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The Dollmakers
In this dark and enchanting stand-alone fantasy from debut author Lynn Buchanan, discover a world centered around destructive, all-consuming monsters; the magical dolls designed to fight this force; and the artisans tasked with creating demon-slaying dolls. A touch cozy fantasy and a touch horror, The Dollmakers is perfect for fans of Studio Ghibli films, the works of TJ Klune and Travis Baldree, and readers of Juniper & Thorn and The Goblin Emperor .
In the country called One, dollmakers are vital members of the community. An artisan’s doll is the height of society’s accomplishments, while a guard’s doll is the only thing standing between the people of One and the vicious, cobbled monstrosities that will tear apart any structure—living or dead, inanimate or otherwise—to add to their horde.
Apprentice Shean of Pearl is a brilliant dollmaker. With her clever dolls, she intends to outsmart and destroy the Shod, once and for all—a destiny she’s worked her whole life toward accomplishing. But when the time comes for her dolls to be licensed, she’s told her work is too beautiful and delicate to fight. A statement that wounds and infuriates her; the Shod killed everyone she loved. How could her fate be anything but fighting them?
In an attempt to help her see a new path for herself, Shean’s mentor sends her on a journey to the remote village called Web, urging her to glean some wisdom from Ikiisa, a reclusive and well-respected guard dollmaker. But Shean has another if she can convince the village of Web of her talents, the Licensor Guild will have to reconsider and grant her a guard’s license. And what better way to convince them than challenging Ikiisa and instating herself as the official dollmaker of Web? Once she’s done that, proving her dolls’ worth in the fight against the Shod will be simple. As simple, that is, as calling the Shod to Web...
In the country called One, dollmakers are vital members of the community. An artisan’s doll is the height of society’s accomplishments, while a guard’s doll is the only thing standing between the people of One and the vicious, cobbled monstrosities that will tear apart any structure—living or dead, inanimate or otherwise—to add to their horde.
Apprentice Shean of Pearl is a brilliant dollmaker. With her clever dolls, she intends to outsmart and destroy the Shod, once and for all—a destiny she’s worked her whole life toward accomplishing. But when the time comes for her dolls to be licensed, she’s told her work is too beautiful and delicate to fight. A statement that wounds and infuriates her; the Shod killed everyone she loved. How could her fate be anything but fighting them?
In an attempt to help her see a new path for herself, Shean’s mentor sends her on a journey to the remote village called Web, urging her to glean some wisdom from Ikiisa, a reclusive and well-respected guard dollmaker. But Shean has another if she can convince the village of Web of her talents, the Licensor Guild will have to reconsider and grant her a guard’s license. And what better way to convince them than challenging Ikiisa and instating herself as the official dollmaker of Web? Once she’s done that, proving her dolls’ worth in the fight against the Shod will be simple. As simple, that is, as calling the Shod to Web...
388 pages, Paperback
First published August 13, 2024
189 people are currently reading
27990 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 716 reviews
August 7, 2024
An engaging new voice with excellent worldbuilding. I enjoyed The Dollmakers, and can't wait to see what is next!
November 23, 2024
(4.25) Do me a favor and buy this book so the publisher will pay the author to write another one.
February 20, 2024
This review is a copy of the transcript of my video review on The Dollmakers
ARC provided by the author's agent in exchange for an honest review.
4.5/5 stars
The Dollmakers is guaranteed to be a contender for one of the strongest fantasy debuts of the year 2024.
When I read The Silverblood Promise by James Logan near the end of last year, despite how much I loved it, I felt unsure at immediately declaring it as the best fantasy debut of 2024. I have no doubt it will be one of the best fantasy debuts of 2024, but the absolute favorite debut of the year? That remains to be seen because of books like The Dollmakers by Lynn Buchanan and other favorable candidates. But since I saw the concept artworks and read the premise behind The Dollmakers, I was interested instantly. The beautiful cover art by Ashley Mackenzie sealed that deal even more. It helps that the author is a big fan of Fullmetal Alchemist like I am, and unconsciously or not, I believe the love toward Fullmetal Alchemist is partly reflected in the novel as well. I will get around to that later. But before I begin my review, some of you might know about The Dollmakers from me, and you might have heard me calling this one a standalone novel. I got this notion from the official blurb listed on the Amazon page by the publisher. And I have to say, although there is no cliffhanger and the book has a satisfying ending, The Dollmakers is not a one-off standalone novel. There will be more books, or direct sequels, in the series, which I think will be titled The Fallen Peaks. Regardless of whether The Dollmakers is a standalone or not, Buchanan has delivered a well-polished and unputdownable narrative with a cast of characters with distinct voices.
Picture: Shean & Silver by Deandra Scicluna
So what’s The Dollmakers about? The Dollmakers takes place in a world centered around destructive and all-consuming monsters, and mostly, the artisans in charge of creating magical dolls designed to fight this force.
In the country called One, dollmakers are vital members of the community. An artisan’s doll is the height of society’s accomplishments, and a Guard’s doll is the only thing standing between the people of One and the Shod: vicious, cobbled monstrosities that will tear apart any structure, living or dead. One of the main characters, apprentice Shean of Pearl, is a brilliant dollmaker. With her clever dolls, she intends to outsmart and destroy the Shod once and for all—a destiny she’s worked her whole life toward accomplishing. But when the time comes for her dolls to be licensed, she’s told by Licensor Matock that her dolls are too beautiful and delicate to fight. A statement that wounds her confidence and infuriates her; the Shod killed everyone she loved. How could her fate be anything but fighting them?
To help her see a new path for herself, Shean’s mentor, Nock, sends her on a journey to the remote village called Web, urging her to glean some wisdom from Ikiisa, a reclusive and well-respected guard dollmaker. Shean will have to convince the citizens of Web of her talents and the Licensor Guild to reconsider and grant her a guard’s license. By any possible means. Even if it is done through the dirty act of deliberately cheating, scheming, and lying.
The Dollmakers is a coming-of-age story with themes of ambition, revenge, letting go, dreams, and artistry done right. However, to experience the fulfillment of the narrative, Buchanan requires her readers to be patient with one of the main characters: Shean. To put it simply, for more than half of the book, Shean is an extremely arrogant, hot-headed, selfish, childish, infuriating, and unbearable character. Do not expect to fall in love with Shean quickly. The most fitting character comparison to Shean (in my opinion) is Rin from The Poppy War trilogy. Now… now… I get it. I know what you’re thinking. Some of you might be put off by this. Rin from The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang is a super polarizing character with her uncontrollable—intentionally—personality that gets wilder with each book in the trilogy. Every reader will have different levels of patience, criteria, and connectivity with the characters of every book. I don’t need to like the main character to categorize them as well-written. Some might need it. In my opinion, when an author succeeds at making the character achieve their storytelling vision, there is a good chance I might consider that a well-written character. But it matters a lot that characters need to fit their personality, background, and nature. Development shouldn’t feel out of place. And I am sure Shean is intentionally written to make readers angry at her first. If you, like me, were pissed at her and you wanted Shean to be humbled badly, then Buchanan has executed her job. And here’s the thing… You can rest assured that, unlike Rin, and despite how insufferable Shean was throughout the first half of The Dollmakers, Shean gradually transformed into a better person. Her character arc from an anti-hero with zero sense of empathy into what she became at the latter stage of the book was rewarding if you read through the 114,000 words long book.
But for those of you readers who are worried about reading unlikable main characters for a relatively long time, fortunately The Dollmakers is not singularly told from the perspective of Shean. Even though the book contains no chapters at all, which is a rare reading experience for me, the pacing flows continuously and smoothly regardless. It proved to be a challenge for me to put down the book. Buchanan nailed the pacing incredibly well. And not to a small degree, the compelling qualities of the narrative are owed to the distinct small cast of characters. So yes, The Dollmakers is a multiple POV narrated novel. There are plenty of supporting characters, which you can tell from the beginning portions, taking the role of the POV character even if only briefly compared to Shean and one of the other main characters: Ikiisa. For me, Ikiisa is a genuinely relatable and likable character. She, too, has her own nightmares and struggles to deal with. And Ikiisa, unlike Shean, is an anti-social, anxious, and compassionate Dollmaker. Honestly, I did not feel too sad for Shean because she behaved awfully for more than 200 pages, but Ikiisa is a different story. I seriously felt saddened for her, Bobble, and her many unnamed dolls. They have dealt with so much, and Shean is not making Ikiisa's life easier. The dynamic, contrast, and development between the two main characters are integral to the storyline; they are a big reason for enhancing my investment in the story.
Picture: Ikiisa by Deandra Scicluna
As you can probably tell, I am a fan of character-driven stories, and The Dollmakers (in addition to a unique and well-established world-building) definitely counts as one. The two main characters aside, we also have Dola, Licensor Matock, Nock, Marble, and the mysterious Roque as brief POV characters. And guess what? Every single one of them was captivating to read. Above everything else, Buchanan excels at writing characters and characterizations. For example, Marble, one of Shean’s dolls, has only ONE POV sequence within the entire book, and I felt emotionally invested in the intelligence and fate of the character already. It IS one of the best moments in The Dollmakers. And that is saying a lot. My initial worry about the book containing only chapter breaks is unfounded. This format ends up being an extra amplifier for the tight storytelling. It was so effortless for me to differentiate which character's mind I was reading from, and although this is a debut novel, Buchanan's prose felt so professional and polished.
As I said, the publisher marketed The Dollmakers as a standalone novel, but in reality, it is undoubtedly the first installment in a series. And it is written like one. I have no idea whether there will be a direct sequel to The Dollmakers, or maybe the series will turn into a series of standalone novels, but from my analysis, it would be odd to not read the next title from the perspective of Shean, Ikiisa, or Roque again. As the first volume, I think the world-building has enough foundation for the next books to build upon. The history of the dollmakers, the Shod, the role of the dolls, and the Breath Mark. The potential is there, for sure. By the way, coincidence or not, Breath Mark reminded me of Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. The Breath Mark is meant to bring dolls to life. Slightly reminiscent of what Edward Elric did for his brother, Alphonse Elric, and I loved it for that. But back to my point. There are still a lot of unexplored prospects in the world-building and character's background. As it stands, the world and scope in The Dollmakers still feel relatively small, and hopefully, this will be magnified more in the sequel.
