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The Doll Factory

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The Doll Factory

Written by: Elizabeth Macneal
Narrated by: Tuppence Middleton
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About this listen

 The #1 international bestseller and The New York Times Editor’s Choice

“As lush as the novels of Kate Morton and Diane Setterfield, as exciting as The Alienist and Iain Pears’ An Instance of the Fingerpost, this exquisite literary thriller will intrigue book clubs and rivet fans of historical fiction.” —A.J. Finn, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Woman in the Window

“A lush, evocative Gothic.” —The New York Times Book Review

“This terrifically exciting novel will jolt, thrill, and bewitch readers.” —Booklist, starred review

Obsession is an art.

In this “sharp, scary, gorgeously evocative tale of love, art, and obsession” (Paula Hawkins, bestselling author of The Girl on the Train), a beautiful young woman aspires to be an artist, while a man’s dark obsession may destroy her world forever.

Obsession is an art.

In 1850s London, the Great Exhibition is being erected in Hyde Park and, among the crowd watching the dazzling spectacle, two people meet by happenstance. For Iris, an arrestingly attractive aspiring artist, it is a brief and forgettable moment. But for Silas, a curiosity collector enchanted by all things strange and beautiful, the 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 beyond her wildest dreams—but she has no idea that evil is waiting in the shadows. Silas has only thought of one thing since that chance meeting, and his obsession is darkening by the day.

“A lush, evocative Gothic” (The New York Times Book Review) that is “a perfect blend of froth and substance” (The Washington Post), The Doll Factory will haunt you long after you finish it and is perfect for fans of The Alienist, Drood, and Fingersmith. Crime Fiction Genre Fiction Gothic Historical Fiction Horror Literary Fiction Suspense Thriller & Suspense Fiction Mystery
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Liked: the author is talented in the amount if details used throughout the story. It makes you feel like you’re actually part if the story and makes the story believable. Very smart writing style.

Didn’t like: a little too graphic for my taste.

Detailed and graphic

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The beginning starts off slow for character-building purposes but once that's set, I couldn't pause the book! So we'll thought out and expertly written. I listened to the whole thing in 1 sitting!!

Captivating!!!

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Yeah, this was not what I expected. I had anticipated something a bit more mysterious, a bit more of a thriller, and yeah, there was a thriller aspect near the end, but... It was very much general fiction, with a big ol' romance plot and a hearty dose of "Me Too" thrown in.
So about that. It was definitely timely and topical, and it didn't feel entirely shoehorned in (it wasn't altogether anachronistic feeling, which was a feat), so, kudos, but... it was not what I was expecting. The killer was a caricature of toxic masculinity, he read like a deranged incel, and it was very hard to take. Like, I know there are people who think that way, but it just seemed so over the top and unbelievable that I found myself cringing.
The other thing was, while the main character was fairly well fleshed-out, the secondary characters, including the villain and the love interest, were not. At all. It was a little disappointing. The only other character that was really focused, by the end of it, you wonder why, as they ended up not being very integral to the plot. No spoilers, but that whole side plot was a huge downer.
If you're into historical fiction and don't mind florid love scenes, go for it. If you're looking for a mystery, maybe give this one a miss.
The narrator did a fine job, though, so points for that!

Eh...

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