The Toymakers

truly magical ... Anyone who’s ever stepped inside a traditional toyshop and marvelled at the wonders on display will instantly be captivated by this book, which transports readers to The Emporium in London. Prepare to be charmed by this utterly enchanting tale.

CULTUREFLY

Like the magic at the heart of the story, this vivid, haunting novel is both vast and intimate. A world war echoes a family conflict, and the delights and dangers of childhood suddenly have vast implications. A wonderful and thought-provoking read.

KATHERINE ARDEN, author of The Winternight Series

What an extraordinary and wonderful achievement this novel is! I was gripped, and thrilled, and touched, and above all I was completely swept into the magic of the book...And the scope of the thing! Such a broad chronological range, such sweep, all with the lightest touch. Just astonishing.

ADAM ROBERTS

There is magic at the heart of The Toymakers, a glittery inventiveness that shimmers through the dark corners of a story about love, war and sibling rivalry...Robert Dinsdale's imagined toys are truly glorious...a gripping, moving story.

SUNDAY EXPRESS

A magical World War I novel

METRO

Robert Dinsdale’s engaging and enchanting new novel offers the literary equivalent of a Guillermo del Toro film; it is, at its best, a fairytale for adults, with all the wonder – and terror – that that entails. Even as the story takes an inevitably darker turn with the advent of the second world war, it is the sense of joy that lingers in this fine book.

THE OBSERVER

The Toy Makers is a gorgeous puzzle-box of a novel, opening to reveal layer on astonishing layer. From the magic of a remarkable toy emporium to the carnage of trench warfare to the personal battles of an exceptional family, this story will delight, amaze and deeply move the reader.

Juliet Marillier, author of the Blackthorn & Grim series