Picture: Roque by Nina Vakueva (Inkpangur)
Lastly, before I conclude this review, I want to set one more expectation right, too. The Dollmakers is not an action-oriented novel. More often than not, this is a plus for me. There is one big superbly-written action sequence well-placed near the end of the book reminiscent of Sanderson's Sanderlanche, but the vibe of the world, engaging dialogues, and characters extensively drive the narrative. And it all eventually led to a satisfying ending. So yeah, even though The Dollmakers ended satisfyingly with no cliffhanger, I am 99% confident there will be more books or sequels in the series. It is not a one-off standalone novel.
To wrap this up, I think The Dollmakers will be one of the finest fantasy debuts of the year. The bond between mentor and their apprentice is one of the most prominent elements of The Dollmakers. And on that note, some readers might know about Lynn Buchanan from some of Sanderson’s videos on YouTube. Similar to Brian McClellan, the author behind the Powder Mage series, Buchanan is one of Sanderson’s students who landed a major deal with traditional publishers. And this is not a sign that The Dollmakers is similar to Sanderson's books. Not at all. But the small and impactful lines delivered in the passages reminded me of reading the magnificent parts of Sanderson’s Cosmere books. This is only the beginning of Buchanan’s bright career. It is an exciting novel, and as far as a debut goes, I liked The Dollmakers much more than Elantris by Sanderson. With a vibrant and intriguing world where humans and dolls must work together, infused with compelling pacing and distinguishable voices of the main characters, The Dollmakers will make readers lose sleep over reading it. Will this become my number 1 favorite debut of the year? It's still too soon to tell; there are still a few more promising fantasy debuts I want to read before the end of the year. However, The Dollmakers will unquestionably earn a spot in my list of favorite books of 2024.
You can pre-order this book from: Amazon | Blackwells (Free International shipping)
The quotes in this review were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.
You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions | I also have a Booktube channel
Special thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing!
My Patrons: Alfred, Aliysa, Allana, Ambrosius, Andrew, Andrew W, Annabeth, Arliss, Barbara, Bev, Biskit, Cade, Chris, Christopher, Cullen, Dan, David, Donuts, Dylan, Edward, Elaine, Elias, Feanor, Francesca, Frank, Garrick, Gary, Gregory, Hamad, Helen, Jenn, Jesse, Joie, Jonathan, Jordan, Katrina, Kristina, Lara, Lourdes, Luis, Melinda, Michael, Michael, Mike, Miracle, Mordie, Nicholas, Norbert, Radiah, RCT, Redmischief, Samuel, Sarah, Sarah, Scott, Shawn, Steph, Stephanie, Tiffany, Tracy, Trish, TS, Wendy, Wick, Woodman, Xero, Yosi, Yuri, Zoe.
ARC provided by the author's agent in exchange for an honest review.
4.5/5 stars
The Dollmakers is guaranteed to be a contender for one of the strongest fantasy debuts of the year 2024.
“Shean enjoyed thinking. Logic was a comfort— as long as she had a plan, she had direction, a guide to follow and mull over and think and rethink until she’d thought of every possible outcome to every possible event.”
When I read The Silverblood Promise by James Logan near the end of last year, despite how much I loved it, I felt unsure at immediately declaring it as the best fantasy debut of 2024. I have no doubt it will be one of the best fantasy debuts of 2024, but the absolute favorite debut of the year? That remains to be seen because of books like The Dollmakers by Lynn Buchanan and other favorable candidates. But since I saw the concept artworks and read the premise behind The Dollmakers, I was interested instantly. The beautiful cover art by Ashley Mackenzie sealed that deal even more. It helps that the author is a big fan of Fullmetal Alchemist like I am, and unconsciously or not, I believe the love toward Fullmetal Alchemist is partly reflected in the novel as well. I will get around to that later. But before I begin my review, some of you might know about The Dollmakers from me, and you might have heard me calling this one a standalone novel. I got this notion from the official blurb listed on the Amazon page by the publisher. And I have to say, although there is no cliffhanger and the book has a satisfying ending, The Dollmakers is not a one-off standalone novel. There will be more books, or direct sequels, in the series, which I think will be titled The Fallen Peaks. Regardless of whether The Dollmakers is a standalone or not, Buchanan has delivered a well-polished and unputdownable narrative with a cast of characters with distinct voices.
Picture: Shean & Silver by Deandra Scicluna
So what’s The Dollmakers about? The Dollmakers takes place in a world centered around destructive and all-consuming monsters, and mostly, the artisans in charge of creating magical dolls designed to fight this force.
In the country called One, dollmakers are vital members of the community. An artisan’s doll is the height of society’s accomplishments, and a Guard’s doll is the only thing standing between the people of One and the Shod: vicious, cobbled monstrosities that will tear apart any structure, living or dead. One of the main characters, apprentice Shean of Pearl, is a brilliant dollmaker. With her clever dolls, she intends to outsmart and destroy the Shod once and for all—a destiny she’s worked her whole life toward accomplishing. But when the time comes for her dolls to be licensed, she’s told by Licensor Matock that her dolls are too beautiful and delicate to fight. A statement that wounds her confidence and infuriates her; the Shod killed everyone she loved. How could her fate be anything but fighting them?
To help her see a new path for herself, Shean’s mentor, Nock, sends her on a journey to the remote village called Web, urging her to glean some wisdom from Ikiisa, a reclusive and well-respected guard dollmaker. Shean will have to convince the citizens of Web of her talents and the Licensor Guild to reconsider and grant her a guard’s license. By any possible means. Even if it is done through the dirty act of deliberately cheating, scheming, and lying.
“I wanted to be a dollmaker because a dollmaker saved me. I wanted to be like my hero. I wanted to save people, just like I was saved…
The Dollmakers is a coming-of-age story with themes of ambition, revenge, letting go, dreams, and artistry done right. However, to experience the fulfillment of the narrative, Buchanan requires her readers to be patient with one of the main characters: Shean. To put it simply, for more than half of the book, Shean is an extremely arrogant, hot-headed, selfish, childish, infuriating, and unbearable character. Do not expect to fall in love with Shean quickly. The most fitting character comparison to Shean (in my opinion) is Rin from The Poppy War trilogy. Now… now… I get it. I know what you’re thinking. Some of you might be put off by this. Rin from The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang is a super polarizing character with her uncontrollable—intentionally—personality that gets wilder with each book in the trilogy. Every reader will have different levels of patience, criteria, and connectivity with the characters of every book. I don’t need to like the main character to categorize them as well-written. Some might need it. In my opinion, when an author succeeds at making the character achieve their storytelling vision, there is a good chance I might consider that a well-written character. But it matters a lot that characters need to fit their personality, background, and nature. Development shouldn’t feel out of place. And I am sure Shean is intentionally written to make readers angry at her first. If you, like me, were pissed at her and you wanted Shean to be humbled badly, then Buchanan has executed her job. And here’s the thing… You can rest assured that, unlike Rin, and despite how insufferable Shean was throughout the first half of The Dollmakers, Shean gradually transformed into a better person. Her character arc from an anti-hero with zero sense of empathy into what she became at the latter stage of the book was rewarding if you read through the 114,000 words long book.
“And if there is one thing I’ve learned from dollmaking, it’s that you can’t control the impact your dolls will have on the world around them— when I was young, my own master encouraged me to yearn for neither a guard license nor that of an artisan. Of course I had childish hopes and dreams, wishes. But I did my best to heed her advice, and by the time I was given my license I was neither particularly relieved nor disappointed by the result.”
But for those of you readers who are worried about reading unlikable main characters for a relatively long time, fortunately The Dollmakers is not singularly told from the perspective of Shean. Even though the book contains no chapters at all, which is a rare reading experience for me, the pacing flows continuously and smoothly regardless. It proved to be a challenge for me to put down the book. Buchanan nailed the pacing incredibly well. And not to a small degree, the compelling qualities of the narrative are owed to the distinct small cast of characters. So yes, The Dollmakers is a multiple POV narrated novel. There are plenty of supporting characters, which you can tell from the beginning portions, taking the role of the POV character even if only briefly compared to Shean and one of the other main characters: Ikiisa. For me, Ikiisa is a genuinely relatable and likable character. She, too, has her own nightmares and struggles to deal with. And Ikiisa, unlike Shean, is an anti-social, anxious, and compassionate Dollmaker. Honestly, I did not feel too sad for Shean because she behaved awfully for more than 200 pages, but Ikiisa is a different story. I seriously felt saddened for her, Bobble, and her many unnamed dolls. They have dealt with so much, and Shean is not making Ikiisa's life easier. The dynamic, contrast, and development between the two main characters are integral to the storyline; they are a big reason for enhancing my investment in the story.
Picture: Ikiisa by Deandra Scicluna
As you can probably tell, I am a fan of character-driven stories, and The Dollmakers (in addition to a unique and well-established world-building) definitely counts as one. The two main characters aside, we also have Dola, Licensor Matock, Nock, Marble, and the mysterious Roque as brief POV characters. And guess what? Every single one of them was captivating to read. Above everything else, Buchanan excels at writing characters and characterizations. For example, Marble, one of Shean’s dolls, has only ONE POV sequence within the entire book, and I felt emotionally invested in the intelligence and fate of the character already. It IS one of the best moments in The Dollmakers. And that is saying a lot. My initial worry about the book containing only chapter breaks is unfounded. This format ends up being an extra amplifier for the tight storytelling. It was so effortless for me to differentiate which character's mind I was reading from, and although this is a debut novel, Buchanan's prose felt so professional and polished.
