The Factory Girl and the Fey by Nadine Galinsky Feldman is about Jane, who is a weaver in a factory. She has one foot in the human world, however, there is a magical world that entices her. She is a fairy royal descendant. I really enjoy fantasy books and this took me on a journey wanting to know more about Jane. She wants to go to America when she is expected to get married and struggles to find her place. This was an interesting read as it touches upon the inequality in the workplace, family pressure, societal expectations and just finding her way. The ending did throw me a bit as she gave into the pressure of becoming a mother and housewife when she wanted so much more than that. This was a bit disappointing. Even so, this shows the strength of Jane and the difficult choices she had to make. I do think this book is written beautifully and I enjoyed the blend of reality mixed with fantasy.


I would like to take this moment to take Netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to review this ARC.

I went into The Factory Girl and the Fey expecting something completely different, but the story ended up being even better. I loved the writing style and the way the author was able to make me feel like I was within the pages of it myself.

Unfortunately I didn´t get the chance to finish this book as I was too busy with school works and external affairs, but I was really enjoying it, so i´m hoping to pick it back up in the future. Wishing all the best to the author and publishing team!

Interesting premise and I'm glad I picked up this book. However, I really struggled with reading the Irish accent dialect. Accents are always tricky to write because they're auditory (1) and can seem like a simplification or mockery of a person's approach to language (2). So that was my hang-up here, although not all readers would feel the same. Recommend for fantasy lovers.

I was drawn in by the setting, Scotland. The mix of history and fsntasy kept my attention. A well written and eminently readable book.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This is my honest review.

I love fairy stories and Scotland so this was a must read for me.

Overall this was a good book. We follow Jane as she grows and makes a life for herself. It was really interesting to live the life of a weaver and to explore a different life of a big family with complicated guardianship.
I loved the fact that Jane was a working girl with dreams and aspirations. I think it can only be a good thing to encourage discussion of tough topics of social significance to try and improve things as a whole and this book touched on those wonderfully: inequality in the workforce between men and women, postpartum depression, inequality in the home, family pressure, and the pressure overall of being a woman and trying to make your way in the world. This world in particular was set in what I think is ~1900s Scotland and so the ideals of society in this book are, blessedly, outdated. However, it really bothered me that in the end Jane’s dreams and aspirations were put aside and she was funnelled into the role of housewife and mother?
Maybe this is something I struggle with myself but that was a massive disappointment for me in the direction I thought this book was going.
I understand from the Author’s note that Jane was inspired by a missing link Jane in her family history and this was the Author’s way of imagining her place in her family tree. For what it’s worth I think that this story fulfilled this aim wonderfully… except for the abrupt and sad way Jane’s dreams were put aside. I also thought that the trip to the land of the fey felt a bit disjointed from the reality the book was set into and the reasoning for the link was a bit flat for me. But that’s just me. It was still a good book and an interesting world to explore.

My thanks to the author, publisher, and #NetGalley for the opportunity to review this ARC.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for sharing an eARC with me in exchange for an honest review.

What a lovely story! I enjoyed the writer's ability to make me feel like I am in the thick of things with all the characters. The use of accents also works to develop the different characters and adds to the world building.

All in all, this is an enjoyable, light read.

I really like fantasy books and this is a good option.
It's not my first book about fey but it was a different one.
Its's different this books is a historical fantasy so the plot was very interesting.
Thank you Netgalley and publisher for free ARC in exchange of honest review. All thoughs are my own

Two things I really like in a book, Fantasy and Historical Fiction. And this one didn't disappoint.

A young girl fending for herself who has ambitions for herself and just wants to live the life she wants. Of course this is not at all how life for Jane. She straddles two worlds and this is where life brings about surprises, magic and human nature and strength.

I love Jane and and reading about her struggles, her choices, and her strength. This is a tale of Scotland, of coping and of making the hard choices. It is beautifully written and was a joy to read.

Wasn't sure what to expect with this book but found I did enjoy it, dialect was hard at first but further in found the characters speaking in Scottish as I read, a little confusing at times but over all a good read

I enjoyed reading this book so much. Original plot, mix of reality and fantasy. I already want to reread it!
The author skillfully managed to transfer the heavy accent of Scottish workers. At the beginning it was hard to understand but after some time while reading the characters in my head were speaking with that accent. This really contributes to the credibility of this book.
Thanks to NetGalley for a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Firstly, I should say, that if you’re someone who doesn’t get on well with written dialect and accents in a book, this is not the one for you. Set in Scotland, and written heavily in dialect, this is a slow story about a young woman trying to discover what ‘home’ might be in the late 19th Century.

