First sentence: There once was a little doll named Karolina, who lived in a country far from the human world. The Land of the Dolls was a large kingdom that stretched countless miles in any direction one could think of.

Premise/plot: The Dollmaker of Krakow is historical fantasy set during the Second World War. Cyryl Brzezick is a dollmaker living in Krakow; one day he's carving a wooden doll from a memory. Without knowing how or why, he discovers he's called a soul into the body of the doll--that soul is Karolina. She is a living doll. And the two become close friends. Though he worries that not everyone will understand and accept his magic. He urges her to stay quiet when others are about. And even before the Nazi soldiers come storming into Poland, into Krakow, into their lives, not every face is a friendly face.

The dollmaker and Karolina become extremely close with a Jewish man (Jozef Trzmiel) and his daughter (Rena). There will come a time when this friendship is tested and proved. Will Karolina and the Dollmaker find the courage and strength to stand up to EVIL?!

My thoughts: This fantasy novel is compelling. (I read it at the same time I was reading Irena's Children--a nonfiction biography.) Perhaps I found the nonfiction biography even more compelling and engaging than this fantasy novel. But that's not to say there isn't a place for historical fantasy. This book involved two wars: the war in the human world involving the Nazis and the war in the Land of Dolls involving the invading RATS. I would have much rather the focus been on the human world. The rat segments just didn't captivate me. That being said, it's not my place to review what "should have been" or what "could have been." Did I like it--yes or no? I definitely liked it. Was it sad? YES.

<p>It's a book about the Holocaust that involves a living, talking, doll. It isn't poorly done and wouldn't it be nice if magic existed and could help fight Nazis, and yes, the magic is probably an allegory, but none of that means that I'm going to be <i>rah rah Dollmaker of Krakow</i>. I feel like one of those cranky old ladies shouting <i>Have some respect!</i> I guess talking dolls and magic is an age-appropriate way to introduce children to some of the horrors we humans have managed to inflict on other humans (I think <A href="https://www.librarything.com/work/19205219/book/145602998">The Dollmaker of Krakow</a> is marketed as an advanced middle-grade novel), and may be more tactful than how I learned about the Holocaust -- I'm assuming that my grade four teacher had watched <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0084707/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1">Sophie's Choice</a> the night before because she more-or-less detailed the plot to a bunch of ten-year-olds one morning -- but I don't know if I'd want my daughter to read <A href="https://www.librarything.com/work/19205219/book/145602998">The Dollmaker of Krakow</a> until after she'd read something more factual, like <a href="https://www.librarything.com/work/3032251">Anne Frank</a>, because magic doesn't save us (unless you're going all <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Little_Pony:_Friendship_Is_Magic">My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic</a> on us). Maybe read <A href="https://www.librarything.com/work/19205219/book/145602998">The Dollmaker of Krakow</a>, but go <a href="http://www.newstatesman.com/world/2017/08/it-ok-punch-nazi">go punch a Nazi in the face</a> afterwards.</p>

<p><A href="https://www.librarything.com/work/19205219/book/145602998">The Dollmaker of Krakow</a> by R.M. Romero went on sale September 26, 2017.</p>

<p><small>I received a copy free from <a href="https://www.netgalley.com/">Netgalley</a> in exchange for an honest review.</small></p>

The Dollmaker Of Krakow has been compared to The Boy In The Striped Pajamas (one of my all time favorites) and not only has a stunning cover, but also a wonderful story. This middle grade story is not just another historical fiction read with a WWII setting. With The Dollmaker Of Krakow, R.M. Romero has created a truly unique story that is a perfectly balanced mix of historical facts and fantasy with a touch of magical realism and a fairytale-like feel. There is magic, there are talking dolls brought to life, but there is also the brutal reality of the war and what the Germans were doing to the Jews during that period. Innocence is mixed with a somber reality in a way that is truly moving and very beautifully crafted. It's hard to properly label this story, but there is no doubt about the originality and uniqueness of The Dollmaker Of Krakow. I would recommend this story for the ages of ten and up due to the sensitive historical elements (holocaust references) included, but I am positive they will be completely charmed by this fairytale-like mix of fantasy and reality. The writing style reads like a dream and I really liked the contrast between Karolina's world and the real one. The characters are also well developed and used perfectly to demostrate the situation of both Jews and the people close to them during the war. It will definitely help make the younger readers reflect in an innocent way and leave breadcrumbs of information that will stay with them without the story feeling like a history lesson. All in all definitely recommended!

