klcsl's review against another edition
3.0
I'm nervous to even give this review because the book's subject matter is usually viewed as untouchable, but I think honesty is important with any critique. Before getting to my criticism, I should mention that it's a well-written book and I understand why so many people like it.
All I knew about this book was that it was a retelling of The Nutcracker. In the first chapter or two, I thought I was going to absolutely love this book. It seemed like it was going to be a spin-off where this new doll character was going to go on an adventure in the real world and help the humans deal with trauma. I guess you could argue that's what it was about, but I disagree. The book is truly about the Holocaust. There's nothing inherently wrong with that, but too often, writers will just tell basically the same story that's been told a million times before. If you're older than maybe 15, you've heard this story before.
I thought this book would at least take the story in a different way, sort of like Jojo Rabbit, but it really didn't. Telling the story through the doll's eyes seemed superfluous. The war of The Nutcracker was meant to be a metaphor for the Holocaust and the Rats were the Nazis. I get that. I just think it was silly and too on-the-nose to be deep or clever. We don't need to reverse engineer those fairytales. Intelligent readers should be able to read those stories and relate them to the real world without it being shoved in their faces.
An example would be the Harry Potter books. Most people saw the correlation between the Death Eaters/Voldemort and the Nazis/Hitler. Rowling didn't need to beat it over our heads. Dollmaker of Krakow doesn't give the readers that level of trust.
Maybe I'm missing the point, but this book just didn't do it for me.
All I knew about this book was that it was a retelling of The Nutcracker. In the first chapter or two, I thought I was going to absolutely love this book. It seemed like it was going to be a spin-off where this new doll character was going to go on an adventure in the real world and help the humans deal with trauma. I guess you could argue that's what it was about, but I disagree. The book is truly about the Holocaust. There's nothing inherently wrong with that, but too often, writers will just tell basically the same story that's been told a million times before. If you're older than maybe 15, you've heard this story before.
I thought this book would at least take the story in a different way, sort of like Jojo Rabbit, but it really didn't. Telling the story through the doll's eyes seemed superfluous. The war of The Nutcracker was meant to be a metaphor for the Holocaust and the Rats were the Nazis. I get that. I just think it was silly and too on-the-nose to be deep or clever. We don't need to reverse engineer those fairytales. Intelligent readers should be able to read those stories and relate them to the real world without it being shoved in their faces.
An example would be the Harry Potter books. Most people saw the correlation between the Death Eaters/Voldemort and the Nazis/Hitler. Rowling didn't need to beat it over our heads. Dollmaker of Krakow doesn't give the readers that level of trust.
Maybe I'm missing the point, but this book just didn't do it for me.
jennifersiyuanzhou's review against another edition
4.0
cute!! thoroughly enjoyable, magical-feeling (despite tough subject)
i thought the handled the holocaust stuff pretty well.
not 5 stars cuz it didn't leave that much of an impact. not sure if its cuz it targets kids or cuz of smth else
i thought the handled the holocaust stuff pretty well.
not 5 stars cuz it didn't leave that much of an impact. not sure if its cuz it targets kids or cuz of smth else
ladypalutena's review against another edition
5.0
This is a book I picked up on a whim from NetGalley. I assumed it would be a much more involved novel, like "The Nightingale" by Kirstin Hannah. I was wrong in some ways and right in others.
This is a children's book, but it doesn't pull any punches. It covers about five years in the life of a toymaker in Krakow, during the German occupation in World War II, told through the eyes of a doll he brought to life, Karolina. I expected it to be happy, to be about bringing joy in dark times. While there was a lot of that, the book was dark. It covered the atrocities and showed what it was like living under the German occupation, even if one was part German.
The ending was not a nice one, but it gives hope for the Land of Dolls, where Karolina comes from, and shows that better times are coming to Krakow after the war. The only problems I could see occurring if someone younger reads the book is that Karolina's experiences in The Land of Dolls are interwoven with her experiences in Krakow. Chapters alternate, revealing little by little how Karolina came to be in Krakow. These transitions were smoother at some times than others, but it really adds to Karolina's backstory and lets us see each little by little instead of giving us everything at the beginning. I could see younger readers being confused by all the switching back and forth if they've never experienced that style of narration before. (I had some college-aged classmates of mine get confused in "The Martian" by Andy Weir when it changed perspectives multiple times, so it's plausible.)
