The Doll Factory

By Elizabeth Macneal and Eli Gilić

Book Overview

The #1 International Bestseller New York Times Editor's Choice The New York Public Library Best Books of 2019 "A lush, evocative Gothic." --The New York Times Book Review "This terrifically exciting... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1529002435
• ISBN13: 9781529002430
• Release Date: February 2020
• Publisher: Picador
• Length: 384 Pages
• Weight: 0.62 lbs.
• Dimensions: 7.9" x 1.0" x 5.2"

Customer Reviews

Pure gothic bliss

The Doll Factory is quite the atmospheric and authentic portrayal of grim, lower-class Victorian London. Macneal’s vivid, unsettling descriptions and her immersive writing style effectively conveys themes of fear, desperation, jealousy, and obsession. This is one of those books set in Victorian England that does not focus on women’s elaborate gowns or the glimmering lights of the ball rooms inside a wealthy estate. Conversely, it reveals the downtrodden, under belly of Victorian London. We experience the collected filth and grime covering the walls of narrow streets, the visions of urine and excrement around the dark corners, in addition to glimpsing into the lives of women of the night. While I found the dual narrative uneven, I was especially captivated by Silas, whose disturbing psychology and villainous presence were far more compelling than Iris, whose storyline and romance felt comparatively weak. I suspected a darker outcome as the story neared its end, given how deeply the book draws readers into Silas’s mind. Reaching the last 10% of the book, with Iris still being held captive, I expected she would succumbed to Silas and became a piece of his artwork in the end. I visualized parts of her body would end up in various specimen jars inside his dark and damp cellar, or that she would be placed in a beautiful display (such as his butterfly wing collection). Does that make me dark and root for the villain? I suppose so, since we spent so much time inside Silas’ mind, clearly having committed a crime or two in the past. Although somewhat predictable, the novel remains engaging due to its tension, foreshadowing, and emotional depth. This is a must-read for anyone who enjoys exploring the eerie, shadowed corners of Victorian England.