house of dolls

The Book: House of dolls (written by Francesca Lia Block and illustrated by Barbara McClintock) is small book (tiny in size and short in length) book beautifully black and white) with a vibrant colored cover of a dolls dressed in elaborate gowns and head plumes, a fairy with thin slivery wings, and flowers twining from back to front -- just holding it in your hands feels magical.

And the story is just as magical. A tale of a lonely young girl named Madison Blackberry living in a modern high-rise apartment, a beautiful Victorian dollhouse, a grandmother who believes in magic, three eccentric dolls (named Wildflower, Guy and Rockstar), a fairy, a handsome stuffed bear, beautiful things and a missing baby. It is a story of love, loss and loneliness. It is a story of war. It is a story of finding peace. And yet, despite all its depth and insightful-ness the story and illustrations are subtle and sweet – perfect for young and old readers alike. House of dolls is truly a fairytale of the twenty-first century.

Favorite Line: “There were dresses that made the dolls feel like ice-cream sundaes, flowers, seashells, cocoons, butterflies, angels, goddesses, rock stars, heavenly stars, and moon.”

What I Thought: Francesca Lia Block, although staying true to her signature eccentric characters, writes a beautiful but much more subtle story with House of Dolls. At first, I was somewhat disappointed by the lack of wild, honest, and (and slightly) wordy descriptions (what I love most about Block’s writing). Then, I realized that Block had added just enough of her lively details to make the story fabulous (beautiful, wonderful!) – and had left the rest to illustrator Barbara McClintock.

McClintock’s black and white illustrations are so fine and full detail they truly hold the story together. It is through the illustrations you come to love the simple characters in this short fairytale. It is how you come to love the “devastatingly handsome” stuffed bear who is Rock Star’s B. Friend. And it was not just B. Friend I loved. It was the chandelier with birthday candles, the tiny pitcher of lemonade, the baby doll tucked carefully in matchstick box.

As much as I enjoyed this book – I wondered if (despite its illustrations) it could really appeal to younger readers (School Library Journal definitely didn’t think so). Although Block has a cult following she is still an acquired taste* (much like Los Angeles, hot dogs wrapped in bacon and sushi) who writes primarily for teens and adults. But, as I read (and re-read!) the story I realized House of Dolls is exactly the type of story young girls create in their heads as they craft foil mirrors and candy cakes for their own dolls. Young girls, perhaps more than young adults, will appreciate dolls named Rock Star, B. Friend and Guy. This not a title only for older readers. Block may write about love, loss, and loneliness with a deep insightful-ness , but her story is simple enough for younger readers to appreciate. In fact, it is the younger readers who may most relate to Madison Blackberry’s loneliness , the grief and pain of the dolls, and ultimately it is young readers who will most delight in the happy ending.

I hope that in fifty years this title is on the bookshelves of young girls (next to Hans Christian Andersen’s classic tales). It is already on mine.

*Full Disclosure: I definitely have acquired the taste. I have loved Block’s writing since I discovered Weetzie Bat on the shelf of a local bookstore.