The Thief on the Winged Horse by Kate Mascarenhas combines fantasy and sorcery set in a little backwater Payton’s Eyot that remains little changed in 200 years. Kendrick Magic Dolls is a family business where only family members can be employed as doll makers, interior decorators or sorcerers. And, despite having been established by three sisters, only men now occupy the privileged positions. Each doll has a unique hex, or enchantment, which evokes such sentiments as fear, paranoia, love and pride. Kendrick’s current head is Conrad and he has a thorn in his side in his twin brother Briar. All the names in Paxton’s Eyot are gorgeously evocative such as Hedwig, Persephone and the newcomer and pretender Larkin. It’s an intriguing tale but where I struggled was the introduction of the present day with the London tube and mobile phones. For me the tale would have been much more convincing left in its fantastical past. A satisfying ending though. Thanks to NetGalley and Head of Zeus.

The Kendricks are famous for their enchanted dolls, where each one evokes a feeling in you. The sorcery they use is kept within the family. Their most prized possession, a doll made by the founder is stolen. Anybody could be guilty, if they could surpass the protective enchantment.

Understated, with a quiet power, this is a slow burner that takes a while to really get started, biding its time to get you acquainted with all the players. The many POVs might be whiplashy at the beginning, but later on it gets better, as you become comfortable and realize they are needed to tell the story.

Very realistic, flawed characters who speak their mind, everyone of them have their own agenda. I think Larkin is my favorite character. He is the most interesting by far. I love his determination. But I think Persephone will still manage to steal your heart, as she did mine. She is the character who evolves the most.

Dealing with misogyny in the workplace, it shows us the unfairness of it, with beautiful simplicity. Brutally honest, this is a study of human emotions wrapped in an intriguing whodunnit full of family disputes, betrayals and double-crosses.

This was something a little bit different, there's a wonderful sense of magic and tradition, but the story as a whole it had a very contemporary feel.
An interesting array of characters, motivations and ideas. A very enjoyable and easy read.
I think this would work brilliantly on the big screen, I'd love to actually see the dolls as I think they would be beautiful.

My only complaint was that everything wrapped up so quickly and quietly.

I loved the psychology of time travel and wasn’t disappointed with this one either I enjoyed every page. It’s full of crime, romance, and magic. It follows the life of Persephone Kendrick.
Her family have been making world-famous dolls for over 200 years. Each one has an emotion given to it by its creator. Once founded by sisters, only men may know the secrets of the workshop.
Persephone want to break tradition and learn the craft, when stranger arrives claiming doll-making Skills and a connection to the family she sees a chance to change the rules. However one night, the most valuable doll is stolen. Only a Kendrick could have Done it. A well written, gripping tale. Persephone is likeable and I wanted her to win/find the thief. An original refreshing story.

Synopsis: The Kendrick family has been in the trade of fabricating dolls for the last two centuries in a town near Oxford. As a family secret, they are the only ones who are able to cast a magic spell on the dolls, enabling them to emit one emotion. Whoever touches them feels that emotion.

The sorcerers are men from the family only, and Persephone seeks to break this tradition and get employed as a sorcerer.
Along comes young Larkin, claiming to be a descendant of the family and wanting to get employed. He‘s trained as an artist, and knows to craft dolls. The head of the family is reluctant but gives him a chance.

After a garden party, a famous doll worth millions of pounds is stolen. The search for the thief begins.

Review: The novel is set in our time, but I had to constantly be reminded of this, because the society and trade felt so antiquated. The patriarchal family ruling out females from higher positions (though they were founded by four sisters), the trade of doll fabrication and the overall atmosphere - without references to cell phones or barbies here and there, the story could have happened a hundred years ago.
The novel‘s strength lies in the complicated relationships between Persephone and her father. The author tried to add a romance between Larkin and Persephone, but it was utterly unbelievable despite of explicit descriptions of their sexual intercourses. As a romantasy, this novel failed spectacularly.
The magic system with the hexed dolls was funny but didn’t lead too far; I can’t believe that everyone stayed knit-tight in the family business and nobody tried to break out for several generations: Once a sorcerer knows the hexes, they could just leave and easily start their own shop.
Overall the mystery was conclusive, I didn’t guess the thief, and was satisfied with the resolution. I just didn’t understand several motives, and the relations were jumpy at times.
The story felt like touching too many different topics and couldn’t decide if it wanted to be a family drama, a romance, a magical realism, or a mystery. While a novel could certainly combine all of those, this novel stayed too much on the surface to be successful in any of the subgenres.

