elements.
Plot 3.5
Characterisation 3
Prose 3.5
Pacing 3
Setting and premise 4
Rounded up to 4.
Overall, enjoyable read that takes your mind off from reality,
I can’t wait to see what Brown does next because his concept, world building and writing have immense potential.

This is another brilliantly original fantasy fiction idea from Gareth Brown, who has really stepped up to the plate with his second book. This story starts pretty slow, gradually building momentum until towards the end, when it ramps up further with lots of action, tension and suspense - plus a bit of mild horror and a sprinkle of romance in the mix too. I would say if you like magical realism and books about books and bookshops you will probably enjoy this one too. Overall I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, so a huge thanks go to Transworld, Penguin Random House for the widget/early copy of the book, which I highly recommend picking up a copy of when it is out on 12 August 2025. Likewise, if you haven't read The Book Of Doors, I highly recommend reading that book in the meantime (I loved that one even more!)

Loved this.

Magda is one of the four members of the Society of Unknowable Objects, magical objects that exist in the world.

When a new object comes to the Society's attention, Magda heads to Hong Kong to retrieve it.

The killer also on the hunt for Unknowable Objects inexplicably appears as Magda meets James to collect the object.

So starts the journey from Hong Kong to America to England while Magda and the Society struggle to stop the killer and later the unknown man.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for this ARC in return for my honest review.

Another fabulous book about magic and a magic book.
Gareth Brown's prose flows so well and he creates both sympathetic and horribly evil people so vividly you're immediately drawn into his world.

Magda, the main character, writes books and is involved in a secret society of 4 that searches for magical objects ( a tiny bit like The Librarians if you've ever watched that series) in order to keep them safe. I loved Magda and her resourcefulness, kindness and mostly, her red hair. In the story she gets involved in retrieving the first magical object to be discovered in years, when the society is contacted by a young man in Hong Kong. And so begin Magda's adventures involving travelling round the world, meeting James and uncovering secrets about her mother and the magical objects.

A must for lovers of magical realism, books and bookshops and romance.

A worthy follow up to the enthralling The Book of Doors.
Thanks to Gareth and Netflix for the opportunity to read this book.

I loved The Book of Doors so was pleased to be an early reader of Gareth Brown's latest novel.
This story flits from London, to Hong Kong and then the rural America south, and all locations were described in detail which really added to the atmosphere and flavour of this fantasy novel.
The narrative centres around Magda, one of four members of The Society of Unknowable Objects, and follows her adventures as she attempts to secure the future of the society and the magical objects it is meant to protect from the forces of darkness.
A great villain, with a tender side, a slightly annoying protagonist in Magda and a bit of a forced romance but, all-in-all, a most enjoyable and magical romp, with great set pieces which were very visual. I can see this group of characters as ordinary people with super human powers would make a great film franchise.
Thank you NetGally and the publishers for an advance review copy of this novel.