I really enjoyed this book. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who likes the idea of cozy fantasies but is looking for more plot and higher stakes.

I will say that Shean is an immensely unlikeable character at first, but you can tell that she’s written that way on purpose so that she has room to grow and I like where she ended. There are some things that are left open and I’m curious to see if we’ll get a sequel. If we do, I’ll definitely be interested in picking it up.

*The Dollmakers* is unlike anything I've ever read—a truly unique and thought-provoking story that stands out from the crowd. The author did an excellent job with character development, making the characters feel real and relatable. The main character, Shean, was particularly interesting. While she could be infuriating at times, her journey was compelling, and I believe there's something valuable for everyone to learn from her experiences.

One aspect I didn't enjoy as much was the lack of chapters, which made the pacing feel a bit off. However, I understand this might be due to reading an ARC, and I hope the final version includes chapters to improve the reading experience.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed *The Dollmakers* and would recommend it to anyone looking for something different. A big thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A girl who is determined to prove that her dollmaking skills are up to par ends up in a strange little town facing off against another dollmaker and the monsters inside the forest. In a world where dollmarkers create dolls that protect and fight against the Shod, vicious monstrosities that tear apart beings.... you have to earn your license as either a artisian dollmaker or as a guard dollmaker. Shean of Pearl is an apprentice and a brilliant dollmaker, her dolls are clever and beautiful, and she intends for her dolls to outsmart and destroy the Shod. It's all she's been working towards ever since her family was murdered by the Shod before her eyes. Yet when she goes to take her license test and is told her dolls do not qualify to become guard dolls she snaps and loses it. Her mentor sends her off to Web to glean wisdom from Ikiisa, a reclusive and well-respected guard dollmaker.... but Shean has other plans, such as stealing the job from Ikiisa and proving to the Licensor Guild that she deserves to have her license reconsidered to being a guard dollmarker. Yet Shean begins to discover that maybe she wasn't as right as she thought and that maybe she isn't as brilliant as she thinks and that there are bigger things to be concerned about than her desires... such as the monsters surrounding Web. This book was a rough one to read especially considering how annoying Shean is, reading from her POV had me wanting to tear my hair out for the most part. I didn't like or care for her if I'm being honest and would have much preferred if the story focused more on Ikiisa. The story was an easy read and despite being part of the world, you can read this as a standalone. Shean does grow by the last 70% of the book but by then I was already over her. Honestly if you are looking for a fantasy book with a unique magic system, I would say give it a go!

Release Date: August 13,2024

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager | Harper Voyager for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Voyager for the ARC!

Plot: In the land of One, there are two types of dolls: those used for art (artisan dolls), and those used to defend against the Shod (guard dolls), a monster that periodically attacks. Shean has been told that her dolls are too pretty to be guard dolls, despite her insistence to the contrary. At the advice of her mentor, she travels to the town of Web to meet another doll maker who is known to be the best, and she is determined to prove that her dolls are guard doll material. Will her dolls be able to protect against the Shod?

Review: I’m not a huge high fantasy reader, but I still found this story to be intriguing and digestible. I loved the first 10ish% and was totally captivated for the last 15-20%. For the rest of the book, I vacillated between being bored and being interested. The book is clearly set up for a sequel, and I will absolutely be reading it.

The writing was superb, the pacing was mostly good (though it did slow down a bit too much at times), and the characters were well developed. I liked that the lead protagonist wasn’t super likable for most of the book.

My biggest gripe is that this book didn’t have chapters - not sure if that was just for the ARC.

But overall, this novel was super creative, and there were a lot of little lessons that will stick with me

3.75🌟

4.5 stars! Thank you to NetGalley, Avon, and Harper Voyager for this advanced copy. You can pick up The Dollmakers on August 13, 2024.

This book surprised me in the best way. I absolutely loved the way the story feels like it's being told orally, like a legend or fairytale. This magic system and fantastical world have to be one of the most unique I've ever read, and I love how easy it was to immerse myself in it. It does in fact feel like a Studio Ghibli movie in book-form, balancing a whimsical air with life-altering stakes.

