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 ‘The Doll Factory.’

In a vividly imagined 1850s London, the artists of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood co-exist with those so mired in abject poverty that they have little time to spare for aesthetics- such as Albie, the irrepressible street urchin we meet early on.

Our heroine, Iris, has skill and imagination in spades but like many of her peers is encased in drudgery. Employed by the miserly Mrs Salter to paint faces onto ceramic dolls, the repetitive, stifling environment gives few chances for Iris’ valiant level of ambition to bear fruit.

We are introduced to Louis Frost, a fictional member of the Brotherhood, but drawn so splendidly that we can quite believe he existed. Frost is so enraptured by Iris that he identifies her as his muse and asks that she model for a painting he has envisaged. Iris, astute as she is, agrees- as long as Frost teaches her how to paint. Iris thrives in being able to express her creativity more freely, but she is no fool and her in her pragmatism knows the arrangement is transactional at its very heart.

Enter Silas, a taxidermist whose pieces are often purchased by the Brotherhood to be used as subjects. He may have delusions of grandeur and something of a persecution complex, but initially he holds nothing to particularly alarm us.

The Great Exhibition, and the way it enraptures all of London, drawing them to it with its beguiling arms, forms a key part of the novel’s backdrop. Iris (in an echo of the real life Lizzie Siddal, on whom she is loosely based) understands that the painting she inspires is to be entered into the Exhibition- and is keen to go along. It is the innocuous fleeting encounter between Iris and Silas at the Exhibition that provides the impetus for the darker, more macabre latter part of the novel. It is a section which puts one in mind of John Fowles’ classic novel ‘The Collector,’ with a similarly creepy and obsessional central character. Silas, it seems, has a ideas for a Doll Factory of his own, and one far removed from that of Mrs Salter, dour as she is.

This dazzlingly good novel is as rich as the artistry it depicts especially given that Elizabeth Macneal has her own artist’s eye, meaning that although we cannot physically see what is going on, we can imagine it perfectly, Deftly weaving in themes of misogyny, oppression and infatuation, ‘The Doll Factory’ also rewards with a superbly tense denouement to round off an absolutely stunning debut.

Not for me at all, sorry. Couldn't get a grip on this one at all. I couldn't make out what it wanted to be or where it was going and i couldn't muster up enough interest to persevere.

Beautiful cover and title of this book :-).

Sadly it wasn't for me, I couldn't get into the story and kept getting lost. However if you are into historical novels I would still encourage you to read it, it was beautifully written.

I have had this book on my tbr since it first came out last year. I have wanted to read it but kept putting it off until now. I have to say I wasn’t what I was expecting and I didn’t read the synopsis until after I had finished the book! To be fair though, even if I had read the synopsis prior to reading I think I would still have been surprised by how dark this book turned.

Let me backtrack, and start with the cover and say that now I have read the book how amazing and so appropriate this cover is, that glass dome encompasses the story perfectly and has a lot of things in it relevant to the story of Iris.

Iris and her sister Rose have been working in a rather depressing and soul destroying business making dolls. When there is a chance for Iris to leave and have the nerve to join an artist as his model, she takes it. Rose isn’t impressed and neither is Silas.

Silas is besotted with Iris, but she doesn’t see him as he thinks she does. He watches her, hoping that she will take him up the various offers her proposes. She, however, has no time for him, she has her own life and a chance to be something.

Now I did mention this book takes a dark turn, and well to be honest I am not going to tell you why or how even though I am bursting to. The author takes a route that leads its way to this dark thread that is part of the story. It has been done so well, it starts off quite subtly and then worsens over the course of the story. It seems to fit well with the setting.

Now the setting is London, wealth is evident as The Great Exhibition opens so showcase the industry and culture, a place where the who’s who would have been seen. But balanced against that are the slums, side-streets and squalid alleyways where the poor live. This contrast between living conditions, social class and opinions seem to share the ideals behind the various characters. Some wanting to move up, others reluctantly making the most of their lot in life and others just wanting to be accepted.

