Love how fresh this feels! The dark and twisty with the beautiful lyrical writing, it's the absolute best of this type of fantasy with a fresh magic system that doesn't feel impossible

This book was phenomenal. Do I care that I have three five star books in a row? NO I DO NOT. These books have just been *that good*.

This book contains:
Unique and BEAUTIFUL world building!!!
Trauma healing
Attack on Titan coded world building 🙌🏻
Studio Ghibli style elk riding (honestly, if you love Princess Mononoke, this book is for you)
Cozy fantastical horror
The Bear and the Nightingale vibes
Speaker for the Dead style mentor 😭
Journey of self discovery
Aftershocks of war on an individual, community, and societal basis
GORGEOUS illustrations throughout
Making peace with the past
Large spider silking
Learning to let go of control for the uncontrollable
Finding one's own place in the world
Recognizing and being proud of what one has to offer
Learning to stand up for one's self
Doll Magic
Dolls and Dollmakers protecting civilization from non organic monsters

This book y'all. It DEVASTATED me. The character growths of the two FMCs was absolutely perfect and beautiful. I loved the cozy style plot progression. It felt like a flower (Flower 💔😭) unfurling. The ending was so beautiful and healing. I feel like there's a lot of books that deal with trauma healing and character growth, but these two FMCs? They had among the best healing journeys I've ever had the pleasure of reading. Just beautiful.

The MMC was supportive and determined. I love that he is loyal and kind and working to right wrongs while honoring and remembering the past. He reminds me of a certain mentor character in Warbreaker. I just love him as a character, and I'm excited to read more about him. I think his kind of character is something lacking in literature today. I haven't read many characters like him, but I've loved every one of them.

This is a cozy fantasy with horror undertones. This is not a romantic book. Think Cruel Prince and Bear and the Nightingale style romance, if that romance ends up progressing in later books. I'm excited to see where it leads, but I would definitely not describe this book as a romantasy.

Content: graphic and gruesome depictions of violence and death, medical descriptions, one sweet kiss (no spice), PTSD, loss, widespread destruction aftereffects

Thank you to Harper Voyager and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy of this book. This review is voluntarily written and the thoughts and opinions contained in this review are my own.

The Dollmakers is set in a world where monsters/“Shod” terrorize and completely destroy everything in their path. The humans’ only defense are the sentient dolls created to fight the Shod. No one knows where the Shod came from or why they do what they do. Shean, a dollmaker, has spent most of her life perfecting her dollmaking skills with the goal to ultimately defeat the Shod for good. Unfortunately, she fails her licensing exam to become a guard dollmaker, and instead passes as an artisan dollmaker which she believes is inferior, insulting, and less than what she deserves. She embarks on a journey to prove herself, going as far as deceiving everyone to accomplish her goals.

Shean is the most insufferable, petulant, and narcissistic character I’ve ever encountered (though I believe this is intentional). We see this attitude throughout most of the book, and I was more than eager to witness her impending downfall, while also anxious about the repercussions of her actions. Her character, despite making me want to pull my hair out, serves its purpose and is effectively written. The other characters, especially Ikiisa, are also fantastic and multilayered. The writing is beautiful and flows seamlessly, and the storytelling is charming, vivid and immersive. The artwork within the book is stunning! What I loved most was the emphasis on finding one’s true self, accepting that, and not needing to prove yourself to anyone. The plot also opens up opportunities to expand the story and world especially where Roque is concerned. I noticed a lot of Sanderson’s influence in the magic system and worldbuilding, which I LOVED. Overall this was an impressive debut novel and I hope we get more stories from the Fallen Peaks!

Thank you @harpervoyagerus for sending me an early copy of this wonderful book!

“There comes a time when all other voices must be blocked from your mind, a time when you must turn inward and ask yourself who YOU are, what YOU want, and how YOU can best achieve those goals.”

I enjoyed this book. Set in a world where a kind of doll that is autonomous are all that stands in the way of monsters that roam the country. All Shean wants to do is be a guard doll maker because her family was killed. But when her licensing exam goes a different way, it triggers a series of events that will change the way she views dollmaking and the world around her. The world building and the characters really carry this book. Shean is frustrating to read at times, but in a good way. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys fantasy that’s a bit outside the box.

A big thanks to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was told that this book was for fans of Studio Ghibli, and I was not dissapointed.

The Dollmakers by Lynn Buchanan is a fantasy novel set in a world that is essentially run by dolls. In the country called One, dollmakers are vital members of the community. An artisan’s doll is the height of society’s accomplishments, while a guard’s doll is the only thing standing between the people of One and the Shod: vicious, cobbled monstrosities that will tear apart any structure—living or dead, inanimate or otherwise—to add to their horde. Apprentice Shean of Pearl is a brilliant dollmaker. With her clever dolls, she intends to outsmart and destroy the Shod, once and for all—a destiny she’s worked her whole life toward accomplishing. But when the time comes for her dolls to be licensed, she’s told her work is too beautiful and delicate to fight. A statement that wounds and infuriates her; the Shod killed everyone she loved. How could her fate be anything but fighting them? In an attempt to help her see a new path for herself, Shean’s mentor sends her on a journey to the remote village called Web, urging her to glean some wisdom from Ikiisa, a reclusive and well-respected guard dollmaker. But Shean has another plan: if she can convince the village of Web of her talents, the Licensor Guild will have to reconsider and grant her a guard’s license. And what better way to convince them than challenging Ikiisa and instating herself as the official dollmaker of Web? Once she’s done that, proving her dolls’ worth in the fight against the Shod will be simple. As simple, that is, as calling the Shod to Web...

