The Dollhouse

3.5 stars.

The premise of this book immediately grabbed my attention. Twins, Bud and Angel, are kidnapped by a well dressed woman and held as playthings (dolls) for the sinister Alfred, who uses them to recreate some of his past memories. They are not the first dolls in the Dollhouse, nor will they be the last.

At turns both brutal and tender, this is not a story for the feint of heart. Trigger warnings abound (especially for child abuse and bullying), and while the plot always held my attention, something in the writing and character development felt lacking.

I wouldn't call this an easy read, but it was pacey and intriguing. If you liked kidnapped narratives like Room and The Last thing to Burn (although not as successfully executed), you may want to check out The Dollhouse.