The Society of Unknowable Objects is the follow up to Gareth Brown’s debut The Book of Doors. While The Book of Doors had a series of magical books as a source of power, in the follow up magic comes from a range of magic objects. Although this is a direct sequel to The Book of Doors and the connection between the magical books and magical objects is one of the strands of this story. While no knowledge of The Book of Doors is required to enjoy this tale, it will make more sense of this connection and the final stinger.
The Society of Unknowable Objects is a group of four people based in London who protect a group of objects each with a unique magical power. Magda is brought into the society when her mother dies on a mission to recover more objects. The others are also descendants of the original members of the Society although when the book opens one has essentially quite the group. Magda is dispatched by the group to recover a magic item in Hong Kong and there runs into someone else dangerous who is also looking for object. Then it turns out there is yet another player, a person who was present at Magda’s mother’s death, who is also hunting the objects. This pressure on the group splinters them further as Magda starts to suspect that the history she has been told may not be the whole truth.
The Society of Unknowable Objects has a similar feel the previous book with plucky characters trying to stop evil forces getting hold of potentially dangerous magical items. In some ways, though, while there are twists, it has much more straightforward and linear plot. And those twists, when they come, are fairly predictable. But that does not prevent this book from being an enjoyable, page-turning adventure and a great set up for the next book in this series.

Having read Mr Brown’s first book, The Book of Doors, I was interested to read this one. His first book for me was a little slow in the beginning and coming to a great conclusion. This one started much better and just kept on giving. At times I thought it was aimed at young adults or children with the magical element and then it became a horror story. I could feel the anticipation for the ending building and it did not disappoint. I am hoping that this may be the first of a series of books about the Society! Great for anyone who loves a bit of magic and reality being suspended for a while

The book of doors was one of my favourite reads last year. When I got an invitation from Bantam to read this newest book through Netgalley I therefore didn't hesitate. I was really curious about this new story.

Where the Book of Doors was exactly the kind of book I wanted and needed at the moment, I didn't have the same click with this book. That makes sense. Like the author states in the afterword, this book is a lot more straightforward. It's also a lot more about the plot and a lot less about the growth of the characters. This book is more of an adventure story. I think that therefore most readers will eventually have a preference for one book over the other.

The pacing in this book also feels quite fast. There's a lot happening, we're getting a lot of point of view characters and there's most of all a lot of magic. I was personally hoping for some sort of connection with the book of doors and I was really happy when that connection was indeed revealed. It was almost a pity that the epilogue of the book was relatively short. I'd be really interested to read more. However, I'm sure the author can write in this world forever and ever.

What I personally missed in this book was the emotional depth and character growth. Although a lot is happening to the characters and some life lessons are learned, it's not an emotional journey. I personally think that at times the story became a little too gruesome and I'm not entirely sure if the horror elements were needed. I did like one of the last chapters of the story, though. A lot of things come together and hard choices have to be made.

Although I liked this book less than the previous book, I will keep an eye out for the next one!

Another beautifully written magical escapism. The book of doors was great, the society of unknowable objects is outstanding. A must read for fans of fantasy and magic

Loved loved loved this, loved the book of doors and this was just as good if not better, not a part I didn’t enjoy sheer genius ❤️ loved Magda and her friends and backstory and this was such a joy to read and I pray there’s another just like it soon I’d love a sequel 😜

I loved this book from page one with clever, descriptive writing. This is my second novel by this author. The character development is excellent. Brown's plot, characters and writing draws you in, holds tight and doesn't let go! This novel has atmophere, mystery, suspense, magic and murder. The protagonist, Magda Sparks, is a dedicated member of the Society along with Henrietta, known as Henry, Frank and Will. They are all members swore to protect the artefacts and keep them safe from the wrong hands. The character of Frank Simpson, owner of the book shop, has secrets he wants to keep hidden from the other members of the Society. His book shop is where all the retrived artefacts and kept safe and out of the wrong hands. Magda becomes curious about the collected artefacts and wants to learn more about them.

This is a novel you will not be able to put down and I would recommend.

I give a 4-star rating.

