The Book of Doors By Gareth Brown

 

The Book of Doors By Gareth Brown 

To be honest, the only reason I didn't DNF Gareth Brown's 'The Book of Doors' is because of Miranda Raison's narration. I had a hard time getting into the story at first and finding my footing.

For me, that isn't particularly unusual. I frequently have to overcome what I refer to as the "new-world brick wall" when it comes to fantasy—that phase of trying to comprehend the characters, the rules, and how everything fits together. But after I overcame that first obstacle, the book started to captivate me.

The idea and magic system seemed truly unique, unlike anything I had ever come across. I really enjoyed the world-building, especially the implication that there are more magical books out there just waiting to be found and the enigma surrounding their creation. It gives the impression that the world is much bigger than the narrative taking place right in front of us.

The novel creates something enigmatic, inventive, and progressively harder to put down by fusing magical realism with a sense of danger reminiscent of a thriller. By combining friendship and tragedy with its more fantastical elements, it also knows how to evoke strong emotions without sacrificing action and adventure.

The frequency with which I wanted to continue listening was the most obvious indication that it had finally captured my attention. I even sat at the gym while the car charged because I wasn't ready to turn it off, and I started looking forward to the drive to work just to hear more.

The villains manage to be both menacing and a little campy, which I found to be genuinely entertaining,while the friendships and character dynamics are compelling. Even though it wasn't the most straightforward story for me to enter, once I did, it became a truly delightful listen.