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katie_is_dreaming 's review for:
The Doll Factory
by Elizabeth Macneal
This was a very atmospheric novel. Set in the Victorian era, it looks at some of the quirks of the period, such as the obsession with taxidermy and the posing of dead animals for display. It's also pretty creepy in how it builds up Silas' obsession with Iris, and the general obsession with things considered to be oddities.
The characters are interesting and the atmosphere around the rise of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and the Great Exhibition are well rendered. There's also a strong feminist aspect in Iris' desire to paint and be recognised for her work in spite of her family and social expectations.
This was a good debut. I think people interested in Gothic literature will like this. I wouldn't say that I loved it, though. I kind of wanted more on the relationship between Iris and Rose, because that kind of fizzled out towards the end. I liked it well enough, though, and I'd be interested to see what Macneal does next.
The characters are interesting and the atmosphere around the rise of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and the Great Exhibition are well rendered. There's also a strong feminist aspect in Iris' desire to paint and be recognised for her work in spite of her family and social expectations.
This was a good debut. I think people interested in Gothic literature will like this. I wouldn't say that I loved it, though. I kind of wanted more on the relationship between Iris and Rose, because that kind of fizzled out towards the end. I liked it well enough, though, and I'd be interested to see what Macneal does next.