Reviews - The Doll Factory

1.03k reviews for:

The Doll Factory

Elizabeth Macneal

3.73 AVERAGE

morningxsunshine's review

4.5

challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

chantel_w's review against another edition

4.75

adventurous hopeful inspiring sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Loveable characters: Complicated

graco's review against another edition

2.0

dark tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Described as Dickensian because of the London setting and time period. Maybe it's more obvious because I was concurrently reading Dickens but the writing pales in comparison. I could definitely tell this was a debut novel --the pacing and writing were not particularly polished and the plotting seemed a little too obvious. The relationships were not explored with much depth, especially the sister's relationship. The reasons for their falling out didn't make a lot sense when they seemingly spent 24/7 together and could have just talked it out. Then, after YEARS of resentment they just immediately reconciled in a few short pages. Also weird use of disability in a very unoriginal "who would ever love me?" way for both sisters.

Content Warnings

tashferatu's review

3.0

dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

thelittleprincess19's review

5.0

The Doll Factory by Elizabeth Macneal is a beautiful, gothic, and horrifying story. It's become one of my absolute favorite books and I highly recommend it to anyone who is seeking an unforgettable story that'll creep under your skin, but also lead you to view the world differently.

The plot takes place in 1852, Victorian London, and revolves around three main characters: Iris, the apprentice of a doll shop with a passion for art, Silas Reed a lonely, mysterious man, collector of curiosities and taxidermist by trade, and Albie, a poor street boy with a golden heart who occasionally works for both Silas and Iris’ mistress, Mrs. Salter.
Iris longs to free herself from her dull and exhausting work decorating doll faces and become a professional painter. So, when she meets charming and sophisticated artist Louis Frost, a member of the PRB (Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood), asking her to be his model, she agrees, but only if he'll teach her to paint in exchange.
At the same time, Iris doesn't know that she has caught the attention of Silas. Their meeting meant nothing to Iris herself, but for Silas, this is the start of an overtaking obsession that will rupture the order in his life and drive him to his limits.

First of all, I want to say that the book was simply amazing. I understand that some people may find it a bit too brutal regarding some elements of Silas' obsession or the way he treated animals or that the writing style is a bit too formal in some places. But personally, as a lover of eerie things, it made the story much more real, more compelling, and more interesting to read. While reading I had this feeling that I was watching over everything from above, as a bigger entity, but at the same time as if I was so near the situation, sitting in the characters' laps or even being in their heads.

I especially loved the delicate and intricate descriptions of the smallest details and how they formed the entire picture, making it clearer and easier to imagine. By including poor street children, dirty alleyways, and passionate “forbidden” feelings, Macneal paints a genuine picture of both how brutal and enchanting the mid-1800s were in London.

“She takes him downstairs to a tiny room, the roof so low that he cannot stand upright. It smells vinegary, sweaty, of the grassiness of ejaculate. The ceiling is swollen and smoke-stained like a black lung, damp pressing it downwards.”

(page 148)

Another thing I noticed was how the characters were so thought-through, each having their own personality, features, and struggles from their past, eventually showing great character growth. I particularly loved Iris’ character: her temper, her stubbornness, her passion for art, and how she was able to love so unconditionally. I also really like how she was viewed differently from various perspectives. Silas admired her as a pure and delicate being, such as a fragile porcelain doll. To Albie, she was like a caring mother, to her twin Rose a selfish, arrogant sister who abandoned her, although she later changed her mind.

"She was so sweet then, so clean, so pure. When he was last here at the exhibition preview, he was so hopeful. He felt it rising, a hot air balloon of desire and certainty that she would love him."

(page 355)

The last thing I wanted to mention was how everything fits into the story like pieces of a puzzle, synchronized, and how a couple of events from a few characters' pasts were slowly revealed. Towards the end, the book became really exciting, and it was almost impossible to put down. At some point, I even noticed how fast my heart was beating after being so immersed in it.
There were parts where I felt disgusted and uneasy, like how Silas just kills animals unmercifully and how he thinks Iris is a specimen to look at. On the other hand, there were also times when I felt happy and hopeful, especially when Iris was inspired about something she was going to paint or when she realized how much she loved Louis.

In short, this book made me depart on an emotional rollercoaster through shelves with stuffed mice and brushstrokes on a canvas. It's the perfect combination of beauty and horror, suspense and flow. And the fact that it has a touch of feminism, just makes it all the way better.