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The Porcelain Sisters
Not yet published
Expected 27 Oct 26A shy young woman and her deeply unpleasant—and literally porcelain—sister fight for their inheritance, taking on an impossible array of enemies: a chain-smoking demon crow, an unkillable assassin, and a secret clan of French sorceresses. In his newest adventure, Daryl Gregory (Spoonbenders) takes us on a dizzying romp through the horrors of sisterhood.
Ruth Winslow is trying to save up enough money to finish college while looking after her sister, Isabel—who happens to be a haunted doll. When an accident severely damages Isabel’s porcelain body, the sisters have to find the only woman who can fix her, the fearsome witch known as La Fabricante: the Dollmaker.
The sisters head to Marseille, where they take on Le Clan: Chiffon, a red-headed, unkillable assassin; a collection of angry, haunted dolls; plus a pair of demons—one a cigarette-smoking crow, the other a black cat—and their human familiars.
Along the way, the sisters learn that they’ve been lied to their entire lives. Their mother wasn’t just a homemaker who died in a car accident, she was a legendary enforcer in the Le Clan des Sorcières.
While Ruth has to come out of her shell and deal with her own latent powers, Isabel has to grow up in a body that can’t grow. Together they’ll have to outwit and outfight everyone to claim their birthright.
Ruth Winslow is trying to save up enough money to finish college while looking after her sister, Isabel—who happens to be a haunted doll. When an accident severely damages Isabel’s porcelain body, the sisters have to find the only woman who can fix her, the fearsome witch known as La Fabricante: the Dollmaker.
The sisters head to Marseille, where they take on Le Clan: Chiffon, a red-headed, unkillable assassin; a collection of angry, haunted dolls; plus a pair of demons—one a cigarette-smoking crow, the other a black cat—and their human familiars.
Along the way, the sisters learn that they’ve been lied to their entire lives. Their mother wasn’t just a homemaker who died in a car accident, she was a legendary enforcer in the Le Clan des Sorcières.
While Ruth has to come out of her shell and deal with her own latent powers, Isabel has to grow up in a body that can’t grow. Together they’ll have to outwit and outfight everyone to claim their birthright.
208 pages, Paperback
Expected publication October 27, 2026
About the author
Daryl Gregory
175 books1,520 followersAward-winning author of Revelator, The Album of Dr. Moreau, Spoonbenders, We Are All Completely Fine, and others. Some of his short fiction has been collected in Unpossible and Other Stories.
He's won the World Fantasy Award, as well as the Shirley Jackson, Crawford, Asimov Readers, and Geffen awards, and his work has been short-listed for many other awards, including the Hugo, Nebula, and Sturgeon awards . His books have been translated in over a dozen languages, and have been named to best-of-the-year lists from NPR Books, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus, and Library Journal.
He is also the writer of Flatline an interactive fiction game from 3 Minute Games, and comics such as Planet of the Apes.
He's a frequent teacher of writing and is a regular instructor at the Viable Paradise Writing Workshop.
He's won the World Fantasy Award, as well as the Shirley Jackson, Crawford, Asimov Readers, and Geffen awards, and his work has been short-listed for many other awards, including the Hugo, Nebula, and Sturgeon awards . His books have been translated in over a dozen languages, and have been named to best-of-the-year lists from NPR Books, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus, and Library Journal.
He is also the writer of Flatline an interactive fiction game from 3 Minute Games, and comics such as Planet of the Apes.
He's a frequent teacher of writing and is a regular instructor at the Viable Paradise Writing Workshop.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
“Isabel had no sense of smell, no sense of touch beyond the tingling imparted by telekinesis…She lived in a world of sight and sound and mind.” “Her painted expression was unchangeable.” She could move anywhere as long as no one watched. She was a haunted doll who channeled her inner bitchiness. Isabel’s twin sister, Ruth was forced to leave college and care for her when their father, Arthur Winslow threw in the towel. Now the sisters lived in a rundown motor lodge-type building, circa 1960s, rent paid by Ruth’s paltry earnings as a checker in a supermarket.
They lived in a small fishing village. The cliff was sheer, the sea wall crumbling…not a great location to have an argument between sisters. Tempers flared and Isabel, propped up on the wall, fell twenty feet below into the "pummeling waves.” A large section of Isabel’s face chipped off, her skull became a broken jar, her left eye…missing. How could escalating words have created such devastating damage? Ruth feared that Isabel might be unfixable.
Isabel was Ruth’s first memory. She carried Isabel everywhere. Eventually Isabel spoke aloud but was unruly, sarcastic and often tantrummed. The solution was a time out in “The Box”. Eventually, the discord between Arthur Winslow and daughter Isabel necessitated a move. Ruth rented an apartment in a ramshackle building to care for Isabel. They had a weirdly wonderful neighbor, Nadine, who sat “in front of her apartment in her armchair, wrapped up in U-Haul blankets, holding her baseball bat.”
Arthur provided scant information about the twins' birth. Born one month premature, Ruth thrived while Isabel remained at death’s door. Anne Neveaux, the twins’ mother, left under cover of darkness with Isabel. They were bound for Marseille. Anne never returned, however, a doll did.
There had to be a way to repair Isabel, a porcelain doll made of bone china, from bone ash. The initials CdS, detected on her back were finally identified as belonging to “The Clan des Sorcieres”, a Mafia-like society of sorcerers. Anne Neveaux has found someone “to move her dying child’s essence into a brittle, girl-shaped cask.” Arthur Winslow’s complicity would soon come to light.
