I liked the word building and style of writing but the story didn’t keep my attention
Not my cup of tea
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this arc, all opinions are mine

Sadly this one wasn’t really my cup of tea, just couldn’t find myself interested in the story. I enjoyed the writing, it was very well written, just didn’t quite click with me and I’m sure plenty of others will enjoy this more, it was just a me thing

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

This book is well written, a quick read and pleasant, however it didn’t leave me satisfied. Quite a lot of this book centres on misogyny and the patriarchy in the Kendrick family/business, there are quite a few strong female characters I liked getting to know, Persephone is an interesting character trying to find her way and I particularly enjoyed Hedwig who often gave men only the illusion she was answering to and obliging them. Hedwig is cunning and driven and gets sh*t done. That said, for a book that was so much about women trying to reclaim status and equality, there is such an awful exploitation in this book that goes so unresolved and by a female character that somehow lets it go unchallenged. In fact when asked how they would feel if said male character had hurt/killed, they reply “I’d love him no matter how he behaved”, it was disappointing to see excuses made by a character the book led me to believe was claiming herself. In fact anything empowering that comes from this book felt somewhat diminished by the romance and I do hate when characters don’t get what they deserve in books.

While I have said that I enjoyed the writing, i didn’t enjoy the pace and at times it feels out of place, again I refer to the romance, it starts off a slow suggestion and then catches you off guard by bursting straight into something, including a bizarre sex scene with language completely out of character. This book is set in modern day too and yet reads like it was set a long time ago, I had to keep reminding myself of this. Also, the thief of the doll was exactly who I thought it would be, which was disappointing :/

Similarly, for a book literally with the character as the title, there isn’t much to do with the Thief on the Winged Horse in the book, when he does appear he’s fascinating, I just feel like it was explored enough and was a wasted opportunity.

To conclude, I enjoyed Hedwig, I enjoyed that this was an easy read, I just wish the execution and ending had been more satisfying

An interesting book filled with both magic and mystery. I'd love to know what happens to the characters after the story has ended!

I loved Kate Mascarenhas' mind-bending debut novel The Psychology of Time Travel so was really looking forward to diving into The Thief On A Winged Horse, her second book. I was not disappointed!

This time, Kate's imagination takes us into the world of the Kendrick family - makers of high quality dolls since the 1820s. What makes these dolls so special? Well, they are no ordinary dolls... in fact they are enchanted. Each doll is imbued with a human emotion by its maker, evoking a response in a single touch that is so powerful and addictive that the dolls are both highly desirable and highly priced.

The company was established by four sisters who were born with the ability to cast hexes after, as legend tells it, their mother made a bargain with the Fae - specifically the eponymous Thief on a Winged Horse - and the Thief and his Fae brethren have had a strong influence on the goings on in the family business ever since, even though times have changed in the world outside.

Most markedly, the casting of hexes, has now become the province of male family members only. Women are not permitted to become sorcerers at Kendricks, nor to make the dolls themselves, no matter how talented they are - despite the fact that the business of magical doll making was started by four sisters.

Our story begins with a company stuck in the past, with its elderly patriarch firm in his belief that only family members can be trusted with the knowledge of how to craft magical dolls, provided they are male or course; a mysterious newcomer, called Larkin, who claims kinship with the Kendricks; a modern young woman, called Persephone Kendrick, who is determined to regain her birth right; and a theft of the most precious doll in the Kendrick collection. And what follows is the most wonderful tale of magical realism blended with a cracking crime story and touching romance.

Although the setting for this novel is in contemporary Oxford, Kate Mascarenhas makes the magical undertones of this story work particularly well by setting Kendricks on an eyot that is isolated from the real world around it. On entering this environment we feel we are travelling back in time to a community that is suspicious of outsiders and follows a style of living based firmly on tradition and folklore - even if this is a twisted version of how Kendricks began. They guard their secrets well here - or at least, they think they do...

At heart, this is a feminist tale with an ending that will make your heart sing. Like the dolls that Kendricks produce in their workshop, Kate Mascarenhas' writing conjures a range of emotions that draw you in completely, and her talent for creating beautifully drawn, and realistically flawed, characters is impressive. I adore how she writes her female characters especially - something that I very much enjoyed in her debut novel too.

Kate Mascarenhas has very quickly won a place as one of my favourite authors and I cannot wait to see what her imagination conjures up next. If you have yet to read one of her books, then you really should - they are incredible.