“Master Coen told me once that the most dangerous part of the Shod’s existence is how they occupy people’s minds, driving out good thoughts with bad, frightened ones. Toy dolls distract from the darkness; they fill peoples’ lives with beauty and companionship.”
As I said, the publisher marketed The Dollmakers as a standalone novel, but in reality, it is undoubtedly the first installment in a series. And it is written like one. I have no idea whether there will be a direct sequel to The Dollmakers, or maybe the series will turn into a series of standalone novels, but from my analysis, it would be odd to not read the next title from the perspective of Shean, Ikiisa, or Roque again. As the first volume, I think the world-building has enough foundation for the next books to build upon. The history of the dollmakers, the Shod, the role of the dolls, and the Breath Mark. The potential is there, for sure. By the way, coincidence or not, Breath Mark reminded me of Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. The Breath Mark is meant to bring dolls to life. Slightly reminiscent of what Edward Elric did for his brother, Alphonse Elric, and I loved it for that. But back to my point. There are still a lot of unexplored prospects in the world-building and character's background. As it stands, the world and scope in The Dollmakers still feel relatively small, and hopefully, this will be magnified more in the sequel.
Picture: Roque by Nina Vakueva (Inkpangur)
Lastly, before I conclude this review, I want to set one more expectation right, too. The Dollmakers is not an action-oriented novel. More often than not, this is a plus for me. There is one big superbly-written action sequence well-placed near the end of the book reminiscent of Sanderson's Sanderlanche, but the vibe of the world, engaging dialogues, and characters extensively drive the narrative. And it all eventually led to a satisfying ending. So yeah, even though The Dollmakers ended satisfyingly with no cliffhanger, I am 99% confident there will be more books or sequels in the series. It is not a one-off standalone novel.
“There comes a time when all other voices must be blocked from your mind, a time when you must turn inward and ask yourself who you are, what you want, and how you can best achieve those goals. No one can do that for you. I should’ve told you that years ago.”
To wrap this up, I think The Dollmakers will be one of the finest fantasy debuts of the year. The bond between mentor and their apprentice is one of the most prominent elements of The Dollmakers. And on that note, some readers might know about Lynn Buchanan from some of Sanderson’s videos on YouTube. Similar to Brian McClellan, the author behind the Powder Mage series, Buchanan is one of Sanderson’s students who landed a major deal with traditional publishers. And this is not a sign that The Dollmakers is similar to Sanderson's books. Not at all. But the small and impactful lines delivered in the passages reminded me of reading the magnificent parts of Sanderson’s Cosmere books. This is only the beginning of Buchanan’s bright career. It is an exciting novel, and as far as a debut goes, I liked The Dollmakers much more than Elantris by Sanderson. With a vibrant and intriguing world where humans and dolls must work together, infused with compelling pacing and distinguishable voices of the main characters, The Dollmakers will make readers lose sleep over reading it. Will this become my number 1 favorite debut of the year? It's still too soon to tell; there are still a few more promising fantasy debuts I want to read before the end of the year. However, The Dollmakers will unquestionably earn a spot in my list of favorite books of 2024.
"I was raised to believe I could do anything I set my mind to, even if that 'doing' included perceived failures and the discovery that I do not, in fact, possess every talent known to mankind. 'Doing' doesn’t always mean succeeding. But the only true failure is never trying in the first place."—Lynn Buchanan
You can pre-order this book from: Amazon | Blackwells (Free International shipping)
The quotes in this review were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.
You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions | I also have a Booktube channel
Special thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing!
My Patrons: Alfred, Aliysa, Allana, Ambrosius, Andrew, Andrew W, Annabeth, Arliss, Barbara, Bev, Biskit, Cade, Chris, Christopher, Cullen, Dan, David, Donuts, Dylan, Edward, Elaine, Elias, Feanor, Francesca, Frank, Garrick, Gary, Gregory, Hamad, Helen, Jenn, Jesse, Joie, Jonathan, Jordan, Katrina, Kristina, Lara, Lourdes, Luis, Melinda, Michael, Michael, Mike, Miracle, Mordie, Nicholas, Norbert, Radiah, RCT, Redmischief, Samuel, Sarah, Sarah, Scott, Shawn, Steph, Stephanie, Tiffany, Tracy, Trish, TS, Wendy, Wick, Woodman, Xero, Yosi, Yuri, Zoe.
April 17, 2024
I was fortunate enough to receive an ARC. Little more can there be said than that I thoroughly enjoyed it.
The protagonist is (intentionally) frustrating and does something in the book you can only view as heartless, but I appreciate the depth she was given, and the dedication to exploring her flaws. The characters that really hit you are the ones around her—Ikiisa and Roque—though they do eventually get their own POVs which brings a great variety to the story.
Dollmakers is placed in a peculiar world I want to explore more of, especially because the story dangles a number of worldbuilding/narrative questions but never quite gets around to answering them. However, this is also because the story is tight and direct. It does not waste your time. It drags us into the world of these characters and focuses on giving us a fast-paced, driven, exciting story more than it does the worldbuilding. It's an adventure in so many ways—the kind of which I've not had the privilege to read in a long time.
I absolutely adore the dolls. Each one is full of personality, and they arise from a fantastic magic system—soft, but with plenty of depth. They wrench your heartstrings; they make you smile. I have always loved art-based magic systems, and this story goes a step further to explore the divergence between what we want for our art and perhaps what the world—or even our art itself—wants to be. These questions are something every artist must contend with as we grow, change, and develop our skills.
Dollmakers has laid the seeds of epic fantasy, though it is a smaller story. Most of the book centres around the fate of one village basically nobody has heard of. I don't know which direction Buchanan will take the series—whether to expand it massively, delve into its deep lore and hints of a strange history and outside world, or whether she will keep to these smaller, intimate, character-driven stories which slowly build out the world.
The only downside I saw in the story was its predictability. A number of the plot developments can be called from a long way off from the clues Buchanan gives us, but that may be intentional. There is also a point in the story where a major development is spelled out 3 times by 3 character POVs in a row in an order I felt myself questioning. This is a minor critique and did not impact my enjoyment of the story.
All in all, I recommend it to people who love art-based magic systems, fast-paced character driven fantasy, and fresh writing styles.
The protagonist is (intentionally) frustrating and does something in the book you can only view as heartless, but I appreciate the depth she was given, and the dedication to exploring her flaws. The characters that really hit you are the ones around her—Ikiisa and Roque—though they do eventually get their own POVs which brings a great variety to the story.
Dollmakers is placed in a peculiar world I want to explore more of, especially because the story dangles a number of worldbuilding/narrative questions but never quite gets around to answering them. However, this is also because the story is tight and direct. It does not waste your time. It drags us into the world of these characters and focuses on giving us a fast-paced, driven, exciting story more than it does the worldbuilding. It's an adventure in so many ways—the kind of which I've not had the privilege to read in a long time.
I absolutely adore the dolls. Each one is full of personality, and they arise from a fantastic magic system—soft, but with plenty of depth. They wrench your heartstrings; they make you smile. I have always loved art-based magic systems, and this story goes a step further to explore the divergence between what we want for our art and perhaps what the world—or even our art itself—wants to be. These questions are something every artist must contend with as we grow, change, and develop our skills.
Dollmakers has laid the seeds of epic fantasy, though it is a smaller story. Most of the book centres around the fate of one village basically nobody has heard of. I don't know which direction Buchanan will take the series—whether to expand it massively, delve into its deep lore and hints of a strange history and outside world, or whether she will keep to these smaller, intimate, character-driven stories which slowly build out the world.
The only downside I saw in the story was its predictability. A number of the plot developments can be called from a long way off from the clues Buchanan gives us, but that may be intentional. There is also a point in the story where a major development is spelled out 3 times by 3 character POVs in a row in an order I felt myself questioning. This is a minor critique and did not impact my enjoyment of the story.
All in all, I recommend it to people who love art-based magic systems, fast-paced character driven fantasy, and fresh writing styles.
August 20, 2024
Thanks, I hate it.
Rtc
*I received this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.*
I can see why some readers are going to love Dollmakers, but for me the reading experience was painful – and culminated in an ending I found completely maddening.
Painful, because Buchanan’s prose is constantly jarring, with clumsy rhythm and terribly awkward phrasing.
Is. Is anyone going to tell Buchanan that hail doesn’t tear through wood???
If these examples don’t bother you, great! You shouldn’t have a problem with the prose. Lucky you. I honestly don’t know why I kept reading – I think I was waiting for it to get as beautiful as its cover.
Never happened.
I don’t want to talk about the plot, because it’s mostly quite predictable – long-time Fantasy readers will see the two biggest reveals coming from a mile away. But I do want to rant talk about how stupid and not-thought through the ending was, as well as how horrible the implications of the third big reveal are and how no one in the book cares.
All of this – and all the other, more minor inconsistencies and stupid things – itch like a hundred mosquito bites, and I am so freaking angry about it. Were there some very cool moments? Yes. Did it make some beautiful mind-pictures in my head? Yes. If worldbuilding that doesn’t fit together doesn’t bother you, you may very well enjoy The Dollmakers. Maybe you can enjoy the very half-assed plot, and the vague, shallow characters. But as far as I’m concerned, this was poorly written, poorly thought-out, and painful to read. I should have DNFed it, and I really think you should skip it.
Rtc
*I received this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.*
I can see why some readers are going to love Dollmakers, but for me the reading experience was painful – and culminated in an ending I found completely maddening.
Painful, because Buchanan’s prose is constantly jarring, with clumsy rhythm and terribly awkward phrasing.
Striving in their wrong, violent way to be repaired, healed.
Ikiisa didn’t know what to do, which was why, outside of running, she hadn’t done anything yet.
his limbs had displayed the violence of trampling.
ripping through [the district] like hail through wood
Is. Is anyone going to tell Buchanan that hail doesn’t tear through wood???
the tight grip she had on Shean’s hand relentless, compelling her to run faster
If these examples don’t bother you, great! You shouldn’t have a problem with the prose. Lucky you. I honestly don’t know why I kept reading – I think I was waiting for it to get as beautiful as its cover.