The sisters were off to Marseille to locate Le Clan des Sorcieres. Hot on the trail was Chiffon, an unkillable assassin, as well as a crow and black cat with their human familiars. Apparently, returning Isabel to the sorcerers was worth big bucks! Ruth and Isabel learned that their mother Anne was the Clan’s enforcer. The plan: repair Isabel then decide whether to embrace their birthright.
Sisterly rivalry between Ruth and Isabel was chaotic especially with the twist of one sister being human while the other, a haunted doll. There was jealousy, the exchange of verbal barbs, then an inadvertent push over a crumbling seawall setting the mystery in motion. Monsieur Griezzel, a cigarette-smoking crow, was a standout to this reader.
An absolutely delightful, horror-lite read!
Thank you Kasey Lansdale @ Tachyon Publications for the gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.
They lived in a small fishing village. The cliff was sheer, the sea wall crumbling…not a great location to have an argument between sisters. Tempers flared and Isabel, propped up on the wall, fell twenty feet below into the "pummeling waves.” A large section of Isabel’s face chipped off, her skull became a broken jar, her left eye…missing. How could escalating words have created such devastating damage? Ruth feared that Isabel might be unfixable.
Isabel was Ruth’s first memory. She carried Isabel everywhere. Eventually Isabel spoke aloud but was unruly, sarcastic and often tantrummed. The solution was a time out in “The Box”. Eventually, the discord between Arthur Winslow and daughter Isabel necessitated a move. Ruth rented an apartment in a ramshackle building to care for Isabel. They had a weirdly wonderful neighbor, Nadine, who sat “in front of her apartment in her armchair, wrapped up in U-Haul blankets, holding her baseball bat.”
Arthur provided scant information about the twins' birth. Born one month premature, Ruth thrived while Isabel remained at death’s door. Anne Neveaux, the twins’ mother, left under cover of darkness with Isabel. They were bound for Marseille. Anne never returned, however, a doll did.
There had to be a way to repair Isabel, a porcelain doll made of bone china, from bone ash. The initials CdS, detected on her back were finally identified as belonging to “The Clan des Sorcieres”, a Mafia-like society of sorcerers. Anne Neveaux has found someone “to move her dying child’s essence into a brittle, girl-shaped cask.” Arthur Winslow’s complicity would soon come to light.
The sisters were off to Marseille to locate Le Clan des Sorcieres. Hot on the trail was Chiffon, an unkillable assassin, as well as a crow and black cat with their human familiars. Apparently, returning Isabel to the sorcerers was worth big bucks! Ruth and Isabel learned that their mother Anne was the Clan’s enforcer. The plan: repair Isabel then decide whether to embrace their birthright.
Sisterly rivalry between Ruth and Isabel was chaotic especially with the twist of one sister being human while the other, a haunted doll. There was jealousy, the exchange of verbal barbs, then an inadvertent push over a crumbling seawall setting the mystery in motion. Monsieur Griezzel, a cigarette-smoking crow, was a standout to this reader.
An absolutely delightful, horror-lite read!
Thank you Kasey Lansdale @ Tachyon Publications for the gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.
Read
June 8, 2026I received this book through NetGalley.
The Porcelain Sisters was such a good read. I went in mostly excited for the creepy doll/porcelain setup, and honestly, it delivered. This had that eerie, strange, darkly magical feel right away, and I was into it from the start.
The story is fast-paced, weird, and fun in a creepy way. It had that horror element, dark humor, magic, family drama, and enough chaos to keep everything moving.
This is also one of those shorter reads about 200 pages that feels like it belongs to a bigger world. I could tell there was more behind the story, but I still had enough to enjoy this one on its own.
Overall, The Porcelain Sisters was eerie, fast-paced, and really entertaining. I’d recommend it to readers who like creepy dolls, dark magic, weird horror, twisted humor, complicated family dynamics, and stories that mix creepy with chaos.
The Porcelain Sisters was such a good read. I went in mostly excited for the creepy doll/porcelain setup, and honestly, it delivered. This had that eerie, strange, darkly magical feel right away, and I was into it from the start.
The story is fast-paced, weird, and fun in a creepy way. It had that horror element, dark humor, magic, family drama, and enough chaos to keep everything moving.
This is also one of those shorter reads about 200 pages that feels like it belongs to a bigger world. I could tell there was more behind the story, but I still had enough to enjoy this one on its own.
Overall, The Porcelain Sisters was eerie, fast-paced, and really entertaining. I’d recommend it to readers who like creepy dolls, dark magic, weird horror, twisted humor, complicated family dynamics, and stories that mix creepy with chaos.
October 4, 2026
The Porcelain Sisters by Daryl Gregory is a short novel about family secrets and sisterhood. Except one of the sisters is a doll. Yep, a doll.
When Isabel, (the doll), falls and her porcelain is damaged, her sister Ruth sets out to find a way to have her repaired and so begins their journey. During which they discover a lot of buried secrets, many about their mother and her secret history in France. Soon the sisters are facing down a fierce clan of witches and a collection of haunted dolls. What fun!
This novel has a lot of humor and sarcasm and as such, it should've been perfect for me. Mostly it was, once I let go of the fact that I was looking for a horror novel and this in not exactly that. It was more like a light fantasy with humor and touches of darkness. I enjoyed it, don't get me wrong. This world where dolls can be inhabited by people is an enticing one and I would have loved to learn more about this clan of witches and their fearsome leader La Fabricante: The Dollmaker.
