About The Doll Factory
Amidst the splendor and squalor of Victorian London, a uniquely captivating shopgirl named Iris harbors aspirations far beyond her station. Silas, a curiosity collector enchanted by all things strange and beautiful, has plans for his future, too. Intent on expanding his singular collection, he is searching for the perfect showpiece.
As Iris, all unknowing, strives to make her mark on the world, Silas inches closer and closer to his own dream. She is like a butterfly, a thing of beauty, wafting through London. In his awful utter aloneness, Silas only knows that the object of his obsession must be his—or belong to no one.
Advance Praise for The Doll Factory
“Novels set in the Victorian era are routinely described as ‘Dickensian’. Few of them warrant the adjective. However, in its evocation of the seething energy of 1850s London, its immersion in the detail of the 19th-century city’s everyday life and in its fascination with the macabre and the eccentric, Elizabeth Macneal’s debut novel does feel genuinely Dickensian. Add a keen exploration of the restrictions that were placed on women and the possessiveness of men, and you get a remarkable example of historical fiction.”
—The Times (UK)
“An extraordinary novel that wraps you in its atmosphere within a sentence or two… THE DOLL FACTORY is not just a satisfying literary novel, it is a love story and a thriller that absolutely gallops to its conclusion. Read it!”
—Historical Novels Review (UK)
“Macneal’s London is vividly rendered: all rosy nipples, beads of blood from cracking the backs of fleas, and strawberries pickled in sugar... THE DOLL FACTORY is a page-turner, make no mistake… the prose is captivating and the story is so engrossing. Macneal also powerfully explores the ways in which a woman in the past might have been obliged to ‘encourage and discourage, so as not to lead to doubts of her purity and goodness but not make the men feel snubbed’.”
—Evening Standard (UK)
“A sharp, scary, gorgeously evocative tale of love, art and obsession.”
—Paula Hawkins, internationally bestselling author of The Girl on the Train
“A stunningly confident first novel with a real sense of period and place… thoroughly engrossing.”
—Ian Rankin, New York Times bestselling author of Rather Be the Devil
“A page-turning psychological thriller that will haunt you long after you finish it, THE DOLL FACTORY is perfect for fans of The Alienist, Drood, and The Historian.”
—Essie Fox, author of The Somnambulist
“A stunning novel that twines together power, art, and obsession. At every turn expectations are confounded—it’s a historical novel and yet feels incredibly relevant and timely. I loved its warmth, its wry humour, and the way each small thread leads into an unbearably tense and chilling denouement that had me totally gripped.”
—Sophie Mackintosh, Man Booker Prize–longlisted author of The Water Cure
“An astonishingly good debut THE DOLL FACTORY reminded me of The Crimson Petal and the White, Fingersmith, and Vanity Fair but had a richness of tone that was uniquely its own. Macneal writes with utter mastery, creating a lushly intricate world peopled by living, breathing characters you can’t help but fall in love with and a plot that rattles like a speeding carriage to its thrilling conclusion. I couldn’t put it down. You won’t be able to either.”
—Elizabeth Day, award-winning author of The Party
“I loved THE DOLL FACTORY from the very first page and couldn’t do anything else until I’d read right to the end. An exquisite novel of obsession, delusion, resilience, and love; Elizabeth Macneal really is a breathtaking new talent.”
—AJ Pearce, internationally bestselling author of Dear Mrs. Bird
“A remarkably assured and beautifully written debut, filled with sinister delights and intriguing themes of imprisonment and objectification. A truly captivating read.”
—E.C. Fremantle, author of The Poison Bed
“This brilliant literary thriller gripped me from the opening page and didn’t relinquish its hold until I’d read the final sentence. THE DOLL FACTORY conjures 1850s London in all its grime and glory, possibility and restriction in absorbing, immersive detail. Elizabeth Macneal has created that rare thing: a beautifully researched historical novel with a plot to stop your heart. If this is her first book, I can barely wait to see what she writes next.