The Society of Unknowable Objects by Gareth Brown is an urban fantasy that poses some very interesting questions about morality and power. There are some loose ties to his previous book, The Book of Doors, and readers who enjoyed that book will find plenty to like here, but this book absolutely stands on its own and easily works on its own merits.
The Society of Unknowable Objects is a secret society comprised of only four members, and it has been protecting the world against magic for years, an easy task since no new magical objects have been found in decades. Members inherit their roles, passed down from parent to child, even if at times the child is less than willing. When bookseller Frank, the longest standing member of the Society convenes an extraordinary meeting it infuriates the sceptical and introverted watchmaker Will, while author Magda hopes it means there is news of Henrietta, the fourth member of the society who vanished mysteriously a few years ago. It turns out that a new Unknowable object may have been found in Hong Kong and the Society needs to send Magda to investigate and if needs be bring the object back so it can be safely stored with the rest of the Society's collection What Magda encounters on her trip shocks and terrifies her. It seems that Frank has been keeping secrets from the rest of the Society. and now those secrets could place them all in mortal danger. It they are to have any hope then all four members will have to work together , something that at first seems impossible.
I fell in love with the premise of this book and even if I was not familiar with the author I would have been intrigued enough to pick it up, The fact that I loved The Book of Doors just cemented my excitement to read this one, and it did not disappoint. There is a great blend of action and exposition, and some truly dark and disturbing moments that take the book almost into horror territory. The fact that virtually any object could be magic is really fun to think about and leaves so much more that could be explored if the author so chooses. In some ways the book read like a magical thriller with it's cat and mouse structure and fast pace that kept me turning those pages. I did find the character of Frank to be particularly frustrating, his continuing obfuscation and reluctance to come clean to the rest of the Society got a little repetitive as the story played out. I found the discussion of the ethics of using magic to be very interesting, especially given the parallels to other, more real kinds of power.
Potential Spoilers***
I was strongly reminded of Frankenstein at some points in the book, especially in the latter part of the story, and for me it is rare to see a character who is portrayed as a villain be so sympathetic, it was incredible how well the author was able to manipulate the reader's emotion and while I was not exactly rooting for the character I was still saddened by his fate. This character is one that will stay with me, and I suspect with many other readers too.

A good book makes you think while it entertains you, and this is a really good book and one that I absolutely recommend to fans of the fantasy genre.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

I read The Book of Doors recently and loved it so had high hopes for Gareth’s new release and was not disappointed!

I love how seamlessly Gareth crosses genre boundaries and includes something for everyone, this is a truly unique and enjoyable read.

After reading The Book of Doors early this year, this was one of my most anticipated reads, and I thought it was spectacular.

The way this book was woven in with The Book of Doors was brilliant. I wasn't expecting that. (Although this can still easily be read as a standalone)

I thought the world building was done so well. I really felt as though I was in the book experiencing everything alongside the characters. Whilst there were lots of characters and so much happening, I never at any point felt lost or confused.
It had the perfect amount of magical realism and mystery with a touch of creepiness. Perfect.

I’ll be honest… I think I picked this up at the wrong time. I plan to revisit this again towards the end of the year. I just don’t think I was in the mood for this.

I really struggled with the pacing of this book, it took me ages to get into this. I’m mostly a fantasy reader so the pacing wouldn’t usually bother me but I don’t know why I struggled so much with this.

For now, I’ve DNFed but plan to revisit. I really loved the authors writing style but I don’t know if this just isn’t for me or I just don’t like it.

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

Unfortunately, I had to DNF this book at around 60%. The premise is fantastic a secretive group protecting magical, unknowable objects and the themes around the responsibility of magic are truly compelling. However, the pacing didn’t work for me. The story constantly switched between fast-paced, action-filled chapters and slow, exposition-heavy ones. This disrupted the flow and made it hard to stay engaged, even though I liked the writing style and characters.

I do plan to finish it later this year, as I’m still curious how it ends. But it’s not a book I can read in one go.

Gareth Brown was my breakout author of 2024, after I absolutely devoured his debut, The Book of Doors, which ended up being my favourite read of 2024. From the moment The Society of Unknowable Objects was announced, I couldn’t wait to dive into this new magical story from him. I was so excited to see whether it would live up to The Book of Doors for me. I went into this book with sky high expectations and he smashed each and every one. This book was absolute perfection and I am absolutely obsessed with it. I absolutely raced through it as I couldn’t put it down.