Never happened.
I don’t want to talk about the plot, because it’s mostly quite predictable – long-time Fantasy readers will see the two biggest reveals coming from a mile away. But I do want to rant talk about how stupid and not-thought through the ending was, as well as how horrible the implications of the third big reveal are and how no one in the book cares.
All of this – and all the other, more minor inconsistencies and stupid things – itch like a hundred mosquito bites, and I am so freaking angry about it. Were there some very cool moments? Yes. Did it make some beautiful mind-pictures in my head? Yes. If worldbuilding that doesn’t fit together doesn’t bother you, you may very well enjoy The Dollmakers. Maybe you can enjoy the very half-assed plot, and the vague, shallow characters. But as far as I’m concerned, this was poorly written, poorly thought-out, and painful to read. I should have DNFed it, and I really think you should skip it.
March 3, 2025
3.5 stars 🌟🌟🌟💫!
“Dollmakers" by Lynn Buchanan is a tale set in the land of One, where dollmakers hold great power. The story follows Shean and Ikiisa, two characters that are hard to like.
Shean is a skilled dollmaker, but she is cold and stern. She cares more for her dolls than for real people. Her past is full of pain, and she hides it well. Shean's pride and harsh ways make her hard to root for.
Ikiisa is a guard dollmaker, reclusive and quiet. She has faced years of hurt and feels small and invisible. Ikiisa struggles to stand up for herself. Her timid nature makes her seem weak, though she has a kind heart.
I wonder if the author was inspired by teenaged children in her own life because she was able to write two really unlikeable and tortured girl characters with a fair amount of realism. Their awkwardness, emotional outbursts, inward reclusiveness, inferiority complex, pride, anger, anxiety are all emotions you will see and feel on these pages with these girls. I was not a fan of these girls, being a father to two, albeit much nicer and confident, teenagers myself. Buchanan showcases the worst behavior in both these girls. Obviously redemption comes in the end but I felt tortured throughout the story.
The plot moves with slow steps, each page a peek into their dark world. The dolls they make seem more real, more human than they do. The tale dives deep into their lives, full of pain and hurt.
There is a borderline horror element but nothing too scary, as you might imagine with dolls that come alive.
Dollmakers’ flaws make them real, but clearly hard to love. This adds to the tale’s depth, but also its chill. "Dollmakers" is a grim and stark read with an unlikeable main cast.
“Dollmakers" by Lynn Buchanan is a tale set in the land of One, where dollmakers hold great power. The story follows Shean and Ikiisa, two characters that are hard to like.
Shean is a skilled dollmaker, but she is cold and stern. She cares more for her dolls than for real people. Her past is full of pain, and she hides it well. Shean's pride and harsh ways make her hard to root for.
Ikiisa is a guard dollmaker, reclusive and quiet. She has faced years of hurt and feels small and invisible. Ikiisa struggles to stand up for herself. Her timid nature makes her seem weak, though she has a kind heart.
I wonder if the author was inspired by teenaged children in her own life because she was able to write two really unlikeable and tortured girl characters with a fair amount of realism. Their awkwardness, emotional outbursts, inward reclusiveness, inferiority complex, pride, anger, anxiety are all emotions you will see and feel on these pages with these girls. I was not a fan of these girls, being a father to two, albeit much nicer and confident, teenagers myself. Buchanan showcases the worst behavior in both these girls. Obviously redemption comes in the end but I felt tortured throughout the story.
The plot moves with slow steps, each page a peek into their dark world. The dolls they make seem more real, more human than they do. The tale dives deep into their lives, full of pain and hurt.
There is a borderline horror element but nothing too scary, as you might imagine with dolls that come alive.
Dollmakers’ flaws make them real, but clearly hard to love. This adds to the tale’s depth, but also its chill. "Dollmakers" is a grim and stark read with an unlikeable main cast.
August 14, 2024
8/14/24 - I received my copy from Amazon last night, and the artwork is amazing!!
This novel is, in a word, brilliant. If I created a world half as detailed as the one in “The Dollmakers”, I’d be thrilled. I was fully immersed in the story from the very beginning, even with a character that is hard to like. The intro scene packs a punch, and you will be as shocked as the characters who witnessed it. It gets better and better from there.
I was enthralled with the lore, languages, countries and peoples—I want to explore all the other lands, not just One!
I just…I can’t stop raving about this book. It’s phenomenal. This is fantasy at its best. It deserves a full five stars.
I have only two complaints, and the first one is more of an “aw, shucks”: The artwork wasn’t finished in time for the eARC that I received (which is totally understandable, and I did buy the physical book anyway—look at that gorgeous cover!!), and I please, please, please want this to not be a standalone because I need more!! Please write additional stories set in this wonderful, fantastical world!!
Also, a note to the author, I don’t know if you’re doing a book tour, but if you are, please come to Sacramento! I would love to have you sign my copy. 😄
Did I convince you yet? Go get this book!!
My sincere thanks to NetGalley, Harper Voyager and Lynn Buchanan for the complimentary copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
This novel is, in a word, brilliant. If I created a world half as detailed as the one in “The Dollmakers”, I’d be thrilled. I was fully immersed in the story from the very beginning, even with a character that is hard to like. The intro scene packs a punch, and you will be as shocked as the characters who witnessed it. It gets better and better from there.
I was enthralled with the lore, languages, countries and peoples—I want to explore all the other lands, not just One!
I just…I can’t stop raving about this book. It’s phenomenal. This is fantasy at its best. It deserves a full five stars.
I have only two complaints, and the first one is more of an “aw, shucks”: The artwork wasn’t finished in time for the eARC that I received (which is totally understandable, and I did buy the physical book anyway—look at that gorgeous cover!!), and I please, please, please want this to not be a standalone because I need more!! Please write additional stories set in this wonderful, fantastical world!!
Also, a note to the author, I don’t know if you’re doing a book tour, but if you are, please come to Sacramento! I would love to have you sign my copy. 😄
Did I convince you yet? Go get this book!!
My sincere thanks to NetGalley, Harper Voyager and Lynn Buchanan for the complimentary copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
December 17, 2024
I NEED MORE PEOPLE TO READ THIS PLEASE.
No matter what they looked like, dolls weren't people. Dolls were tools, the creations of dollmakers, meant to either keep the Shod at bay (monstrous creatures attracted to beauty and capable of mass devastation) or to look pretty.
Shean is a masterful apprentice dollmaker, but her temper costs her a licence after she was told her craft was suited to artisan rather than guards. Her life’s desire has been to create dolls that are clever enough to defeat the Shod.
Determined to prove herself, she sets out to achieve her goals by any means necessary.
Shean is a really hard character to like. She is selfish, self-centred, vain, and very childish. Normally this would irritate me, yet Buchanan’s writing is masterful and you are drawn into the story which is aided by the incorporation of other POVs who are lot more sensible and are able to show Shean’s recklessness and twisted charm.
There is a small cast, yet this complements the incredible character development achieved.
Ask yourself who you are, what you want, and how you can best ahieve those goals.
Buchanan is a student of Sanderson and you can tell this. Her worldbuilding is incredible and the implications are immense. There are even illustrations throughout which added to this darker Studio Ghibli vibes.
Whilst not everything is answered in this book, I was left feeling satisfied. That being said, I would LOVE more books in the world, maybe centring on Roque? Please?
If you liked books like Asunder, The Emperours Soul, T Kingfisher; you will love this!
Bookstagram
No matter what they looked like, dolls weren't people. Dolls were tools, the creations of dollmakers, meant to either keep the Shod at bay (monstrous creatures attracted to beauty and capable of mass devastation) or to look pretty.
Shean is a masterful apprentice dollmaker, but her temper costs her a licence after she was told her craft was suited to artisan rather than guards. Her life’s desire has been to create dolls that are clever enough to defeat the Shod.
Determined to prove herself, she sets out to achieve her goals by any means necessary.
Shean is a really hard character to like. She is selfish, self-centred, vain, and very childish. Normally this would irritate me, yet Buchanan’s writing is masterful and you are drawn into the story which is aided by the incorporation of other POVs who are lot more sensible and are able to show Shean’s recklessness and twisted charm.
There is a small cast, yet this complements the incredible character development achieved.
Ask yourself who you are, what you want, and how you can best ahieve those goals.
Buchanan is a student of Sanderson and you can tell this. Her worldbuilding is incredible and the implications are immense. There are even illustrations throughout which added to this darker Studio Ghibli vibes.
Whilst not everything is answered in this book, I was left feeling satisfied. That being said, I would LOVE more books in the world, maybe centring on Roque? Please?
If you liked books like Asunder, The Emperours Soul, T Kingfisher; you will love this!
Bookstagram
July 23, 2024
I don’t know who is paying people to give this book 5-star reviews, but my check clearly got lost in the mail.
I do not care for this book at all. I tried my best to plow through and finish it, but I only made it about 200 pages. I hate Shean—I’m sure she’s supposed to grow as a character and stop being a terrible human at some point, but I’m halfway through the book and I’m not seeing any indication of her future character development. And at this point, I’m actually not invested in her personal growth enough to keep going.
I don’t feel attached to or even particularly care for a single character, I don’t know how this book can end in a way that feels satisfactory, and it should be ILLEGAL to write a book with no chapters.
I do not care for this book at all. I tried my best to plow through and finish it, but I only made it about 200 pages. I hate Shean—I’m sure she’s supposed to grow as a character and stop being a terrible human at some point, but I’m halfway through the book and I’m not seeing any indication of her future character development. And at this point, I’m actually not invested in her personal growth enough to keep going.
I don’t feel attached to or even particularly care for a single character, I don’t know how this book can end in a way that feels satisfactory, and it should be ILLEGAL to write a book with no chapters.
April 21, 2025
Yep - a solid 5 stars. My first one since Feb 0f 2024. Dollmakers will be added to my very short list of all-time favorites. I freaking loved it. Full RTC.