I'm coming to The Thief on the Winged House a little late. I saw it being raved about in the Autumn and what with one thing and another I hadn't got to it, then picked it up just before Christmas - and LOVED it.

The book is set in an imaginary corner of Oxford, or actually, I think, a real corner, a little island ('eyot') which in our world is undistinguished but here, hosts a little cluster of streets and a workshop that manufactures magical dolls. These can impress upon their owner whatever emotion - fear, love, determination - is bestowed on the doll by its maker. The sting in this is that the ability to instil these emotions was discovered and refined by four sisters - Lucy, Rebecca, Sally and Jemima - in the early 19th century. The four founded Kendricks Workshop, which still flourishes today, staffed by their descendants, but women are now forbidden to be the 'sorcerers' who create the magic. They are, apparently, too emotional, and not strong enough, to handle the work.

The book explores the consequences of this injustice, but it does so much more than that.

First, the central idea is pitch perfect, and is developed and explored beautifully. The idea of magic, emotionally dominating dolls is creepy enough to enchant and entice, and somehow the fact that they only seem to occur within a capitalist framework of marketing and possession only makes them more so. Mascarenhas links this notion to a sense of confinement throughout the book, symbolised by a valuable doll caged in iron railings to prevent theft (we are told) but also by the generations accepting lives on the eyot over any alternative and by the control that Conrad, the current owner of the workshop, exerts over all, especially of course the women but to a lesser extent everyone (and including his brother). Yes, some members of the families have broken away but that seems more like flight, a desperate escape during the night, than an adult and equal parting. Confinement on the eyot only seems accentuated by trips to, say, real Oxford locations such as Wetherspoons on Castle Street from which one will, eventually, have to return - these locations in turn accentuate the depth of the setting and its sense of reality. I live near Oxford and I can really imagine getting off the bus on the Aningdon Road and making my way to the eyot.

The eyot and its workshop are a little world to themselves, with their magic but also their rather archaic society, but the they are portrayed so sharply coexisting with the modern world around. Kids tend to be educated in the Eyot school but wider opportunities are available in the Oxford schools - the resulting struggles and tensions have shaped several of the central characters. Nor is the eyot free of modern world problems: we see domestic violence and alcoholism, for example.

The central characters are strong too. While events kick off with the arrival of a young man, Larkin, claiming to be the long-lost heir to one of the four sisters, at the heart of the story are two women, cousins Persephone and Hedwig. Flashbacks give us more detail about their lives - Persephone's difficult relationship with her alcoholic father, Briar, and Hedwig's upbringing by a single mother (not easy given the eyot's somewhat outdated mores). The two are well realised - Persephone wants to join the workshop as a sorcerer and is baffled and jealous when returning prodigal Larkin wins an apprenticeship while she's jeered at by the men. Hedwig works as housekeeper for Conrad. She's able, within limits, to manipulate him and wield a little power from the shadows. It is though a precarious position and Larkin's arrival makes things even less steady.

And then, a valuable heirloom doll is stolen...

This is, on the face of things, a simple story, with a central mystery - who stole the doll known as the Paid Mourner? Things are confounded somewhat by the eyot's belief in a fairy figure, the Thief of the title, who apparently bestows both good and ill on the residents, but as the story makes clear, the actual existence of this person is problematic and they are as much a tool to be used or an emblem to be appealed to as a real power. That whole aspect is delightfully murky, baffling outsiders in general and especially the police called in to investigate the theft.

Behind that, though, we need to focus on the characters, on their hopes and dreams, their secrets and their desires. Desires are especially important, upsetting as they do both our protagonists' plans and their self-images - particularly for one couple who share a powerfully charged night in the Randolph Hotel, Oxford's best, Mascarenhas fully rising to the challenge of a sex scene that is not at all embarrassing but tender, erotic and rather moving.

In short, this book fully justifies the praise it's been getting whether you want to approach it as fantasy which it absolutely is (it has MAGIC! There may be FAIRIES!), crime (a baffling and well-plotted mystery), a story of the human heart (those well-rounded and convincing characters; I'd defy anyone not to shed a tear or two at the situations they're in and the truly modern dilemmas they face) or even, I suppose, a contribution to the idea of Oxford as a place of colliding histories, identities and a refuge of odd little worlds and communities.

Or as all of those. This book is a gem and you should read it (but do so slowly ands reflectively, it's one that really pays you back for giving it some focus and space).

