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The Magic Toyshop

Series: VMC
3.79 goodreads logo

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( 13,470 ratings, 1,365 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Magic Toyshop by Angela Carter is a whimsical yet dark tale that follows Melanie, a young girl who, after a family tragedy, is sent to live with her eccentric uncle, a tyrannical puppeteer. Set in a house filled with the mysterious allure of toys and marionettes, Melanie navigates a world where reality intertwines with the fantastical, confronting themes of innocence, power, and transformation. Carter weaves a rich, gothic narrative that delves into the complexities of coming of age amidst enchantment and control.
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you appreciate stories that blend elements of magical realism with gothic undertones. The narrative is rich in symbolism and explores themes of family dynamics, power, and the transition from childhood to adulthood. Angela Carter's vivid storytelling and unique character portrayals create an enchanting and thought-provoking experience.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

Winner of the 1967 John Llewellyn Rhys Prize, Angela Carter's brilliant imagination and starting intensity of style explore and extend the nature and boundaries of love.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

The boldest of English women writers - Lorna Sage

Her writing is pyrotechnic - fuelled with ideas, packed with images and spangling the night with her starry language - Observer

She can glide from ancient to modern, from darkness to luminosity, from depravity to comedy without any hint of strain and without losing the elusive power of the original tales - The Times

This crazy world whirled around her, men and women dwarfed by toys and puppets, where even the birds are mechanical and the few human figures went masked . . . She was in the night once again, and the doll was herself.

One night Melanie walks through the garden in her mother's wedding dress. The next morning her world is shattered. Forced to leave her rural home, she is sent to London to live with relatives she has never met: gentle Aunt Margaret, mute since her wedding day; and her brothers, Francie, whose graceful music belies his clumsy nature, and the volatile Finn. Brooding over all is Uncle Philip, who loves only the puppets he creates in his workshop, which are life-sized - and uncannily lifelike.

Series: VMC

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Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

The Magic Toyshop by Angela Carter has been praised for her bold and imaginative storytelling. Her writing is described as pyrotechnic, brimming with vivid imagery and ideas that light up the narrative. She's celebrated for seamlessly navigating between ancient and modern themes, and effortlessly shifting from dark to light tones while maintaining the compelling essence of the original tales.

Book Hero reading reviews

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780349010311

Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 03 May 2018

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Virago Press Ltd

Contributors:

  • Introduction by Carmen Callil

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 22.0mm

Width: 128.0mm

Height: 196.0mm

Weight: 200g

Pages: 240

About the Author

Angela Carter was born in 1940. One of Britain's most original and disturbing writers, she died in 1992.

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