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.

In this book, the protagonist makes a heartless decision, yet I appreciate how much depth she was given, and how much dedication was put into exploring her faults. It's the characters around her, Ikiisa and Roque, that really hit you, although they eventually get their own POVs, which makes the story more varied. The creation of the world to the development of the characters is all masterfully executed. In my opinion, the story's only downside was its predictability which might have been intentional. As a whole, I recommend this book to readers who enjoy fast-paced fantasy with art-based magic systems. Buchanan has created a detailed world and characters that are easy to get lost in.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for providing the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Dollmakers is a story imbued with folklore. A world threatened by amorphous monsters, living dolls created to protect their makers, a girl bent on not becoming what everyone wants her to be—the story of Dollmaker Shean would feel right at home pressed between the pages of Grimms’ Fairy Tales.

Despite how much I was charmed by the base concepts, the story of Dollmakers fell short of expectations. The first half of the book is slow and squanders the opportunity to dive into the depths of its characters and world. It’s difficult to fully relate to the characters and there’s a nagging sense that the story started after the most interesting parts were already over.

The protagonist, Shean, is not likable at all; She’s prickly at best, outright violent at worst. There are glimmers of a girl in emotional turmoil as a result of losing her place in the world, but none of that is really expanded upon and, as a result, doesn’t come to fruition in a believable way. Shean’s major drive seems to be the loss of her family who died tragically before the book begins. But, after finishing the book, I’m still not convinced Shean cared about her family until they were dead. All of her memories of her family center on losing them which could definitely play into her character as a victim, but it never really felt like her anger and her loss were connected.

I would have loved to see what Shean was like before wanting to make dolls, a look at her family life before it was taken away—something that I could grasp in order to understand exactly what had been lost. It’s not enough to be told how things are; the impact of a character’s experience comes from readers experiencing it alongside them and there was never a chance of that with Shean.

The second protagonist, Ikiisa, is a completely different story and I wonder why she wasn’t the main character instead of Shean. Burdened by violent rejection in her past, Ikiisa suffers from anxiety and panic attacks, sometimes as a direct result of Shean’s actions. These moments all play out on the page, making Ikiisa feel much more human than many of the other characters. When Ikiisa was introduced, I honestly expected a complete switch to making Shean the villain and Ikiisa the hero—a choice that would have been really interesting to see play out.

The most distracting part about the book is the constant reference to the Red Tide, a devastating attack launched by the antagonist, the Shod, long before Dollmakers begins. Every time it was mentioned was like a reminder that the most interesting part of the story had finished before the first page. Though it’s meant to be a defining moment for the majority of the characters, glimpses of the Red Tide are frustratingly shallow. Shean sometimes recalls what happened while remembering her family, but those moments aren’t expanded upon past a few lines.

Things start getting interesting when the story zooms in on its more unique parts—seeing things through the perspective of the living dolls, the discovery and use of mysterious, magical Marks, a village surviving off nocturnal harvests of spider silk. When Buchanan gets going with her descriptions, I’m amazed at the lovely simplicity of her language and her clever imagery. After closing the book and starting on my review, I still find myself thinking of spider silk cities and doll skin painted with bursts of florals. I desperately want to know more about the jewel encrusted people whose voices sound like pebbles clattering together or about the mountainous country at war with itself while they await their immortal king’s return. The world Buchanan created is obviously expansive and detailed—I just wish I was allowed to be part of it.

When it comes down to it, The Dollmakers is a lovely example of what fantasy authors can create. It tugs on the parts of us that love taking in allegorical folktales like Baba Yaga—stories that are dark but full of magic that feels real enough to harness ourselves. Despite flaws, Buchanan’s work is definitely worth a read, especially if you’re looking for something fresh that reads like Young Adult fantasy. The mix of whimsy and creepy occult will strike just the right notes for a lot of readers.

So, this was one that I was aware of because of Brandon Sanderson talking about it a bit, but I was completely unaware of beforehand (I don't really engage with the flowering "new adult" writing that's been coming out, but that's not a knock against the books, I just don't really connect with a lot of the themes they seem to cover that I've seen so far). My first big takeaway is that Lynn Buchanan writes her prose terrifically, and it made it really easy to immerse myself in the story. The second takeaway I walked away from the book is how brave it was to have such a human (and often unlikeable) protagonist, which won't land well with all readers, but I found it very compelling. And then, as others are saying, the lore and worldbuilding is really immersive and unique.

Big fan. Will be pushing this on unsuspecting library patrons when it comes around.