This is a book that I am so glad I have finally got around to reading, it is a beautifully written book about life in 1850’s London, about life, love, betrayal, art and yes as the synopsis states “obsession and possession”. A fabulous read and one I would definitely recommend.

Set in 1850s London, this evocative book expertly intertwines themes of love, art, and obsession. Iris and her twin sister Rose paint dolls for grouchy Mrs Salter in her Doll Emporium. Iris dreams of becoming a painter and is shocked when she is approached to model for Louis - an up and coming artist who thinks Iris is the perfect muse for his current project. Torn between leaving her sister and following her dream, she finally relents and leaves the Doll Factory.
In another dingy store, Silas works alone as a taxidermist, collecting dead animals and preserving their remains. He is a strange and unsociable character who longs for company. Upon glancing Iris, he realises she is the one. He pursues her love, truly believing she loves him back. His dark obsession takes a sudden twist and Iris finds herself in a situation she never anticipated, with no way out.

The setting of this story is vivid from the start and draws the reader straight in which is an immediate appeal. The characters are well-crafted, with insight into each of the main character's innermost thoughts and feelings. This was particularly interesting for Silas, as we see his darkening obsession start to take over his life and we begin to understand the 'reasoning' behind his erratic behaviour. The story has many strands and time is taken to build tension, mirroring the slow rationale of Silas's mind which then quickly unravels. It is realistic and frightening, with gothic elements and gruesome images of everyday life in this era. The inclusion of Albie's character gives perspective from a poor child's point of view and the result is disturbing, chilling, and all too real.

For a debut novel, I sincerely felt like it had all the components for a 5-star read and it was executed brilliantly. One of my favourite historical novels to date that I will definitely be recommending.

A beautifully written story of murderous dark obsession, the pre-raphaelites and the desire of a talented young woman to escape the confines of her sex.
I really got swept into this world and I loved the wombat lots too...

An enchanting debut set in Victorian London, "The Doll Factory" explores the intersection of love, art and obsession. Elizabeth Macneal presents a cast of characters reflective of the era and including a very loveable urchin. I found it an interesting, engaging read evocative of 1850s England.

Creepy, atmospheric and not entirely my sort of book but very well written. I found the juxtaposition between the two threads annoying more than anything else and I wanted a more definite resolution but that’s fairly common with me. I was much more interested in one side of the story than the other and that influenced my reading experience.

The Doll Factory is set in Victorian London and follows three main characters whose stories become more and more closely entwined as the novel progresses. First, we meet Silas Reed, a lonely and eccentric man of thirty-eight whose ‘shop of curiosities’ houses stuffed animals, jars of specimens and cabinets of butterflies. He dreams of one day opening his own museum and hopes he will get his chance to make a name for himself at London’s upcoming Great Exhibition, but a chance encounter with Iris Whittle proves to be a distraction.

Iris – like her sister, Rose – works at Mrs Salter’s Doll Emporium, painting faces on china dolls. What Iris really wants is to develop her skills as an artist and be taken seriously as a painter in her own right, so when she is approached by Louis Frost, a member of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood who asks her to model for him, she jumps at the opportunity...on the condition that Louis teaches her to paint. As she and Louis begin to spend time together, Iris discovers that she is falling in love – but she is being watched by Silas Reed, who has already decided that Iris is the woman he has been waiting for all his life.

Ten-year-old Albie has links with both Silas and Iris, providing dead animals for the curiosity shop and running errands for the doll factory. Albie is a bright and observant boy, but has grown up in poverty; he needs all the money he can get if he is ever going to help his sister out of prostitution and achieve his dream of buying a new set of teeth for himself. Albie can see that Silas is becoming dangerously obsessed with Iris, but will he be able to help her before it’s too late?

There are so many things to admire about The Doll Factory. I loved the Victorian setting, which in Elizabeth Macneal’s hands feels vivid and convincing, and I loved the way she blends her fictional characters and storylines together with real history. I enjoyed reading about the art world of the 1850s; although we do meet some of the real Pre-Raphaelites such as Rossetti and Millais, they are just minor characters while the focus is on Iris’s relationship with the fictional Louis Frost (and his wombat, Guinevere). As a woman trying to find her way into this world, Iris knows she faces huge challenges and obstacles but she knows she has talent as an artist and is determined to find a way to express herself.

