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3.73 AVERAGE
3.73 AVERAGE
I mean it’s well written but it’s not very vegan friendly aka lots of animal cruelty :( and this creepy man with his insane obsession is literally terrifying but other than that it’s a good book I guess .. lol
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book is set in 1850’s London, and it follows the tales of several different characters. The character development was very well done even though it was easy to get confused about who was who in the beginning! It is a dark and twisty tale of an unrequited love but Silas and a tale of personal growth for Iris and all of the others in between. This book isn’t my normal genre but it was still a good read.
I was captivated by the cover and the first pages seemed okay, so I bought the book. It was fascinating enough to start with. Beautiful aspiring painter Iris, stuck with her pock-marked sister Rose in a shop, painting dolls. Until a better opportunity arises. The characters are great, particularly the creepy curator Silas, who mistakes Iris for someone else. However, there isn't all that much plot and that what there is, is very predictable. London of the age - end of 19th century, I presume - is rendered well. Although I am not sure I needed so much death and dirt.
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
How often do you start a book after reading its blurb? Normally I won't do that and that's how I ended up reading The Doll Factory.
I was looking for a light read to fix my mood and this book, which had spent quite a good deal of time in my tbr , caught my attention. I was deceived by the title and started reading it expecting a light read but the story is a journey from the base to the superlative of the dark.
Set in the 1850s the book encompasses a chilling thriller, an exploration into the life of a woman at that time and the state of art and artists at the period.
Iris Whittle is the daughter of a respectable family in London and she is working in a doll shop along with her twin sister. Although she aspired to be an artist she kept on living that boring life for the sake of her sister. Things won't stay the same forever and the way for escape came that too in the form of art. Louis took her to see the brightness of the world but they were unaware of the darkness that followed them. The darkness of Silas's obsession with Iris is strong enough to crumble all her dreams.
I forgot about reading a light book as I was pulled directly into the centre of the darkness. A lot of events happened in the story in a short amount of time. The plot is masterfully paced and I never felt that anything was neglected. The characters developed gradually that I got into sync with their thoughts after a few pages. The author had done a wonderful job while writing about the art pieces, even I failed to find it boring.
3.75
I was looking for a light read to fix my mood and this book, which had spent quite a good deal of time in my tbr , caught my attention. I was deceived by the title and started reading it expecting a light read but the story is a journey from the base to the superlative of the dark.
Set in the 1850s the book encompasses a chilling thriller, an exploration into the life of a woman at that time and the state of art and artists at the period.
Iris Whittle is the daughter of a respectable family in London and she is working in a doll shop along with her twin sister. Although she aspired to be an artist she kept on living that boring life for the sake of her sister. Things won't stay the same forever and the way for escape came that too in the form of art. Louis took her to see the brightness of the world but they were unaware of the darkness that followed them. The darkness of Silas's obsession with Iris is strong enough to crumble all her dreams.
I forgot about reading a light book as I was pulled directly into the centre of the darkness. A lot of events happened in the story in a short amount of time. The plot is masterfully paced and I never felt that anything was neglected. The characters developed gradually that I got into sync with their thoughts after a few pages. The author had done a wonderful job while writing about the art pieces, even I failed to find it boring.
3.75
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Complicated
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
I would like to know why this is called Gothic in the reviews.It has some grotesque moments, sure, and and obsessed man (but he lacks grandeur). It's mostly a thriller - sort of neo-Victorian _Criminal Minds_. By the time the inevitable happens, you know the heroine so well, you're not really worried about her.
This victorian thriller picks up the pace fast and towards the end feels impossible to put down (so it’s a shame I found the ending so abrupt and unsatisfying!). You’re taken deep into the streets of mid-19th century London with looming menace subtly weaved throughout, guest appearances from favourite Pre-Raphaelites and a blossoming love story at its heart. The title has many connotations, not least the regular reminders of the very recognisable constraints that came with being a woman in the 1850s. If you like the Crimson Petal and the White, you’ll probably like this.