Our main character, Shean, is not the easiest to like. I'll admit that I found her headstrong approach silly and childish at times, but that also makes her growth throughout the story that much more satisfying. And I love how we weren't solely in Shean's head but moved between several different, minor characters as well (including the dolls). Every angle felt fleshed out, and the ending made sense for each of the characters.

I'm going to be thinking about this one for a while. I HIGHLY recommend picking it up, especially if you love high-stakes, high-paced fantasy that feels like lore.

Slow clap. What a debut!

Who needs sleep, when I can be reading this book. (My internal monologue while glued to the pages.) Went in excited for this book, and was blown away! I feel lucky to have read this book before its official publishing date. I hope this books reaches your hands! You’re going to love it!

Okay, about the book. The creativity alone is gorgeous! The depth of the story, characters, landscape, town, and even lore take you to another world. An engaging book from the first chapter. I felt a rollercoaster of emotions going through this book and stayed up way past midnight. I just couldn’t let the characters go on without me.

Multiple character insights, giving the book a greater view of the world. As well as inspiring character growth. There isn’t romance, (though hints It may be on the horizon). Like Brandon Sanderson books though, this one doesn’t need romance.

I hope to read many more books from Lynn. She’s got a new fan.

*A free eARC copy of The Dollmakers was provided by the publisher in return for a fair and unbiased review*

The Dollmakers is the first book published by author Lynn Buchanan and if this book is any indication of her ability as a writer, I am very excited to see where the rest of her career takes her. I found this to be an entertaining standalone fantasy book that also leaves the door open for future stories taking place in this fantasy world.

The Dollmakers is about a young woman named Shean who is studying to become a licensed dollmaker, a group of trained artisans who are able to create dolls that are magically brought to life either to entertain or protect the humans of this world from the evil and destructive Shod. Shean begins the novel as a hot headed, overconfident student who is clearly overcompensating for the pain of losing her family at a young age. After getting herself into trouble with the governing body of the dollmakers for rejecting her assignment as an artisan dollmaker, Shean must travel to the small outlying town of Web to seek out a reclusive dollmaker to train her in the ways of becoming a maker of guardian dolls.

Throughout this standalone novel, Buchanan starts laying the groundwork for larger conflicts and mysteries spanning the other continents of this fantasy world. This never takes away from the story at hand, but it does leave me wanting to read more stories in this world.

Buchanan studied under Brandon Sanderson while she was in college, and while if you are familiar with Mr Sanderson's writing lessons you may notice his influence in the worldbuilding and storytelling of The Dollmakers. The magic system even reminded me of aspects of those from Elantris and Warbreaker without feeling like it ripped off those systems. That said, Buchanan never falls into the trap of trying to emulate Sanderson's work but instead is able to craft her own voice in the fantasy genre.

I would recommend this book to fans of the fantasy genre, especially those that are looking to take a break from some of the 1,000+ epic tomes. I found the world to be interesting, the characters engaging, and the story to leave my satisfied while still wanting more.

The eARC copy did not contain any of the illustrations that the final release will include, so I am excited to eventually get a physical copy to see the artwork that has been created for this story.

This was a really solid debut fantasy novel. I've been looking forward to reading The Dollmakers ever since Brandon Sanderson announced one of his Dragonsteel employees had written a book.
The main character, Shean, is incredibly unlikeable but I loved it. I want more FMCs behaving terribly and Shean delivered.
The Dollmakers has a unique world and magic system. Fans of Sanderson's Cosmere will see influences in this book and find much to enjoy.
My only complaint is that this book, in the middle, tries to be unnecessarily sad and pulls at your heartstrings. It was a bit too much for me but other readers may be fine.
Overall a great read and I hope Buchanan writes more in this world.

This book was absolutely riveting. I can’t believe I loved it so much when I could not stand the main character for the first 50% of the book. The story was captivating enough to keep me hooked (plus there was a kind of satisfaction in the destain that I felt for Shean).

The carefully planned out plot line and gradual reveals - some predictable and others not at all - was impressive. The pacing was quick but not overwhelmingly so. The character arcs were brilliant, too. Every character felt kind of flat at first, but by the end with more background and a deeper look into their minds, they all felt real and human.