There is a heavy emphasis in this book on the autonomy of women and of a woman’s place in the world, but I’m not sure it quite achieves what it sets out to. Yes, this is a story about the power of female friendships, but it also heavily suggests that having children is the best and most important thing for a woman to do. Ambitious Jane, with plans to go to America, is often treated as foolish for not wanting to marry quickly, and the general discussion around abortion as necessary but evil started to feel preachy towards the end.

There were a few characters I liked, but I felt mostly distanced from them, and from Jane herself, which was unfortunate.

In short, not a book for me, though others seem to enjoy it.

Beautifully written story that puts a magical spin on the choices and consequences one faces when having one foot in two opposing camps. Immersive and touching, the novel transports the reader into the wonderful world she has created.

I am not really a fan of fantasy, (forgive the pun), but wanted to give this a try. While I loved the setting and descriptions, I must admit I had a hard time getting sucked in. I did keep going, in the hope of some kind of break through, but it never really happened for me. A lover of this genre might feel differently. I still thank Netgalley for the chance to try an ARC of this story.

Jane straddles two worlds, the human world of hard-work and factories, and the land of the fey, of magic and wonder. Interesting story overall, but did skim a bit at times. I liked the concept but felt it dragged a bit at times too. Would still recommend though, and it gives a different view of Scotland than I've seen before.

I love the cover of this beautiful book. The cover and the aspect of fairylore and historical fiction drew me in. The characters seemed well developed and the Scottish setting and fairylore were on point. I wasn't able to read that far though as it didn't hold my interest as I thought it would. This book would probably have appealed more to me as a younger reader than it does now in middle age.

The best fantasy stories follow a theme of human triumph. Feldman’s world-building of faeries and old Scotland is fun and fantastical but it’s the theme of searching for family that rang true for me. Jane lives an independent life as a weaver in a factory, never feeling she can trust. She has one foot in the human world yet the possibility of magic exists out in the world of the Fey that entices her. Where will she find the home she’s always been searching for? a reminder to look for the magic in life which is often hidden just below the surface.

A must-read for fantasy lovers alike!
This one reminded me why fantasy is one of my favourite genres.
And look at that cover! (It was what drawn me to this book in the first place)

Told in third person POV, this book tells the story of Jane Thorburn, who’s living sort of a double life.
I’ve always love ancient tales and learning new lingo is my thing.
Hence this book come in handy.
We get to learn a thing or two about Scotland/Scottish while reading it, ye ken?

In my opinion, the death in this book is described in a beautiful way.
The author’s way of writing makes coping with grief and loss so much more bearable.

Dealing with death is never easy.
The pain is unmeasurable no matter you’re the one leaving or the one left behind.
But in this book, I tell you, somehow it seems to be on the contrary.
Almost like both sides were left at peace knowing the loved ones were leaving their world and off to another, in good hands.
Imagine all the traumas and tears that could’ve been saved if more people look at death the way this story wants us to believe.

One thing though.. You see, Jane has been struggling with a sense of belonging all her life.
It’s only natural that she had some serious trust issues.
But I can’t help feeling slightly annoyed when she took the thing with Rabbie to a whole different level.

And the ending, it was a perfect mix of sweet and bittersweet (Sorry. I just couldn’t put it any other way).
If I’m being honest, I couldn’t remember when was the last time I read any book with that kind of satisfying ending.

This is a voluntary review in exchange for the e-ARC I received. To the NetGalley team and the author, I’m truly grateful for the chance. Thank you.

This was an odd little book that I got as a Read Now option from Net Galley. The idea of a 19th century Scottish mill worker who is also descended from fairy royalty was intriguing, but the fantasy world-building was cliched, and the characterizations were thin. I kept reading because I wasn't sure where the author would take the plot, not because I felt deeply invested in the fate of the heroine, although Jane's lifelong struggle to find a place where she really belongs was poignant. I finished the book with the feeling that someone had told me a story, but not one that I had experienced and internalized fully.

I received this book for free for an honest review from netgalley #netgalley

Not what I expected but it was a really good book and I did enjoy it. The setting got a little confusing at times but I was able to catch up pretty good.