A fantastical tale with an undercurrent of equality and a strong feminist voice.

Set in Oxford, Kendrick’s Workshop makes magical dolls. However, despite originally being started by women, over generations, men have taken over, relegating women to more menial, non-magical roles.

Whilst it’s set in the modern day, the archaic descriptions kept me forgetting this wasn’t set in a more historical setting.

Persephone is the main character and I liked her - strong, determined to fight against the patriarchy and filled with the ambition to become a sorcerer.

Larkin is a stranger who turns up, declaring himself a long lost relative, and who then turns the workshop and Persephone’s life upside down.

Whilst most of the writing was lovely, I had to mark this down for a number of reasons. The first is the modern day setting - the descriptions of the local village, the business, the patriarchal family hierarchy just made for a more archaic setting. If it wasn’t for the occasional mention of modern day technology, such as the occasional mobile phone, you would have no idea.

The romance between Larkin and Persephone is just unbelievable. The explicit descriptions of their sexual relationship adds nothing, in fact it makes it more ludicrous, as does the swearing. It just doesn’t feel right with the mystical, magical overall theme of the book.

It’s okay, but I wouldn’t seek out any more books by this author.

This was my first time reading a book by Kate Mascarenhas, and it definitely isn't going to be my last! I was absolutely fascinated with the world, the characters and how the magic system worked.

The book follows three main characters: Larkin, Persephone and Hedwig. All of them being the descendants of the four founding sisters of the Doll workshop. Or rather, one of them claims to be.

All of the three characters were so interesting and I was always intrigued when I was reading their own chapters. Never did I feel the need to skip a chapter because it followed a character I wasn't found of. But my favourite has to be Persephone! I found myself relating to her the most and feeling the urge to root for her. I loved her character arc and the discussions we got about women in power and excelling at craft. Her relationship with her father was hard to read about but it was all super intriguing!

I honestly loved the storyline that we followed and the fact that we got a little mystery thrown into it.

The magic system ( or rather the way to enchant a doll ) was very unique. I've honestly never read anything like it before!

The book is also very well written and I've completely fell in love with the author's writing. It's the type of writing the pulls you right in.

I highly recommend picking this book up. You can't miss out on it!

The Thief on the Winged Horse by Kate Mascarenhas is a standalone contemporary fantasy novel. I previously read The Psychology of Time Travel, by the same author so thought I'd give The Thief on the Winged Horse a try, even though the blurb didn't immediately appeal to me.

The Kendrick family have been making world-famous dolls since the early 1800s. But their dolls aren't coveted for the craftmanship alone. Each one has a specific emotion laid on it by its creator. A magic that can make you feel bucolic bliss or consuming paranoia at a single touch. Though founded by sisters, now only men may know the secrets of the workshop.

Persephone Kendrick longs to break tradition and learn the family craft, and when a handsome stranger arrives claiming doll-making talent and a blood tie to the Kendricks, she sees a chance to grasp all she desires.

But then, one night, the family's most valuable doll is stolen. Only someone with knowledge of magic could have taken her. Only a Kendrick could have committed this crime...

As I said, I enjoyed this book more than I particularly expected to. I think the special ingredient was the author's very readable writing style. The story follows three characters linked to a magic-doll-making family empire in Oxford: two women who are discouraged from making dolls and aren't allowed to place enchantments on them, and an outsider who arrives at the start of the book, claiming to be a long-lost relative. The women are, arguably, trying to make the best of an unfair situation, and not always making the best choices in the process.

In some ways it's a book about people in crappy situations making questionable decisions — which is not generally my cup of tea — but it worked here. The characters are interesting and their interplay makes for compelling reading. The magical dolls are a bit mundane but also very creepy. The author plays off the mundanity as we are taken through discoveries and revelations of family history to disturbing events that are not dwelt upon. The author trusts the readers to make connections and doesn't spell out every little detail. The result is I spent quite some time thinking about and being horrified by a minor event that the characters in the book did not themselves interrogate fully, even as they thought through some of the practical consequences.

This was a strange and strangely enjoyable book. I picked it up on a whim and I think I liked it more than The Psychology of Time Travel, even though the subject matter of time travel inherently interests me more. I recommend it to fans of mundane fantasy and contemporary fantasy, especially those that enjoy character-driven stories.