This was entertaining and a quick read. There are Easter eggs to some of Daryl Gregory's previous books, but I must admit to missing most of them as I haven't read much of his previous work. This one, though, was a lot of fun and I do recommend it.
*Paperback ARC from Tachyon. Thank you!
When Isabel, (the doll), falls and her porcelain is damaged, her sister Ruth sets out to find a way to have her repaired and so begins their journey. During which they discover a lot of buried secrets, many about their mother and her secret history in France. Soon the sisters are facing down a fierce clan of witches and a collection of haunted dolls. What fun!
This novel has a lot of humor and sarcasm and as such, it should've been perfect for me. Mostly it was, once I let go of the fact that I was looking for a horror novel and this in not exactly that. It was more like a light fantasy with humor and touches of darkness. I enjoyed it, don't get me wrong. This world where dolls can be inhabited by people is an enticing one and I would have loved to learn more about this clan of witches and their fearsome leader La Fabricante: The Dollmaker.
This was entertaining and a quick read. There are Easter eggs to some of Daryl Gregory's previous books, but I must admit to missing most of them as I haven't read much of his previous work. This one, though, was a lot of fun and I do recommend it.
*Paperback ARC from Tachyon. Thank you!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Porcelain Sisters is wild at heart and weird of soul. A fast and funny blast of witchcraft that's delightfully dark and fraught with painful family secrets. Another wonderful addition to Gregory's growing universe of the strange.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4 of 5 stars
https://lynns-books.com/2026/10/15/re...
My Five Word TL:DR Review: Where Do I Even Begin.
Madness. Crazy, entertaining madness.
This story was an absolute blast from start to finish and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Now, this is only a shortish story, about 200 pages, and to be honest I try and avoid shorter stories as they’re not usually my ‘thing’, but I like this author, there’s a creepy MF of a doll on the cover and it sounded totally out there so clearly I wanted to get my grabby hands on a copy. And it truly doesn’t disappoint. In fact, it feels like the author manages to cram so much into this small space that I’d almost describe this as a tardis.
I’m actually going to say nothing at all about the story because literally, I mean seriously, you have to discover this for yourself.
The description itself states ‘a dizzying romp through the horrors of sisterhood’, which I love because on the one hand, the horrors of part of the sisterhood (in terms of the witches clan) really is horrific, but the actual sisters themselves, and apart from all their banter and occasionally getting fed up with being lumbered with each other – well, it’s not horrific at all.
There’s such a lot of imagination on display. We have the lore surrounding Le Clan des Sorcières, a terrible bunch of characters who are all at each other’s throats. Their leader barely holds them together and there is much rivalry. The truth at the heart of this Clan is horrific – and again, I’m not going to say why.
On the sister’s side, it turns out they have been lied to their entire life but they’ve decided to take action now. Of course they’re not expecting a practically invincible assassin – who, may I say, is creepy as all hell – a crow and a cat and their familiars and an overbearing matriarch.
To be honest, this was such a lot of fun to read. Very entertaining. Well written and I loved the dynamic between the two sisters. This review is going to be short and sweet purely on the basis of not wanting to divulge too much.
I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
https://lynns-books.com/2026/10/15/re...
My Five Word TL:DR Review: Where Do I Even Begin.
Madness. Crazy, entertaining madness.
This story was an absolute blast from start to finish and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Now, this is only a shortish story, about 200 pages, and to be honest I try and avoid shorter stories as they’re not usually my ‘thing’, but I like this author, there’s a creepy MF of a doll on the cover and it sounded totally out there so clearly I wanted to get my grabby hands on a copy. And it truly doesn’t disappoint. In fact, it feels like the author manages to cram so much into this small space that I’d almost describe this as a tardis.
I’m actually going to say nothing at all about the story because literally, I mean seriously, you have to discover this for yourself.
The description itself states ‘a dizzying romp through the horrors of sisterhood’, which I love because on the one hand, the horrors of part of the sisterhood (in terms of the witches clan) really is horrific, but the actual sisters themselves, and apart from all their banter and occasionally getting fed up with being lumbered with each other – well, it’s not horrific at all.
There’s such a lot of imagination on display. We have the lore surrounding Le Clan des Sorcières, a terrible bunch of characters who are all at each other’s throats. Their leader barely holds them together and there is much rivalry. The truth at the heart of this Clan is horrific – and again, I’m not going to say why.
On the sister’s side, it turns out they have been lied to their entire life but they’ve decided to take action now. Of course they’re not expecting a practically invincible assassin – who, may I say, is creepy as all hell – a crow and a cat and their familiars and an overbearing matriarch.
To be honest, this was such a lot of fun to read. Very entertaining. Well written and I loved the dynamic between the two sisters. This review is going to be short and sweet purely on the basis of not wanting to divulge too much.
I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The question I kept asking myself while reading The Porcelain Sisters was: how the hell does Daryl Gregory fit this much fun and action into such a small book?
This was an absolute riot from start to finish. Witches, magic, dolls with souls, action, mayhem, and complicated familial bonds. It somehow manages to pack all of that into a novella without feeling rushed or overcrowded. Every time I thought I knew where the story was going, it seemed to throw another wonderfully weird idea at me.
