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3.73 AVERAGE
3.73 AVERAGE
The perfect combination of beauty and macabre is brought to you in The Doll Factory. The story centres around Iris, who wants to escape the confines of her dull job in a Doll Shop, her twin sister who is very clingy, jealous and bitter, and society's expectations of her and women as a whole. Iris wants to paint, and she is offered a job as a model for a painter in exchange for a wage and painting lessons.
However Silas, the creepiest taxidermist on the planet, is obsessed with her and he stops at nothing to entrap her. Literally. Be warned, there is a also a heavy dose of animal abuse in this book.
I enjoyed this book. I was disgusted and mystified in equal measure. The writing is remarkable at dragging you feet first into Victorian London with all the sights, colours, smells and textures. Some of them you really didn't want to experience!
Only downside is it ended far too abrubtly for me. I could have done with another 20 pages to feel at peace with it all.
Worth a read if you like your historical fiction gritty and gothic.
However Silas, the creepiest taxidermist on the planet, is obsessed with her and he stops at nothing to entrap her. Literally. Be warned, there is a also a heavy dose of animal abuse in this book.
I enjoyed this book. I was disgusted and mystified in equal measure. The writing is remarkable at dragging you feet first into Victorian London with all the sights, colours, smells and textures. Some of them you really didn't want to experience!
Only downside is it ended far too abrubtly for me. I could have done with another 20 pages to feel at peace with it all.
Worth a read if you like your historical fiction gritty and gothic.
Well that was deeply deliciously dark and disturbing. I loved it! Full review to come.
I won this book in a giveaway and was super excited to read it. I love a mystery, thriller, suspense story. Unfortunately, the characters and storyline felt so weird to me that I found myself not enjoying it. It never drew me in like I thought it would. I made it 50% of the way through and then actually stopped reading for a couple weeks because I was avoiding the book. In the end, it just wasn't for me so I decided to quit it halfway through. I'm glad others enjoyed it.
Disappointed.
The plot actually sounds fascinating, and the Idea also feels like a really cool idea. But the execution...
The writing was just meh and the characters feels so shallow. The story just feels like its trotting around without trying to make it interesting for the reader.
The plot actually sounds fascinating, and the Idea also feels like a really cool idea. But the execution...
The writing was just meh and the characters feels so shallow. The story just feels like its trotting around without trying to make it interesting for the reader.
I went into this book blind to what it was about and found it was right up my street. It was dark, gripping and built a both a beautifully gothic and grimly real scene of Victorian London and what life was like for the less fortunate. The characters of Iris and Albie in particular are really likeable and Silas is written incredibly well as a sinister and creepy character who you can see building up to his actions towards the end despite how much you will it not to happen. This is more than just historical fiction and takes on a thriller tone with a gripping ending and lots of twists along the way.
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A lovely debut to the neo-Victorian world! I loved the shift in perspective and the different ways of telling the story (letters/reviews) - however, I found the ending a little cliché and cheesy! But overall a very enjoyable read!