For two hundred years, on a small island just outside Oxford, the Kendrick family have been making exquisite dolls. As each is finished a hex is placed on it, giving it an emotion, from terror to bliss, which can be felt by anyone who touches the doll. It's a close-knit family business, with few outsiders allowed to join (and they are usually marrying into the family) The placing of the hex is a closely guarded secret even within the family, one which, although the company was founded by women, is now guarded by the men of the family; women may design and build houses and sets for the dolls but only men are 'sorcerers' allowed to fix emotions in the dolls.
Into this tight community comes a young man, Larkin, claiming to be a descendant of one of the founding sisters. He too is a maker of dolls, and now wants to claim a rightful place in the family business. Unusually for the Kendrick family, he's accepted on trust and given a position in the company, though no access to the vital magic that makes a Kendrick doll unique. His presence soon causes stirrings in the quiet lives of the Kendricks' world. Persephone Kendrick believes the dolls she creates are as beautiful as any made by the men, but as a woman she's not allowed to make 'Kendrick's' dolls but is relegated to the shop. Through Larkin she sees a way out of her stifling circumstances; a chance of a life where she can follow her ambition to create dolls of her own.

Meanwhile a valuable irreplaceable doll is stolen, and only a family member with a knowledge of their magic could have executed the theft. There are various suspects, including Persephone's father, but most of the extended family seem happy to blame the fabled 'thief on the winged horse' - a magical character deemed responsible for much of the good - and ill - fortune of the Kendricks.

I loved this book, from its magical elements to its all-too-real family rivalry and jealousy. Two elements lie at its heart - the daring theft, and the upheaval created by Larkin. At first he seems to slide smoothly into the family's way of things, but soon it's apparent that his arrival has caused a ripple-effect bringing long-held discontents to life.

With its mix of family secrets, betrayals and love, the tracking down of whoever committed the theft, of Persephone's determination to challenge the status quo and follow her dream, there's something for almost everyone. This isn't 'fantasy' as such; the influence of 'magic' is slight, and for me the appeal was in its characters and their loves and deceits. The characters are well-drawn and realistically brought to life (more so then even a Kendricks' doll), while underpinning their action and the story is a knowledge of human frailties and desires.

Overall this was an enjoyable book.

I liked the plot and all the little twists and turns along the way.

The main characters are well written with enough personality to be three dimensional and authentic but I felt that outside of the main cohort, the characters were little more than sketches and interactions between main and secondary felt really flat. I did love the way the main cohort of characters were never quite what you thought.

The setting and the sense of time was all over the shop for me. There is mention of cars, trains, mobile phones and Weatherspoon's which puts us firmly in the "now" but the way the MC acts at time is like he's stuck in in the 1930's and there is some jarring language used, like when a character is "hostessing" an event like we are suddenly back in the 1970's. While this didn't affect the story it didn't bring me out of the story on a regular basis.

I thought the ending was a bit twee and didn't fit the tone of the rest of the book.

I loved the enticing parade of eccentric characters that fill this book, and they drew me in to the story each in their own way.

From four sisters with magical secrets to a town and factory run by a mini-despot, the book explores how the gift of magic can be used for good - and not-so-good.

The setting of this uncommon magic is present-day Oxford, which adds a clever tension to the sense of mystery evoked by the family-bonded community around the doll factory.

The book is a very original explorations of feelings, power and gender difference that is cloaked in mystery and references to the Fae that never really take off, despite the winged horse of the title.

A very strong cast of women show how things could be run differently, and elements of magic, romance and mystery combine to offer a promising resolution.

