The Minuscule Mansion of Myra Malone
One of the most enchanting and magical stories you'll read all year
by Audrey Burges
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Pub Date 1 Jun 2023 | Archive Date 1 Jun 2023
Pan Macmillan | Macmillan
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Description
With a love story at its heart, The Minuscule Mansion of Myra Malone weaves multiple periods and perspectives into a charming, magical story about a mystical dolls' house. A beautiful, unforgettable mystery from debut author Audrey Burges.
Once upon a time there was a house . . .
From her attic in the Arizona mountains, thirty-four year-old recluse Myra Malone blogs about a miniature mansion – a dolls' house – which captivates thousands of readers worldwide. Myra herself is tethered to the Mansion by a strange magic she can’t understand - there are rooms that appear and disappear overnight, music that plays in its corridors.
Across the country, Alex Rakes, the thirty-four year-old heir of a furniture business, encounters two Mansion fans trying to recreate a room from her stories. Alex is shocked to recognize his own bedroom in minute scale.
The Mansion is his family’s home, handed down from the grandmother who disappeared mysteriously when Alex was a child. Searching for answers, Alex begins corresponding with Myra. Together, the two unwind the lonely paths of their twin worlds - big and small - and trace the stories that entwine them, setting the stage for a meeting rooted in loss, but defined by love.
Readers are enchanted by this magical tale:
'A wonderful story, beautifully crafted. I got completely lost in it.'
'I could not put this book down nor can I describe it to you. But it’s a story you want to read and tuck away in your heart . . . like that magical dress you had as a child'
'ALL THE STARS!! I loved this one so very much - my first 5 star read of the year! Magic realism, a romance and a little mystery all rolled into one in this touching story . . . '
'Love stories, detailed and fascinating miniatures, and magic make a perfect potion . . .'
Available Editions
EDITION | Other Format |
ISBN | 9781035009213 |
PRICE | £18.99 (GBP) |
PAGES | 352 |
Available on NetGalley
Featured Reviews
An absolute joy of a book which I devoured eagerly, although at the same time not wanting Myra, Alex and Willa’s story to end. Some stories captivate you, staying with you long after you have finished the book, and this is one of those books. The images of the Mansion leapt off the page and made me want to snoop around the beautiful, miniature world within. It’s difficult to write much more without spoiling the story, however if you love magic and mystery, connections and relationships you will love this book. I am eagerly looking forward to Audrey Burges’ next adventure! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I read this book so wuickly and now wish I had taken my time with it because I didn't want it to end. I loved the characters and took them to my heart. I haven't stopped thinking about this book since I read it and I think it will stay with me for a while
This is a clever story about love, family and belonging bound together with a touch of magical realism.
Myra hides away from the world after a tragic accident when she was 5 which left her with scars both inside and out. Over the years she has made pieces of furniture and things to go into the huge miniature mansion (never a dollhouse) that belonged to her step grandmother.
Her best friend since childhood, Gwen, has built up an enormous following for her work on social media and one day a man from the other side of the country contacts them saying that impossibly, his house is an exact replica of her work.
Crossing back and forth between present and past, the story follows Alex’s family as the truth is gradually revealed. Lots of heart felt warmth around a nice mystery.
Magical! This kind of reminded me of The Miniaturist. I loved it!
Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publishers for letting me read an advance copy of this book in exchange for my review.
This was a fascinating story, The Lady had me absolutely hooked with her magical ways, the most discreet story about witchcraft that I think I’ve ever read, because it’s not really about a witch, it’s about relationships and those who close themselves off to people and those who open themselves up and offer shelter and warmth. This is not my usual genre of book and yet I was gripped. I loved the detail about the miniature creations within the house and enjoyed following the story of the characters throughout the different time periods of the book. Really interesting and an enjoyable read.
I absolutely loved this book, it was so unusual and captivating. I really liked how the story weaved the perspectives of both Myra and Alex in the present through the blog posts and text messages, as well as their main narrative, and Willa in the past and how they were all interlinked.