Listen. This book is amazing. It can practically do no wrong. I love it so much, and I can't wait to see what Buchanan will write next.

4.5/5 ⭐️

This was a pretty stellar debut and I'm hopeful that there will be a sequel/set-up for a series!

The premise was unique and the magic system was fun. The writing was good, tight storytelling, with well crafted jumps to different character POVs. It felt like both a refreshing fantasy with some old school sci-fi tropes thrown in - the dolls were basically just robots - which made for such an interesting book. The characters were flawed with gradual growth that felt earned. The only major flaw I had with it was the predictability. Because the writing was so tight, the set-up/pay off was almost too well established and made for later "reveals" to be pretty obvious.

The story as it stands felt pretty contained but could be opened up as a more epic fantasy, which would be so fun - I see so many possibilities with this as a series.

Thank you to NetGalley, Lynn Buchanan, and Avon and Harper Voyager for my early access to this.

CW: violence, gore, death/death of family

Read via NetGalley. “The Dollmakers” is available August 13, 2024.

You’re going to spend the first 70% of the book hoping the MC gets eaten by something.

In the country called One, Dollmakers are divided into two categories—guard and artisan. Apprentice Dollmaker Shean has always aspired to be a guard dollmaker. On the day of her licensing, she’s informed that she cannot, as her dolls are too beautiful and delicate. In a rage, Shean sets off to prove that her dolls are just as capable as the ugly, utilitarian dolls currently used as guardians.

Normally, when a main character is so thoroughly unlikable as Shean, I lose interest rapidly. There’s just nothing pleasant about reading about characters who are immature, selfish, and bitchy for the vast majority of their book. And make no mistake, Shean is all of those things. As one side character mentions, she’s like a child who’s never been told ‘no.’ It was horrible. So it should speak volumes about how weirdly enchanting the rest of this story is that I was able to tough it out and actually end up really enjoying the entire book.

Obviously, the characters are not the most wonderful part of this book. That’s not to say they aren’t well-written. They are. The 3rd person POV rotates between 3 characters, with the main focus on Shean. All three of these characters, though, have their own stories and quirks, their own motivations behind their actions. You get the feeling that each one has led a whole life before this story, and will continue to do so long after our book ends. To make multiple characters feel so lifelike is a skill I don’t see super often; it’s just the Shean is horrid and insufferable and one of the others is a shell hollowed out by trauma and left in a constant state of crippling fear, so they’re not exactly *pleasant* to read about.

The real magic here happens in the world building. The dolls of the story in particular are so fantastically brought to life, and in reading about Shean’s travels you’re left with the feeling that there’s an incredible amount left to explore in this world that we never see on the page. It feels exactly like we’ve stuck our head in someone’s window just long enough to get a glimpse of the action with little to no other information, though we know there must be quite a lot (a disclaimer— I do not go around sticking my head through people’s windows). The world just feels full, and I don’t know a better way to explain it.

The plot is intriguing, although where you think it’s going and where it ends up are likely to be two entirely different endpoints. It’s quite a mental journey to get there, though, because for the majority of the book I found myself wanting to smack the MC. She spends so much of the story being a horrible person; it’s an entire train wreck of interpersonal interactions, but I just couldn’t look away. I’m glad I stuck things out, though. The story ended up being really interesting, in a weirdly charming sort of way.

If dolls are your personal nightmare fuel, you’re not going to have a good time with this book. They’re kind of critical to the story. If that’s not an issue, though, full steam ahead. It’s a bloody, oddball sort of thing, but this book is weirdly endearing and I’m not entirely sure how to feel about it. It’s dark, it’s subtlety magical, and it just works.

I found my favorite fantasy book of the year with The Dollmakers. The world building was refreshingly unique and imaginative. The characters had me so invested throughout the entire book. The writing made me feel part of the adventure, the heartache, the terrifying Shod battle, the relationships, and especially the dolls!

So glad I found this book. I will be reading anything and everything written by Lynn Buchanan moving forward. I just ordered the special edition.

I'll be honest the first 100 pages I was unsure if I would finish this book
The struggle with seeing the main character act so childish and make so many mistakes infuriated me. I ended up so frustrated with her choices I kept reading, in hopes that SOMEONE would stop her. Then I paused and reflected upon my own childhood and I know I made rash decisions too. Ikiisa was my favorite character, I feel I empathized with the pain and trouble she went through just for being authentic. By the end of the book I was truly hopeful that Shean had grown and would do better to help herself and those around her. I would LOVE to read more about Roque! Overall I did end up enjoying this book.

Thank you to HarperCollins for the chance to read and review this book and also to the Author.

A unique and fascinating fantasy that's a little bit of Pinocchio and Attack on Titan. "Perfect for fans of Studio Ghibli films" is completely accurate; I can easily see this as an animated film that balances a heartwarming message with a dark fantasy plot. I'm curious about this being a standalone. The world Lynn Buchanan built is deep and complex and there's so much left to explore. The ending definitely sets up further stories, particularly with the side male character who just wanders off adventuring.

I found the MC Shean to be INSUFFERABLE for at least half the book. She didn't really have a journey to self enlightenment either, just a really bad, violent wake-up call. It worked and she pulled it together in the end (it was touching and I cried), but I liked the other dollmaker Ikiisa so much more. I'm worried about potential sequels featuring Shean and hope there'll be more standalones featuring other or new characters.

I am not into the hinted romance. **spoiler** looks like we got another ancient man and very young woman 😑

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.