I felt like it was slower for me in the beginning. I did not enjoy the main character, I found her very frustrating and also that I didn't really care what happened to her. I did grow to like her eventually, but not until the end of the book, and really, the side characters were the only thing keeping me reading because I cared for them than for her. Overall, because of the ending, I did enjoy the book. I really liked the side characters, though! I found them charming and I was very engaged and wondering what was going to happen next with them. Slow start story wise as well, the action didn't really start happening until the end, so that made the book go faster once I made it to the action parts. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Honestly wishing I felt more excited about this book. The worldbuilding is amazing, it was what kept me invested through the whole story.

It was clear that the author didn’t aim to make Shean a passive, agreeable character, and she truly wasn’t. And I, personally, love a dislikable heroine, but Shean lacked any sort of charm or specific characteristics that could create an interesting compelling contrast in order for me to actually care about her. There were many plausible reasons for her to be the way that she was, but she wasn’t anything more than that (a stubborn, unstoppable force working towards her goal) for the majority of the book.

I did like the supporting characters, specially Ikiisa and all the delightful dolls. Their presence softened Shean’s constant matter-of-fact approach to all situations. And, once again, I remain in awe of this world that Lynn Buchanan created and really hope there are more stories to be told in it (even Shean’s next adventures, because I’ve come to appreciate her).

Many thanks to Avon Books/Harper Voyager and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This review and many others can be viewed on my Goodreads page at the following link: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/80102102-ana

Well, I am impressed! Based on the title and cover-I absolutely thought I would hate this. It was definitely giving creepy vibes-BUT this book was phenomenal. I cant say enough about the details, small and large! I would definitely recommend!!!

3.5 stars.

This debut novel shows a lot of promise.

My favorite aspect of the story was the world. From the names, the descriptive language, the creatures, and the glimpses of other nations, there really is a dreamy, fairytale esque atmosphere. I do believe the comparisons to Studio Ghibli's work is an appropriate comparison in this instance.

Plot wise I did find this to be decently paced. There is a balance between the action and more introspective moments. The story isn't always exciting, but the author doesn't linger to long in any scene. I found the first third of the book to showcase the strongest writing. Readers get an excellent grasp of both Shean's character--her strengths and failings--and of the world and it's stakes.

My biggest gripe with the book is the main character herself. Shean really is an unlikeable person for the majority of the book. While she does undergo a transformative character arc, I wanted her commupence to be much harder. She has the luck to be surrounded by the most gentle and forgiving characters.

Buchanan clearly has more in store for the world of The Dollmakers and I'm happy to see where she takes us next.

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was an interesting read with some minor things I didn't like.

I enjoyed this so much! This gave me so many feelings, and I can't stress enough how much you should read this if you're interested!

If I had to describe The Dollmakers in one phrase, it would be “brilliantly immersive!” Initially, I didn’t know what to expect from the story, but as soon as I began reading the opening pages, I felt as though I had been transported to another world.

Lynn Buchanan’s debut was, to put it simply, phenomenal. From the world-building to the characters and the overall lore, everything was so vivid that my mind transformed each page into a vibrant scene. This book is described as “perfect for fans of Studio Ghibli films,” a description that is not only accurate but perfectly captures my experience. I’d even suggest there’s a hint of Fullmetal Alchemist influence, at least from my perspective. This comparison is meant as a high compliment since Fullmetal Alchemist, one of my all-time favorite stories, is known for its incredible world-building and character development. Much like The Dollmakers. If this story were ever adapted—which it absolutely should be—I believe only animation could truly do it justice. But for now, I will eagerly wait for the book art in the final version.

Let’s turn our attention to the protagonist, Shean. If you appreciate protagonists who initially come across as somewhat unlikable but undergo significant personal growth, then Shean’s journey will be a delight to follow. She begins as overly ambitious—not a negative trait in itself—hot-headed, and somewhat frustrating. Think of a more self-absorbed Nynaeve from The Wheel of Time, and you’ll have a good idea. That’s not a bug but a feature. This characterization is a credible portrayal of a woman in her early twenties, who is the most talented in her field within her country. TLDR: Shean is the best and she knows it. This type of protagonist is my favorite when done right because it’s deeply satisfying to witness her evolution from the start of her arc to her improved self at the end. Personally, this also makes for a compelling reason to reread the story, following Shean’s growth with the knowledge of where it leads.

Overall, The Dollmakers is an exceptional debut by Lynn Buchanan. It’s imaginative, complex, thought-provoking, and transports the reader to another world. In other words, The Dollmakers is fantasy at its finest. Seriously, don’t miss out on this book when it releases in August—you might miss one of the standout fantasy debuts of 2024.