The magic element was well done although not overly explained, this didn’t bother me though, I was happy just to go with it. I was really invested in Willa and would have liked a bit more of her story and also Ellen as I liked the parallels with Myra and Gwen.
I could picture the Mansion and it’s miniature counterpart so clearly and it was just so charming and intriguing. Perfect escapism!
A thirty-year-old recluse obsessed with decorating and redecorating her enormous doll’s house - no! - mansion. Her mother, a hoarder, risking to lose their house by getting into serious debt. And her BFF, poised to solve the crisis.
So that’s the bones of the story. But behind lurks so much more, an eternal thread connecting the house’s owners through time, a refuge, something with a life of its own.
“Our focus on creating a world full of minute detail made the world outside seem more manageable.”
A book happily suspended between the darkness of Danielewski’s “House of Leaves” and the magic of toys in Dinsdale’s “The Toymakers”.
To reveal any more of the plot would seriously spoil the fun of discovering all the intricacies as you read, but rest assured, it’s a journey well worth undertaking. My only criticism would be the piped-icing ending…
I was drawn to the vibrant cover design of this book, and I thought the title sounded interesting. When I decided to read and review this, I was hoping for a light-hearted book, to lift my mood.
I thought this was a charming story, and I found it a relaxing late night read. The very beginning reminded me of a fairy tale. I found it comforting, and there were some heartwarming moments. It made me smile, and I found the characters relatable in some ways.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a free copy to review.
I absolutely adore magical realism reads, and this was exactly that.
Myra Malone spends her days meticulously maintaining a miniscule mansion, left to her by a late family member. The mansion is the main feature of Myra's exceptionally popular blog - a key component of the story. When keen followers of the blog show Alex, a furniture salesperson, photos of the mansion rooms they're trying to recreate, Alex is astonished to realise that the mansion is actually an exact copy of his family home. We then get a winding story of alternating perspectives as Alex and Myra attempt to work through the connection between them.
I loved how this book manages to explore themes of belonging, self-worth, and mental wellbeing, while still staying true to the magical house trope. I loved being able to follow Alex and Myra's individual journeys, as well as the intergenerational narrative throughout - this is more than one timeline.
The multiple time lines and extraordinarily detailed descriptions did mean that at times, it did feel that the book strayed into historical fiction - but that's one of my preferred genres so it worked for me. I would be mindful of this if you weren't a fan of historical fiction books.
Overall, this was a sweet, poignant story that lightly covered a lot of themes. I would absolutely recommend this to anyone who found the description interesting, or who might be looking for a soft, moving read.
The young recluse who lives to decorate and organize her enormous, ornate doll's house in this book fascinated me and reminded me of the Colleen Moore's famous doll house, which I obsessed over as a child
The Miniscule Mansion of Myra Malone is such a unique and heartwarming story about Myra Malone who writes a blog about her miniature mansion. Alex works in his family's furniture store and saw Myra's blog post about a miniature mansion that is the exact replica of his house. I mean there are a lot of layers to the story. I love the main characters' personalities. Reading them fall for each other slowly was so lovely. I highly recommend it.
"The Minuscule Mansion of Myra Malone" by Audrey Burges is a delightful and charming children's book that tells the story of a girl named Myra who inherits a small and dilapidated house from her grandmother.
As Myra sets out to fix up her new home, she discovers that the house is actually a magical mansion that is full of surprises and hidden secrets. Along the way, she makes new friends and learns important lessons about the power of determination, imagination, and the importance of family and community.
Burges' writing is engaging and playful, with vivid descriptions and fun wordplay that will keep young readers engaged and entertained. The story is beautifully illustrated by Tom Brown, with colorful and whimsical drawings that perfectly capture the spirit of the book.
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General Fiction (Adult), Literary Fiction, Women's Fiction