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.

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.

DNF 2% in

This book does sound super interesting and after it's release I do think I'll give it a second chance. My issue with this book is that there isn't chapters, it is just one big chunk of text without chapter breaks. I think if this had the art that was described in the blurb that would help break it up but with my brain me and big blocks of text without breaks don't get along. The writing was good from the bit I read but I kept getting distracted since there wasn't a marker I was working towards other than the end of the book.

This was an absolute delight! The world building and the concept of doll makers was so fresh. Lynn's writing is very atmospheric and evocative. It creates neat images in your head and you can't stop reading. The MC is unlike any other I have ever read. She is very unlikable and her actions will have your eyes rolling. Nevertheless it's clear that she was intentionally written that way and it was nice to see her character growth. I can't stop thinking about the dolls- they were my favorite thing. Can't wait to read more from this author

If you’re someone who can handle a truly unlikable MC for at least half the measure of a book, then you might have better luck with this book than I did.

I am 100% here for characters behaving badly, but in my opinion, those characters should still make us root for them, even if we know we shouldn’t. Shean, one of our MCs here, did not do that. She’s pretty much insufferable. Imagine the headstrong stupidity and selfishness of Rin from The Poppy War but add elitism and subtract compassion. Shean does eventually grow as a person, but it takes far too long and offers far too little in terms of her earning her redemption.

The book also suffers from clichés and redundancy, with Shean repeating and rephrasing the same ideas over and over within a page or two.

I think this book had some interesting ideas, but ultimately it fell flat for me and I wouldn’t read anything else by this author.

Absolutely amazing story. I really liked everything about it. Just a very unique story. Highly recommend. 10/10

This novel is, in a word, brilliant. If I created a world half as detailed as the one in “The Dollmakers”, I’d be thrilled. I was fully immersed in the story from the very beginning, even with a character that is hard to like. The intro scene packs a punch, and you will be as shocked as the characters who witnessed it. It gets better and better from there.

I was enthralled with the lore, languages, countries and peoples—I want to explore all the other lands, not just One!

I just…I can’t stop raving about this book. It’s phenomenal. This is fantasy at its best. It deserves a full five stars.

I have only two complaints, and the first one is more of an “aw, shucks”: The artwork wasn’t finished in time for the eARC that I received (which is totally understandable, and I’ll be buying the physical book anyway—look at that gorgeous cover!!), and I please, please, please want this to not be a standalone because I need more!! Please write additional stories set in this wonderful, fantastical world!!

Also, a note to the author, I don’t know if you’re doing a book tour, but if you are, please come to Sacramento! I would love to have you sign my copy that I eventually get. 😄

Did I convince you yet? Go get this book when it comes out in August!!

My sincere thanks to NetGalley, Harper Voyager and Lynn Buchanan for the complimentary copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is my first five star read of 2024. The world of One is so interesting. I was immediately drawn into the history of the dolls and doll-making. The variation between all the different dolls and the backstories of the various characters helped flesh out the world and I love it. It made me so intrigued to see where we go from here. Most readers with catch some of the important revelations early on, but that doesn't detract from the overall story. I genuinely cannot wait for book two. If you're looking for a unique cant-put-it-down fantasy book, this one is worth a read.

This was such a stunning debut. I was in love with the world-building immensely and I would love to see this get turn into an animated movie. Shean as a character tested my patience to no end but being able to witness her growth and development was worth it in the end. The artwork for the book are to die for and I'm excited for not only this book release but also to see what Buchanan does next, whether it's set in the same world as The Dollmakers or something else entirely.

An absolutely stunning fantasy! The world is richly detailed, the descriptions are lush and vibrant, the characters are incredibly engaging, and it all comes together to create a perfect package! Highly recommended to any lovers of fantasy! Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review!