The Society of Unknowable Objects is a magical realism novel set in modern Britain but where there is magical items, such as books, necklaces and such. In this novel we are following the story of Magda, a member of The Society of Unknowable Objects, a secret society who are tasked with finding magical items and storing them somewhere safe, so they do not fall into the wrong hands. I loved learning about all of the different magical items that has been created and Magda and co’s hunt to finding them. It was so fascinating to see what sort of items people were using and what powers they would hold. I loved the idea of just a random household item being magical. I really adore books where it’s just normal life but where magic exists, it’s just that not everyone knows it.

This book is fast paced and action packed and really high stakes for a magical realism book. I don’t know if it’s just me but I tend to consider magical realism books as whimsical and really just slow paced and here for the vibes. The storyline in this book is so strong and I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough as I was dying to know what was going to happen. When Magda is on the hunt for a magical item, she ends up being chased by an assassin who is also after the magical items. It’s a definite race against time and I was flipping pages as fast as I possibly could. It was action packed and just honestly fantastic. The Society of Unknowable Objects is filled with secrets and twists and turns around every corner. I was gobsmacked by how incredible this book was. I couldn’t wait to see what all the secrets were when they came to light, some I guessed and some I definitely didn’t. I remember at one point messaging Gareth via Instagram to express all of my ‘what the fuck’ reactions to some of the revelations. It really was a fantastic ride reading this book.

Gareth Brown has cemented himself as a favourite author and I cannot wait to see what he writes next. While this is definitely not a series, there were little hints throughout the book that there was going to be more with these characters and I am desperate for him to turn it into a fully blown series. I loved the little nods to his first novel, The Book of Doors, and I really hope that we do end up in an interconnected series sort of situation. I’m obsessed with both books and I definitely need more. I honestly cannot recommend Gareth’s work enough. The Society of Unknowable Objects was everything I was wanting and more. I loved every word of this fantastic novel. If you’re a fan of magical realism with high stakes and a fantastic diverse cast of multi-dimensional characters, this this is a must-read. You won’t be disappointed.

I loved The Book of Doors so was eager to read this new one. It didn't disappoint! The world-building is excellent and the plot was pacey and intriguing.

Magda is a writer who lives in London. She's had a number of books published already but she has another obsession of sorts: magic. Her mother was part of a secret group called The Society of Unknowable Objects and when she died, Magda took her place and was initiated into the group. Not much happens in the group aside from a meeting twice a year in the basement of founder Frank's bookstore. Even at the meetings, nothing much happens and it's more a formality than a proper meeting. But it all changes when Frank gets a letter from James Wei about an artefact discovered in Hong Kong. Magda is sent there to retrieve it. The journey starts well enough but then it all takes an abrupt turn when a villain appears and changes everything. From this point there's considerable action and Magda learns that all is not as it seems as she begins to understand the full meaning of the magical objects in a way that she hadn't imagined before.

This was a lovely book with magical objects and dangerous people, some who are villains and some not. The main characters are all enjoyable to meet and get to know. I'm not too sure if the full ethics of the magical items is completely reconciled at the end but it was mostly satisfactory. I haven't read the previous book by the writer as yet, so I didn't pick up on any references to it. I did find the book read just fine on its own. There was at least one event that I couldn't quite get my head around, mostly because it didn't seem to be quite as simple as the story made out in it occurrence. But other than that, it was a fine book and I enjoyed it thoroughly. I found the last couple hours of reading were non-stop as I just had to know what happened next. Very exciting.

Overall, I rate this 3.5 stars. Thank you to Netgalley and Bantam for the free advanced reader copy. My feedback is entirely voluntary.

