Posted byamylynnwalshPosted inUncategorized
It is hard to put a label on the Dolls of Mahogany Manor series. It is obviously a fantasy — a doll family is brought to life, and later, they find that they contain the magical powers of their creator. Total fantasy! However, there are elements of survival, adventure, and even romance in A Cursed Enchantment.
As far as subgenre, the prologue reads very much like a fairy tale. Nana’s life lesson’s throughout the series and the talking animals coming in the sequels remind me of fables.
Because I used an unusual point-of-view, there are more categories of fiction involved in this series. Throughout A Cursed Enchantment, the narration is in 3rd-person-limited through the perspectives of four different characters. Each chapter is written as though the narrator has both a bird’s eye view and also can see into the mind of only one of these characters at a time.
As we look into Corbin and Livie’s minds, we see adolescents who still think like children in some ways, but they are starting to take on some adult responsibilities. Their chapters have all the qualities of middle grades novels as Corbin and Livie enjoy adventure, seek adult approval, recognize their immaturity, and even have some goofy humor.
Felix’s chapters are very much in the YA category. When Felix wakes up in the pile on Fascinare’s table, he knows he is a young adult even though he doesn’t remember having eighteen birthdays — or any birthdays at all for that matter. He gets frustrated when he is lumped in with the other children or has to explain his actions to his father. He desires to have his own true love and is willing to do some devious things to ensure he has the chance to have a romantic relationship.
Auntie Amita’s perspective is what makes A Cursed Enchantment also a coming-of-age story. As the much younger sister of Leo, she is in an awkward position in Mahogany Manor. She often helps out with the children, but is careful not to step on her sister-in-law Ellie’s toes. Amita’s parents are also living at Mahogany Manor (Nana and Grandad) and even though Amita is adult, she still needs her mother’s comfort and guidance at times. In the sequels, you will find Amita has some tough choices to make regarding both her independence and her romantic interests.
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