Reviews with content warning for Vomit - The Book of Doors

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow Publishing for a digital advanced copy of this e-book in exchange for my honest review.

One of my friends loved this book and her recommendation convinced me to get a NetGalley account to read and review this book!

This book had a lot of things going for it that I love: magical realism/magic, multiple POV, convergence, beautifully illustrative descriptions of places and things. I thought this book was 90% fast paced. Every chapter left you wanting to read onto the next chapter. It was a slow start and there were some shifts in plot or perspective that gave me some whiplash (the first chapter about The Woman, for example, I wasn't aware the book got so graphic and dark.) Later on there are some plot points that slow the plot down almost to a halt. I also liked how the author handled a particular sci-fi/fantasy plot mechanic:

time travel

.

However, there are things that left a bad taste in my mouth. While the description of places and things was beautiful and vivid, I found the description of people lacking. I felt like the characters were caricatures, especially the villains. To me they read almost like a cartoon villain, merely evil for the sake of evil-ness. Also, the way the author attempted to double down on one character's evil-ness was to ham-fist bigoted statements from this character. And its not just this character, later two characters

Izzy and Lottie

are describing other characters and many of the descriptions are racist and unnecessary.

"They look like a shampoo commercial for Nazis." The West African man who is a drug lord. The Chinese people who are rumored to work for the Communist party.

As other reviewers have also said, the women in the book often comment about their looks and food. Regarding the plot, I was annoyed at how there were gaping plot holes which mostly became plot armor or a means to forward the plot. However, it didn't make sense to me that the characters would miss these kinds of things. And the delivery of the plot twists therefore felt underwhelming.

Who it's for: entry level fantasy readers, someone who needs a fast-paced stand alone read, people who love books about people who love books.

Who it's NOT for: people who think too hard about what they read (e.g. me all the time), fantasy/sci-fi pros, people who are bothered by inflammatory characterizations and language, people who don't like meta and philosophical ideas in their books.

Content Warnings

natashaleighton_'s review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

A Starless Sea meets Ink Blood Sister Scribe, in this gorgeously crafted and unputdownable debut that, (though a little dark at times) stole my heart with its immersive and irresistibly addictive storytelling.

Spanning multiple POVs (and quite a few timelines) I was blown away by how detailed and intricately woven every aspect seemed to be—but I was especially impressed with the development of the characters!

Multifaceted and full of emotion, their complex personal journeys and interconnected backstories (which touch upon themes of grief, loss, loneliness and pain) captured the essence of the human condition (in all its raw and chaotically flawed glory) to perfection. I was on the edge of my seat and emotionally invested every step of the way—especially when it came to our introverted protagonist, Cassie; whose endearing journey of grief, love and tender (found family-esque) friendship really resonated with me.

I should probably mention the pacing was a little slow to start, but it didn’t take long to pick up speed, which is when things really started to get interesting. And the plot twists! I was amazed by how perfectly timed and practically never ending they were, which (if you’re anything like me) will definitely make for a nail bitingly intense reading experience.

Overall, this was a well plotted and exquisitely action packed fantasy that’s perfect for fans of magical realism, time travelling books and Erin Morgenstern- style whimsy. Just be sure to check the TWs beforehand.

Also a huge thank you to Izzie over at Transworld/Bantam for the physical proof.

Content Warnings

annaavian's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

1.0

I had high hopes for this book but unfortunately I ended up being disappointed.
The storytelling felt basic and didn't offer anything particularly new or interesting, with the narrative dwelling too long in one time period. The characters, both heroes and villains, were unremarkable and at times felt like caricatures. They all sounded much younger than intended which made some violent scenes feel really out of place.
Despite the complexity of the story, it failed to encompass true depth. The simple writing style, heavy with similes and repetition, poor pacing, excessive focus on the inauthentic romance, and overly detailed scenes limited the imagination and detracted from the fantastical elements.

Content Warnings

jocelynbold's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional inspiring mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

𝙃𝘼𝙋𝙋𝙔 𝙋𝙐𝘽 𝘿𝘼𝙔 to my fave read of the year so far!!

Book: The Book of Doors by Gareth Brown

Pub Date: TODAY!! 2/13/2024

Publisher: William Morrow @williammorrowbooks

Rating: 5⭐️

When I tell you, I was so pleasantly surprised with this book right from the beginning! I felt like I was immediately thrust into the adventure and excitement of the story when I was less than 10% into it. Author Gareth Brown is fantastic at painting, the picture of a scene and scenario for you with top-notch description that made this book really hard to put down. In my notes while reading, multiple times I just wrote in all caps “ADVENTURE!!!!” and that held true throughout the entire journey. For me, the book really was giving “National Treasure” (come on Nick Cage 😮‍💨) meets magical realism — I mean if that doesn’t sell you on this book then what does??

One thing I will say: when it comes to the character known as “The Woman,” if you have a weak stomach with gore and violence, this book may not be for you! ⚠️

If you would like a full description of the book, swipe to the second slide of this post! (I’m horrible about describing a book in a synopsis style without giving away big plot points 🫠)

The Book of Doors is available in stores as of TODAY!!!! Pls lmk if you go get it or have read it — I’m dying to discuss this story with someone 😍

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow Books for this eARC!

Content Warnings

frenchkey's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Fascinating worldbuilding. The author builds tension well and has a deft hand with foreshadowing. I really enjoyed the various characters and relationships and the twists and turns in the plot were fascinating. Every time I felt I knew what was going to happen, I was surprised. Cassie's emotional journey was well realised. A very enjoyable read.

Content Warnings

torturedreadersdept's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Content Warnings

alixgmartin's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

This book is going to be a hit in 2024, I just know it. It's a book that speaks to the joy and magic of books, but also of travelling, scholarship, and friendship. We begin in one of a book lover's favorite places: a bookstore at closing time. One of Cassie's regular customers dies at his seat, leaving behind a mysterious book that takes Cassie on a trip of many lifetimes. I really don't want to say too much about how the plot works, because there are several surprises and I really enjoyed not knowing where we were going.
Cassie is such a good character, I actually wish we got to spend more time with her as her character grows over the course of the book. Cassie's relationships are important, and I loved how important her friendship with Izzy is. As I read, there were a few moments of confusion but I was delighted that every question I had (and a few I didn't know I had) were resolved in the very satisfying concluding part.
Definitely a book for those who believe that books are magic, and fans of Addie LaRue, 10,000 Doors of January, or The Ninth House.

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