I am still overwhelmingly behind, the dread of catching up just pushing me to become even further behind. So here I am trying to remedy that. The plan is to do little else than write reviews for the next few days until I’m all caught up. I may as well start with one of my favorites of the last few months.

Synopsis

When Cassie Andrews’ favorite patron dies unexpectedly during her shift at a local New York City bookstore, she’s not only distraught but surprised to find that he’s left her a gift, a book with strange writing and a mysterious message left for her within the pages. Upon bringing the book home, she and her friend Izzy find that the book has the special power to open doors to anywhere in the world within their imagining. At first the two find the prospect thrilling and fascinating, but they soon find that the presence of the book in their lives brings unimaginable dangers to their doorstep. Their only hope of surviving the new threats they face is a stranger, Drummond Fox, the librarian of a very special library of magical books that bring various powers to the holder. Anyone they meet could be friend or foe, and some people will resort to anything to get their hands on such a valuable book.

Review

This book takes the spot as the most unique and magical work of fantasy I’ve encountered so far in 2025. I never found this book to be boring. To the contrary, just when I thought things were about to slow down and come to a close, Brown found a way to ramp up the action again. There were some highly endearing moments that made me smile, and then there were some backstories for certain characters that simply made me sad, even for those characters who seemed to be evil beyond deserving sympathy. The book poses some interesting questions about the effect of trauma on the psyche and the ethics of harnessing extreme power at the risk of causing irreparable consequences, whether one intends to use such power for good or evil. Such concepts are great discussion topics for book clubs, as well as fun questions like, “Which book would you choose if you could only have one?” I can safely say the Book of Doors is high up on my list. Vacation without the need to buy a plane ticket or a hotel? Yes, please!!

Each character in this novel is unique and so well-drawn by Brown that they felt real and substantial. There were several twists in the plot that really kept things interesting, some of which I absolutely did not see coming. I love it when books aren’t completely predictable. If they are, what’s the point besides reading it just to say I did? That’s no fun.

I don’t want to say too much about this one, because I don’t like spoilers of any kind. Suffice to say, if you are looking for a pleasant, thought provoking and unique fantasy, this is the book for you. It would be a great vacation read, but you’ll really be wishing you had a special book to take you instantly to your destination so you didn’t have to do that pesky expensive traveling.

Published February 13, 2024 by William Morrow. ISBN 9780063323988. 404 pages. Hardcover.