The Dollmaker of Krakow

by R. M. Romero

Random House Children's

Delacorte Books for Young Readers



Children's Fiction

Pub Date 26 Sep 2017 | Archive Date 26 Sep 2017

I am reviewing a copy of Thd Dollmaker of Krakow through Random House Children's and Netgalley:

In the Land of dolls there is a living doll named Karolina many of Karolina's friend want to go back to the human world, and then a strange wind comes and carries Karolina away from the land of dolls to Krakow Poland.

The Dollmaker is a loaner, having learned to keep to himself, but Karolina was caring and courageous and helped The Doll-Maker come out of his shell even befriending a violin playing father.

But there New found happiness is taken away when the Nazi's invade Poland.

The rats had invaded the land of dolls stealing and destroying everything in his path.

On the first of September Hitler invades Poland, by the second week in September the members of the Polish Goverment had fled to Paris. Food becomes scarce. From the end of 1940 to the beginning months of 1941 it was cold, and snowy with little fuel people were forced to burn tables, chairs. And soon the Jews were sent to Ghetto, where they were given next to no food, and helping a Jew was a crime that could be punishable by death.

This is a story of great tragedy, but it is also one of great hope!

Five out of five stars!

Happy Reading!

I received this ARC copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. So thank you netgalley and publishers.
This is such a beautiful, and heart breaking story that tells about the horrors of World War II through the eyes of a Dollmaker living in Krakow, Poland. This book would be good for fans of Pan's Labyrinth and Pinocchio. It's about a doll named Karolina from the land of dolls who wakes up in the shop of a lonely dollmaker. I'm going to end my review here because I dont want to spoil it for you, this book was such an emotional Rollercoaster! This was my first book from this author and I  Loved it, I will be buying a physical copy as soon as I can!

Such a beautiful, whimsical, and heart-breaking little fairy tale that frames the horrors of World War II through the eyes of a Dollmaker living in Krakow, Poland. This book is a must-read for fans of <i>Pan's Labyrinth</i>. It starts off with a doll named Karolina from the land of dolls who awakens in the shop of a lonely dollmaker at the onset of the German occupation of Poland. There are beautiful scenes of the Land of Dolls interspersed with the real world.

The writing is luscious and reads just like a bedtime story. The settings are vivid and every character has a defined arc. The ending chapters absolutely destroyed me with their haunting beauty and sense of hope, but the journey there hits so many great emotional peaks and valleys.

Definitely a great lens into a horrible part of Poland's history while paying homage to a culture of legends built on hope.

I received an ARC from NetGalley to read and review. The below is my honest, unbiased opinion. Thank you, R. M. Romero, the publisher, and NetGalley, for allowing me to review.

The Dollmaker of Kraków is a braided narrative, with two stories intertwining. The first story line follows Karolina, a doll living in The Land of Dolls, where dolls go after their physical doll bodies perish on Earth, and the second story line follows a Dollmaker living in Kraków, Poland in the 1940s. Quickly into the story, Karolina is reborn in the home of the Dollmaker. The story then follows the two characters' lives as Nazis take over.

Romero is a fantastic writer; I'm quite shocked that this is a debut novel. It's beautifully written and so true in both the events that occurred in the 1940s and in the depiction of location. I suspect Romero spent quite a bit of time researching this novel, ensuring she got each part correct during her writing process.

Romero writes with such vivid imagery that I could see myself in each setting. The characters were so real, I could feel what they felt: their fear, their love, their pain--I felt it all. I rooted for them, and I prayed for their safety. I was completely drawn into the world Romero created that I devoured the book in one sitting.