Because of the Pre-Raphaelite element of the novel, I kept being reminded of Crimson and Bone by Marina Fiorato, another book in which a young woman becomes an artist’s model, although I think this is the stronger and better written of the two. It’s also quite a dark novel; the signs are there from the beginning with the descriptions of taxidermy, the collection of dead creatures and some of the macabre paintings Iris and her sister create for mourning parents in the doll factory, but it becomes much darker and more disturbing in the second half of the book as Silas becomes increasingly obsessed with possessing Iris. The ending wasn’t perfect – the climax of the story seemed to go on for far too long and was the one part of the book that, for me, felt contrived and over the top – but other than that, I really enjoyed The Doll Factory. It’s an impressive first novel and I will be hoping for more from Elizabeth Macneal.

The Doll Factory by Elizabeth McNeal.
It is now a couple of months since I read this book but it has stayed with me. It is a historical tale set in Victorian London and the book certainly evokes this setting. It is a haunting book about love and obsession, highly recommended!

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 was sent this book by Netgalley for an honest review.

We just didn't click,there are parts of this book which made it extremely difficult for me to like. I won't go into what they were as I don't want to spoil it for anyone but those who have read the book I am sure you know what I'm talking about. I am absolutely positive that there are lots and lots of people out there who love this book,I'm not saying that isn't the case. For me personally,it just wasn't the one,if certain elements had been left out maybe I would have enjoyed it.

Well written historical novel with a Dickensian feel but the heightened/whimsical quality didn't do it for me. DNF but I'd still recommend it for the right reader. Thanks for letting me have it.

This book is already published, but I have only just got round to reading it. I found it hard at the beginning of the book to be drawn in but I am so glad I carried on reading. The characters got under your skin, the filth and squalor of the time seeped into your bones. I couldn’t put the book down. A truly brilliant read. Would thoroughly recommend.

An interesting book with a fascinating story that keeps you hooked right through until the end. Definitely recommended fo those readers who enjoy reading this genre.

This book is full of atmosphere and is an unstoppable force. . It is sumptuous and enjoyable. The characters are well written and although not always likeable, they build the scene cleverly.
Very easy to get lost in and fast paced.

Dark and pschyological thriller. Set in mid 19th century at the time of the Great Exhibition - story of life in London from the perspective of 2 poor sisters working in a doll shop, one of whom elevates herself from poverty to fall in love with an artist...who is married and separated from his wife who is terminally ill. The sister in love with the artist has another admirer in the form of a lonely, loathesome and psychopathic taxidermist who has murdered before. Will she survive? Read and find out!

A well crafted mix of gritty historical with a little romance assuredly building to gothic thriller. I found the Victorian setting with the backdrop of the Great Exhibition fascinating, as well as the featured taxidermy and Pre-Raphaelite artists. Allow plenty of time to read the last half in one go, the tension is unrelenting...

(ARC provided by publisher via NetGalley)

This book broke my reading slump! Thank god, because I was beginning to worry (in my over dramatic way) that I would never end up reading another novel ever again.

Well panic over, because The Doll Factory with its strange and disturbing but ultimately well written tale of love, obsession and independence won me over. I’ve also said before, and I’ll say again, that I have discovered that I have quite the ‘thing’ for Historical Fiction.

This story is set in Victorian London and I will say this – nothing, nothing, screams out social injustice and inequality like stories set in Victorian London. London was (and is) a melting pot of cultures and class. By the virtue of reading about Victorian London you can travel from the wealthy and extravagant townhouses where you dine on quail with middle class artists to the poorhouses where there is nothing but despair and lice.

In this story you get to see both those things and while the setting isn’t the focus of this story, the context and the social world the characters inhabit explains so many of their actions.