But underneath all the chaos, there’s also a really compelling story about family and the bonds that hold people together. It’s strange, fast paced, creative, and ridiculously entertaining. I loved pretty much everything about this one. Give me more books that are this entertaining.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Daryl Gregory, and Tachyon Publishing for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
This was an absolute riot from start to finish. Witches, magic, dolls with souls, action, mayhem, and complicated familial bonds. It somehow manages to pack all of that into a novella without feeling rushed or overcrowded. Every time I thought I knew where the story was going, it seemed to throw another wonderfully weird idea at me.
But underneath all the chaos, there’s also a really compelling story about family and the bonds that hold people together. It’s strange, fast paced, creative, and ridiculously entertaining. I loved pretty much everything about this one. Give me more books that are this entertaining.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Daryl Gregory, and Tachyon Publishing for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
June 21, 2026
4⭐️ thank you to Netgalley for the ARC. Big day for fans of the Harrison Squared Extended Universe! I’ve been a massive Daryl Gregory fan after Revelator and felt EXTREMELY LUCKY to have read this one early!
As always, Daryl Gregory delivers great characters, snappy dialogue, and batshit insanity. The ensemble cast here is really fun, and this is a great time start to finish, regardless if you’ve read the book these characters originally appear in or not (but you absolutely should read them!) I also appreciated the very honest afterword/Author’s note at the end.
I hope to see more of these characters (and other Dunnsmouth residents) in future works!
As always, Daryl Gregory delivers great characters, snappy dialogue, and batshit insanity. The ensemble cast here is really fun, and this is a great time start to finish, regardless if you’ve read the book these characters originally appear in or not (but you absolutely should read them!) I also appreciated the very honest afterword/Author’s note at the end.
I hope to see more of these characters (and other Dunnsmouth residents) in future works!
September 27, 2026
Review to come
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Thanks to the Publishers. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
I honestly don’t know why I requested this book, because it’s horror and that’s not my cup of tea, and it’s about sisters, and I usually don’t love sisters or siblings in books, and here it’s said clearly, from the beginning, that one is taking care of the other (and this last one is also quite unpleasant). And this is such a big no-no in my book. Really. But… but there was something that still made me curious about this story (and okay, it may have been the “chain-smoking demon crow” and the “human familiars” part. I am easy like that. I couldn’t resist this part, because… how can I ignore something like that???), so I read this one, and I am oh so happy to have done it!
This book was surprising, because it was never what I was expecting. From the synopsis, I made some assumptions about what to expect, and nope, they didn’t really come true. This book was not what I expected and, strangely enough, it worked even better for that!
I was intrigued by the first scenes. I was quite confused, and a tad baffled when I started reading, because while I was reading, I was thinking something along the lines of “ooookay, this is quite a peculiar way to start a book; why is the author showing us this?” and then, all of a sudden, I got it and…wow. From that moment of enlightenment, I was totally in, ready to trust the author on this admittedly crazy journey.
The first chapter set the scene and the vibes for the whole book, and I decided to just sit back and trust the author. And trust me, I had a lot of fun.
The only complaint that I have, and mind me, it’s a minor one, is that some things are maybe a tad rushed. The book is not really long, so while in the beginning the author took his time setting the scene and the characters, after things start happening, they avalanche, or sort of, so some things felt a tad rushed. But, on the other hand, I think that the length is almost perfect, because it allowed me to truly enjoy the story and the characters, without a moment of boredom. I was compelled to keep reading, because I wanted to know what would happen next.
And I was quite surprised to discover that I was not only enjoying this strange ride, but I was enjoying Ruth and Isabel company too (and yes, I was shocked to discover that, all things considered, I liked Isabel. Sure, we had some highs and lows, but she should have been a hated (by me) character and still… I quite liked her).
So yeah, I was surprised by this book, for a lot of reasons, and I think that this is a great read for Spooky Season, too. So I have read it at the perfect time, too.
And I found the author’s afterword quite interesting too. I may try something by him in the future, because I am curious to explore more of this world and meet more of his characters.
I honestly don’t know why I requested this book, because it’s horror and that’s not my cup of tea, and it’s about sisters, and I usually don’t love sisters or siblings in books, and here it’s said clearly, from the beginning, that one is taking care of the other (and this last one is also quite unpleasant). And this is such a big no-no in my book. Really. But… but there was something that still made me curious about this story (and okay, it may have been the “chain-smoking demon crow” and the “human familiars” part. I am easy like that. I couldn’t resist this part, because… how can I ignore something like that???), so I read this one, and I am oh so happy to have done it!
This book was surprising, because it was never what I was expecting. From the synopsis, I made some assumptions about what to expect, and nope, they didn’t really come true. This book was not what I expected and, strangely enough, it worked even better for that!
I was intrigued by the first scenes. I was quite confused, and a tad baffled when I started reading, because while I was reading, I was thinking something along the lines of “ooookay, this is quite a peculiar way to start a book; why is the author showing us this?” and then, all of a sudden, I got it and…wow. From that moment of enlightenment, I was totally in, ready to trust the author on this admittedly crazy journey.
The first chapter set the scene and the vibes for the whole book, and I decided to just sit back and trust the author. And trust me, I had a lot of fun.
The only complaint that I have, and mind me, it’s a minor one, is that some things are maybe a tad rushed. The book is not really long, so while in the beginning the author took his time setting the scene and the characters, after things start happening, they avalanche, or sort of, so some things felt a tad rushed. But, on the other hand, I think that the length is almost perfect, because it allowed me to truly enjoy the story and the characters, without a moment of boredom. I was compelled to keep reading, because I wanted to know what would happen next.