December 3, 2024
3.5 ⭐️
Shean è solo una bambina quando sopravvive alla Marea Rossa, un’invasione del regno a opera degli Shod, mostruosità deformi che portano alla distruzione della sua città e al massacro della sua famiglia.
La giovane decide quindi di diventare una Creatrice di Bambole, gli unici esseri in grado di respingere gli attacchi degli Shod. Giunta all’esame finale, Shean viene però decretata Artigiana, e le sue Bambole, troppo belle e delicate, inadatte al combattimento. Un destino che Shean rifiuta : disposta a tutto pur di realizzare ciò che desidera, dovrà intraprendere un viaggio alla scoperta di un segreto in grado di cambiare il mondo.
PRO
- Il sistema magico, basato sull’intagliare una bambola e donarle vita mediante un Marchio così da piegarla al volere del creatore, è originale, ben congegnato e resta un costante punto fermo della storia;
- La trama è pregna di misteri e arricchita da un “sense of wonder” che traspare da ogni pagina;
- Il ritmo del racconto, sebbene un po’ scostante nella prima parte, accelera a partire dalla metà del romanzo e tiene incollati alla storia;
- Il worldbuilding, di ispirazione vagamente cino-giapponese, presenta aspetti interessanti e riesce a catturare l’attenzione, incuriosendo grazie ai dettagli messi in campo...
CONTRO
- ... che avrebbero meritato, tuttavia, uno spazio maggiore in alcuni momenti, dove l’accenno iniziale resta un po’ troppo fumoso;
- Sebbene lo stile dell’autrice sia pulito e nel complesso diretto, la narrazione abbonda di infodump: più volte traspare il desiderio di spiegare “tutto e subito”, quasi per paura che il lettore possa perdersi qualche dettaglio.
I suddetti vengono troppo spesso inseriti in momenti il cui ritmo necessiterebbe di tutto fuorché di un crollo improvviso;
- Il romanzo viene venduto come uno stand-alone, ma non lo è affatto: viene sì concluso l’arco di trasformazione della protagonista, ma la maggior parte degli enigmi e il conflitto col nemico principale restano del tutto irrisolti.
---
The Dollmakers è la perfetta rappresentazione dell’occasione sprecata: se l’autrice si fosse presa un po’ più di spazio e il marketing avesse accennato fin da subito alla necessità di completare la storia con un seguito (o più di uno), il risultato finale avrebbe avuto tutt’altro sapore.
Resta un esordio convincente, dotato di spunti interessanti, impreziosito da un sistema magico originale e da una protagonista complessa, stratificata e tutt’altro che scontata.
Nella speranza che un seguito possa risultare meno infodump-dipendente, resta una lettura in grado di donare soddisfazione.
Shean è solo una bambina quando sopravvive alla Marea Rossa, un’invasione del regno a opera degli Shod, mostruosità deformi che portano alla distruzione della sua città e al massacro della sua famiglia.
La giovane decide quindi di diventare una Creatrice di Bambole, gli unici esseri in grado di respingere gli attacchi degli Shod. Giunta all’esame finale, Shean viene però decretata Artigiana, e le sue Bambole, troppo belle e delicate, inadatte al combattimento. Un destino che Shean rifiuta : disposta a tutto pur di realizzare ciò che desidera, dovrà intraprendere un viaggio alla scoperta di un segreto in grado di cambiare il mondo.
PRO
- Il sistema magico, basato sull’intagliare una bambola e donarle vita mediante un Marchio così da piegarla al volere del creatore, è originale, ben congegnato e resta un costante punto fermo della storia;
- La trama è pregna di misteri e arricchita da un “sense of wonder” che traspare da ogni pagina;
- Il ritmo del racconto, sebbene un po’ scostante nella prima parte, accelera a partire dalla metà del romanzo e tiene incollati alla storia;
- Il worldbuilding, di ispirazione vagamente cino-giapponese, presenta aspetti interessanti e riesce a catturare l’attenzione, incuriosendo grazie ai dettagli messi in campo...
CONTRO
- ... che avrebbero meritato, tuttavia, uno spazio maggiore in alcuni momenti, dove l’accenno iniziale resta un po’ troppo fumoso;
- Sebbene lo stile dell’autrice sia pulito e nel complesso diretto, la narrazione abbonda di infodump: più volte traspare il desiderio di spiegare “tutto e subito”, quasi per paura che il lettore possa perdersi qualche dettaglio.
I suddetti vengono troppo spesso inseriti in momenti il cui ritmo necessiterebbe di tutto fuorché di un crollo improvviso;
- Il romanzo viene venduto come uno stand-alone, ma non lo è affatto: viene sì concluso l’arco di trasformazione della protagonista, ma la maggior parte degli enigmi e il conflitto col nemico principale restano del tutto irrisolti.
---
The Dollmakers è la perfetta rappresentazione dell’occasione sprecata: se l’autrice si fosse presa un po’ più di spazio e il marketing avesse accennato fin da subito alla necessità di completare la storia con un seguito (o più di uno), il risultato finale avrebbe avuto tutt’altro sapore.
Resta un esordio convincente, dotato di spunti interessanti, impreziosito da un sistema magico originale e da una protagonista complessa, stratificata e tutt’altro che scontata.
Nella speranza che un seguito possa risultare meno infodump-dipendente, resta una lettura in grado di donare soddisfazione.
June 12, 2024
I received this book from the Goodreads Giveaways, and I really wanted to love it, but sad to say, I just didn't.
The setup for why our unlikeable protagonist is the way she is was very well done, but her transformation wasn't believable, probably because she spent far too long being frustrating and annoying. The "romance," and I use the word loosely, was tacked on and not believable, and the male half paternalistic and stereotypical. Not to mention that he was the only character described as having dark skin and is somewhat magical. Really, all of the characters were annoying and one-note aside from Bobble. I love Bobble.
There are some very cool concepts hidden in here, but overall the world-building was extremely lazy. I actually was able to guess every single mystery and plot twist correctly before I was a third of the way into the book based solely on the information telegraphed by the world-building. The "a Y called X" conceit of talking about places got old very, very quickly, and the names of places are, well, juvenile (the town is called Web because it's known for spiders...). Honestly, this is labelled as adult fantasy but it reads very YA to me.
There's a lot more I could say (I took twelve pages of notes!!!), but honestly, that's the gist of my feelings about everything, more detail seems redundant. All in all, judging by the other reviews, this book has an audience who will love it, but unfortunately I'm not part of it.
The setup for why our unlikeable protagonist is the way she is was very well done, but her transformation wasn't believable, probably because she spent far too long being frustrating and annoying. The "romance," and I use the word loosely, was tacked on and not believable, and the male half paternalistic and stereotypical. Not to mention that he was the only character described as having dark skin and is somewhat magical. Really, all of the characters were annoying and one-note aside from Bobble. I love Bobble.
There are some very cool concepts hidden in here, but overall the world-building was extremely lazy. I actually was able to guess every single mystery and plot twist correctly before I was a third of the way into the book based solely on the information telegraphed by the world-building. The "a Y called X" conceit of talking about places got old very, very quickly, and the names of places are, well, juvenile (the town is called Web because it's known for spiders...). Honestly, this is labelled as adult fantasy but it reads very YA to me.
There's a lot more I could say (I took twelve pages of notes!!!), but honestly, that's the gist of my feelings about everything, more detail seems redundant. All in all, judging by the other reviews, this book has an audience who will love it, but unfortunately I'm not part of it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 19, 2024
A promising debut novel badly represented by both the one/two stars reviews and the five stars ones. Being an imperfect author when one's publishing something for the very first time of their existence makes sense. Having influences stand out a lot when one starts building one's own universe makes sense (said influences being a lot closer to Warbreaker meets very soft horror than they are to the weird mix the editor went with, by the way). People seem to forget how their favourite fantasy authors debuted ─ their reviews comparing Buchanan's first stepping stone to Sanderson's or Pratchett's (or whoever their reference for fantasy is) full fortresses ─, and it's quite unfair when there's so much indication that she's building towards an interesting future voice. Let people start their journey, without too high praises nor too harsh judgments.
For my part, I found the story compelling and the decision to have a protagonist who is difficult to like and whose actions can't be approved of to be quite audacious for a debut novel. And Buchanan handled this choice with great talent, balancing Shean with other POV characters and making sure the way she behaved made perfect sense with her background. The fact that she learns something during her arc without drastically changing is also commendable in my views, as too often authors don't seem to stand by their characters and make them turn over a new leaf as soon as possible.
The ending had some flaws and soured my reading experience a bit, but I also remember how problematic and weak some choices where in the first installments of my favourite universes so I'm willing to wait and see for what Buchanan does next with this world. I do hope she strays away from how heavily similar to Sanderson's Hoid and Vasher her Roque is, in attitudes, goals, and means, but I'm convinced she will find her footing quite quickly. The only thing I'm truly pained by is the fact she doesn't seem to plan to explore the dolls outside of this one-shot, as they are her most intriguing idea with a lot of possibilities for build up and in-world evolution. I hope she will adjust her goal a little, and take into consideration how necessary it is for her characters to question what they're doing to . But, just as Sanderson's writing as become more and more complex, profound, and determined to address the problematic aspects of the Cosmere heads on, I'm convinced letting Buchanan grow as an author will lead to similar results. She is, after all, quite young still and should be allowed to make mistakes and to explore what she wants people to take away from her stories. I, for one, will be sure to check whatever she publishes next.
For my part, I found the story compelling and the decision to have a protagonist who is difficult to like and whose actions can't be approved of to be quite audacious for a debut novel. And Buchanan handled this choice with great talent, balancing Shean with other POV characters and making sure the way she behaved made perfect sense with her background. The fact that she learns something during her arc without drastically changing is also commendable in my views, as too often authors don't seem to stand by their characters and make them turn over a new leaf as soon as possible.
