ghostlydreamer's review against another edition
4.0
I'll be honest. My expectations were not high for this book. I've read a few of Jensen's books and some were stunning, while others fell short. This book, however, thoroughly creeped me out. I think Jensen is most in her element when writing about creepy dolls; or maybe it's just the nature of a creepy doll that makes this book work alongside her writing. Many of Jensen's books are more of the same, and yes, this book was thematically similar to many of her other books. But that in no way took away from the atmosphere. A horror novel is meant to make you feel uncomfortable and creeped out, and this book achieved that. That we follow the story of this doll through multiple generations, from the year 1882 onwards to present day (at the time of this books publication) really adds to that atmosphere. It felt ambitious for Jensen, and I loved that. A little slow at times, but overall, I loved watching this novel grow until the very end.
paperbackstash's review against another edition
Ruby Jean Jensen wrote creepy horror novels where no one was safe. Not children, not the main character, people often died in unsuspecting ways. One of her favorite themes seemed to be dolls. She wrote the creepy plastic villains like the best of them. Dark, haunting, and worth a read for a cheesy 80's horror type.
wellwortharead's review against another edition
3.0
This book was not all I hoped it would be. I don't think I'm spoiling anything for you to say it's about a doll that kills people. The doll originally came from somewhere in South America and was given to a 12 year old girl in 1882 who resented it immediately because she was too old to play with baby dolls. She was the first to discover that the doll could be used to do away with people. I loved the first third of the book because it was not only creepy but read like a historical fiction. As time passed and the doll continued to kill through several generations it became so repetitive that I've lost track of how many times people began to suspect the doll of causing deaths and then miraculously forget their suspicions in 477 pages that could have easily fit into 300.
fraseralex's review against another edition
4.0
If it had been about a single era, rather than three, this book would have been a chore. That being said, despite some of the usual tropes Jensen uses (old mansion, killer doll, etc.), there’s enough variety here to keep the reader going. If you don’t mind your horror on the cozy side, or like these 80s horror paperbacks, you’ll probably have a good time with this one.
vreadsabook's review against another edition
2.0
Often I wish Goodreads allowed one to give half stars, as I feel this deserved something more in the range of 2 1/2 stars.
As positives, I really enjoy Ruby Jean Jensen's writing style. Her way of writing is much nicer than many other, similar horror authors. I also enjoy the way that she left the evil force in this story both unexplained, and difficult to differentiate between the horrors in the hearts of the humans surrounding the force. Moreover, I feel that Jensen really strives to write in ways that appeal to women. The story centers around a family and children, and often features concerns and details that I feel most male horror authors would be oblivious to.
That said, I felt that the book was overly long. While the first two sections are certainly interesting, they could definitely stand to have been much shorter, particularly the second section. I found myself, at times, almost shaking with excitement and nervousness from the story, while at other times having to fight off complete ennui. I think that level of excitement could have been maintained much better.
As positives, I really enjoy Ruby Jean Jensen's writing style. Her way of writing is much nicer than many other, similar horror authors. I also enjoy the way that she left the evil force in this story both unexplained, and difficult to differentiate between the horrors in the hearts of the humans surrounding the force. Moreover, I feel that Jensen really strives to write in ways that appeal to women. The story centers around a family and children, and often features concerns and details that I feel most male horror authors would be oblivious to.
That said, I felt that the book was overly long. While the first two sections are certainly interesting, they could definitely stand to have been much shorter, particularly the second section. I found myself, at times, almost shaking with excitement and nervousness from the story, while at other times having to fight off complete ennui. I think that level of excitement could have been maintained much better.
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