More could be made of the sinister doll collectors and their motivations, and I'm not sure how they would react to a factory being run in the way that is promised at the end of the book - there would be so many things to explore for a timely sequel!

Fantastically crazy and magical book!! Not my usual genre whatsoever and so what a pleasant surprise I had with this one, try as I might I did not guess the thief 😀 I’m hoping to read more from the author and would certainly read any follow up books!

I was really drawn in and intrigued about the intricacies of this world at the start but the ending felt a little flat in comparison.

The Kendrick family have made dolls for generations, what makes theirs unique is their ability to endow them with a little bit of magic. Touching a Kendrick doll invokes a powerful emotion. The secret to this ability is heavily guarded and only practised by a select few male members of the family. The plot is driven by the theft of a doll important to the family and the mystery surrounding who stole it.

Apart from the Kendrick family and their touch of magic, the rest of the world feels very familiar. There’s business intrigue, difficult family dynamics and a bit of romance.

The characters in the book are well written. In particular, the development of several of the female characters was satisfying.

Both the setup and characters are really inventive and made the book very readable. However, very early on I could see the direction of the plot and was a bit disappointed when I turned out to be mostly right. I wanted to be surprised just a bit more, with everything else being so fantastical the plot line felt a bit ordinary.

Nether the less, I really enjoyed this book and I’m looking forward to trying the authors other book as soon as I get to it on my reading list!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

trigger warning
<spoiler> emotional abuse, domestic violence, alcoholism, dementia, misogyny </spoiler>

When a seemingly random guy enters the workshop, asking for an apprenticeship and being accepted after just a few days, Persephone, who has fought all her life to be allowed to do magic is very, very angry.
And then the prized possession of the patriarch gets stolen.

We have a very interesting setting on a small island in Oxford. On one hand, the people feel local pride about being where the university is, on the other they're kind of living in a small village where everyone knows everybody else and inhabitans are also relatives.
Or, to be more precise: Those who share no blood ties to their common ancestors have married in.

There are two rules:
1. Only a Kendrick can work in the doll workshop.
2. Only men can become sorcerers.

Persephone is told that women are to emotional/ fragile / yadda yadda to wield magic, it simply won't work. But as a child, she met her greatgreatgrandmother (to be honest, not sure about how many greats belong in there) who was doing magic. Not perfectly, but the woman was 108 and dement, cut her some slack.

Then there is the new guy who claims that their information is false and one person left instead of dying. But is it?

I am not sure how far the magic in this world reaches. We have the fair folk, present in superstitions and dreams, where the source of the sorcery is said to be found. The magic the Kendricks do is guarded because nobody else can do it - but does that mean that they have the only magic to be found in this world? I'd have liked some clarification on that.

The label bi is not used, but both characters I have in mind say they "like both man and women", so I chose the label to use as tag so people can find it if they chose to.

I liked this a lot and nearly read it in one sitting, which means I'll pick up the author's other book, which has been on my want to read list for a while, in the nearer future.

The arc was provided by the publisher.

The Kendrick family own a successful doll making firm, but these are not your run of the mill dolls. Beautifully crafted from a range of materials, these dolls are magical, its creator having bestowed a particular emotion on it which is then felt by its owner. Although the company was founded by a family of sisters two hundred years ago, today, only the men are allowed to perform the sorcery needed to set these dolls apart. This does not sit well with Persephone Kendrick and she is determined to break this tradition, so when a stranger arrives claiming to be a descendant of one of the original sisters, she sees this as the opportunity she needs. One night, however, the family's most valuable doll is taken. Only someone with a knowledge of their magic could have taken it, only one of the Kendrick family...

This is not my preferred fiction genre, but having loved the author's previous book, The Psychology of Time Travel, I knew that I would enjoy this one. I was not wrong! This is very much a cross-genre book, with hints of mystery, fantasy, history and romance, but above all, it has a great story, one that kept me engrossed until the very last page.

Set in an eyot near Oxford, I loved how the inhabitants live, almost in their own world, part of modern society yet removed from it at the same time. There were times when I had to remind myself that this was set in the present day as the events could have taken place any time in the past few hundred years. I thought this was very clever as it helped to display the parochial aspect of their life whilst they were also partaking in the same activities as everyone else in the 'outside world'.