4 / 5 stars

First published: November 2020, Head of Zeus
Series: No
Format read: eARC
Source: Publisher via NetGalley

Everything you want for a magical wintery read; magic, secrets and a large closed family group with a rich history.

The premise of the story is a family run doll making business where each doll produced is enchanted with an emotion that you feel when touching the doll. The business began many generations earlier, started by four sisters who, in turn, passed the knowledge of doll making (and enchanting) on to their sons.

I loved the first 70ish % of this book and was expecting it to become one of my books of the year but didnt feel the end of the book entirely lived up to what came before. That said, it was still a thoroughly entertaining book.

This book is set in a fictional river community, the eyot, in Oxford whose residents are all descendants of the Kendrick sisters, who set up a, now famous, doll making shop, many years ago. Kendricks is a thriving business, not least because the dolls they make are magical – all laid with a hex that allows the holder of the doll to feel a specific emotion (anything from love to rage, and a range in between).
Despite the busines being started by four sisters, the modern day factory is run by men, and women have had their rights singularly dismissed and removed. As such, it feels that this should be a quite a feminist tract; however, it falls short. Whilst some of the women seem unhappy with the current situation (they would like to do more than simply make the interior for the houses), no one apart from Persephone seems to lose much sleep over it. Therefore, it’s hard to believe this is a main theme of the novel.
The main story hinges around the fact that the current owner’s family heirloom doll has been stolen, and suspicion immediately falls on his estranged twin brother, rather than the newcomer who is trying to force his way in to the family business with stories of familial ties.
There were parts of this novel I really enjoyed; the idea of the Fae folk, and their relationship with the human world intrigued me, and in parts this was handled exceptionally well. However, it almost felt like it went nowhere. Definitely more could have been made of this to really push the magical/fantastical element.
Instead, I felt too much time was given to characters who were fundamentally unlikeable, and without just reason. Hedwig and her mother were appalling characters, but not in a way you can admire. They were just petty and one-dimensional, and boring to read about. Given how much they dominate, I found myself losing interest quite quickly.

The Stars
I felt this was going to be a good 4 star book; however, it seemed to lose its way at about the 70% mark, and never regained it. Ultimately, it felt a bit confused, and didn’t really provide much in the way of a proper ending/tying up of threads.
As a result, a bit of a disappointed 3 stars from me.

This stunning book really blew me away. It was filled to the brim with magical realism and in addition to the magical element of this entrancing story, there was a strong feminist thread cleverly woven throughout the book.

I loved the character of Persephone who was completely fixated on her desire to become a sorcerer within the family’s doll-making business. The magic dolls were all given an enchantment, an emotion which would be transferred into the hands of the person holding the doll.

All of the characters were multi-dimensional and flawed, and the way in which they all inter-connected added a depth that made them leap off the page and into my life. This book is simply incredible and one of my favourites this year.

I enjoyed this book, a bit of magic set in current times. Dolls that can be empowered by feelings so that when you hold them you can experience the emotions. A dynasty of doll makers that hold their secrets close and a community of people all related. A really good idea for a book.

The setting for The Thief on the Winged Horse is Paxton's Eyot, a fictional river island in Oxford. Here sits a small, rather insulated community, organised around a remarkable business: Kendricks Workshop, which makes magical dolls. Only descendants of the founders, four sisters, are permitted to work there. The beginning of the story sees the arrival of a stranger, Larkin, who is determined to secure a job at Kendricks.

The plot hinges on the theft of an extremely valuable doll from the home of Conrad Kendrick, the current owner of the workshop. Suspicion falls on Briar, his embittered brother. Briar's daughter Persephone is one of our protagonists, as is Conrad's scheming housekeeper Hedwig. It turns out that, despite the founders of all being women, the modern-day workshop only allows men to use magic, or 'lay enchantments'; Persephone is determined to change this. Hedwig is more interested in making money, by any means. Larkin's motives are obscure, but he develops a sweet relationship with Persephone. On top of all this, some of the eyot's residents still believe in 'fae folk' and blame the theft on the local legend of 'the Thief'.

It's difficult to know exactly what to care about here. It feels as though Mascarenhas wants us to think the idea of women using magic is central to the story, yet we rarely get a sense of what this means to them. The main female characters are Persephone, whose relationship with Larkin is prioritised within the narrative; Hedwig, who is awful; and Mrs Mayhew (Hedwig's mother), who is also awful – and neither of the latter two are dollmakers, nor do they wish to be. The book never really shows that being allowed to lay enchantments is particularly important to anyone except Persephone, who, it seems clear, has more than enough talent to make it on her own, and would probably be better off away from the cloistered atmosphere of the eyot. Consequently, the ending feels very downbeat and muted.