I foresee this becoming a staple in middle grade classrooms, and I wouldn't be shocked if this became the next book-to-film adaptation in Hollywood! Well done, Romero!

This was a great story for middle aged kids! It shows the darker part of the world's past while showing a fantasy environment mixed in. Yes, it was sad, but I feel like kids need to know that life isn't always perfect! It can gritty and it can be terrible, but there is always hope!

An alive doll and a Polish magician toy store owner during WWII develop a beautiful friendship. Later, a friendship develops between the doll, the magician, a Jewish father, and his daughter. When the Nazis force the Jews into a ghetto, the doll encourages the magician to save as many children as he can by turning them into dolls for a short time. We only get a glimpse of the actual WWII horror; the story instead focuses on the relationships. The ending is heart-breaking but also life affirming as we see the power of love and friendship.

A creatively told tale about Krakow during WWII featuring a doll that's come to life. Chapters alternate between the doll's life in Krakow and the German occupation and her former life in the Land of Dolls. When the Dollmaker and his magic toy befriend a Jewish man and his child, the story tackles some very scary issues in a sensitive but meaningful way.

The writing of this book is so magical! The flow of words were beautiful and the pacing was perfect. The story was emotionally moving from beginning to end. It was perfect!

I was so drawn into the world it felt like I was there. I was emotionally attached to several of the characters. I didn't want the story to end.

The story is set on Poland during World War II about a Dollmaker and doll and their struggles. I went into this story knowing nothing about it and I recommend that to so you can discover the magic for yourself.

I believe this book is a great way to get across the history of this time without sugarcoating it too much but still showing the compassion that existed despite all the hatred.

I highly recommend this book.

The Dollmaker of Krakow is a middle grade novel written by R.M. Romero. My three girls are in the middle grade range, and so I always end up reading the children’s fiction I receive with them because their feedback is invaluable.

Karolina lived quite happily in the Land of the Dolls until the rats invaded. Her peaceful existence was shattered as the rats began a reign of terror. When things are looking their bleakest, Karolina awakens in a toy shop in the city of Krakow. She meets Mr. Brzezick, the Dollmaker who brought her to life. At first, the Dollmaker is shocked that Karolina can speak to him, but he quickly accepts the magic for what it is.

The Dollmaker and Karolina befriend the Tzermiel family- Jozef, a widower, and his young daughter Rena. The Dollmaker treasures their friendship, but their happiness is relatively short-lived. The German army invades Poland, and Jozef and Rena are placed under restrictions almost immediately because they are Jewish. The Dollmaker wants desperately to help his friends, but what can one man and a talking doll against an entire army?

The narrative alternates between what happens in Krakow and Karolina’s life in the war-torn Land of the Dolls. The latter is clearly allegorical, and my girls picked up on this right away and pointed out the similarities.

Needless to say, this is a very sad story. All four of us were crying by the end of the book. This is one of the girls’ first exposures to World War II and what life was like under the Nazi occupation. Despite the fanciful elements of the story (talking doll), this is a realistic portrayal- the desperation of the Dollmaker who doesn’t know hoe to help, the slow degradation of the Jewish people, and even the apathy of the baker across the street, who doesn’t want to get involved.

I would absolutely recommend The Dollmaker of Krakow. This is a stunning debut and an amazing piece of children’s fiction. We all thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. Some parts are scary and some are sad, but it is important for the next generation to know what happened all those years ago. I don’t think any of us will forget this story anytime soon. Romero is clearly a talented author and we are looking forward to her next book.

I received a digital copy of this book from Netgalley/the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Although World War II and the Holocaust have been written about extensively, I felt that this book made a good attempt to create a novel that would explain this time period to younger readers.

I'm a little torn about this book. I think it brings to life the horrors of war and exposes the atrocities that occurred during WWII in a manner that is appropriate for upper elementary and middle school students. It had moments of joy and peace, but mostly it was sad. I don't think I'll have an audience for this book. The cover makes it look like a fantasy, but it's more of a (slightly dark) historical fiction with a touch of fantasy.

