Book Review
The Society of Unknowable Objects by Gareth Brown
Fantasy | Mystery | Magical Realism
I’ve heard nothing but good things about Brown’s previous book, The Book of Doors, so I was excited to receive a copy of The Society of Unknowable Objects from Harper Collins Canada.
Enter a world in which select everyday objects hold incredible powers. Protecting these magical items falls to the responsibility of a secret society and its three current members: Magda, Frank, and Will. But when a new item comes to light and the newest member, Magda, is almost killed retrieving it, decades-old secrets begin to unravel. Magic is power. But who else seeks the truth? And what exactly is this society protecting?
This low fantasy novel has a bit of mystery, a touch of romance, and chapters full of magical items with secret powers that need preservation from the world around them. As someone who doesn’t read a lot of fantasy, this started as a light introduction to the genre — making for an easy read. The writing was immersive and easy to fall into, and the plot had me intrigued from page one. While things did get a bit weird (some scenes veered a bit too close to mild horror for my personal tastes), it was an extremely interesting concept that held my attention the whole way through.
Although this book can be read as a standalone, it’s clearly set in the same world as the author’s debut (there is a small character crossover that had me thoroughly confused until I read another reader’s review), so I’d recommend starting with The Book of Doors, if possible.
This story was a fun and fast-paced magical treasure-hunting adventure. While the majority of characters weren’t particularly memorable, and I would have loved a little more depth to some of them, there were some great scenes and moments throughout. (I also really loved the light romance aspect — and that’s not something that usually stands out to me in novels.)
Overall, The Society of Unknowable Objects was a creative read that captured my imagination, and cements the fact that while fantasy may never be my “go-to” genre, it is always a delightful space to spend an afternoon in.
Recommended for:
Readers who enjoy low fantasy or are looking for a fun introduction to the genre
This post contains affiliate links; as an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Advance copy of the book provided courtesy of the publisher, Harper Collins Canada. All opinions expressed are my own.
About the book:
(From the publisher): The world of unknowable objects—magical items that most people have no idea possess powers—has been quiet for decades, but the three current members of a secret society have remained watchful, meeting every six months in the basement of a bookshop in London. They are pledged to protect their archive of magical items hidden away, safe from the outside world—and the world safe from them. But when Frank Simpson, the longest-standing member of the Society of Unknowable Objects, hears of a new artifact coming to light in Hong Kong, he sends Magda Sparks—author by day and newest member—to investigate.
Within hours of arriving in Hong Kong, Magda is facing death and danger, confronted by a professional killer who seems to know all about unknowable objects, specifically one that was stolen from him a decade before. Magda is forced to flee, using an artifact that not even the rest of the Society knows about.
Returning to London, Magda learns hers is not the only secret being kept from the other two members. And that the most pernicious secret is about the nature of the Society’s mission. Her discoveries will lead her on a perilous journey, across the Atlantic to the deep south of the United States, now in pursuit of not an unknowable object, but an unknowable professional killer she first faced in Hong Kong. In doing so, Magda begins to understand that there are even more in the world who are chasing these magical items, and that her own family’s legacy is tied up in keeping all these secrets under wraps.
Magic has always been too powerful to reveal to the world. But Magda will learn there might be something even more.
The truth.