Release Date: February 8th 2018
Publisher: Ebury Publishing
Pages: 320
Find it on: Goodreads. BookDepository. Waterstones.
Source: The publisher kindly sent me a copy of this book to review.
Synopsis
Do you remember when you believed in magic?
The Emporium opens with the first frost of winter. It is the same every year. Across the city, when children wake to see ferns of white stretched across their windows, or walk to school to hear ice crackling underfoot, the whispers begin: the Emporium is open!
It is 1917, and London has spent years in the shadow of the First World War. In the heart of Mayfair, though, there is a place of hope. A place where children’s dreams can come true, where the impossible becomes possible – that place is Papa Jack’s Toy Emporium.
For years Papa Jack has created and sold his famous magical toys: hobby horses, patchwork dogs and bears that seem alive, toy boxes bigger on the inside than out, ‘instant trees’ that sprout from boxes, tin soldiers that can fight battles on their own. Now his sons, Kaspar and Emil, are just old enough to join the family trade. Into this family comes a young Cathy Wray – homeless and vulnerable. The Emporium takes her in, makes her one of its own. But Cathy is about to discover that while all toy shops are places of wonder, only one is truly magical…
Review
This vivid rich tale has absolutely stolen my heart and I could not put it down. A blend of magic and history, this book has definitely rocketed to one of my favourite books ever. The Toymakers is written in an incredibly beautiful style and the plot draws you in from the very outset. I couldn’t get enough of this book, with its bright depictions and stunning characters.
I’ve seen this book described elsewhere as a ‘fairy tale for grown ups’ and I think that’s incredibly accurate. In many ways it has that beautiful dream like quality, but with something darker lurking underneath. The story spans through two World Wars, and the effect that has on the emporium. The Toymakers is definitely the kind of book that you want to read when you have a good few hours just to sit and become completely absorbed in the story.
The characters are exceptionally well written too and definitely come alive in the setting. Cathy, Jack, Kaspar and Emil all feel like three dimensional characters, having their own motivations and desires. The book encompasses so much – jealousy, desire, friendship and hope. I don’t want to say too much about the plot as this is definitely one of those books that should be read with no spoilers, but there are a few surprises along the way that I didn’t see coming. It also has the most gorgeous cover ever, so many people asked me what I was reading when I was on my lunch break!
If you’re a fan of The Night Circus, I would definitely recommend this stunning book to you. If you’re looking for a magical and emotional tale that will leave you breathless, The Toymakers is exactly what you’re looking for.
One of the things I really love about C. L. Taylor’s books is that they always keep me guessing. Psychological thrillers can sometimes be really predictable, but with The Fear I was constantly second guessing myself, completely unsure of what was going to happen next. This is an imaginative and twisty thriller and fans of Taylor’s work will no doubt enjoy it immensely.
There are some really interesting parts of the book, the last chapter which discuses her search for her family history is fascinating, as well as her personal stories about dealing with mental health however I had hoped that it would be an examination of mental health and a look at the science behind it, but it felt much more like a self help book for me. I also didn’t find many of the stories funny and this lessened my enjoyment of the book.
Surrounding the stories are a series of emails between Dani, the person trying to piece together the story and Quincey Harker, son of Jonathan and Mina from the original story. I thought this was an excellent touch and really brought the five stories together. While there’s only five stories in the book, I read through them pretty slowly, taking my time to really enjoy the different ideas.
This was a really fun and enjoyable read. The story is told in alternating points of view between the two characters and I really liked seeing things from each characters perspective. To Kill a Kingdom is a dark and sinster retelling of The Little Mermaid, but it is so much more gripping and enticing than the Disney version. The plot draws you in early on and I was eager to know how the story was going to end. I really liked our two main characters though I would have loved the opportunity to get more from the cast of secondary characters. Elian’s sister, Madrid and Khalia. I really enjoyed the banter between the Elian and Lira, and it was interesting watching their relationship develop,
She was an excellently written character and one that I could probably write about for days. I absolutely loved her and I became attached so quickly to this beautiful protagonist. The representation of anxiety in this book is completely spot on, and I loved watching Kiko as she grows and develops as a character. Starfish is sweet and sad in equal measure and I honestly can’t recommend it highly enough.
This book is beautifully written and really draws you in. I spent a full Saturday afternoon completely absorbed in this moving book. If it’s possible I loved this one even more Than Letters to the Lost. It’s a little quicker paced than the previous book and I think most definitely darker. More Than We Can Tell absolutely takes you on a wild ride of emotions, dealing with romance, friendships, abuse and lots of other things in between. I’m not normally a crier but a couple of times I felt myself getting watery eyed over this moving and emotional book.
Series: This Mortal Coil #1
The world building in this book is so superb. There’s so much technology and science woven into the story and it’s well thought out and explained. Although there’s plenty of tech and science speak it’s well explained to the reader and doesn’t take over the story. This was probably my favourite aspect of the book, learning more about the virus and the genetic enhancements people have made.
This is a really powerful and moving story and one that I think is really important. It’s easy to see why this quiet tale has won so many awards because they are very well deserved. The writing is beautiful and really explores what it means to belong as well as issues around race and identity. I found myself completely absorbed in this book and it is an absolutely stunning debut novel.
The Bibliophile Chronicles 