The book centers around the nation of One. Shean has been training to be a doll maker her whole life, preparing to make dolls that will fight the Shod - the terrifyingly destructive creatures that killed Shean’s family when she was a child. When her licensing doesn’t go as expected, she sets out on a mission to prove to everyone that her life purpose is crafting intelligent guard dolls. What unfolds from there is just fascinating plot.

The book ends in a satisfying way, but it is kind of a satisfying cliff hanger in a way. Some of the later revelations have the academic in me screaming for more information, but I know that will be coming in the next book(s).

The last note that I want to make is that there is almost no romance in this book. I love a well written fantasy where the plot doesn’t rely on romantic relationships, and this is definitely that. There is an opening for some romance in future books, but I don’t think it will be a huge plot point. While I love a good romantasy as much as the next reader, if that’s what you’re seeking, this book is not it.

Thanks (seriously) to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. It was an absolute pleasure.

🕷️ The Dollmakers 🕷️

While this book was marketed as a standalone, I sincerely hope there are more.

The whole concept felt unique and refreshing. The world, the intricacies of the doll-making society, all very fun to explore.

I never really grew to like one of the MCs BUT I think that’s the point (another reason I would love if this were a series would be to see the growth). Because I didn’t like her it was hard to root for her and in turn really immerse myself in the story, but at the same time she was like a train-wreck that demanded my attention. She is after all, demanding.
Other characters introduced a little later stole the stage. But let me say, I am always a big fan of flawed characters and Lynn Buchanan did this in the best way. There weren’t any easy/quick fixes.

The dolls were… creepy (think Toy Story 4 vibes), but I ended up finding them cool. The Shod (a violent plague of creatures in the country called One) were truly stuff of nightmares. Both contributed to a really original feeling story.

Brandon Sanderson put his stamp of approval on this book by saying “an engaging new voice with excellent world building. I enjoyed The Dollmakers, and can’t wait to see what is next!”

This is the most unique book I have read… in a LONG TIME. I feel speechless to be quite honest. I went through every emotion possible through this journey and I’m pretty much blown away by the experience.

In the country called One, dollmakers are vital members of the community. Artisan dolls are the height of society’s accomplishments, while guard dolls are the only thing standing between the people of One and the Shod. Vicious, cobbled monstrosities that will tear apart any structure - living or dead… to add to their horde.

This story follows dollmaker apprentice Shean as her mentor sends her on a journey to a remote village called Web, to glean some wisdom from reclusive and well-respected guard dollmaker, Ikiisa.

This is an incredibly intense personal story of redemption, ambition, and growing up when you’re already grown.

I never thought it was possible to love a main character who you’re so upset and angered with until I read this book. When I tell you this author decided to not just put her characters through the wringer but her readers as well. She absolutely succeeded.

The atmosphere in this story is unbelievable. It’s a bit dark and creepy and sometimes a little off. It kind of reminds me of the world in the movie Big Fish. To me that just added to the absolute charm and uniqueness of this story.

Is there romance?? I’m going to answer this in a percentage. 99% zero romance zip zilch nada. 1%…. Giggling, squealing, kicking your feet. That’s all I can say about that.

The magic system is fascinating, I love all the characters. Literally every character was bursting with personality and individuality.

I love these freaking dolls you guys. When I tell you, this book made me audibly weep and blow my nose… I was surprised how emotional some scenes made me.

And there’s just a really incredible fascinating element of something more going on here. Something deeply rooted in history gone by that just pulls you in and it won’t let go.

This is fantasy. At its finest.

I can see why some readers are going to love Dollmakers, but for me the reading experience was painful – and culminated in an ending I found completely maddening.

Painful, because Buchanan’s prose is constantly jarring, with clumsy rhythm and terribly awkward phrasing.

{Striving in their wrong, violent way to be repaired, healed.}

{Ikiisa didn’t know what to do, which was why, outside of running, she hadn’t done anything yet.}

{his limbs had displayed the violence of trampling.}

{ripping through [the district] like hail through wood}

Is. Is anyone going to tell Buchanan that hail doesn’t tear through wood???