One of the main themes in the book is how we should not underestimate women. Like in her previous book, the author has created a strong female cast with Persephone, in particular, determined to show that she could perform the traditional tasks of a male, if only she were given the opportunity. As the book progressed, we saw how in this seemingly patriarchal society, it was the women who actually held things together and I willed them to get their aim of progressing in the doll-making firm.

This is a clever book with a strong cast and an engaging plot. Kate Mascarenhas is an author whose work I will definitely be looking out for.

This book is enjoyable and quite unique as and I didn’t feel it neatly ticked any genre box but that’s ok as it is good to read something a little bit different. It is in parts magical, and in part mystery with a little bit of romance but that doesn’t really sum it up as its more complex than that. What it is about though is family, love, hate, and ultimately relationships. There’s something quite old fashioned about parts of the story. The business and people living on the Island feel like they are living in a different time when families and life was different, but Persephone Kendrick, an unlikely heroine, is about to challenge the way things have always been done and shake things up...

For me this has some similar problems as those of The Psychology of Time Travel. It has a really interesting premise, one that made me really want the book. However, the narrative fails to create the promise that was expected. I really wanted the history of doll making in this family to come alive and the magic to come off the page. Instead we got a book about people with big chips on their shoulders, a man trying to infiltrate the closed shop - who right from the star we knew was an imposter. Instead of magical narrative I felt dragged down by the mass depressing characterisation. There was no uplift to this book which managed to put me to sleep mid afternoon.

I believe the publication date for this book has been pushed back (or, at the very least, it is only coming out at the end of October in the UK). Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC.

This is a really odd magical realist novel. I kept forgetting that it takes place in modern day Oxford - there is something archaic not just about doll making and the strange magic, but also the way these characters behave. Then the narration would mention howa character checks their mobile phone, and I'd get jarred and had to remind myself that it's not really a medieval fantasy.

The world of this exclusive doll making family business was really interesting, how the dolls are magic because they somehow convey one particular feeling to anyone who touches them. The fae lore and stories of the Thief were fascinating.

I also liked Persephone and admired her ambition in breaking with the patriarchal rule of the business, struggling and learning the enchantment of dolls at any price. I also liked Larkin, her love interest, and found it amazing that they are both bisexual (or queer, actually it's never specified). But sadly, the whole thing is just missing something. It was rather anticlimactic, and honestly some things at the end didn't make sense... I really wish it would have ended with a bang, it had great potential.

Kate Mascarenhas, author of her popular debut novel “The Psychology of Time Travel” has written another original and creative story “The Thief on the Winged Horse” featuring a mixture of fantasy, romance, crime, magic sorcerers and a two hundred year old myth.
“The Kendrick family have been making world-famous dolls for over 200 years. But their dolls aren't coveted for the craftsmanship alone. Each one has a specific emotion laid on it by its creator. A magic that can make you feel bucolic bliss or consuming paranoia at a single touch. Though founded by sisters, now only men may know the secrets of the workshop.
Persephone Kendrick longs to break tradition and learn the family craft, and when a handsome stranger arrives claiming doll-making talent and a blood tie to the Kendricks, she sees a chance to grasp all she desires.
But then, one night, the family's most valuable doll is stolen. Only someone with knowledge of magic could have taken her. Only a Kendrick could have committed this crime…”
The author has an incredible imagination and has an excellent talent in creating diverse and unusual characters in both name and personality.
I’ve never owned or played with a doll’s house as a child but have always found them fascinating and fabulous works of art. The idea of incorporating dolls that have emotions lain upon them when made, is exceedingly creepy and this created a slight eeriness to the play of the story.
There is a lot of thought provoking issues covered, including domestic abuse, alcoholism, sexuality and feminism. The only thing that didn’t really work for me was the time setting. Set in modern day with mobile phones and the London Underground etc, I just felt this didn’t fit with the overall feel of the story - gothic, magical realism, the unusualness of the doll trade and miniaturists with its quirks and all, it just felt like it should have been set a lot longer ago for me. But that is just how I read it to feel.
A little slow in development but it does have atmosphere, Kate has written a very inventive story, using her own experiences as a doll house maker to ensure the authenticity of the production of the miniatures. Not a story that will stay with me but certainly a worth while read and I wish the author every success with this her second novel.