And I was quite surprised to discover that I was not only enjoying this strange ride, but I was enjoying Ruth and Isabel company too (and yes, I was shocked to discover that, all things considered, I liked Isabel. Sure, we had some highs and lows, but she should have been a hated (by me) character and still… I quite liked her).
So yeah, I was surprised by this book, for a lot of reasons, and I think that this is a great read for Spooky Season, too. So I have read it at the perfect time, too.
And I found the author’s afterword quite interesting too. I may try something by him in the future, because I am curious to explore more of this world and meet more of his characters.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Daryl Gregory is one of my favorite authors, and I’ve read most of his books, with "Spoonbenders" still holding the top spot for me. So I went into "The Porcelain Sisters" with pretty high expectations, and it did not disappoint.
I was hooked from the first few lines. This was such a fun, creative story, with exactly the kind of strange premise and characters that I’ve come to expect from Gregory. I was especially intrigued by the idea of Isabel living as a haunted porcelain doll. As a fan of "What We Do in the Shadows", I’ll admit that Nadja and her doll were one of the reasons this book immediately caught my attention!
My only complaint is that it was too short. And I mean, way too short. I started it this morning, took a long break, and picked it back up after lunch. At some point I started getting the uncomfortable feeling that the story seemed to be wrapping up, so I checked my progress and discovered I was already at 89%. No! I wasn’t ready!
I especially wanted more once the story reached France. There was so much there that I would have happily explored for another hundred pages. I didn’t feel that the story was unfinished, but I did feel like Gregory had created a world, characters, and situations that could have supported a much longer book. I wanted more time with all of it.
Gregory mentions in the afterword that these characters originated in one of his earlier novellas, which now has me curious to go back and read that as well. Finishing "The Porcelain Sisters" reminded me why I always enjoy a Daryl Gregory book. It was weird, funny, imaginative, and completely entertaining.
My biggest complaint about a book being that I wanted another hundred pages of it? That’s an easy five stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
I was hooked from the first few lines. This was such a fun, creative story, with exactly the kind of strange premise and characters that I’ve come to expect from Gregory. I was especially intrigued by the idea of Isabel living as a haunted porcelain doll. As a fan of "What We Do in the Shadows", I’ll admit that Nadja and her doll were one of the reasons this book immediately caught my attention!
My only complaint is that it was too short. And I mean, way too short. I started it this morning, took a long break, and picked it back up after lunch. At some point I started getting the uncomfortable feeling that the story seemed to be wrapping up, so I checked my progress and discovered I was already at 89%. No! I wasn’t ready!
I especially wanted more once the story reached France. There was so much there that I would have happily explored for another hundred pages. I didn’t feel that the story was unfinished, but I did feel like Gregory had created a world, characters, and situations that could have supported a much longer book. I wanted more time with all of it.
Gregory mentions in the afterword that these characters originated in one of his earlier novellas, which now has me curious to go back and read that as well. Finishing "The Porcelain Sisters" reminded me why I always enjoy a Daryl Gregory book. It was weird, funny, imaginative, and completely entertaining.
My biggest complaint about a book being that I wanted another hundred pages of it? That’s an easy five stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The Porcelain Sisters
Daryl Gregory
10/27/2026
Tachyon Publishing
After reading We Are All Completely Fine, then When We Were Real, when I was given the chance to dive into The Porcelain Sisters - well - let me say this, I jumped on it faster than a duck on a June bug. Daryl Gregory has officially become one of those authors I'll follow anywhere because I never have the faintest idea where he's about to take me. Whenever I come across a book that blends genres and bends the rules to its own will effortlessly, I tell my book friends the same thing: read the blurb and then stop. Lean into it. Trust me, it's that good. Besides, I'm not convinced anyone else could throw a chain smoking demon crow, a black cat with attitude, an unkillable assassin, a secret clan of French sorceresses, and a haunted porcelain doll into the same story and somehow make it all feel completely natural.
At the heart of all that wonderfully weird chaos are sisters Ruth and Isabel. Isabel just happens to be made of porcelain and haunted, but honestly, that's the least surprising thing happening here. Gregory somehow balances outrageous imagination with genuine emotion, and the love-hate dynamic between Ruth and Isabel (even though Isabel isn't real... or is she...) is magic. Their loyalty, constant bickering, and razor sharp banter make this story as much about sisterhood as it is witches, monsters, and mayhem. Weird? Absolutely. Brilliant? Without question.
Daryl Gregory
10/27/2026
Tachyon Publishing
After reading We Are All Completely Fine, then When We Were Real, when I was given the chance to dive into The Porcelain Sisters - well - let me say this, I jumped on it faster than a duck on a June bug. Daryl Gregory has officially become one of those authors I'll follow anywhere because I never have the faintest idea where he's about to take me. Whenever I come across a book that blends genres and bends the rules to its own will effortlessly, I tell my book friends the same thing: read the blurb and then stop. Lean into it. Trust me, it's that good. Besides, I'm not convinced anyone else could throw a chain smoking demon crow, a black cat with attitude, an unkillable assassin, a secret clan of French sorceresses, and a haunted porcelain doll into the same story and somehow make it all feel completely natural.
