The Puppetmaster's Apprentice | By Lisa DeSelm |Book Review
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Title- The Puppetmaster’s Apprentice
Author- Lisa DeSelm
Publisher- Page Street Publishing
Genre- Fantasy / Fairytale retelling
Links- Amazon | Book Depository | Goodreads
My Rating- ★★★★✰
“Pinocchio meets Frankenstein in this dark fairy tale retelling where a young girl is commissioned to build an assassin for a dark-hearted tyrant.”
*Thank you to Netgalley, Lisa DeSelm, and Page Street Publishing for providing me with an e-ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Contents
Book Blurb
My Review
About the Author
Book Blurb
The Puppetmaster’s Apprentice Book Review. Instagram jennys.world.of.fiction
Impressed by the work of the puppetmaster and his apprentice, Tavia’s ruler, The Margrave, has ordered dozens of life-size marionette soldiers to be sent to Wolfspire Hall. When the orders for more soldiers come in with increasingly urgent deadlines, the puppetmaster’s health suffers and Pirouette, his daughter and protégé, is left to build in his stead.
But there is something far more twisted brewing at Wolfspire—the Margrave’s son wants Pirouette to create an assassin. And he wants her to give it life.
With Tavia teetering on the brink of war and her father dying in the dungeons, Pirouette has no choice but to accept. Racing against the rise of the next blue moon—the magic that will bring her creations to life—she can't help but wonder, is she making a masterpiece...or a monster?
My Review
I love this new take on an old fairytale. It has forbidden magic, puppets that come to life, secret enchantments, assassins, and tyrannical royals.
Plot
Described as Pinocchio meets Frankenstein. This dark fairytale retelling is about a girl commissioned to build an assassin for a dark-hearted tyrant. The plot follows Pirouette, a girl that was once a tree but was brought to life under a rare blue moon by her father after he crafted her as one of his marionettes. Years later, the Kingdom is unstable and it becomes Piro’s turn to save her father.
The plot was interesting and kept me reading. It wasn’t overly complicated, but I think this is what gives it the fairytale feeling. It is a unique concept, and I really enjoyed this twist on Pinocchio.
Characters
Pirouette is a wonderful main character. She is complex, well rounded and highly motivated. I loved the small details that reminded you that this was really her second life. Her first life was as a tree in a forest, and I love that she hasn’t completely forgotten that.
The relationships in this book are really sweet. Especially between Piro and her father. I loved how caring her whole village was and how they stuck by each other, even through extremely tough and crazy times.
Setting
The setting has a magical and whimsical feeling about it. The forest and the village where Piro and her father live both have a very authentic fairytale feeling about them. The village atmosphere makes me think of a quaint Bavarian village. I can image the clock tower, the villagers meeting in the streets, and the marketplace clearly.
I found this book captivating and whimsical, much like a classic fairytale, but with a wonderful darkness underlying everything. I highly recommend reading this one!
About the Author- Lisa DeSelm
Author of the Puppetmaster’s Apprentice Lisa DeSelm
Thanks to a steady childhood diet of fairytales, Lisa still dreams of running away to the woods to live amongst the fairy folk in her own enchanted bower. Until then, she happily lives with her husband and two daughters in the wilds of suburban South Bend, Indiana. When she’s not writing, you’ll find her working as an art director and designer, most likely daydreaming with a cup of tea in hand.
Check out Lisa DeSelm’s Website
Buy The Puppetmasters Apprentice
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About the reviewer- Jenny sandiford
Hi I’m Jenny. I am passionate about promoting new authors and sharing any amazing books I find with the world. I am a book blogger, bookstagrammer, YA fantasy writer and travel writer.
I’m also a lover of nature, hiking, Harry Potter, cats, fantasy lands and quiet places.
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