{the tight grip she had on Shean’s hand relentless, compelling her to run faster}

If these examples don’t bother you, great! You shouldn’t have a problem with the prose. Lucky you. I honestly don’t know why I kept reading – I think I was waiting for it to get as beautiful as its cover.

Never happened.

I don’t want to talk about the plot, because it’s mostly quite predictable – long-time Fantasy readers will see the two biggest reveals coming from a mile away. But I do want to rant talk about how stupid and not-thought through the ending was, as well as how horrible the implications of the third big reveal are and how no one in the book cares.

Surprise: the Shod are corrupted dolls. Bonus surprise: using the Breath Mark which brings dolls to life on a Shod causes that Shod to fall apart. But is Shean going to tell the world either of these things? No! In fact, Roque, who is on a quest to destroy all Marks, even tells Shean that Ikiisa (another dollmaker) should not be told because

{“Ah. Yes, Ikiisa is my friend–she saved me from the Shod once, many years ago. And I’m grateful to her. But Ikiisa is not so interested in finding a way to eliminate the Shod as she is in finding a place where she can protect people from the Shod. You want the Shod to disappear.”}

What in the actual fuck are you talking about? If you ASKED a dollmaker if they wanted to eliminate the Shod, of course they would be on board with that! But you’re not going to give them the chance because…they didn’t think of trying to do it themselves? Because they *checks notes* dedicated their lives to protecting people from the Shod???

Hi, are you fucking insane? What kind of reasoning is that?! What in the actual FUCK are you smoking?

{“That,” Roque said, “along with how you used the Breath Mark on the Shod, is the difference between the two of you. I think no less of Ikiisa for that difference; she’s like most of the dollmakers I’ve met. You, though, can choose to be different.”}

Sir, if you tell Ikiisa, right now, that the Breath Mark can help destroy the Shod, she will use it. Do you think she won’t??? Does Buchanan actually think this makes sense, that a normal person would nod along with Roque and think he’s correct? Because I can’t see ANY reader agreeing with this particular bit of utter nonsense.

And it’s not like Shean spontaneously thought of eliminating the Shod permanently either – she’s only thinking of it now because, now, knowing what she does about the Break Mark, it occurs to her that eliminating the Shod may be possible. But she didn’t think of it before because…she thought it was impossible. That’s where all the other dollmakers are at – they don’t know it’s possible, so they haven’t been thinking about it. Shean’s not special – she’s not even the one who thought of trying the Breath Mark on the Shod, that was the idea of one of her dolls!

Bringing us neatly to my third issue with this book: Shean’s dolls are special. They can talk, which dolls are not supposed to be able to do. They don’t want to be guard or artisan dolls, which are the only two options. They can write and theorise and reason. This surprises or outright alarms everyone who discovers it, but not one single person, including the representative of the Dollmakers’ Guild, thinks to wonder how this can be. Nobody asks Shean it she is doing something different when she makes her dolls. No one speculates. No one asks her if she knows why they’re like this. No one! Is!! Curious!!!

No big deal, their existence only upends EVERYTHING YOU THOUGHT YOU KNEW about these creations your society depends on! It’s fine! Who cares???

And my final (main) problem with Dollmakers: dolls are people. They think, they have names and pronouns and thoughts and feelings, and even after Shean knows what her dolls want/were made to do? She still leaves fifty of them to be manual labour for the village.

…That’s slavery.

Am I supposed to be okay will this? Because I’m not okay with this. ESPECIALLY when the fifty dolls being handed over to do work they DO NOT WANT TO DO is presented as Shean’s penance, a big part of her growth and happy ending!

THE FUCK.

And it would have been SO EASY to make this not-a-thing: all Buchanan had to do was NOT give us a ‘chapter’ from the POV of the dolls. Until then, it was fine! I believed the spiel that dolls are not people. I had no reason not to! And then you put me in their heads. And showed me that they had thoughts and feelings and wanted things. And drove that home with the reveal that they didn’t want to be guard dolls or artisan dolls.

Why??? Am I supposed to hate The Country Called One now? Am I meant to be horrified by the treatment of dolls? Do you want me to want to burn down the Dollmakers’ Guild after that?

