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3.73 AVERAGE
3.73 AVERAGE
It’s written well and is a very compelling read and intensely gripping. There are one or two nags about the story though... I find the girl a bit well too modern but then not so . Also a little bit off so I couldn’t like her nearly enough. I found the obsessiveness part a tad too modern and it just went a bit odd so all in all it was good but there were few too many irksome and bothersome stuff to make me love it.
Didn’t care for it and reading felt like a chore.
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Employed at a doll factory, Iris spends her days yearning for a better life. While her twin sister Rose appears satisfied with the drudgery that marks their days, Iris secretly harbours a desire to become a painter.
One day, she gets invited to model for an artist of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, a society of unconventional painters. Given the chance to increase her earning potential and hone her talents, Iris sets forth on a path that is unfamiliar and possibly dangerous.
I cannot believe how long I’ve had my eye on The Doll Factory before I finally picked it up. It was everything and more than what I’d hoped for.
Elizabeth Macneal’s writing is descriptive to the point of being irresistibly vivid. That’s not to say you’ll find just pages full of descriptions. But the words she uses and the way she moulds the language to her vision are nothing short of spellbinding.
I love that the novel is set in 1850s London. From the architecture to the economic landscape of the city, the author imbues the essence of that time period into her story.
Iris’ characterisation is easily one of the highlights of the novel. She symbolises the passion many of us carry, the constant awareness that we are meant for something bigger.
Her character development isn’t a drastic one because she has been a go-getter from the beginning. So you will not see a drastic personality or mindset change. But it is the circumstances that she is put through and her reactions that form a more conclusive picture of who Iris is.
I would not recommend this book if you are... Read the rest of the review on my blog
One day, she gets invited to model for an artist of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, a society of unconventional painters. Given the chance to increase her earning potential and hone her talents, Iris sets forth on a path that is unfamiliar and possibly dangerous.
I cannot believe how long I’ve had my eye on The Doll Factory before I finally picked it up. It was everything and more than what I’d hoped for.
Elizabeth Macneal’s writing is descriptive to the point of being irresistibly vivid. That’s not to say you’ll find just pages full of descriptions. But the words she uses and the way she moulds the language to her vision are nothing short of spellbinding.
I love that the novel is set in 1850s London. From the architecture to the economic landscape of the city, the author imbues the essence of that time period into her story.
Iris’ characterisation is easily one of the highlights of the novel. She symbolises the passion many of us carry, the constant awareness that we are meant for something bigger.
Her character development isn’t a drastic one because she has been a go-getter from the beginning. So you will not see a drastic personality or mindset change. But it is the circumstances that she is put through and her reactions that form a more conclusive picture of who Iris is.
I would not recommend this book if you are... Read the rest of the review on my blog
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
DNF at I'm not quite sure when. At least one hundred pages in.
Look, I found this book for $5 in an op-shop. I think I know understand why (
Look, I found this book for $5 in an op-shop. I think I know understand why (
I thought at first that the plot was enjoyably predictable however it evolved to an atmosphere mirroring Perfume or Sweeney Todd. The desire to know what happened at the open ended finish of the novel showed the signs of a compelling read.
My only criticism is Louis, who I found a little cardboard for a member of the Renaissance Brotherhood. Or maybe, this was intentional to make wealthy painters pale in comparison to those struggling ( quite literally) those making ends meat ?
My only criticism is Louis, who I found a little cardboard for a member of the Renaissance Brotherhood. Or maybe, this was intentional to make wealthy painters pale in comparison to those struggling ( quite literally) those making ends meat ?
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
This book…..holy cow did it make me feel things and not always good things. This is a story of obsession and heartache and unrealistic visions of the world. Each character has major flaws which makes the story as a whole feel fairly real. But Silas…..I haven’t been so disgusted by a character in so long (maybe ever). This would be perfect around Halloween to read with a book club!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Excrement, Kidnapping, Stalking, Murder
3 1/2 stars for me. Loved it initially but found the Silas story line tedious and gratuitous. I would have preferred a closer look at the world of the Pre-Raphaelites and the place of women within that, rather than yet another grisly thriller of ‘woman as victim’ even with her eventual escape.