Scan barcode
portybelle's review against another edition
4.0
Ruby is a most unusual girl. She seems wise beyond her thirteen years and is of striking appearance with a vivid birthmark surrounding her eye. She is quite a remarkable character with an unusual way of seeing the world. Indeed, what she can see or believes she can see is a very important strand of the book. There are quite dark themes covered such as mental illness, domestic abuse and the lines between truth and secrets became quite blurred at times. It was difficult to know who or what to trust both for the characters and the reader which made for a really intriguing read.
What really stood out for me in this book was the lyrical quality of the writing. Kate Hamer has a remarkable turn of phrase particularly when describing the Forest of Dean, a place of great significance throughout the book. Through her words she created a very visual image in my head of the canopy of trees, the forest floor, the foliage throughout the seasons as well as the sounds and smells of the forest.
Relationships between parents and children, particularly mothers and daughters, form an important part of the narrative and it is these relationships which really touched the emotions. It is a haunting book, full of beautiful imagery and mysteries.
greenbeantango's review against another edition
3.0
This is the coming of age story of Ruby, an unusual teenager with a dysfunctional family.
The writing style was beautiful, extremely detailed and poetic. I also really enjoyed the setting, as I have not read many books set in the Forest of Dean. The descriptions of the forest were evocative and haunting, as well as integral to the book, as the forest is the touchstone for so many of the characters.
I don’t want to give too much away, but I would definitely recommend it if you fancy a different take on a traditional ghost story.
ksm's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
sarahs_bookish_life's review against another edition
3.0
I think to fully appreciate this novel, you have to try and see Ruby’s parts of the story through her eyes.
It’s obvious right from the start that Ruby has had a very unhappy life with who she has always believed to be her parents. At times during the story my heart broke that little bit more as this is a girl that is desperate to be loved. Once she finds out that her parents are not her real parents, Ruby is desperate to discover who is so that she can have the loving relationship she so desperately craves. Isn’t that what every child wants?
Parts of the story are told from Ruby’s real mum’s point of view. This way we get to hear her side of the story into why she gave her daughter up. It would be very hard not to have sympathy for her, or in fact quite a few characters in this novel. Even Ruby’s so called dad at times I was annoyed with myself as he isn’t a very likeable character but yet certain things would cause me to rethink what I was feeling.
I have to admit some parts of the story I felt a little out of my depth with and didn’t quite understand what was going on. This is why I think when heading into it you need to try and see it through a child’s mind. At time’s Ruby felt so grown up and I kept forgetting I was reading about a child and then a certain vulnerability would remind me of just how fragile she was. I didn’t quite get the people that only Ruby could see either which had me feeling a bit lost as to where the story was going.
The Doll Funeral is without a doubt a haunting and emotive read. The author certainly knows how to push certain buttons to get different reactions from her readers and at times my emotions were all over the place. Whilst not a fast paced read by any means, there is something with how this story is told that makes you keep turning those pages. I felt like I owed it to Ruby to tag along to see how her story unfolded and I’m glad I did.
My thanks to Faber & Faber for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
meggyroussel's review against another edition
3.0
Let's start the week with a good reading surprise! Thank you to Faber & Faber for inviting me to join this blog tour!
The first surprise that comes with The Doll Funeral is the contrast between the cover and the title. This bright yellow was difficult to associate with the word “funeral.” Yet it works perfectly as your mind is racing to imagining what’s behind this color and the shape in the middle of this first glimpse of the story.
The second surprise comes from the genre the book is categorized into. I was expecting a mystery, and by many ways, The Doll Funeral actually is, but there is this magical side to it that makes me wonder if this is the right place for the book. When I reached the end, I realized it was in fact impossible to put a genre on Kate Hamer’s story.
I am not fond of stories told through kids’ eyes. I often find them boring, missing points, too simple. But Ruby is no ordinary child. When she is told she is not her parents’ biological kid, happiness flows through her veins and she resolves in finding her true family. Another important thing to know is Ruby sees things. Dead things.
Something deep was stirring in me, I sensed at that moment the demarcations between the dead and the living in a way that hadn’t been so strong or clear before.
By this time, which means very early in the book, I was wondering if this was a story for me. You know me, I’m all for realism! Seeing departed people is not an element that appeals to me. But I kept going for another chapter. Then another. Before I knew it, I was halfway through and completely in awe of the writing style. I believe this is what made me keep going until the end. Kate Hamer plays with words. She puts adults ones into Ruby’s mouth, and kids’ ones into adults’ mouths. She paints the world a million colors, a million shades of grey, and I couldn’t help being mesmerized by the vivid descriptions and the deep emotions they stirred in me.
Family is such an important part of life. Our histories can be sad, filled with bittersweet memories, or no memories at all, happy fleeting moments. Ruby’s family is all over the place and nowhere at the same time. The only constant by her side is Shadow. The Doll Funeral is a race against family secrets and injuries, a cry for happiness, a door to another world. I felt I had one foot in our reality and the other one in Ruby’s. It was not uncomfortable, it was pushing my boundaries and making me ponder about the powers of a little girl with resources and big inquisitive eyes. Emotions are all around Ruby, coming from her or to her, and envelops the reader in a foggy blanket.
I still believed that books could hold clues, secret messages in their text waiting to be unscrambled.
This special quote is the one I’m taking with me now that I can safely put away The Doll Funeral on my shelf. Kate Hamer whispers secrets through her text indeed. Like a good witch, she puts a spell on you and opens a box of possibilities, of why-nots, of whys, and of love.
Overall, the power of The Doll Funeral dwells in the powerful and gripping narration of the unbelievably believable story of a little girl looking for herself.
bethhreads's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
Graphic: Child abuse
Moderate: Child death, Adult/minor relationship, Car accident, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Grief, and Mental illness
luftschlosseule's review against another edition
4.0
domestic violence
child beating
mental illnesses
On her thirteenth birthday, Ruby gets told by her parents that she is adopted.
She runs away in the woods, overjoyed, because she knows that somehwere will be her family, her blood, waiting for her. People that care for her, love her just because she is.
This book hurt but felt good on another, entirely personal level because I had a realisation about my parents. Won't get into that.
Heavy topic, and I was glad that it wasn't twisted that Ruby might simply be out of her mind. No, she sees ghosts. Talks to them, even is able to see some of their memories.
Don't have anything to say to be honest, but wanted to post the warnings.
sarrie's review against another edition
2.0