No. I’m clearly not, or they wouldn’t be held up as heroes still. Shean going off to be a dollmaker wouldn’t be presented as a happy ending. The problem with Dola wanting to grow up to be a dollmaker would be the slavery, not the fact that she’ll inadvertently create more Shod.

{“Apprentice?” Shean echoed. Dola nodded, beaming.

“As soon as I turn thirteen and pass the Breath Mark exams!” she said.

“That’s right,” Ikiisa said, laughing.

Shean looked from Ikiisa to Dola, smile flagging. She glanced at Roque, their conversation from yesterday like a wall between them and the rest of the world. Shean wondered if Roque always felt this…queasy. Did he understand how her happiness for Ikiisa and Dola was tempered with fear of yet another dollmaker making more dolls that would, someday, become Shod?}

I’m not supposed to think the dolls are slaves, clearly. But that’s a pretty inescapable conclusion, given the knowledge Buchanan has given me, the reader.

That is called bad fucking writing.

There’s so much else I could talk about – like the insistence that the Marks are bad, even though we’re never given any evidence that that’s true, or how Buchanan undermined Ikiisa’s entire arc by having her behave like a child throwing a tantrum when it was time for her to stand up for herself. I’d like to point out that we never learn why the Shod ripped apart all the other houses in the village, but for some reason did not do that to Ikiisa’s house (super convenient); nor is it explained how the First Dollmaker knew about the Shod before he’d died, which would have been required to make the first Shod. The Dollmakers’ Guilt has known Shod are corrupted dolls for ages, but never made any attempt to investigate or stop the process, including trying the Breath Mark on a Shod. Dolls are apparently capable of manual labour, even skilled labour, but no one has thought to replace human workers with them? I could go on, but damn it, my hands are hurting and I’ve already wasted enough time on this stupid book.

All of this – and all the other, more minor inconsistencies and stupid things – itch like a hundred mosquito bites, and I am so freaking angry about it. Were there some very cool moments? Yes. Did it make some beautiful mind-pictures in my head? Yes. If worldbuilding that doesn’t fit together doesn’t bother you, you may very well enjoy The Dollmakers. Maybe you can enjoy the very half-assed plot, and the vague, shallow characters. But as far as I’m concerned, this was poorly written, poorly thought-out, and painful to read. I should have DNFed it, and I really think you should skip it.

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

The Dollmakers by Lynn Buchanan is a third person multi-POV cozy horror-fantasy. When Shean’s chance to get a dollmasters’ license doesn't go as planned, she reacts in anger and insults the licensor. In order to get her future back on track, Shean's master sends her to Web in order to meet someone who can hopefully set Shean straight and find a path that she can be happy with.

Shean is a messy young woman who is arrogant, angry, stubborn, and I'm here for it. A lot of her pain stems from trauma and grief as she lost her whole family to the Shod, creatures that destroy everything in their path. Her main goal is be a guard dollmaker, but the licensor designates Shean’s dolls as being more of the artisan type. And Shean is extremely upset about this to the point of destroying things in her room. She even takes the chance given to her by her master to learn to usurp the dollmaker position from the person who already holds the post, Ikiisa.

Ikiisa is just as lost and messy as Shean but in very different ways. Ikiisa has seen the horrors of what the Shod can do but she's also experienced human misunderstanding and prejudice. In contrast to Shean’s beautiful dolls, Ikiisa’s look more like the Shod, but they are effective guards for the most part. Previous towns and cities have treated Ikiisa and her dolls with fear and contempt, kicking her out and accusing her of creating the Shod. All of this together makes her very quiet and somewhat passive as she struggles to assert herself after years of not being listened to and blamed for things outside her control.

The worldbuilding is almost akin the The Dark Crystal in terms of tone (I'd actually love a Dark Crystal-esque adaptation of this). The Shod are fascinating and also horrifying nightmare-ish creatures while dolls are made to either combat them or assist humans. Dollmakers only have so much control over what kind of doll they can create with rules and edicts firmly in place that must be followed.

