The Doll Twin

by Janine Beacham

Una Wexford is thrilled to be adopted after the great war, but an eerie secret lurks in her new home - a life sized animated copy of herself. Is 'Ani' as innocent as she seems or does she want to steal Una's new family - and her life?

Genres: Middle Grade, Fantasy, Horror, Childrens, Historical Fiction

254 pages, Paperback

Published April 4, 2024

Reviews

[Steph Hayward-bailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this middle grade book. My daughter made it half way through and found the doll too creepy. I really enjoyed the twist at the end and how it's open for a sequel.

[Sky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Graphic: Child abuse, Attempted Murder of a Child, Drowning/Near Drowning Experience
Minor: Death of parent, War, and Bullying

Representations: https://trello.com/c/JPNLWUCY/100-the...

Thank you Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was one hell of an emotional rollercoaster! Good, fast pacing, great characters and just one hell of a story.

The pacing was good and quick all throughout, but it fell apart a little at the very end and I felt it was a tad rushed unfortunately. But it still felt decently well put together and the ending was satisfying enough honestly! The pacing also kept up all throughout, it didn't feel like it changed or slowed down anywhere which made for quite a quick read.

One thing that did slightly slow down the reading though is just how advanced the language used is? It's not overly frequent, but there's a few parts where it feels like the book ate a thesaurus and threw it up. Wasn't expecting to use a dictionary as much as I did for a middle grade book, and even for words I didn't need to I felt like there was still more that might be a bit too advanced for this age range.

The characters were awesome! I absolutely loved the dynamic between Ani and Una, the 2 of them played off of each other really well and both despite being "twins" where really quite unique to each other. Mary was also really cool, but I wish we got to see more of her. She seemed to mainly be there to progress the plot a little at the end and just provide a space for Uni to get told what to do and be a vessel for infodumps.
The foster parents where very interesting characters, but I would have loved to see the dynamic shown at the end a little more throughout the story from the start. Reminded me a ton of coraline though which was quite fun, but not quite as well executed imo, but that is a very high bar to pass so that's not really a big negative for me.

Overall, a very good story with spooky tense moments and a decently dark storyline. Would loved to have the world building a bit more fleshed out and a bit more time with the characters and especially that ending, but it's a good quick read. The steampunk touch was wonderfully done as well <3

[Maggi · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars
This unfortunately did not hit the spot for me. The second half was a lot stronger than the first, but it didn't manage to sway my overall rating in the end.

The cover is gorgeous and fills you with suspense. It is then disappointing when the text inside doesn't match. The story felt rushed at times, but there were hints of said promised suspense which was well executed.

Thanks to Firefly Press and NetGalley for the eARC.

[Kayleigh (BookwormEscapes) · Rating 4 out of 5]

AD/PR - The Doll Twin is a dark and creepy story set just after WW1 about an eleven-year-old girl called Una who’s lost both her parents and had to leave her beloved lighthouse way of life. She’s adopted by an eccentric couple who live in a grand but rundown mansion by the sea, which was owned by a reclusive dollmaker until she died. During the night, Una hears strange noises and investigates to find a life-sized animated doll that looks exactly like her 😱. That’s all I’ll say because anything beyond that would be spoilers!

I thought this was a real imaginative and exciting read. The stormy seafront setting is incredibly atmospheric and works so well with the creepy/spooky vibes of the plot. Una is a fab MC and I loved learning about her “lighthouse family” history and her talents with clockwork and painting. The Smiths are super weird and quirky which makes them a perfect match for Una! Her friend Mary was a brilliant addition too and I loved her family so much. There were also some fantastic twists thrown in leading to an ending that felt perfect for Una! The steampunk and vintage themes are great too with automatons and a magical antique carousel. It’s full of so much detail and imagination that it’s a win for both adults and children!

[Alice magical library · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was amazing! At first, I wasn’t enjoying it very much as it was a bit slow, but as the book went on, it got a lot more fast-paced and better! It was very creepy, and I love a horror stories, so this met my scary standards! My favourite character was Una, as she was extremely clever and brave, and I also loved how she grew up in a lighthouse, as I think that it is quite unusual in books to have a background like that. I also liked Ani, as she was a bit creepy but lovely. This book taught me to NEVER trust creepy old houses, or otherwise you will be in serious trouble. I would definitely recommend this book, and I hope to read more of Janine’s work in the future!

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

The perfect read for kids who aren't quite ready for 'Jane Eyre' yet.

Set just after the First World War, 'The Doll Twin' follows 11-year-old orphaned Una who, after being adopted by the eccentric Smiths and moving to their isolated Gothic home, discovers a creepy life-size doll, or 'animated curiosity', who happens to resemble her exactly, and who might just be trying to replace her...

Fabulously creepy, 'The Doll Twin' is a steampunk Gothic by way of 'Coraline', complete with doppelgangers, houses with secrets, and new parents who are a little too good to be true. Una is such a fun protagonist to read: she's eccentric and opinionated in the vein of every preteen girl who's just a little weird (weird girl veteran here!), and there's a really interesting narrative device throughout where she compares her thoughts and feelings to paintbox colours. She's also an engineering whiz, aided by her past home in a lighthouse, and it makes a nice change to see a young female protagonist with these sorts of skills, since they're normally male-coded.

There's also a really strong sense of time-setting with the postwar context - there's references to early Hollywood and steamboats - but also as a form of trauma for Una, and Beacham does a commendable job of reiterating the impact of the war on her mental state. There's also some interesting depictions of adoption trauma and a cruel care system, reiterating real fears and traumas faced by looked-after children: Una's terror at potentially being sent back to the orphanage is a deft reflection of the honeymoon period sometimes faced by looked-after children, in an accessible way for children to access.