3 stars

DNF at 33%
Set on an island in Oxfordshire, a family business of making enchanted dolls is thrown into chaos when an important heirloom is stolen
I really struggled to get into this. At first it felt like it was set in Victorian times, and I was hoping it would be similar to the wonderful ‘The Doll Factory’ by Elizabeth Macneal, but then suddenly one of the characters had a mobile phone, which really threw me. There was very little else in the third of the book that I managed to suggest the characters were living in the modern age except for the odd appearances of the same characters phone. After that I wasn’t really sure what the story was trying to be and it was really hard to get invested in the characters - particularly the female characters who seems to just do as they were told (another reason I thought it was set so long ago!).
Perhaps if I had persevered all would have become clear but life is too short to force yourself through books you aren’t enjoying.

This book was unexpected, but not in a pleasant way, sadly.
The premise of this story sounded so good - I mean, dolls that can change someone's emotions? Right up my alley. It's spooky and intriguing but to me, the idea was better than the execution.
This is told in alternating PoVs and I think my main issue was that I connected to neither of the three main characters and had a hard time distinguishing between them because their "voices" all sounded incredibly similar.
The pacing of the story was also glacial, I kept wondering when something would actually happen but when it then did, it was over within two pages and we'd go back to a long stretch of nothing really happening.
Not my least favorite read of the month but there is definitely room for improvement in distinguishing the voices and raising the stakes.

This is not the book I expected to read. That is not always a bad thing. In this case, it is.

The Thief on the Winged Horse (you had me at the title alone) had "potential" written all over it. The story is about a family of dollmakers, renowned for the enchantments they place on their dolls. It literally made my eyes pop when I read the premise on NetGalley. I knew I had to read it and I was so happy when I was approved. Unfortunatelly, this amazing idea is left completely unexplored. Not much information is given about how it started, where it came from or the effects it has on people's lives. I kept waiting and waiting for the magic to begin, but it never did.

OK. Not Fantasy.

When the Paid Mourner, the most famous enchanted doll, gets stolen, I thought it would take a "Dan Brown" spin and I would be up for a treasure hunt, with clue after clue, leading to her. Nope. one seems to actually look for the doll. Their most famous and priced doll! Another opportunity missed to spark some interesst in the story.

Not Mystery either.

So, Maybe a love story? A handsome and mysterious stranger arriving at a small town is almost always a certainty for romance. Persephony and Larkin's romace though, felt completely flat. There was no spark between them, no passion, not even enough wron reasons for them to be together.

Not a love story.

Larkin in particular was a very confusing character for me. I am sure Mascarenhas intented to make him a mysterious character, but mysterious and confusing are two very different things. The work done on the rest of the characters' building was equally poor. There was close to no backstory for all of them. Only some flashbacks on Persephony's past and few for the rest of the characters, that made it hard for me to connect with any of them.

Finishing the book, I have the feeling that the real reason Mascarenhas wrote the book, the story she actually wanted to tell, was a feminist one, about everything that is wrong and anfair in the way society dectates to women their place, silences their voice and belittles their talents.

Ultimatelly, I think there were too many elements involved, each pulling the story to a different direction, none being strong enough to take over. There were many things left unexplored or underdeveloped (like the Thief of the title or Briar's affair), giving me the feeling of a movie based on a book.There were gaps. I needed them feeled.

Not a book I would recommend.

What a curious and lovely book! It seems to take place outside of time - even though we see a character lament the lack of phone signal upon entering the eyot, it feels like time falls away and the people and the little island are a kingdom of its own.
The lives of the doll makers, the magic of the hexes that lie upon the dolls, the subtle fairytale fae weaving throughout - this is an exquisite novel and thoroughly sucks the reader in. I highly recommend for readers that enjoy British rural settings, fae and magic realism, and a tight plot.