At the heart of all that wonderfully weird chaos are sisters Ruth and Isabel. Isabel just happens to be made of porcelain and haunted, but honestly, that's the least surprising thing happening here. Gregory somehow balances outrageous imagination with genuine emotion, and the love-hate dynamic between Ruth and Isabel (even though Isabel isn't real... or is she...) is magic. Their loyalty, constant bickering, and razor sharp banter make this story as much about sisterhood as it is witches, monsters, and mayhem. Weird? Absolutely. Brilliant? Without question.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The Porcelain Sisters is absolutely bonkers, and I loved every minute of it.
Daryl Gregory throws a haunted porcelain doll, witches, an unkillable assassin, and a chain-smoking crow into one book and makes it work.
Ruth and Isabel are good sisters. Ruth is stuck looking after her porcelain sister, who's selfish, sarcastic, and an absolute nightmare to be around. Their constant arguing is fun, since Isabel is such a menace that half the fun is waiting to see what awful thing she'll say next.
This is pure pulp. It's manic, loud, and completely over the top. The book barely stops to catch its breath before throwing another ridiculous idea at you. Normally that kind of thing can get exhausting, but here it just made me smile. Of course, if you like grounded fantasy or carefully plotted stories, this probably isn't your book. But if you're happy to go along for a chaotic, horror-tinged adventure that never takes itself too seriously, it's a blast.
It's also nice and short, which helps. I flew through it in one sitting without even noticing the time.
Definitely one of the most entertaining books I've read recently.
ARC through NetGalley
Daryl Gregory throws a haunted porcelain doll, witches, an unkillable assassin, and a chain-smoking crow into one book and makes it work.
Ruth and Isabel are good sisters. Ruth is stuck looking after her porcelain sister, who's selfish, sarcastic, and an absolute nightmare to be around. Their constant arguing is fun, since Isabel is such a menace that half the fun is waiting to see what awful thing she'll say next.
This is pure pulp. It's manic, loud, and completely over the top. The book barely stops to catch its breath before throwing another ridiculous idea at you. Normally that kind of thing can get exhausting, but here it just made me smile. Of course, if you like grounded fantasy or carefully plotted stories, this probably isn't your book. But if you're happy to go along for a chaotic, horror-tinged adventure that never takes itself too seriously, it's a blast.
It's also nice and short, which helps. I flew through it in one sitting without even noticing the time.
Definitely one of the most entertaining books I've read recently.
ARC through NetGalley
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
It's got a horror tag on it, but I felt it fitted better under one of its other tags of Sci Fi and Fantasy as a more appropriate genre, and maybe it does have a feel of Historical Fiction too.
We have Ruth as the main character who has to put up with the interference of her sister Isabel. Things escalate as Ruth takes offence at Isabel's most recent act of sabotage and she storms off wanting to be alone. But Isabel follows and a big argument ensues resulting in Isabel being knocked from the cliff tops to the rocks below. Only Isabel is a doll made of porcelain and therefore cannot heal. Something needs to be done.
One thing leads to another and the pair end up travelling all over, and various people they care about end up being exposed to risks from the group who know Isabel's origins.
It's also quite an adventure story too.
I read this book at high speed, thought it was very cleverly done. And the ending was brilliant. Definitely a book that I'd recommend.
I am thankful to the author, Tachyon Publications and Netgalley for allowing me to read this book for free.
We have Ruth as the main character who has to put up with the interference of her sister Isabel. Things escalate as Ruth takes offence at Isabel's most recent act of sabotage and she storms off wanting to be alone. But Isabel follows and a big argument ensues resulting in Isabel being knocked from the cliff tops to the rocks below. Only Isabel is a doll made of porcelain and therefore cannot heal. Something needs to be done.
One thing leads to another and the pair end up travelling all over, and various people they care about end up being exposed to risks from the group who know Isabel's origins.
It's also quite an adventure story too.
I read this book at high speed, thought it was very cleverly done. And the ending was brilliant. Definitely a book that I'd recommend.
I am thankful to the author, Tachyon Publications and Netgalley for allowing me to read this book for free.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
Full Disclosure: I received an Advanced Reader's Copy of The Porcelain Sisters by Daryl Gregory from Tachyon Publications. This book will be published around October 2026.
I haven't read everything Daryl Gregory has written (yet), but I have immensely enjoyed what I have read. When the opportunity came up to read this new piece, I was very excited. The Porcelain Sisters feels like it could be part of a bigger story. When I read the acknowledgements, I learned that it really is. Maybe there will be more adventures with these sisters. Creepy dolls, French witches, a magical cat and crow, there is a lot packed into this story. Isabel might take umbrage at my characterization of the dolls as creepy, but as someone who collected porcelain dolls for awhile (they are staring at me as I write this), I stand by my assessment. While this is horror, it is also quite funny. I love Gregory's sense of humor and so many amazing pop cultural references for those of us of a certain age.
I haven't read everything Daryl Gregory has written (yet), but I have immensely enjoyed what I have read. When the opportunity came up to read this new piece, I was very excited. The Porcelain Sisters feels like it could be part of a bigger story. When I read the acknowledgements, I learned that it really is. Maybe there will be more adventures with these sisters. Creepy dolls, French witches, a magical cat and crow, there is a lot packed into this story. Isabel might take umbrage at my characterization of the dolls as creepy, but as someone who collected porcelain dolls for awhile (they are staring at me as I write this), I stand by my assessment. While this is horror, it is also quite funny. I love Gregory's sense of humor and so many amazing pop cultural references for those of us of a certain age.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
4.5
The Porcelain Sisters follows Ruth and her sister Isabel, who happen to be trapped in a haunted porcelain doll body as they travel to France in search of a powerful witch who may be able to repair Isabel. Along the way, they The Porcelain Sisters - Daryl Gregory
This was such a fun and unique read. I came for the creepy doll premise, but stayed for the mix of dark fantasy, horror, humour, and complicated sisterhood. Ruth and Isabel's relationship was messy, heartfelt, and one of my favourite parts of the story.