I'd recommend this to fans of horror-fantasy that is more contained, readers who love messy women, and those looking for a darker fantasy

This was a great book. Good plot, world building and interesting characters. In my opinion, it had some pacing issues but overall, solid read. Picked it up because I’m a big Sanderson fan so if you are a Sanderson fan, this book might be for you. Really recommend it. 3,75⭐️

4.5⭐️
Thank you to Harper Voyager for providing an ARC through Netgalley.

The Dollmakers is about a country called One, that has a monster problem! Dolls (which are alive) are made by dollmakers to fight these horrifying monsters, the shods. Our main character Shean at the beginning of the book is being licensed to become a dollmaker. She wants to fight shods and help others…let’s just say things do not go as planned.

This world was lush and immersive, and learning about it was definitely my favorite part of this book. This is a standalone, but the world building alone, makes me think we will get other books in this world (pleaseeee Lynn). The writing style is unique in which there are no chapter breaks. We do get multiple POVs.
p.s. Marble was my favorite, and I was so sad we only get a small insight into their thoughts and feelings.

Shean (main character) is the main reason this book was not complete perfection for me. She is extremely unlikeable for 50% of the novel.
Here follows a direct quote from my kindle highlights “I reaaaaally can’t stand Shean, and I’m writing this here so I don’t forget later when the author makes me like her!” Shean is selfish, egotistical, and infuriating for a good chunk of the novel. Even so, this made like the author even more, she made Shean feel real, with flaws and all.

The plot was entertaining, and some of the action had me on the edge of my seat! I was sort of surprised by some of the descriptive violent/gory scenes, but the blurb describes the book as “a touch cozy fantasy, and a touch horror” (My fault for going in blind).

I absolutely adored this novel! I have already pre-ordered the physical copy, I am dying to see the illustrations.

*The Dollmakers* is a story rich with folklore, set in a world besieged by amorphous monsters and protected by living dolls. It follows a girl determined to defy expectations—Shean, the Dollmaker—who feels like a character straight out of Grimms’ Fairy Tales.

While the concept charmed me, the story didn't quite meet my expectations. The first half of the book is slow and misses opportunities to delve deeply into its characters and world. It's hard to fully connect with the characters, and it often feels like the story begins after the most intriguing events have already happened.

The protagonist, Shean, is difficult to like; she's prickly at best and violent at worst. There are glimpses of her emotional turmoil from losing her place in the world, but these aren't explored enough to be convincing. Shean's main drive is the tragic loss of her family, but even after finishing the book, I’m not convinced she cared about them until they were gone. Her memories focus on their loss, which could contribute to her victim mentality, but her anger and grief never felt connected.

I would have loved more insight into Shean's life before she wanted to make dolls and her family dynamic before their tragic end. Experiencing these moments with her would have made her loss more impactful. Instead, the narrative tells us how things are without allowing us to fully experience them alongside Shean.

The second protagonist, Ikiisa, is a different story. Burdened by past violent rejection, Ikiisa suffers from anxiety and panic attacks, sometimes triggered by Shean’s actions. These moments play out vividly, making Ikiisa feel more human than many other characters. When Ikiisa was introduced, I expected a shift, with Shean becoming the villain and Ikiisa the hero—an intriguing direction that wasn’t fully explored.

The most distracting aspect of the book is the constant reference to the Red Tide, a devastating attack by the Shod long before *The Dollmakers* begins. Each mention serves as a reminder that the most interesting part of the story happened off-page. Though it’s a defining moment for many characters, the glimpses we get are frustratingly brief. Shean recalls it while remembering her family, but these moments are limited to a few lines.

The story gets interesting when it focuses on its unique elements—living dolls’ perspectives, magical Marks, and a village harvesting spider silk at night. Buchanan’s descriptions are beautifully simple and imaginative. Even after finishing the book, I find myself thinking of spider silk cities and floral-painted doll skins. I’m eager to learn more about the jewel-encrusted people with pebble-like voices and the mountainous country awaiting its immortal king's return. Buchanan's world is expansive and detailed—I just wish I could experience more of it.