The simplistic characterisation really wears thin, too. Hedwig, for example, is so one-note she's virtually impossible to like: the fact that she's conniving and manipulative is her defining trait, which wouldn't necessarily be a problem, except that there appears to be literally nothing else to her personality.

There were things I really liked about The Thief on the Winged Horse, and those things kept me reading. Persephone and Larkin's relationship is delightful and authentic and the most emotionally compelling thing in the book. The strangeness of the Kendricks community existing within the modern world worked quite well for me, giving the story a fantastical, fairytale flavour. Overall, though, it's a little unsatisfying, and I didn't have anywhere near as much fun as I did reading the author's debut, The Psychology of Time Travel.

'A dazzling mixture of crime, romance, magic and myth.' 

Okay! So do I get the one and only niggle out of the way first, or do I slip it in unnoticed amongst all the many genuinely good aspects of this storyline and writing? No, I need to say it out loud and then move on and not revisit it! You therefore need to read my review in its entirety to ascertain my true feelings about the book.

The Thief On The Winged Horse, it transpires after my reading just a few pages, is a contemporary fantasy story.  However, as I first began reading, the style of dialogue and narrative, and the initial perception I formed of the characters, would have quite firmly placed it as a work of historical fantasy fiction. Based on the early background story building and description of the physical eyot itself, together with the introduction of the families who lived there, I have to be totally honest and say that is also where I still think the book firmly belongs and where the slightly gothic undertones it engenders, would have made more impact from my perspective, as I found it quite difficult to assimilate those early beliefs with the modern day actualities as they were introduced into the narrative.

All that said, I enjoyed author's fluid style of writing, rich in detail, with some beautifully descriptive narrative and dialogue, which really drew me into the story and engaged me with the individual characters, combined with a slow building plot which had more twists and turns than enough. Kate has created a book which has some good structure to it, with meaningful opening and closing pages and a multi-layered, engaging and interesting, although slightly disconcertingly quirky storyline, which quite honestly freaked me out on a couple of occasions, but that is because of my own personal phobia about certain kinds of dolls!

First, that slightly scary, original and intriguing storyline, which features hexed dolls, made in a variety of materials, each having individually installed 'enchantments' that can engender unique and often troubling feelings in their owner. Definitely made for an adult market, which it even more eerily transpired, was predominantly male. Made even more disconcerting when I discovered that the craftsmanship which went into creating the individual dolls and the secret of laying on the hex, was also a male led domain. However the company itself had an all female history, as it had originated as the brainchild of the four Kendrick sisters. Somewhere along the way, their male heirs had purloined and dominated the rights to become the 'sorcerer's' of the business, leaving their womenfolk to create and furnish the doll's houses and serve in the shop. The scene setting throughout the book is really well described, making it a very visual and immersive journey, which is multi-layered and complex.

It would also seem that the entire population of the eyot were descendants of the original Kendrick sisters, with new blood being introduced on a regular (but not too regular!) basis, through marriage. I can recall no mention to speak of about any children and if there were, they were definitely of the 'seen and not heard' variety. It is unclear just how the shift in the balance of power from a female dominated business, to that of almost total male superiority came about, with the business for the purposes of the story, being currently administered, but not actively worked in, by Conrad, who inherited the entire estate at the expense of his twin brother, Briar. Therefore, there is no love lost between the siblings, although both are carefully and subliminally manipulated by the respective females in their lives, Conrad's companion, Hedwig and Briar's daughter, Persephone, who are also not natural allies, but have a common goal and destination to aim for, with a combined strength and determination to get what they want.

In this slightly uncomfortable environment, which I found disturbingly intrusive and stifling, even in my third party reading, business secrets are jealously guarded against outsiders and a strong belief prevails about 'the thief on the winged horse', who regularly steals things and demands payment and gifts in exchange for their return! Kate masterfully crafts and creates a great sense of atmosphere about the entire island, which would make you frightened to step out of line and dreading the consequences if you were caught. There is no lightness or joviality to life on the eyot, where suspicion is an almost default 'enchantment' amongst this strange extended family concern, who avidly guard their way of life.

