The Doll Factory
Fiction & Poetry, Modern & Contemporary Fiction
Paperback Published on: 05/03/2020
£9.99
Bookseller Reviews
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My favourite read of 2019
Iris is working in a doll factory, painting delicate faces of customised dolls with her twin sister. This is not the life she desires as she longs to be a ... READ MORE
Freedom, beauty, art and wombats
This could have been a simple Victorian coming of age novel, a young aspiring artist achieving her dreams and finding love. But Macneal's book is altogethe... READ MORE
Wonderful
An unforgettable, dark,chilling and extremely creepy Victorian thriller .With all the feel of a dickensian novel it describes the era beautifully. Has... READ MORE
One of my Favourites!
Plain and simply one of the best books I’ve ever read. Totally addictive characters that have you hooked from the start, this is a perfect combo as of hist... READ MORE
Read It!
A stunningly well written, beguiling story. You get drawn into this fascinating and tragic world she cleverly depicts and you're unable to put the book dow... READ MORE
Simply astounding
There are books so good that you can’t put down. And there are books so good that you have to put down in order to absorb what you’re experiencing. ‘The Do... READ MORE
Synopsis
Waterstones Fiction Book of the Month for March 2020
The Doll Factory by Elizabeth Macneal is the intoxicating story of a young woman who aspires to be an artist, and the man whose obsession may destroy her world for ever.
London. 1850. The Great Exhibition is being erected in Hyde Park and among the crowd watching the spectacle two people meet. For Iris, an aspiring artist, it is the encounter of a moment - forgotten seconds later, but for Silas, a collector entranced by the strange and beautiful, that meeting marks a new beginning.
When Iris is asked to model for pre-Raphaelite artist Louis Frost, she agrees on the condition that he will also teach her to paint. Suddenly her world begins to expand, to become a place of art and love.
But Silas has only thought of one thing since their meeting, and his obsession is darkening...
- Publisher: Pan Macmillan
- ISBN: 9781529002430
- Number of pages: 384
- Weight: 265g
- Dimensions: 197 x 129 x 26 mm
Customer Reviews
View allBrilliant!
Set in 1850s London with the rise of the Pre-Raphaelites and the opening of the Great Exhibition it follows three characters: Iris, a doll painter who drea... READ MORE
The best novel I read in 2019- and a writer to watch
In reality, it is somewhat rare to find a book so spellbinding that the reader feels positively grieved to finish it, but this was my happy experience with... READ MORE
Perfect Halloween read!
Absolutely loved this book and feel like nothing I write will give it justice! The complex and intriguing characters Macneal creates completely absorb you ... READ MORE
Atmospheric, exciting read
This novel gripped me from the start. Great characters, vivid portrayal of Victorian London with its poverty and industrial progress. The storyline incorpo... READ MORE
The Doll Factory
I enjoyed the descriptive historical London, the romance and art but overall I found it dark, chilling and unsettling.
A must read
Wow. Unexpected. I need more.
This book was definitely unique in its own sense. Wonderfully written, and definitely unexpected. Hard to put down once you ... READ MORE
Interesting
I normally find it difficult to find books I can't put down but this has to be one of them. There was splenty of surprises I didn't expect and loved each c... READ MORE
Doll factory
Really enjoyed this book, edge of your seat stuff. Wouldn’t be surprised if it’s turned into a tv drama.
Great Read
Creepy and sinister but an enjoyable read nonetheless!
5/5!
i loved this book! it was so hard to put down and such a page turner. if you like thrillers i’d definitely recommend it!
Gothic Novel with a twist
Gothic novel centres around twin sisters who work painting Dolls in a factory,one has been marked by a disease the other is deformed by a misshapen collarb... READ MORE
Pacy Historical Fiction
"No man has ever spoken to her this frankly, this intelligently. He speaks as if he believes she will understand him, not as if he were addressing a child ... READ MORE