The ending had some flaws and soured my reading experience a bit, but I also remember how problematic and weak some choices where in the first installments of my favourite universes so I'm willing to wait and see for what Buchanan does next with this world. I do hope she strays away from how heavily similar to Sanderson's Hoid and Vasher her Roque is, in attitudes, goals, and means, but I'm convinced she will find her footing quite quickly. The only thing I'm truly pained by is the fact she doesn't seem to plan to explore the dolls outside of this one-shot, as they are her most intriguing idea with a lot of possibilities for build up and in-world evolution. I hope she will adjust her goal a little, and take into consideration how necessary it is for her characters to question what they're doing to . But, just as Sanderson's writing as become more and more complex, profound, and determined to address the problematic aspects of the Cosmere heads on, I'm convinced letting Buchanan grow as an author will lead to similar results. She is, after all, quite young still and should be allowed to make mistakes and to explore what she wants people to take away from her stories. I, for one, will be sure to check whatever she publishes next.
August 13, 2024
I decided to read The Dollmakers on a whim because 1) it has a gorgeous cover and 2) it gave me M3GAN meets Stepford Wives vibes.
This story follows Shean of Pearl, an apprentice dollmaker who creates clever dolls that are truly a work of art. However, when she is assigned to be an artisan dollmaker instead of a guard dollmarker, Shean is determined to prove everyone that her dolls are ready to combat the evil Shod and not just serve as children’s toys.
Buchanan does a fantastic job of creating an immersive world where the craftsmanship of dolls that function independently reigns supreme. I loved the attention to detail to how the dolls are crafted as well as their utility in different circumstances.
I absolutely loved Shean. She is arrogant, headstrong, and persistent. No matter the challenges that she presented with, Shean powers through, even when she is dead wrong lol. That being said, Shean has a lot to learn, so watching her character grow and develop was awesome.
Lastly, while I am a huge fan of romance, I don’t always want it to be front and center in EVERY fantasy book that I read, so I enjoyed that in this book. Yes, there is a love interest, but it by no means is a focal point of the story.
Thank you to Harper Voyager for providing a review copy.
This story follows Shean of Pearl, an apprentice dollmaker who creates clever dolls that are truly a work of art. However, when she is assigned to be an artisan dollmaker instead of a guard dollmarker, Shean is determined to prove everyone that her dolls are ready to combat the evil Shod and not just serve as children’s toys.
Buchanan does a fantastic job of creating an immersive world where the craftsmanship of dolls that function independently reigns supreme. I loved the attention to detail to how the dolls are crafted as well as their utility in different circumstances.
I absolutely loved Shean. She is arrogant, headstrong, and persistent. No matter the challenges that she presented with, Shean powers through, even when she is dead wrong lol. That being said, Shean has a lot to learn, so watching her character grow and develop was awesome.
Lastly, while I am a huge fan of romance, I don’t always want it to be front and center in EVERY fantasy book that I read, so I enjoyed that in this book. Yes, there is a love interest, but it by no means is a focal point of the story.
Thank you to Harper Voyager for providing a review copy.
October 21, 2024
DNF at 12%.
Look, I think it wonderful that Brandon Sanderson encourages his employees to write and publish their books, but would a little bit of objectivity kill him?
The best thing about this book is the prose. Definitely a talent there, needs some work.
What is unbearable is the MC. A 21 year old women throwing a temper tantrum for hours on end, destroying an entire room and punching the licensing authority so hard that the face is heavily damaged - you can't come back from there; even if you plan to develop said MC to "grow" until the end of the story. (Sidenote: why is this a "hysterical" woman that needs reigning in? Stereotype much?) These are the scenes the book starts with and we all know that the introduction of a MC sets the expectations of the audience.
The quite banal literal naming of places like Pearl for a city where - you guessed it - pearls are harvested, the One for the one country etc. is really grating. Uninspired, even.
The introduction of the dolls, particularly the first one - I have a hunch that it is very well known, that the dolls are sentient - can't say for sure, because DNF at 12%, and are kept in a kind of servitude/slavery by being compelled to follow their masters orders. This doesn't sit well with me. Maybe this will be resolved satisfactorily, but from what I have read so far, I wouldn't bet on it.
Look, I think it wonderful that Brandon Sanderson encourages his employees to write and publish their books, but would a little bit of objectivity kill him?
The best thing about this book is the prose. Definitely a talent there, needs some work.
What is unbearable is the MC. A 21 year old women throwing a temper tantrum for hours on end, destroying an entire room and punching the licensing authority so hard that the face is heavily damaged - you can't come back from there; even if you plan to develop said MC to "grow" until the end of the story. (Sidenote: why is this a "hysterical" woman that needs reigning in? Stereotype much?) These are the scenes the book starts with and we all know that the introduction of a MC sets the expectations of the audience.
The quite banal literal naming of places like Pearl for a city where - you guessed it - pearls are harvested, the One for the one country etc. is really grating. Uninspired, even.
The introduction of the dolls, particularly the first one - I have a hunch that it is very well known, that the dolls are sentient - can't say for sure, because DNF at 12%, and are kept in a kind of servitude/slavery by being compelled to follow their masters orders. This doesn't sit well with me. Maybe this will be resolved satisfactorily, but from what I have read so far, I wouldn't bet on it.
May 28, 2024
Brilliant, captivating , and stunningly written!
I was captivated from the first chapter.
From the world building to character development. It is easy to fall in love with the characters and this detailed world that Buchanan has written.
The story of shaping our destiny that seems to be already written for us. The journey to finding oneself and purpose.
Delicious fantasy debut Novel!
Love, love, love!
I was captivated from the first chapter.
From the world building to character development. It is easy to fall in love with the characters and this detailed world that Buchanan has written.
The story of shaping our destiny that seems to be already written for us. The journey to finding oneself and purpose.
Delicious fantasy debut Novel!
Love, love, love!
November 28, 2025
3,5
Bardzo spoko i solidna pozycja z ciekawą fabułą toczącą się wokół ożywionych lalek oraz walki z pewnymi istotami, atakującymi ludzi.
Zdecydowanie widać potencjał na kolejne części. Aż mi szkoda, że nie zżyłam się za bardzo z bohaterami, i to nie dlatego, że początkowo nasza protagonistka to arogancka gówniara z przerośniętym ego XD Być może rozwinięcie serii spowodowałoby, że przywiązałabym się bardziej.
Na ten moment daję okejkę.
Bardzo spoko i solidna pozycja z ciekawą fabułą toczącą się wokół ożywionych lalek oraz walki z pewnymi istotami, atakującymi ludzi.
Zdecydowanie widać potencjał na kolejne części. Aż mi szkoda, że nie zżyłam się za bardzo z bohaterami, i to nie dlatego, że początkowo nasza protagonistka to arogancka gówniara z przerośniętym ego XD Być może rozwinięcie serii spowodowałoby, że przywiązałabym się bardziej.
Na ten moment daję okejkę.
August 17, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions within are my own.
RATING AND OVERALL THOUGHTS:
1 star. I DNF’d 12% into the novel. I unfortunately could not get further into the story with the way the FMC was introduced and acted in the brief time I read. This book was not for me but it maybe for other readers that have more… patience than I do to see it unfold.
SOME SPOILERS AHEAD
---
“Delicate doesn’t mean weak.”
WHAT I LOVED:
- The descriptions of the dolls were very vivid and I could *feel* the care the fictional dollmakers put into them. That is unfortunately the only good thing I can say about this novel.
WHAT I DISLIKED:
- It was super lyrical, which isn’t a problem, while also having no substance, which *is* a problem. Names, places, and events were introduced without actually describing *what* they were in a way that allowed you to get an actual mental picture of it or what it really means to the characters. This might be hindered by having an eARC with no illustrations like the print edition has but I still feel like the writing needs to stand on its own in that regard and it doesn’t.
- The beginning spent pages repeating how bored Maton, the licenser, and Nock, her mentor, were while they waited *hours* for Shean to show up for her *own* dollmaking licensing exam. It was not the best introduction to suck me into the world.
- Shean. In the very brief time she is on page she is, quite literally, a nightmare. The moment she steps onto the page she is arrogant and cocky. Thats fine, I can handle that especially if she has a reason to be with the status of the best apprentice Master Nock has ever had, we can *grow* from that. What we *can’t* grow from is a twenty something FMC physically restraining the licenser after a disappointing result, then PUNCHING HER when she won’t rightfully change it, and THEN throwing a literal childlike tantrum complete with destroying her own bedroom because she got told “no.” I was done soon after that point. I saw nothing appealing about watching an ADULT acting like that and did not see how this was supposed to in any way inspire the reader to watch the FMC grow from here. I could understand if Shean had just refused the artisan license and left. I could understand if she was justifiably frustrated and feeling lost. I could understand (even if its childish) if she started trashing her room in anger from those feelings but what I can’t understand is the physical assault from a grown adult.
- The exam. There was a lot of build up to it, anticipation during it, and then it fell so flat from that last question that I had to reread twice to make sure I didn’t miss anything. In 500 years, no apprenticing dollmaker has thought to ask their dolls their purpose? No one outside of licensers with their super secret question has ever thought to command their dolls to have the desire to *be* a guard doll? The dolls aren’t even supposed to be anything other than what their dollmakers *command* them to be. Maybe this was setting up plot points for later on but the execution of it left a lot to be desired.
WHAT I AM NOT SURE ABOUT/WANTED MORE OF:
- The premise and the inspiration was there, it had the elements of an unique concept.
- I can see the relation to Studio Ghibli (which I love) and elements of being a cozy fantasy with some horror later on, I just didn’t get to it.
- There are no chapters in this book. I am not quite sure if this was intentional because while the book does have a flowing feel to it, it also doesn’t have a good rest point.
RATING AND OVERALL THOUGHTS:
1 star. I DNF’d 12% into the novel. I unfortunately could not get further into the story with the way the FMC was introduced and acted in the brief time I read. This book was not for me but it maybe for other readers that have more… patience than I do to see it unfold.
SOME SPOILERS AHEAD
---
“Delicate doesn’t mean weak.”