They do say however, that 'Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned' and this is also very much a story of revenge, retribution and the power taken by two of the female family members to fight back against the male domination, against all the odds; taking back piece by piece, some levelling out, if not control, of the Kendrick empire, by whatever means and feminine wiles necessary. Risking everything, Hedwig and Persephone somehow manage to rally some of the other women to stand up to their menfolk, be counted and have their voices heard, thus redressing the balance and hoping to drag the name of Kendrick into the 21st Century.

Whilst all of the main protagonists are very powerfully drawn and developed, with a genuine depth of character; none of them are really quite what they seem, all being most dislikeable and disagreeable, with their thinly veiled hidden agendas and motives, which are very cleverly woven into the plot, one on top of the other, so that I was never exactly sure who was fooling who, and which one of the suspects was in cahoots with the other at any given point in time. Such was the nature of their various and nefarious crimes, including industrial espionage, blackmail and theft and those just for starters and the tip of the iceberg, they were switching allegiances and plotting one against the other, almost constantly, making none of them easy to connect or empathise with, although the instant interactions between them were very compelling and addictive.  Long held secrets bubble to the surface, which affect the characters of Hedwig and Persephone the most, revealing their vulnerabilities, and their individual desperate searches for a sense of place and belonging, whilst at the same time bringing their individual strengths to the fore,  with a uniquely feminine recognition and intuition, that they needed to collaborate together to achieve their common objectives.

This powerful, mature and masterfully written story, certainly took me on a journey well outside of my usual comfort zone, although with its dark undertones, male dominated and toxic relationships, I'm not sure whether I was in a happy place or not. A very unusual, almost magical and immersive storyline, but the thought of all those spooky dolls out there, makes me think that I will never quite look at Oxford in the same way again!

Have not had a chance to read this yet, but will keep it on my list for a rainy day! Appreciate being offered the reading copy!

An intriguing contemporary fantasy, I loved the atmosphere and writing despite finding it a little slow at times.

It managed to remain fairly unpredictable to me, and whilst I appreciated this, I guess I had certain expectations that were not quite met and I felt like the story lacked a bit of a punch. It was fully modern, and I think I wanted the novel to delve into the past and history of the place and characters more. Also, the fantasy aspect felt more like magical realism, there was magic and a touch of faery, but part of me wanted more, even though that would have changed the whole tone and subtleties of the novel.

I'd definitely read other books by Kate Mascarenhas.

(ARC provided by publisher via NetGalley)

I really loved Kate Mascarenhas's previous book The Psychology of Time Travel. The way she crafted complex and very distinct characters and narrative was something that I took away as a key part of her writing. As a result I was very excited to read her next offering.

The Kendrick family have been making world-famous dolls since the early 1800s. But their dolls aren't coveted for the craftmanship alone. Each one has a specific emotion laid on it by its creator. A magic that can make you feel bucolic bliss or consuming paranoia at a single touch.
But then, one night, the family's most valuable doll is stolen. Only someone with knowledge of magic could have taken her. Only a Kendrick could have committed this crime...

Much like Mascarenhas's debut, The Thief on the Winged Horse has a strong feminist viewpoint. While the Kendrick business was set up by three sisters, over time it was quickly taken over by male descendants and the women were excluded and demoted to designing the non-magical elements of their products. Only men became Sorcerers.

I found it interesting that most of the purchasers and collectors of the dolls were male. Possibly this was a comment on modern-day masculinity meaning that many men don't allow themselves to feel strong emotions – particularly "feminine" ones – organically.

This is a "whodunnit" story. There is a scene in particular, after the theft of the most prized doll, where the entire community and their guests are held on the eyot – the small river island on which the Kendricks and their descendants have lived for generations – while the police question them, which felt like an homage to Agatha Christie and other classics in the crime and mystery genre.

There are three main POVs within the book – Larkin, the newcomer to the eyot who holds a previously unknown claim of Kendrick heritage; Hedwig, who is daughter of the tavern's landlady and the housekeeper of the head of the business, Conrad; and Persephone, daughter of Briar, Conrad's alcoholic twin brother, who dreams of becoming a sorcerer despite her gender blocking her career path.

Each one of these characters are fully-formed, complex, and distinct. Each is very interesting to read, and their flaws in particular are unwrapped throughout the story, leaving the reader feeling unsure who exactly they are (or are supposed to be) rooting for, especially when conflicts occur between them. Through the different perspectives, the reader tends to learn of things just before the other characters do, leaving plenty of mystery to remain engaged with.