This book is the story of Iris wanting to break free from the mold she has been cast in. Iris is a vibrant, willful and resourceful woman who wants more from her life than a lifetime of drudgery. In her heart she is an artist and, determined to be the mistress of her own fate, she takes an opportunity to change her life.

That’s the thing with Iris – she’s painfully aware of the limitations society has put on her and how she can’t outrun being female in a male dominated world but that doesn’t mean she won’t try to get her best life.

What follows is a story of independence, growth and love told through Iris’ eyes and her personality really comes through in this story for me; her love and frustration at her twin sister, her desire to grow as a painter and her desperation to become skilled at it, her social nuance at navigating a world of middle class artists, her fond affection for Albie and the passion she has for Louis.

To me Iris felt like a fully flesh and blood woman and it was easy to see why the love story blossoms at the core of this book because honestly, how could I not love Iris? How could I not love Louis either? He’s fun, frivolous and romantic and is willing to learn about the world and society he inhabits through Iris’ eyes.

‘What a charming and delightful love story’ you’re probably thinking. Yes… about that.

This story is told through the POV of three characters; Iris, Albie (our lovable yet tragic street urchin figure) and Silas.

Albie shows us a horrible side to Victorian society if you’re one of the lower social classes. He pretty much represents Oliver Twist if Oliver Twist never caught a break. He is also the link between Iris’ viewpoint and that of Silas’

Ah holy heck. Silas. It’s this element of the story that turns a rather sweet, love story into a tense psychological thriller that really ups the ante towards the end.

A chance encounter between Albie, Iris and Silas may have given Iris the beginning to a new life and new love but unfortunately it also introduced her to Silas.

Silas, is our truly disturbing antagonist who genuinely believes he is the hero of his own story.

In some ways he would almost be a pitiful creature; someone who is mocked and looked down upon by his social ‘betters.’ In a point of contrast between him and Louis we see their different versions of art; Louis, a member of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood who wants to paint Renaissance tales and Silas, an ‘artist’ of taxidermy who thinks he has more talent than he actually does.

I said ‘almost’ because any sympathy evaporates the longer you spend in his head.

The other point of contrast between Louis and Silas is that Louis sees and loves Iris for the person she is whereas Silas’ views her as an object and one that he craves rather desperately.

This is what makes this story about love vs. obsession with Silas’ increasing fixation and stalking building the tension while Iris flourishes unawares. Because we get to see the obsession escalate from Silas’ POV we understand how disturbing and dangerous he is becoming.

Living in Silas’ head is an uncomfortable experience and there are scenes of animal cruelty that I admittedly skipped over. I understand their reasoning – to show how unhinged and dangerous Silas was but they were graphic in nature at times and I didn’t want to read that level of detail.

Overall though I think the juxtaposition between Iris’ life and the tense anticipation of the inevitable was done very well. You know something bad will happen but you don’t know when and you don’t know what. All you can do is hope that Iris is just as strong and resilient when it does.

For me the overwhelming theme of this story is one of freedom and person-hood, especially of ‘woman as person.’

Iris obviously views herself as a valuable and relevant person but she is painfully aware of how women are objectified and mistreated. Louis also views Iris as a valuable and relevant person but he’s so privileged that it takes him some time to understand how much more difficult the world is for her.

Silas doesn’t see Iris at all. Sadly Silas’ viewpoint of women is warped and while Iris is aware that women are objectified and mistreated she remains painfully unaware that she has become the target focus of a man who objectifies and mistreats.

I mentioned at the beginning that nothing screams out social injustice and inequality like stories set in Victorian London but if I’m honest, when I write about the nature of Silas I think to myself that some of our attitudes aren’t as antiquated as we think.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest, independent review.

"London. 1850. The greatest spectacle the city has ever seen is being built in Hyde Park, and among the crowd watching 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 . . ."

Historical fiction is not the kind of book I tend to read. However, I was intrigued by the book's description. Unfortunately, I didn't get on too well with The Doll Factory. I found it slow-paced, not really picking up until around 80% through the book when it took on a bit of a twist and I found myself reading quickly to see what was coming next.

However, I found the writing descriptive, bringing London in Victorian England to life.