The Doll Factory: A Novel

Elizabeth Macneal

Aug 2019 · Simon and Schuster

About this ebook

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.

Ratings and reviews

The setting is 1850’s London on the cusp of the Great Exhibition, where carefully curated art and other creative efforts are given the honor of display. It is also a London with vast social inequality and the lower classes whose back bears all the effort with little hope for gain. The portrayal of this bifurcated city is rendered by Elizabeth Macneal in The Doll Factory, a thriller that highlights the challenges of the era. Iris and Rose toil under the supervision of their abusive employer, painting and preparing dolls for sale. They are captives to their life station, both being disfigured and indentured to the work by their parents. There is little expectation for their advancement or possibility of choice. While Rose is resigned to this fate, Iris is more inclined to rebel and follow her artistic dreams. Meanwhile, Albie is introduced as an endearing “street rat” who cobbles together a living by sewing basic skirts for the doll shop and collecting dead curiosities. These last are supplied to Silas, the local taxidermist who mainly sells his works as props for painters or for costume adornment. When Iris rises to the attention of a young and rising painter, she sees this as an opportunity to recreate her life. Still, she is torn between loyalty to her sister and family, personal values, and the potential for excitement and adventure. She agrees to model for Louis in exchange for painting lessons but becomes increasingly enraptured by her benefactor and the art world he inhabits. Meanwhile, Iris has also caught Silas’ eye and the lonely and disturbed man has evil designs of his own for her. The Doll Factory serves as a commentary on how women’s choices and opportunities are predicated on their dependency on men. Iris is traded and bartered as an object, as a doll painter, a model and subject of dangerous erotomania for Silas. Macneal’s novel is thrilling, fast-paced and the setting is painstakingly described to reflect the horrors and despair experienced by the lower classes. It falls a bit short in the romantic scenes, which seem overwrought and unnecessary. There is also a divergent subplot about Louis’ past life that detracts from the main story. Despite this, The Doll Factory will definitely quicken its readers’ pulses while also unflinchingly depicting the beauty and filth that coursed through London at the time. Thanks to the author, Picador, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

About the author

Born in Scotland, Elizabeth Macneal is a writer and potter based in London. The Doll Factory, Elizabeth’s debut novel, was an international bestseller, has been translated into twenty-nine languages, and has been optioned for a major television series. It won the Caledonia Novel Award 2018. Circus of Wonders is her second novel.