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dylan_gibsfitz 's review for:

The Magic Toyshop by Angela Carter
4.0
adventurous mysterious reflective tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

A gorgeously written exploration of madness and patriarchy full of metaphor and mystery. 

This subtly gothic novella has a strange nostalgic quality in the first half and takes many unexpected turns,
notably the romantic subplot being incestuous though it could be argued that this too was a symptom of the madness caused by the oppressive rule of Uncle Phillip,
in the second.

Ultimately Carter builds a rich picture for the reader throughout, which parallels the hallucinatory nature of Melanie's own mind.