Ultimately, *The Dollmakers* showcases what fantasy authors can create. It appeals to our love for allegorical folktales like Baba Yaga—dark stories infused with real-feeling magic. Despite its flaws, Buchanan’s work is worth reading, especially if you enjoy young adult fantasy. The mix of whimsy and creepy occult elements will captivate many readers.

✨️2.5✨️

I feel like this had such an interesting concept but it was hard to push through. Our main character, Shean, was so incredibly annoying. It took until about 60% into the book for it to feel like anything was really happening. I wish they had exploded more world building outside of her. Also the repetitive language of for the names of places. I'm honestly afraid to go and search to see how many times my kindle tells me it's said throughout the book. I definitely see potential in this author and will continue to check out Lynn's work but this one wasn't it for me.

Thank you to Net Galley and Harper Voyager for the ARC. The concept of dolls fighting monsters intrigued me. Alas, I had completely different expectations of what the story would be about compared to what it actually was about. I expected a lot of fighting and action and monsters. Instead it was more coming of age which is usually not my taste in fantasy. I'm not sure if this is an ARC formatting thing, but having no chapters made the pacing feel a little strange to me, I am unused to it, so the lack of chapters made it feel as if though barely anything was really happening. But my favorite part is definitely the dolls, they were interesting.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for the arc! I really really enjoyed this! It’s like a scrumptious mix of Pinocchio and Princess Mononoke (my fave ghibli movie) so of course I loved this. The dolls are out, and the shod demands its due. Here are some things I really enjoyed about this book.

The characters and character arcs:
Shean starts out as the most unlikeable, spoiled shit I’ve read about in a long time. I’ve seen people complain about this, as if it wasn’t done purposefully (it was). Shean’s arc is very much a redemption arc, and it’s a satisfying one. The harder she falls, the more she has to rise, and she does. Trust that she gets humbled on multiple occasions, and grows as a result. Her drastic arc makes her that much more compelling in my eyes.
Ikiisa also had a little arc of her own. It’s more cut and dry than Shean’s, as Ikiisa’s arc is about her growing to stand up for herself, but I loved Ikiisa from the start; I want to give her a fat hug. Don’t even get me started on the lovely abomination that is Bobble.

The atmosphere and world building:
This book was incredibly immersive and the world building was plentiful. Learning about the nations, the types of people, the different cities of One, the history of a few nations, their myths and law, other little tidbits -it all had me transported. There is a ton of potential and use for this world in sequels and standalones as well. I especially want more from Shean and Roque (with how things are set at the end). There’s so much to work with, and it’s lovely. The atmosphere is just as much so. It’s whimsical, dark, and indulgent. The author truly painted me a fucking picture, and I gobbled it down boots. The Ghibli vibes were also off the charts.

The plot and pacing:
I thought that the story was paced well, and the plot was incredibly engaging. It starts out slow, but gradually builds as more threads are woven into the plot, and then chaos ensues. We get intrigue, competitions, and an action-filled back half that again reminds me of Princess Mononoke. Both halves were engaging to me, as I enjoyed Shean’s meandering path and adventures in the first, with the dark and bloody mayhem that is the back half.

In conclusion, I’m greedy and I need more content of this awesome world, and its compelling characters and intrigue. What a slay this was, and I’ll keep both of my eyeballs on the author and what they write next. -4.5 silk scarves

Thank you NetGalley and Avon/Harper Voyager for the ARC.

Rating: 4.5

This was a highly anticipated read for me and it didn’t disappoint.

In a country called One, people are terrorized by the Shod. Shean’s parents and brother were killed during a an attack, leaving her orphaned. Now an Apprentice to the dollmaker who raised her, Shean’s one goal is to become a guard dollmaker in order to destroy the Shod. When the licensor denies her a guard license, judging Shean’s dolls to be too fragile to fight, she sets out to prove that her dolls are able to take on the Shod.

This book had my attention from the very beginning. I found Shean to be annoying (though that was by design). So confident in her untested ability to take on the Shod, she goes to another village to challenge their current dollmaker, acting like a brat the whole way. Though as the story progresses, you see her growth as a character.

The Dollmakers is a standalone but I would love to read more about One and explore the stories of other characters. Definitely recommend this book.