WHAT I LOVED:
- The descriptions of the dolls were very vivid and I could *feel* the care the fictional dollmakers put into them. That is unfortunately the only good thing I can say about this novel.
WHAT I DISLIKED:
- It was super lyrical, which isn’t a problem, while also having no substance, which *is* a problem. Names, places, and events were introduced without actually describing *what* they were in a way that allowed you to get an actual mental picture of it or what it really means to the characters. This might be hindered by having an eARC with no illustrations like the print edition has but I still feel like the writing needs to stand on its own in that regard and it doesn’t.
- The beginning spent pages repeating how bored Maton, the licenser, and Nock, her mentor, were while they waited *hours* for Shean to show up for her *own* dollmaking licensing exam. It was not the best introduction to suck me into the world.
- Shean. In the very brief time she is on page she is, quite literally, a nightmare. The moment she steps onto the page she is arrogant and cocky. Thats fine, I can handle that especially if she has a reason to be with the status of the best apprentice Master Nock has ever had, we can *grow* from that. What we *can’t* grow from is a twenty something FMC physically restraining the licenser after a disappointing result, then PUNCHING HER when she won’t rightfully change it, and THEN throwing a literal childlike tantrum complete with destroying her own bedroom because she got told “no.” I was done soon after that point. I saw nothing appealing about watching an ADULT acting like that and did not see how this was supposed to in any way inspire the reader to watch the FMC grow from here. I could understand if Shean had just refused the artisan license and left. I could understand if she was justifiably frustrated and feeling lost. I could understand (even if its childish) if she started trashing her room in anger from those feelings but what I can’t understand is the physical assault from a grown adult.
- The exam. There was a lot of build up to it, anticipation during it, and then it fell so flat from that last question that I had to reread twice to make sure I didn’t miss anything. In 500 years, no apprenticing dollmaker has thought to ask their dolls their purpose? No one outside of licensers with their super secret question has ever thought to command their dolls to have the desire to *be* a guard doll? The dolls aren’t even supposed to be anything other than what their dollmakers *command* them to be. Maybe this was setting up plot points for later on but the execution of it left a lot to be desired.
WHAT I AM NOT SURE ABOUT/WANTED MORE OF:
- The premise and the inspiration was there, it had the elements of an unique concept.
- I can see the relation to Studio Ghibli (which I love) and elements of being a cozy fantasy with some horror later on, I just didn’t get to it.
- There are no chapters in this book. I am not quite sure if this was intentional because while the book does have a flowing feel to it, it also doesn’t have a good rest point.
April 11, 2025
book of all time, written for me specifically.
August 30, 2024
The Dollmakers is Lynn Buchanan’s debut fantasy novel following a world of Dollmakers responsible for creating dolls to fight the Shod. The story opens with Shean being told her dolls are not meant to fight the Shod. With this news, Shean lashes out and is determined to prove that her dolls are capable of fighting.
Shean is an insufferable character for most of the novel. She’s brash, childish, selfish, and throws a tantrum at the slightest inconvenience. The opening of the novel sets Shean’s character quickly and brutally. By the end of the novel Shean has grown as a person, however she’s still quick to anger.
Buchanan’s world is interesting and engaging. What I enjoyed most was how even the nomenclature seeped into the writing making the story all the most genuine. Whenever a city of place is referred to, it’s always referred to as: a village called… a city called… even when characters are speaking.
There are many illustrations throughout The Dollmakers. Conor Nolan and Deandra Scicluna captured the vibe and essence of the world and its characters beautifully. I hope more books continue to include illustrations.
One of the reasons I rated the novel four stars instead of five is because Shean reads like a YA character in an adult fantasy world. It was jarring to read such childish behaviour set in a fairly brutal world at times.
Overall, The Dollmakers was an excellent debut despite my dislike of the main character. The world was engaging and full of mysteries yet to be explored.
Shean is an insufferable character for most of the novel. She’s brash, childish, selfish, and throws a tantrum at the slightest inconvenience. The opening of the novel sets Shean’s character quickly and brutally. By the end of the novel Shean has grown as a person, however she’s still quick to anger.
Buchanan’s world is interesting and engaging. What I enjoyed most was how even the nomenclature seeped into the writing making the story all the most genuine. Whenever a city of place is referred to, it’s always referred to as: a village called… a city called… even when characters are speaking.
There are many illustrations throughout The Dollmakers. Conor Nolan and Deandra Scicluna captured the vibe and essence of the world and its characters beautifully. I hope more books continue to include illustrations.
One of the reasons I rated the novel four stars instead of five is because Shean reads like a YA character in an adult fantasy world. It was jarring to read such childish behaviour set in a fairly brutal world at times.
Overall, The Dollmakers was an excellent debut despite my dislike of the main character. The world was engaging and full of mysteries yet to be explored.
September 13, 2024
From the first chapter, I already knew I’d want many more books in this universe. Buchanan worldbuilds with the best of them! Take the scary elements of AI and combine it with artistry and a terrifying protagonist, and you have the incredible novel that is The Dollmakers!
March 23, 2024
Art is going to be a big selling point for the novel. It will include interior art as well and if it’s what’s on the authors website then it’s gorgeous. As for the book itself… I need some convincing to enjoy unlikable protagonists and being a huge brat who throws violent tantrums — as an adult — doesn’t cut it for me. Unfortunately, it takes past the fifty percent mark of the book to get to where the protagonist begins to think maybe other people matter. The writing and world building were fine, but it felt as if the author chose exactly one phrase to show this was a fantasy world and it was a lot. It kind of drove me nuts, to be honest, particularly when combined with the extremely generic place names — the country is One, she lives in a town called Pearl and travels a road called Wide to a forest called Deep… The novel does have charm and I’m sure it has its audience.
In some ways it seemed like the novel thought it was stranger than it actually is. There are some quite clever bits of world building, but also a lot that sort of rings of other things? Like the dolls themselves. I think if you called them robots they wouldn’t stand out, but by placing them in a fantasy setting they get just a tiny push of “different.” And that’s how feel about many of the other elements.
Even after the protagonist kind of gets better, she seems like the less interesting of the characters to follow. I’d have been much more interested in following her attempted victim’s POV through more of the novel.
Seriously, by end of the first chapter I felt no desire to see the main character succeed and we aren’t given the time to experience the change in a real way, so I was still pretty annoyed by the end when she’s supposed to be receiving just rewards.
In some ways it seemed like the novel thought it was stranger than it actually is. There are some quite clever bits of world building, but also a lot that sort of rings of other things? Like the dolls themselves. I think if you called them robots they wouldn’t stand out, but by placing them in a fantasy setting they get just a tiny push of “different.” And that’s how feel about many of the other elements.
Even after the protagonist kind of gets better, she seems like the less interesting of the characters to follow. I’d have been much more interested in following her attempted victim’s POV through more of the novel.
Seriously, by end of the first chapter I felt no desire to see the main character succeed and we aren’t given the time to experience the change in a real way, so I was still pretty annoyed by the end when she’s supposed to be receiving just rewards.
September 17, 2024
3.75
i would love to see this whole story animated into a movie actually.
love the world-building of this story a lot, i know shean was written the way she was for a reason and seeing her development was such a payoff but my god did she test my patience for more than half of the book lmaoo (also i would say i wished we saw her growth in doses instead of it being in one go but it was still good). a really solid debut
i would love to see this whole story animated into a movie actually.
love the world-building of this story a lot, i know shean was written the way she was for a reason and seeing her development was such a payoff but my god did she test my patience for more than half of the book lmaoo (also i would say i wished we saw her growth in doses instead of it being in one go but it was still good). a really solid debut
January 16, 2025
I really liked this fantasy debut! This is a world where creepy zombie-like creatures, the Shod, attack human settlements on the reg. The only thing that can destroy the Shod are dolls...but in this world, "dolls" are animated creatures with a semblance of free will (they follow the orders of their dollmaker, but can carry out those orders in the fashion of their choosing).
The main character of this book is Shean, a terribly spoiled and arrogant apprentice dollmaker. I love a complex character, but Shean makes it hard to love her, especially when she thoughtlessly harms a fellow dollmaker in the single-minded pursuit of her own selfish ends. That said, she goes through enough that by the end of the book, I was (mostly) on her side, and (definitely) appreciated her.
The book is part coming of age, part epic quest, and part adventure, and I read it very quickly! I especially liked that Shean doesn't solve the world's problems by book's end, or even come up with a brand new understanding of the issues threatening her country. While this feels like the beginning of a series in that it sets up problems for Shean to tackle down the line (and even an end goal, possibly?), it still feels like a contained book. No cliffhangers, thank you very much! I'm definitely looking forward to more in this world.
This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.
The main character of this book is Shean, a terribly spoiled and arrogant apprentice dollmaker. I love a complex character, but Shean makes it hard to love her, especially when she thoughtlessly harms a fellow dollmaker in the single-minded pursuit of her own selfish ends. That said, she goes through enough that by the end of the book, I was (mostly) on her side, and (definitely) appreciated her.
The book is part coming of age, part epic quest, and part adventure, and I read it very quickly! I especially liked that Shean doesn't solve the world's problems by book's end, or even come up with a brand new understanding of the issues threatening her country. While this feels like the beginning of a series in that it sets up problems for Shean to tackle down the line (and even an end goal, possibly?), it still feels like a contained book. No cliffhangers, thank you very much! I'm definitely looking forward to more in this world.
This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.
May 28, 2024
I won this book in a goodreads drawing.
This is really an old time sci-fi novel dressed up in a fantasy costume.
A young woman gets a license to build dolls; basically androids made of wood and animated with magic. She lives in a kingdom under threat from evil beings called The Shod. She travels about, learning more about the dolls, and the sinister reason behind The Shod.
I'm sure I read stories like this several times in the old Ace Double Science Fiction books.
This is really an old time sci-fi novel dressed up in a fantasy costume.
