Review: The Motion of Puppets by Keith Donohue

Kay Harper and her husband, Theo, moved to Quebec so Kay could follow her dreams of being an acrobat with the cirque.  Newlyweds, they cherish this new adventure they undertake together. While Kay performs, Theo stays busy translating the biography of a renowned photographer.

Kay adores Quebec; she's drawn to a storefront, a toy store called Quatre Mains.  No matter the hour, the lights remain off, the door locked.  Except for one evening, Kay is returning from a very late night out with her cast mates. She hears someone behind her and rushes to find shelter.  As if by fate, she finds the door of Quatre Mains unlocked.  What she finds inside isn't safety but a completely different horror, for she is transformed into a puppet, a prisoner in the back room of the toy shop.  She is surrounded by puppets from all over the world, all who share the ability to come to life between the hours of midnight and dawn.

Meanwhile, Theo awakens the following day to find Kay missing. Torn between concern and frustration, he begins a search to find his missing wife, while Kay herself fights to retain all memories of her previous life.

There’s no doubt that I’m a fan of Donohue’s writing. I’ve devoured everything he’s written (including The Boy Who Drew Monsters, Centuries of June, and Angels of Destruction), impressed each time by his talent.

This most recent title may be his most impressive, for Donohue manages to seamlessly combine horror, mystery, and magical realism into one cleverly plotted piece of fiction.

Given the premise, it’s obvious that one must suspend all rational thought in order to go along with this journey.  The author does eventually explain the mythos behind this transformation these puppets take, along with the “cure” for such a predicament.  This is truly a novel built around dialogue and plot development, two traits Donohue excels at relaying.

As if the premise wasn’t enough, there are a few scenes that are quite harrowing and graphic.  I’m already not a fan of dolls or puppets (creepy) and Donohue managed to push me over the edge with this one!

All in all, a remarkably satisfying and incredibly inventive read.  Highly, highly recommended.