I loved The Book of Doors, which I actually listened to on Audiobook, so I was mega excited to get my hand on this book. It's similar, but also different, which does make sense. What I actually mean is if you loved TBOD, you'll probably love this book. Although you don't have to have read it first, there are a few nods to it in this book which won't matter if you don't get, but will make you smile - like an in joke - if you do.
So... we start with a meeting of a secret society, The Society of Unknowable Objects". There are 4 members, one of whom has stopped attending the biannual meeting which is held in the basement of a bookshop. The three current members are Frank, owner of said bookshop, Will, and Magda. The point of the society is to find, obtain, and keep safe, magical objects, lest they be used nefariously. Usually though, their meetings just mean drinking tea and eating cheap biscuits, but, and it'd be a short book if not, there is a new object that has been located and, long story short, Magda plans to travel to Hong Kong to obtain it and return it safely back to the cabinet.
And that's all I'm saying as it all gets a bit interconnected and convoluted, and deliciously bonkers, in a good way. Action packed and quite perilous at times too. And all things wonderful. The world building is sublime. The characters believable if occasionally on the weak side (my one and only small niggle). And the action, especially when backed up with the most wonderfully imaginative magic, is awesome.
And, with the way it ended, especially with that "cameo", boy am I excited for his next book. But, in the mean time, I really can't wait til it's out and I can get my mitts on the audiobook and re-listen.
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

This is the first book I have read by Gareth Brown, so did not know what to expect. I found the book an enjoyable escape.
Magda is a member of the Society of Unknowable Objects, the society has four members and meets twice a year in the basement of a second hand bookshop in London, that is until an extraordinary meeting is called. At the meeting there are Magda, Frank and Will, Henry the fourth member has not attended for the past few meetings. A new Object has been found in Hong Kong, Magda agrees to go and this is where everything changes, she feels she is being watched and suddenly not safe anymore.
Magda embarks on a journey she could not have envisaged a few weeks earlier but everything depends on it.
Well written and an enjoyable read, my thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the arc.

I adored Gareth Browns previous book, the book of doors , so really hoped that this was of the same calibre. No worries, this novel is up there with my books of the year for 2025.

Secret societies, magical objects, and a truth you can’t unknow - this is modern fantasy with a vintage cloak-and-dagger twist.

✶ PRE-READING ✶
After The Book of Doors, I was excited to see Gareth Brown return to the idea of enchanted objects in ordinary places. There’s a real The Lost Room vibe to both books - like the world is hiding just behind the curtain, if you know where to look. I was especially hoping for more secret societies, long-lost legacies, and that delicious “what is real, anyway?” ambiguity.

✶ POST-READING ✶
As I thought... This absolutely delivered. The pacing is tight, the worldbuilding is clever without being overwhelming, and Magda is the kind of heroine who balances instinct and intellect with dry wit and fierce loyalty. I loved the mystery surrounding the killer, the artifact trail, and the way every answer seemed to lead to a new question. It’s got that classic adventure-fantasy feel with modern layering and nuance.

It surprised me by... ...tying back to The Book of Doors in such a sneaky, satisfying way. The late-stage reveal feels like a nudge from behind the curtain - proof that this world is bigger, older, and more interconnected than we imagined. It also hinted at deeper personal stakes than I expected, especially around Magda’s family. This isn’t just a magical scavenger hunt - it’s a reckoning.

However, it did annoy me by hinging a lot of the drama on Frank's refusal to tell anyone anything, even at times when it was clearly very important for them to know. The story could have been just as interesting if the characters had actually known what was going on!

✦ RECOMMENDATIONS ✦
📚 The Rook by Daniel O’Malley – A woman wakes up with no memory and finds out she’s part of a secret organization that deals with supernatural threats. Funny, clever, and full of bizarre magical objects and bureaucratic horror.


📺 The Lost Room (TV mini-series) – The blueprint. Mysterious everyday objects with strange powers, a shadowy cult, and a protagonist trying to make sense of a world that’s just shifted under their feet.

✦ MUSIC PAIRING ✦
Because sometimes, the heart of a story plays out like a song.

🎵 Featured Song: “Radioactive” – Imagine Dragons
Moody, pounding, and layered with hidden power - just like the artifacts themselves.

🎶 Vibe Album: Year Zero – Nine Inch Nails. Apocalyptic, glitchy, secretive. A shadow world in sound.


🎧 Artist Recommendation: Woodkid - cinematic, orchestral, and always sounds like you're chasing a magical conspiracy through rain-soaked streets.