Overall, 'The Doll Twin' is a really nice and accessible introduction to the Gothic genre for middle-grade readers, with just enough creepiness to be fun without being traumatising, and even an endearing automaton who almost reads as a part of the mascot horror trend that's dominating kids fiction at the moment. My only potential qualm is that some of the language might be a little complex for the younger end of the middle-grade spectrum, but for advanced readers or with parental help, this shouldn't be too much of an issue.

Thank you to Netgalley and Firefly Press for an eArc in exchange for an honest review.

[Rebecca R · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eleven-year-old Una has lived in a children’s home for two years since her parents died and she had to leave her beloved lighthouse. When the Smiths arrive and decide to adopt her, she is thrilled, and excited to live next to the sea once again, but their grand old house, Copperlins, is a little strange. No one else in the village will go near it, it used to be the home of a dollmaker and so the house is full of antique dolls and parts and, in the middle of the night, Una hears creaking noises from the unused second story of the house.

But there are plenty of positive things to distract her, like her kind new parents, the old carousel in the cellar that Mr Smith is restoring, and her new friend, Mary. But then one night Una comes face-to-face with a life-size clockwork doll who looks exactly like her…

This book caught my eye immediately because of the striking cover design and the wonderfully sinister and evocative title, and the story lived up to my first impression. It was full of things that I love: lighthouses, steampunk, artificial intelligence and gothic horror. It is also a book about friendship, family, bravery and resilience. And of course, the only thing creepier than lifelike dolls, is human-sized lifelike dolls, and this book is full of those uncanny valley moments.

So many pupils in my primary and secondary library are asking for scary books these days, so it is fantastic to have another thrillingly spine-chilling read to recommend to them. ‘The Doll Twin’ is a dark and twisty MG horror, perfect for fans of Coraline and Phil Hickes. I absolutely adored it!

Thanks to Firefly for the ARC.

[Emma Read · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Firefly Press for the ARC.
I loved this book. It was everything I had hoped for given the stunning cover and blurb - Una is a wonderful, strong and brave, relatable main character and she carries the story so well in her trembling hands.

I very much enjoyed the snippets of lighthouse history and the friendship between Una and Mary - they are so different and yet they complement one another perfectly. It's so nice to read a female friendship storyline without toxicity or rivalry!

And of course, what could be more unnerving than discovering a perfect copy of yourself? The Doll Twin is eerie and unsettling, with a terrifying ending full of thrilling twists, and light to be found in unexpected places. Brilliant!

[Omiai · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great book! Really compelling and hard to put down. There were some great twists too!
The characters were really engaging, especially Una and Ani. But Mother and Father were also very intriguing!
I have a pretty bad phobia of dolls (luckily only when I see them in real life, so reading about them doesn't ellicit that fear/panic response), but this wasnt too creepy for me. I think because rather than the 'doll' being a creepy baby or china doll, it was more like a human, an automaton, which made it less scary to me, but still a bit unnerving, which gave this book just a nice level of unease without being too scary or creepy.
Definitely worth a read!

[Gemma Batters · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderfully written and superbly executed, this feels like a very grown-up story for middle-grade readers.
The fact that Una is orphaned and had a traumatic time at the orphanage, coupled with the creepiness throughout the story, gives readers a lot to think about.
Una is a well-rounded and resourceful character. Having lighthouse experience was a lovely touch in both her usefulness and the way she looks at life.
In the best possible way, this is such a creepy book. There are many heart-in-mouth moments and I loved it.

[Zoé · Rating 4 out of 5]

A chilling and fun middle grade book.
I had already read some of the author’s work (‘Black Cats and Butlers’), but didn’t know what to expect with this title.
The story was both myterious and original – with some touches of ‘Coraline’ and other stories – and it was easy to read and fast-paced throughout. It is quite scary at times, with a mysterious village by the sea, a decrepit mansion and a full-sized doll, but nothing that a 10-year-old could not handle.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

[Kaden · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Doll Twin honestly feels like a wonderful age appropriate way to introduce young readers to Gothic fiction.
This story is suspensful and magnificently eerie. A sinister sense of dread builds up throughout the book and is expertly pieced together in a style reminiscent of some great Gothic works.
Fantastic for readers who enjoy stories along the lines of Coraline.

[Manic Booksy Dreamgirl · Rating 5 out of 5]

A MILLION STARS OUT OF FIVE.

This book is SO BRILLIANT!! I loved every page. Perfect Middlegrade mystery read. It reminded me of Neil Gaiman's 'Coraline' meets Angela Carter's 'The Magic Toyshop' but for the 9-12 age range.

Young readers will be enraptured and creeped out in equal measure.

[Heather Wooding · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the adventurous storyline and all of the connections to the sea and light and lighthouses. Very clever and imaginative story. I also love the artwork on the cover, the colours and animation are captivating. Really enjoyable book

[Aivi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Coraline vibes

[Sabrina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not very gripping in the first half but the second half made up for it with a good reveal and nice ending.

[Louis Orpe · Rating 2 out of 5]

ehh it was okay incredibly corny though

[Lou Hughes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Before thoughts:
I am absolutely judging this book by its cover, but I've never seen anything like this book before. It looks like a brilliant read and is giving me Caroline vibes.

Other books that might be of interest:
Once Upon a Fever
The Strangeworlds Travel Agency

[Jomilojuluvstoreadbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was it! God, I am in my twenties and I was so scared reading this. Una is so brave. I don't think I'd have the mind to even go through all that.

Mind you, the first few chapters are slow and you might want to drop the book down but please don't. It picks up later.

The only reason why I am not eating this a five star is because the dialogue was too complex for me. I had to use a dictionary to understand some words.