—Hannah Kent, award-winning author of Burial Rites and The Good People
“THE DOLL FACTORY is one of the best books I’ve read in ages—heartbreaking and evocative. Elizabeth Macneal draws a vivid picture of life in 1850s London, exploring the world of the Pre-Raphaelites and examining the position of women through her unforgettable heroine. At the same time, Elizabeth creates a perfectly structured and page-turning story of love and passion; crime and obsession. A wonderful and intense novel. I loved it.”
—Jenny Quintana, author of The Missing Girl
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Born in Scotland, Elizabeth Macneal is a potter based in East London, where she works in a small studio at the bottom of her garden. She read English Literature at Oxford University and completed the Creative Writing MA at UEA in 2017. She won the Caledonia Novel Award for her debut novel, THE DOLL FACTORY.
My Review
The Doll Factory by Elizabeth Macneal is set in Victorian London at the time of the Great Exhibition. A shopgirl, Iris wants to make her place with aspirations as an artist. These aspirations are unachievable to a girl in her place in the world. A taxidermist, Silas, has taken a liking to her and has her in his sights.
Iris currently works with her twin sister Rose in Mrs. Salter's Doll Emporium doing sewing and painting of doll faces. Rose contracted smallpox while Iris did not thus Rose to have scars on her face that keeps her from wanting to go out and do things even meeting a man. So to her, her life consists of staying where she is at whereas Iris wants to become a painter.
Silas, a misfit whose life consists of stuffed animals, sometimes not very well. He gets his animals from an orphan, Albie. He has brought a two-headed dog to Silas that he wants to enter into the Royal Acadamy. His attraction to Iris has taken to him stalking her.
Iris happens to meet Louis, he wants her to model for him and she wants him to teach her how to become a painter, thus begins a friendship that turns into an affair. She does eventually paint a picture that is entered at the Royal Academy along with a few by Louis. She does not know though the dangers that confront her so she is basically unawares when her life is in danger from Silas and she walks right into a trap.
This book gives a reader into the life of Victorian London, the artist's life, the mean streets of London, the harshness of the people on the streets. This book is a gothic thriller with beautiful, graphic if not gruesome descriptions of life in Victorian London. The characters of Rose, Iris, Albie, Louis, and even Silas were well written. I almost felt sorry for Silas, almost, when reading about his earlier life with his childhood friend Flick.
I love a good thriller and this one was a pleasure to read! Read it in a few sittings!
I received a copy of this book for review purposes only.
The Doll Factory by Elizabeth Macneal is set in Victorian London at the time of the Great Exhibition. A shopgirl, Iris wants to make her place with aspirations as an artist. These aspirations are unachievable to a girl in her place in the world. A taxidermist, Silas, has taken a liking to her and has her in his sights.
Iris currently works with her twin sister Rose in Mrs. Salter's Doll Emporium doing sewing and painting of doll faces. Rose contracted smallpox while Iris did not thus Rose to have scars on her face that keeps her from wanting to go out and do things even meeting a man. So to her, her life consists of staying where she is at whereas Iris wants to become a painter.
Silas, a misfit whose life consists of stuffed animals, sometimes not very well. He gets his animals from an orphan, Albie. He has brought a two-headed dog to Silas that he wants to enter into the Royal Acadamy. His attraction to Iris has taken to him stalking her.
Iris happens to meet Louis, he wants her to model for him and she wants him to teach her how to become a painter, thus begins a friendship that turns into an affair. She does eventually paint a picture that is entered at the Royal Academy along with a few by Louis. She does not know though the dangers that confront her so she is basically unawares when her life is in danger from Silas and she walks right into a trap.
This book gives a reader into the life of Victorian London, the artist's life, the mean streets of London, the harshness of the people on the streets. This book is a gothic thriller with beautiful, graphic if not gruesome descriptions of life in Victorian London. The characters of Rose, Iris, Albie, Louis, and even Silas were well written. I almost felt sorry for Silas, almost, when reading about his earlier life with his childhood friend Flick.
I love a good thriller and this one was a pleasure to read! Read it in a few sittings!
I received a copy of this book for review purposes only.
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