The world was wonderfully strange, filled with haunted dolls, dark magic, demons, and witches, and the fast pace kept me hooked throughout. I also loved how the story balanced its darker moments with plenty of humour. It was a weird, entertaining adventure.
Thank you so much Tachyon Publishing & Daryl Gregory for the #gifted earc.
All opinions are my own 🖤
The Porcelain Sisters follows Ruth and her sister Isabel, who happen to be trapped in a haunted porcelain doll body as they travel to France in search of a powerful witch who may be able to repair Isabel. Along the way, they The Porcelain Sisters - Daryl Gregory
This was such a fun and unique read. I came for the creepy doll premise, but stayed for the mix of dark fantasy, horror, humour, and complicated sisterhood. Ruth and Isabel's relationship was messy, heartfelt, and one of my favourite parts of the story.
The world was wonderfully strange, filled with haunted dolls, dark magic, demons, and witches, and the fast pace kept me hooked throughout. I also loved how the story balanced its darker moments with plenty of humour. It was a weird, entertaining adventure.
Thank you so much Tachyon Publishing & Daryl Gregory for the #gifted earc.
All opinions are my own 🖤
June 12, 2026
*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC. The following is my honest review.*
The Porcelain Sisters follows Ruth, a woman whose sister Isabel is a possessed doll. When Isabel becomes damaged, the pair embark on a journey to find a way to repair her.
The premise immediately caught my attention, and I went into the story expecting a creepy, gothic atmosphere to accompany the possessed doll concept. Unfortunately, I found the book lacked the ambience and sense of unease that I had hoped for.
The story is fast-paced and easy to read, making it a quick book to get through. However, I found it remained quite surface-level throughout, with fairly basic prose and limited character development. While the plot kept moving, I never felt particularly invested in the characters or their journey.
The Porcelain Sisters follows Ruth, a woman whose sister Isabel is a possessed doll. When Isabel becomes damaged, the pair embark on a journey to find a way to repair her.
The premise immediately caught my attention, and I went into the story expecting a creepy, gothic atmosphere to accompany the possessed doll concept. Unfortunately, I found the book lacked the ambience and sense of unease that I had hoped for.
The story is fast-paced and easy to read, making it a quick book to get through. However, I found it remained quite surface-level throughout, with fairly basic prose and limited character development. While the plot kept moving, I never felt particularly invested in the characters or their journey.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I'm looking at other reviews and I'm honestly concerned that maybe we didn't read the same book. The concept of this book was exceptional. The execution was not. I found it to be poorly written and it did not work for me.
I would definitely not classify this book as horror. It was maybe a middle grade version of something. I really don't like writing negative reviews and I was really hoping the book would get better, like I said the concept is awesome and you could have so much fun with a book idea like this. You could make it truly terrifying if it was written better and flowed in a more natural way. The characters were disjointed and all over the place. Really unfortunate.
I'm super glad other people loved this book and it obviously wasn't for me.
I would definitely not classify this book as horror. It was maybe a middle grade version of something. I really don't like writing negative reviews and I was really hoping the book would get better, like I said the concept is awesome and you could have so much fun with a book idea like this. You could make it truly terrifying if it was written better and flowed in a more natural way. The characters were disjointed and all over the place. Really unfortunate.
I'm super glad other people loved this book and it obviously wasn't for me.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I’d categorise this book under fantasy rather than horror. It just missed few key elements needed to actually make it scary.
You should know this book is not badly written at all. There are no errors nor plot holes. I rated it 3 stars, because for me the novel was predictable and humor was hit-or-miss.
For who it might be a perfect position? I bet for fantasy readers who want to dip their toes into horror without getting too freaked out. Great for beginners. Even though this one was just a 3 star read for me, I’d still happily pick up another book by this author.
Thank you to NetGalley and Tachyon Publications for trusting me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
You should know this book is not badly written at all. There are no errors nor plot holes. I rated it 3 stars, because for me the novel was predictable and humor was hit-or-miss.
For who it might be a perfect position? I bet for fantasy readers who want to dip their toes into horror without getting too freaked out. Great for beginners. Even though this one was just a 3 star read for me, I’d still happily pick up another book by this author.
Thank you to NetGalley and Tachyon Publications for trusting me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I loved the horror/comedy novel The Porcelain Sisters, by Daryl Gregory, October 2026 Tachyon. It involves twin sisters, one “real” and one porcelain. Isabel is the porcelain one. Ruth loves Isabel fiercely, but she also struggles with having a porcelain sister. Life gets very complex for both of them after Isabel drives off a young man who Ruth is hoping to have sex with. Isabel is broken in Ruth’s rage, and witches enter their lives. It’s not a long novel, and it moves along at breakneck speed. Daryl Gregory keeps hitting it out of the park for me with his fiction. Strongly recommended. Don’t miss the Afterword.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.5 stars, rounded up. Gregory returns to creepier storytelling after his last book, When We Were Real, was a bit of a departure with a whackier vibe. The Porcelain Sisters features Ruth and her sister Isabel, who happens to be a haunted porcelain doll. Isabel is damaged in an accident, which leads the sisters to learn more about their dead mother and her sorceress family as they seek a way to repair Isabel. There's a lot of mayhem and violence, and I did love the ending, but overall the book felt a little less fleshed-out than I would like and I never had time to get fully invested. Thank you to NetGalley and Tachyon Publications for a digital review copy.