It was written for 9-12 year olds, judging by the writing style, but I had a hard time stomaching the subject material as an adult. I've been reading books about the Holocaust (both fiction and non-fiction) for almost 15 years now. I've never encountered a children's book that made me feel what I felt with this one here. I thought it was fantastic, and I'll admit I teared up at the end. While the pacing wasn't the greatest, and there were some copy errors (I attribute that to being an ARC), if you've got a kid interested in WWII, I would look into this. 4.5/5 ☆
This is a children's book, but it doesn't pull any punches. It covers about five years in the life of a toymaker in Krakow, during the German occupation in World War II, told through the eyes of a doll he brought to life, Karolina. I expected it to be happy, to be about bringing joy in dark times. While there was a lot of that, the book was dark. It covered the atrocities and showed what it was like living under the German occupation, even if one was part German.
The ending was not a nice one, but it gives hope for the Land of Dolls, where Karolina comes from, and shows that better times are coming to Krakow after the war. The only problems I could see occurring if someone younger reads the book is that Karolina's experiences in The Land of Dolls are interwoven with her experiences in Krakow. Chapters alternate, revealing little by little how Karolina came to be in Krakow. These transitions were smoother at some times than others, but it really adds to Karolina's backstory and lets us see each little by little instead of giving us everything at the beginning. I could see younger readers being confused by all the switching back and forth if they've never experienced that style of narration before. (I had some college-aged classmates of mine get confused in "The Martian" by Andy Weir when it changed perspectives multiple times, so it's plausible.)
It was written for 9-12 year olds, judging by the writing style, but I had a hard time stomaching the subject material as an adult. I've been reading books about the Holocaust (both fiction and non-fiction) for almost 15 years now. I've never encountered a children's book that made me feel what I felt with this one here. I thought it was fantastic, and I'll admit I teared up at the end. While the pacing wasn't the greatest, and there were some copy errors (I attribute that to being an ARC), if you've got a kid interested in WWII, I would look into this. 4.5/5 ☆
char9595's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
sad
tense
slow-paced
5.0
colourmeread's review against another edition
5.0
Books that evoke strong emotions are among my favourites and The Dollmaker of Krakow certainly fits the bill. The book alternates between Poland in the 1940s and the Land of the Dolls where a similar yet different war is taking place.
Romero writes a beautiful tale of friendship between a doll and the dollmaker, as well as the relationship they have with Jozef and Rena, a father and daughter whose lives change drastically after Nazi soldiers descend upon Poland.
The book starts off slowly and may not offer anything new to those familiar with the history but I appreciated how age-appropriate it was without making light of events or providing descriptions that may be too harsh for kids to read.
What I loved most about this book was how genuine the relationships felt between the characters. Romero was able to capture heartfelt moments in the everyday, and gradually, as people's treatment of Jews began changing in Poland. I also liked that the book shed light on the overlooked people of society who are among the kindest and bravest of souls, willing to help and protect mistreated people because it's the right thing to do. It reminds us that we always have a choice and what we choose matters.
I loved the characters as well. Watching them grow and change as the story went on was both delightful and hard to swallow. Some became better, others worse, and it was frightening how well it mirrored society today.
The Dollmaker of Krakow is a treasure among middle-grade historical fantasy novels. It's magical and full of heart from beginning to end and it's a story I recommend to many.
Romero writes a beautiful tale of friendship between a doll and the dollmaker, as well as the relationship they have with Jozef and Rena, a father and daughter whose lives change drastically after Nazi soldiers descend upon Poland.
The book starts off slowly and may not offer anything new to those familiar with the history but I appreciated how age-appropriate it was without making light of events or providing descriptions that may be too harsh for kids to read.
What I loved most about this book was how genuine the relationships felt between the characters. Romero was able to capture heartfelt moments in the everyday, and gradually, as people's treatment of Jews began changing in Poland. I also liked that the book shed light on the overlooked people of society who are among the kindest and bravest of souls, willing to help and protect mistreated people because it's the right thing to do. It reminds us that we always have a choice and what we choose matters.
I loved the characters as well. Watching them grow and change as the story went on was both delightful and hard to swallow. Some became better, others worse, and it was frightening how well it mirrored society today.
The Dollmaker of Krakow is a treasure among middle-grade historical fantasy novels. It's magical and full of heart from beginning to end and it's a story I recommend to many.
You always have a choice. We can choose to participate in hateful acts, to look away from them, or to ease the pain we see in the world through bravery and kindness. Please be kind. Please be brave. Please don’t let it happen again. - R.M. Romero
quirky_engineer's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
wayfaring_witch's review against another edition
4.0
This book weaves magic into a book about WW2, occupation, and genocide. Some moments feel distant and some feel poignant. It left me incredibly curious as to what a conversation about this book with a middle grades student would look like.