Just as in The Psychology of Time Travel, there is LGBTQ representation in this book. It's not a driving force for the plot, and its mention happens mostly in passing, but it is there and is from key characters. I also personally read at least one of the main characters as neurodivergent, however this isn't explicitly explored within the story.

Immediately within the first chapter, I was drawing comparisons between this book and Once Upon a River by Diane Setterfield. Despite being set in totally different eras, each book is about a small insular community, set on the River Thames in Oxford. Parallels extend beyond that, to the magical surrealism that exists while otherwise set in the real world, and to narrative devices including the use of a local tavern as a key setting. The books also share a similar feeling of fairytale-like whimsy. I'll say now that I was a big fan of Once Upon A River, and as a result recommend The Thief on the Winged Horse to anyone else who enjoyed it.

My only main critique was that the pacing was a bit off, which was particularly noticeable in one section towards the end of the book where it speeds up so much as to disorientate.

Other than that I really enjoyed this book though, and Kate Mascarenhas has cemented herself on my list of authors whose future work I will actively seek out.

Thank you to Net Galley for sending me a copy in exchange for a review.

The Thief On The Winged Horse was a beautifully written story set in modern times but with speculative fabulism mixed with folklore and some form of magic system that is never truly explained - something I liked. I love it when things aren’t fully explained as it keeps some mystery and gets you thinking of theories long after you’ve closed the book.

We follow three main characters;

Persephone - a plus sized, grumpy and tired woman who wants the family company to be more inclusive. I really enjoyed her POV simply because although she lived with her alcoholic father and felt pressure by everyone else in the family to look after him, she never wallowed or felt she needed sympathy for it. She was a tough character that took everything on the chin and then looked it in the eye, saying”Is that all you’ve got?”

Hedwig - a young woman with her head on straight, conniving, charming, out for her self only and I am still not sure what her true feelings were towards other characters such as Persephone at the end of the story. Whilst I liked Hedwig, I never fully believed a word she said to other characters. She’s like one of those acquaintances that you hold at arm’s length (figuratively) and never truly trust.

Larkin - A double crosser and not to be trusted, which is a feeling I had from first meeting him in the book - was this because he was a male character or because he was just generally shady? The jury is out on that still.

The Kendrick family have been making world-famous dolls for over 200 years. But their dolls aren't coveted for the craftsmanship alone. Each one has a specific emotion laid on it by its creator. A magic that can make you feel bucolic bliss or consuming paranoia at a single touch. Though founded by sisters, now only men may know the secrets of the workshop.

Persephone Kendrick longs to break tradition and learn her ancestors' craft, and when a handsome stranger arrives claiming doll-making talent and blood ties to the family, she sees a chance to grasp all she desires.

But then, one night, the firm's most valuable doll is stolen. Only someone with knowledge of magic could have taken her. Only a Kendrick could have committed this crime...

Whilst the synopsis does seem to make the plot revolve around the dolls made by the family (and they are definitely part of the story) they didn’t feel like an integral part - just something that brought the characters together. It’s more of a crime romance with folklore and magic mixed in and in my opinion it was a perfect mix.

I didn’t truly guess the perpetrator of the crime (although I had my suspicions) and the whole story was just so beautifully brought together to a satisfying ending.

One for fans of Robert Dinsdale’s The Toymakers, Practical Magic and Erin Morgenstern.

**Review**
The Thief On The Winged Horse by Kate Mascarenhas
Persephone Kendrick longs to break the tradition of her family’s doll workshop by learning her ancestors' magical craft for herself. Until now, the craft and sorcery have only been allowed by the Kendrick men. When a handsome stranger arrives claiming doll-making talent and blood ties to the family, she sees a chance to grasp all she desires.
This really is a book full of wonderful ideas. I loved the thought of enchanted dolls emitting emotions to those that touch them. The writing is great making for an easy read, that really takes you on a journey through a complex plot.
Some parts of the book really felt like historical fiction to me, and I had to keep reminding myself it is actually set in more modern times. I am not sure I ever really got used to it having a modern backdrop. I really haven’t read anything quite like it before.
I loved the two female lead characters, particularly Persephone. She is so strong and determined, striving to get what she wants. All the characters were interesting, but felt I would have liked more backstory about some of them, such as Larkin.
Do give this a try for a slightly different take on a magical realism read. Thank you to @headofzeus for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.