June 27, 2026
The Porcelain Sisters - Daryl Gregory
I love reading about complex family dynamics. This book, I think is a great example of a horror comedy. Ruth and Isabel were hilarious and I would love to see more of them or prequel books about their mother and the coven. The writing was so fun and I definitely will be reading more from this author.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / Out of 5 Stars ⭐️
# of Pages 🌙 208 Pages
Release Date 🌟 10/27/26
Format 💫 Gifted Digital Copy
Series 🌙 Unknown/Not Applicable
Genre/Tropes ✨ horror, horror comedy, complicated family
Favorite Character ☀️ Ruth
Favorite Line 🌟N/A
I love reading about complex family dynamics. This book, I think is a great example of a horror comedy. Ruth and Isabel were hilarious and I would love to see more of them or prequel books about their mother and the coven. The writing was so fun and I definitely will be reading more from this author.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / Out of 5 Stars ⭐️
# of Pages 🌙 208 Pages
Release Date 🌟 10/27/26
Format 💫 Gifted Digital Copy
Series 🌙 Unknown/Not Applicable
Genre/Tropes ✨ horror, horror comedy, complicated family
Favorite Character ☀️ Ruth
Favorite Line 🌟N/A
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Having loved most of what Gregory's written--We Are All Completely Fine, Spoonbenders, and Revelator--I was excited to jump into this one, and it was a chilly breeze to get through. It's weird, cheeky, and at times harrowing. Maybe it was the length, somewhere in-between a short novel and a long novella, but it felt a bit thin and stretched at times. The humor was hit or miss, and the sisters did a lot of yelling, turning the snark up to eleven. It was all completely fine but didn't quite leave me feeling anything. This would be great as a Creepshow episode. Eagerly awaiting the next title.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I wasn't sure what to expect when I started this novel, as this is a new author to me, but I was pleasantly surprised to find a story full of silliness and heart. I personally love cheesy horror with ridiculous comedy that doesn't take itself too seriously.
I found the second half to have some pacing issues, and a lot of the same descriptive words/phrases used that stood out awkwardly, but my rating reflects the vibe the book was going for as an over-the-top silly/fun time...and it delivered on that premise.
I found the second half to have some pacing issues, and a lot of the same descriptive words/phrases used that stood out awkwardly, but my rating reflects the vibe the book was going for as an over-the-top silly/fun time...and it delivered on that premise.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Another wonderful read from Daryl Gregory, who usually does something new with each book but has returned to the world of Harrison Harrison for this book. Ruth and Isobel are sisters, even though Isobel is a porcelain doll. When she suffers a fall, the sisters must search their past to find the truth about Isobel's creation, even if they have to take on the Witch Mafia.
Ive loved every Daryl Gregory novel, and it would be hard to pick a favourite, but this one is certainly up there.
Ive loved every Daryl Gregory novel, and it would be hard to pick a favourite, but this one is certainly up there.
Review of advance copy
Daryl Gregory is one of my favorite authors. And it is fitting that my 100th book of 2026 is his. He has a way of pushing buttons. Doing something unexpected. This book was way too short. But it has sit me as a reader in this world and i can not wait until the next chapter comes. He gives dimensions to his characters. Thus lets his reader become invested. And whenever and whatever is next. Be it dolls or cattle. I will be waiting.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A tale of two unique sisters. That also involves witches, assassins, family secrets and killer dolls.
This was a quick, easy novella to read. I liked the siblings dynamic. I'm hoping this leads to a bigger book. I highly recommend it if you love witches and paranormal reads.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This novella was a ton of fun! What do you do when your sister is a porcelain doll and she breaks? Apparently this is back story on these characters who appeared in a different Daryl Gregory book that I have yet to read. Onto the TBR it goes!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This book was amazing and I loved it.
A psychotic doll and her human sister travel to get the doll fixed after it fell and broke, revealing the truth about their mother and family.
A psychotic doll and her human sister travel to get the doll fixed after it fell and broke, revealing the truth about their mother and family.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This is a really fun, weird short novel. A sentient doll with telekinetic powers and a rude mouth? Hell yeah. A mob-style clan of motley French witches? Also hell yeah. Really excellent worldbuilding with hints of other mythos’, including Lovecraftian? HELL YEAH.
When I picked this up I didn’t realize it is a spiritual sequel, set in the same universe as a trilogy of YA horror novels that he wrote, which explains why the world feels so fleshed out. I’m not a big YA guy, but I would really love to read more stories set in this universe.
I’ll admit that I wasn’t a huge fan of Gregory’s Revelator, but this one feels like a much better fit for his writing.
When I picked this up I didn’t realize it is a spiritual sequel, set in the same universe as a trilogy of YA horror novels that he wrote, which explains why the world feels so fleshed out. I’m not a big YA guy, but I would really love to read more stories set in this universe.
I’ll admit that I wasn’t a huge fan of Gregory’s Revelator, but this one feels like a much better fit for his writing.
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