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wordsofclover 's review for:
The Doll Factory
by Elizabeth Macneal
TW: Violence towards women, animal death (dogs)
I received this book from the author/publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
In London, 1850, Iris is living a dull life trapped in a doll-making shop with her angry, bitter sister Rose. When Iris gets the chance to escape by becoming a model for artist, Louis Frost, she seizes it and also makes Louis agree to teach her to paint. As Iris begins to finally live her life, she's unaware of the danger creeping closer in Silas - a taxidermist who delights in the strange and horrific and has become obsessed with Iris and wants her for his collection.
I don't think I've ever read a book that made me feel quite as unsettled and turned my stomach in such a way. The writing in this book is good, and I really liked the Victorian era London we got and I thought the stage was set really well. It definitely felt very in its time, and we got a grisly side of London with some slaps of the well-to-do with Louis and his friends. There's something very dark and creepy about this book - not just because of Silas, who is utterly gross and malevolent, but also to do with the descriptions all the other characters refer to as well - Albie and his blackened gums, his sister and her greasy pubic hair. Even the eventual lovemaking between Iris and Louis turned a bit gross when she talked about his sperm drying and 'cracking like egg white' on her stomach. I think all of this did a good job in creating a darker, dirtier story than just a girl learning to paint and fall in love. A good one to read for Autumn/Winter I think due to this feel in the story.
I did find the ending a bit lacklustre and I don't think anything in this book ever really shocked me. Everything was very obvious throughout and none of the characters ever tried to hide their true intentions to the reader. I really enjoyed the character of Albie and found his POV both entertaining for his youthfulness and really sad considering he was an impoverished young boy struggling to help his sister out of prostitution when they both should be in school. I, however, don't understand why we had his POV at all though considering his eventual end.
I received this book from the author/publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
In London, 1850, Iris is living a dull life trapped in a doll-making shop with her angry, bitter sister Rose. When Iris gets the chance to escape by becoming a model for artist, Louis Frost, she seizes it and also makes Louis agree to teach her to paint. As Iris begins to finally live her life, she's unaware of the danger creeping closer in Silas - a taxidermist who delights in the strange and horrific and has become obsessed with Iris and wants her for his collection.
I don't think I've ever read a book that made me feel quite as unsettled and turned my stomach in such a way. The writing in this book is good, and I really liked the Victorian era London we got and I thought the stage was set really well. It definitely felt very in its time, and we got a grisly side of London with some slaps of the well-to-do with Louis and his friends. There's something very dark and creepy about this book - not just because of Silas, who is utterly gross and malevolent, but also to do with the descriptions all the other characters refer to as well - Albie and his blackened gums, his sister and her greasy pubic hair. Even the eventual lovemaking between Iris and Louis turned a bit gross when she talked about his sperm drying and 'cracking like egg white' on her stomach. I think all of this did a good job in creating a darker, dirtier story than just a girl learning to paint and fall in love. A good one to read for Autumn/Winter I think due to this feel in the story.
I did find the ending a bit lacklustre and I don't think anything in this book ever really shocked me. Everything was very obvious throughout and none of the characters ever tried to hide their true intentions to the reader. I really enjoyed the character of Albie and found his POV both entertaining for his youthfulness and really sad considering he was an impoverished young boy struggling to help his sister out of prostitution when they both should be in school.