A young woman gets a license to build dolls; basically androids made of wood and animated with magic. She lives in a kingdom under threat from evil beings called The Shod. She travels about, learning more about the dolls, and the sinister reason behind The Shod.
I'm sure I read stories like this several times in the old Ace Double Science Fiction books.
December 29, 2025
This is if Howl's Moving Castle had Kvothe as the main character.
February 20, 2025
☆ Fun Factor 4/5
☆ Writing Style 5/5
☆ Characters 5/5
☆ Plot 3/5
☆ Setting 5/5
☆ Feels 4/5
☆ Spiciness 0/5 (no sex, one or two kisses)
☆ Gore 5/5 (It can get pretty intense, explicitly gory and full of body horror)
If this were a movie it'd be rated: R for tremendous amounts of gore, body horror, intense violence, and disturbing imagery
☆FOR FANS OF: The darker Studio Ghibli movies like Princess Mononoke and The Boy and the Heron, the Lies of P video game (if you know you know), dark fantasy
Ultimate verdict: ☆☆☆☆/5
☆☆☆Best Character Award goes to:☆☆☆ Silver and Shean are both excellent
Review: Studio Ghibli vibes but freakier
In the country of One, its citizens are faced with a dire threat: a mysterious monster known only as The Shod that rips and tears and uses the devastation it makes to only make itself bigger and more dangerous. Entire towns can go down in a night from a Shod attack. The only defense the people of One have against this apocalyptic threat are automatons known as Dolls and the people that build them, the titular Dollmakers.
We follow a specific Dollmaker in her quest to prove herself to the world. Some readers are going to be turned off by Shean's INCREDIBLY violent temperament from the very beginning. She throws tantrums like a toddler with the strength of an adult, so be warned. Personally I thought it was really refreshing to follow such a flawed protagonist, but it's not not going be for everyone for sure.
The blurb on the book seems really contradictory--cozy horror? Studio Ghibli? However it does actually hit those notes. If you've ever watched Studio Ghibli movies, there's a lot of really sweet cozy moments juxtapositioned against often really frightening situations and magical horror elements. That happens here, almost beat for beat the story telling structure that Hayao Miyazaki is well known for. As I was reading this book, I was able to picture it as a Ghibli film, and I mean that as a compliment. If that's the vibe the author was going for, she nailed it.
It's a small cast of very colorful characters against a very magical and mysterious threat. I also recommend this to fans of Lies of P because the setting and what's actually going on is pretty similar. Without spoiling the game or this book, if you liked this, you should pick that game up and vice versa.
The book is also illustrated which added to the dark fairy tale charm. I wished for more illustrations, as many as I could get because the artists involved are very talented. If possible, be sure to pick up the editions with the illustrations, it's definitely worth that extra money.
☆ Writing Style 5/5
☆ Characters 5/5
☆ Plot 3/5
☆ Setting 5/5
☆ Feels 4/5
☆ Spiciness 0/5 (no sex, one or two kisses)
☆ Gore 5/5 (It can get pretty intense, explicitly gory and full of body horror)
If this were a movie it'd be rated: R for tremendous amounts of gore, body horror, intense violence, and disturbing imagery
☆FOR FANS OF: The darker Studio Ghibli movies like Princess Mononoke and The Boy and the Heron, the Lies of P video game (if you know you know), dark fantasy
Ultimate verdict: ☆☆☆☆/5
☆☆☆Best Character Award goes to:☆☆☆ Silver and Shean are both excellent
Review: Studio Ghibli vibes but freakier
In the country of One, its citizens are faced with a dire threat: a mysterious monster known only as The Shod that rips and tears and uses the devastation it makes to only make itself bigger and more dangerous. Entire towns can go down in a night from a Shod attack. The only defense the people of One have against this apocalyptic threat are automatons known as Dolls and the people that build them, the titular Dollmakers.
We follow a specific Dollmaker in her quest to prove herself to the world. Some readers are going to be turned off by Shean's INCREDIBLY violent temperament from the very beginning. She throws tantrums like a toddler with the strength of an adult, so be warned. Personally I thought it was really refreshing to follow such a flawed protagonist, but it's not not going be for everyone for sure.
The blurb on the book seems really contradictory--cozy horror? Studio Ghibli? However it does actually hit those notes. If you've ever watched Studio Ghibli movies, there's a lot of really sweet cozy moments juxtapositioned against often really frightening situations and magical horror elements. That happens here, almost beat for beat the story telling structure that Hayao Miyazaki is well known for. As I was reading this book, I was able to picture it as a Ghibli film, and I mean that as a compliment. If that's the vibe the author was going for, she nailed it.
It's a small cast of very colorful characters against a very magical and mysterious threat. I also recommend this to fans of Lies of P because the setting and what's actually going on is pretty similar. Without spoiling the game or this book, if you liked this, you should pick that game up and vice versa.
The book is also illustrated which added to the dark fairy tale charm. I wished for more illustrations, as many as I could get because the artists involved are very talented. If possible, be sure to pick up the editions with the illustrations, it's definitely worth that extra money.
October 14, 2025
4,5★
Romanzo fantasy caratterizzato da un worldbuilding affascinante, svelato poco a poco, dove la magia si manifesta nella capacità dei “fabbricanti” di dare vita alle proprie creazioni: bambole che possono servire, proteggere e perfino combattere contro gli Shod, terribili nemici dell’umanità.
Mi ha colpita la profondità della storia, che evita i cliché del fantasy eroico: qui ragione e torto si confondono, e la protagonista, con tutti i suoi difetti — arroganza, immaturità, eccessiva sicurezza – risulta sorprendentemente realistica. Anche le bambole sono personaggi a sé, con emozioni e personalità proprie, e il loro destino mi ha commossa.
Lo stile narrativo, in terza persona onnisciente, permette di osservare la protagonista anche dall’esterno, rendendo il suo percorso di crescita ancora più interessante. Ho apprezzato molto l’assenza di romance: al suo posto troviamo sentimenti autentici di amicizia, empatia e amore per l’umanità, a dimostrazione che un fantasy può essere profondo anche senza una storia d’amore tradizionale.
Piccole mancanze nel worldbuilding (a volte un po’ fumoso) e nei personaggi secondari non ne intaccano l’impatto complessivo: per me è stato un fantasy originale, intenso, sorprendentemente maturo e mi ha coinvolta tantissimo!
PS= la storia è autoconclusiva, ma sembrerebbe esserci piccolo spiraglio per un seguito. In realtà l’autrice ha dichiarato che non farà seguiti diretti, ma ha in programma altri libri ambientati nello stesso worldbuilding con storie a sé stanti. Quindi il worldbuilding verrà approfondito, ottima notizia!
Romanzo fantasy caratterizzato da un worldbuilding affascinante, svelato poco a poco, dove la magia si manifesta nella capacità dei “fabbricanti” di dare vita alle proprie creazioni: bambole che possono servire, proteggere e perfino combattere contro gli Shod, terribili nemici dell’umanità.
Mi ha colpita la profondità della storia, che evita i cliché del fantasy eroico: qui ragione e torto si confondono, e la protagonista, con tutti i suoi difetti — arroganza, immaturità, eccessiva sicurezza – risulta sorprendentemente realistica. Anche le bambole sono personaggi a sé, con emozioni e personalità proprie, e il loro destino mi ha commossa.
Lo stile narrativo, in terza persona onnisciente, permette di osservare la protagonista anche dall’esterno, rendendo il suo percorso di crescita ancora più interessante. Ho apprezzato molto l’assenza di romance: al suo posto troviamo sentimenti autentici di amicizia, empatia e amore per l’umanità, a dimostrazione che un fantasy può essere profondo anche senza una storia d’amore tradizionale.
Piccole mancanze nel worldbuilding (a volte un po’ fumoso) e nei personaggi secondari non ne intaccano l’impatto complessivo: per me è stato un fantasy originale, intenso, sorprendentemente maturo e mi ha coinvolta tantissimo!
PS= la storia è autoconclusiva, ma sembrerebbe esserci piccolo spiraglio per un seguito. In realtà l’autrice ha dichiarato che non farà seguiti diretti, ma ha in programma altri libri ambientati nello stesso worldbuilding con storie a sé stanti. Quindi il worldbuilding verrà approfondito, ottima notizia!
November 28, 2024
DNF at 43%
I have never read about a more insufferable, petulant, childish, arrogant, selfish, violent and plain mean protagonist in my life. We are supposed to believe Shean actually cares about life when she sets out to destroy other people‘s lives, gets violent and hurts them just because people don‘t want to give into her childish temper tantrums? No, thank you. Even almost halfway into the book Shean has had NO character development/growth and instead just gets worse and worse, acting like everyone is beneath her.
I don’t necessarily need to (immediately) like a protagonist but they need to be complex and interesting. Shean was so incredibly one-note because there were no layers to her that would make her an interesting or compelling character to read about. She went through trauma, yes but it‘s treated like a gimmick instead of something very real that impacts her in her life.
It‘s a shame because the world-building was solid even though as per other reviews I have correctly guessed almost all the twists within the first 25% of the book.
I have never read about a more insufferable, petulant, childish, arrogant, selfish, violent and plain mean protagonist in my life. We are supposed to believe Shean actually cares about life when she sets out to destroy other people‘s lives, gets violent and hurts them just because people don‘t want to give into her childish temper tantrums? No, thank you. Even almost halfway into the book Shean has had NO character development/growth and instead just gets worse and worse, acting like everyone is beneath her.
I don’t necessarily need to (immediately) like a protagonist but they need to be complex and interesting. Shean was so incredibly one-note because there were no layers to her that would make her an interesting or compelling character to read about. She went through trauma, yes but it‘s treated like a gimmick instead of something very real that impacts her in her life.
It‘s a shame because the world-building was solid even though as per other reviews I have correctly guessed almost all the twists within the first 25% of the book.
December 21, 2024
3.5 ⭐️ The story was cool. The book was drawn out and I found myself skimming some parts just to get through it. At some points I was thinking of dnf but I got through it.
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