✧ VIBE CHECK ✧
🎨 Colour Palette: tarnished bronze, deep navy, flickering neon
🎬 Soundtrack: The Lost Room, The Librarians, and a bit of Killing Eve
🍂 Season: late autumn - cold enough for secrets, warm enough to chase them
🌀 Mood: “If I show you what I found, you can’t unsee it.”
🌸 Scent: antique paper, cold metal, and danger disguised as dust

★ TAROT CARD PULLED ★
Seven of Wands – Unfolding Path Tarot
A fierce figure stands her ground, clutching two glowing crystal-tipped staffs as five others threaten her from the shadows. This card captures Magda at her most defiant - confronted on all sides, yet refusing to retreat. Whether she’s facing a killer, an artifact’s power, or the weight of secrets too long buried, Magda keeps choosing to stand. Alone, maybe - but not powerless.

The Society of Unknowable Objects is the new book by Gareth Brown and brings the same magical realism fantasy vibes that came from his previous novel, The Book of Doors. Whilst there are some connections and it takes place in the same universe as his previous book, it is not a direct sequel and can absolutely be read as a standalone too. I would advise reading The Book of Doors first though to get the full experience of this one!

The Society of Unknowable Objects is a book centred around the eponymous secret society and how after many years of inactivity there is information regarding a newly uncovered magical item. Magda heads over to Hong Kong to meet James, the man who uncovered the item, and this journey will see both of their lives change immeasurably.

It is an urban fantasy, it takes place very much in the real world and that is kind of the point. The Society’s goal is to protect the world from the incredible power these items possess and the damage they could do in the wrong hands.

The Society of Unknowable Objects is a book full of hidden magic. The items are quite literally hiding in plain sight, masquerading as regular household items like flasks, rings, and in the case of this newly discovered item, a chess piece. Over the course of the book you begin to uncover the true history of these items and how they came to be and how things aren’t quite like Magda has always been told.

Alongside the magical aspects, it is a book that tackles truth, secrets, and lies. The rewriting of history, the changing of the narrative to suit a purpose. There are some serious investigations into morality and ethics. The meaning of human life and the value of it. How human nature is complicated and never quite what it seems.

Spoilers Ahead

There are two antagonists in the book, Maddox and Lukas. Maddox is your truly despicable, power hungry, vile, dangerous antagonist. He is a former soldier who takes great joy in killing and is addicted to the lure of the powerful magical items once he becomes aware of them. Lukas is far more complicated and is a more sympathetic antagonist. He is childlike in his thought process, almost pitiful. You feel sorry for him at times but believe it or not, he is the more dangerous of the two. The dynamic is really interesting because these two are antagonists as much for each other as they are for Magda and the Society. They have several showdowns with and without the involvement of the Society and each time the scale keeps ramping up.

Lukas is a fascinating character. His backstory of being a magical object created by the book that created all of the other magical items is staggering. It really makes you contemplate the power that the book holds, what limits does it have? Are there even any? If it can create human life (well this rather hollow version of human life) then what can’t the book do? Lukas also makes you contemplate the meaning of humanity. For all intents and purposes he is a human, he is an innocent, he did nothing to deserve this. Yet you see over and over again how he is lacking in what makes a human human, he doesn’t seem to have any actual humanity. His stomach churning continuous resurrections of Magda’s mum until she becomes a savage beast is evident of this. He struggles to comprehend why it is such a repulsive thing to do, why it is unnatural and unacceptable, because who wouldn’t want to be brought back to life? His lack of understanding, his lack of compassion is what makes him a terrifying antagonist. I don’t want to call him a villain, because despite doing villainous things, he doesn’t come across as having villainous intentions. In my opinion Lukas is the crux that makes this book work. It elevates it from being a run of the mill urban fantasy about magical items to being something much deeper and something much more impressive.

I loved The Book of Doors and was super excited to read Gareth Browns next book , The Society of Unknowable Objescts.
This did not disappoint! Although a sequel to The Book of Doors, with a nod to the first book at the end, this could easily be read as a standalone novel.

Magda is a member of the Society of Unknowable Objects. They meet a couple of times a year to discuss magical objects that they must protect from the world. Magda knows these objects exist, she has seen them, hasn't she? What she discovers is going to turn her world upside down, and risk the people she cares about the most...