I read the last quarter or so of the book rather quickly, but it took me a long time to read. It just didn't grab me. I didn't particularly like Karolina. She was supposed to be spunky, but often I think she came across as abrasive. Also, and I know this is a little petty and it's really not the most awful thing ever but I think the author used too many similes. It seemed like almost every page had an "as" or a "like" and although I appreciate the attempt at imagery and helping younger readers make connections, it was a little wearing.

If you're looking for a novel to read connected to World War II or the Holocaust, this might be a good choice.

Review WIP.

I like the concept of this book, but I cannot say I was wowed by its execution. Even though it's a children's book, I still expect to see a clearer world-building. I eventually had to assume that "magicians," in-universe, are people who can manipulate forms, quite a restrained definition for the word, for initially I thought we'd get to encounter "different types" of magicians who could perform different sort of magic, but that does not seem to be the case.

The land of dolls with rats as its archenemy also feels a little out of nowhere, unless other than the Nutcracker, it's a common concept for dolls vs. rodents, should that be true (I so don't read a lot), I suppose it wasn't a big problem.

Once I was able to set aside the bizarreness, I do enjoy the majority of the book. (WIP)

The flashbacks to me felt oddly placed... I figured if arranging it in chronological order, the book would probably loose most of the readers before the main story actually begun; and I'm not saying the flashbacks were bad, but I'm pretty sure if people were sold by the blurb, they expect to read about what takes place as described. I felt that Fritz's actual flashback was revealed a little too late, and Pierott's appearance felt unitized; after finishing the story, I would even felt it was a bit irrelevant; again, not bad, but doesn't really add too much to the plot? I mean, apparently a lot of other dolls all missed their old owner, but you bring in this specific doll, have that conversation, and was just done with the character, idk, it just felt a little unresolved.

I like the concept of this book. However, I found it strange that no one was really surprised when dolls came to life. The flashbacks to the doll world were distracting and could have been eliminated all together.

Did not finish.
I had great hopes about this book, starting from the compelling cover, however it did not do for me.
The main character - Karolina, a doll - ends up being too much naive. The story alternates parts in the doll world and other in our own, this structure does not help in keeping the reader engaged.

It's hard to put a review of this book into words. I loved the concept of a doll come to life to witness the horrors of Poland in WW2. Parts of it were beautiful and I teared up a few times. My only complaint that as a middle grade novel some parts were overtly childish while others were too dark for the grade level.

This book was so amazing! I will be using this book in my classroom and in my bookstore to pass this gem along! Magnificent

How do I express my feelings about this book? I'm left without words. It was beautiful and heartbreaking. I rare find that completely surprised me. I had requested it on NetGalley on a whim. I simply thought that the cover was gorgeous so why not give it a try? I fell in love with it by the end of the second chapter and full on cried during the last three. It's one of those precious books that you just want to hold to heart and never let go of. I can't wait until I can pick up a physical copy so I can properly cradle it in my arms. It's simply a must read for all ages! 

The writing is lyrical and twisted my heart into a thousand knots. The story takes place in Krakow, Poland at the beginning of World War II. The real world setting is also mirrored by a similar vicious and cruel war in the magical Land of the Dolls. Throughout the story the author doesn't try to shy away from the horrible events that historically took place. Instead, the reader is forced to face them head on. Let me just say that there will be a lot of soul searching. Even though there are plenty of examples of cruelty and violence, the main theme of the book is hope, love and friendship. All three are interwoven throughout the story and it's what kept me going, even when I was sobbing and using up an entire tissue box. Hope can never be dampened by the darkness, it always finds a way to shines through. 

This book is one that you really need to read! It's emotional, honest, heartbreaking and absolutely beautifully written. And, the cover is a new favorite of mine. Just look at it! *sigh* It's stunning! I can't wait to see what the author will release next.