The Minuscule Mansion of Myra Malone

October 1, 2022

DEBUT Myra Malone is a reclusive writer of a blog that focuses on the minuscule mansion bequeathed to her long ago by her beloved step-grandmother, who died in car accident when Myra was five. The mansion, a dollhouse of sorts, has a life force of its own. Furniture appears out of nowhere; music plays in the rooms. When her childhood home is imperiled, Myra and her friend Gwen reach out to the blog's fans, offering a variety of things--the chance to decorate a room in the mansion, lunch with Myra-- and use the funds to save her home. Furniture designer Alex Rakes lives in a home that is eerily similar to the mansion. He wants to meet Myra. Myra begins to slowly venture out of her comfort zone because she is intrigued by the man who is living in the life-size mansion that matches her minuscule one. Alex shares his family drama history with Myra and they begin to connect--but they are connected in ways they do not even realize. VERDICT This well-written novel with heart-warming characters is perfect for fans of magical realism by the likes of Sarah Addison Allen and Isabel Allende.--Melissa Palmer

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November 14, 2022
In Burges’s lackluster debut, a reclusive Arizona copywriter blogs about a magical dollhouse from her childhood. When Myra Malone was five, she was in a car accident with her grandfather’s partner, Trixie, who died in the crash. Myra inherited Trixie’s dollhouse and went on to lead a hermit-like existence, due in part to the scars on her face from the accident. Trixie had hinted about the dollhouse’s magic to young Myra, and, now in her 30s, Myra maintains a blog that describes the house’s rooms and furniture, which Alex Rakes recognizes as a miniature replica of his childhood home. He and Myra begin corresponding as more is revealed about the not-so-nice Rakes family (Alex’s father is bigoted, his grandmother conniving), their connection to the strange dollhouse (somehow, rooms and furniture appear and then vanish), and other ways that Myra and Alex are linked. Alex’s unpleasant, ailing father, meanwhile, hints that these ties might put Alex in danger. While parts of the plot work, the work is sunk by a plodding pace and a dearth of explanation about what drove the Rakes family’s misdeeds. There’s a fun premise, but overall, this is one to pass.

December 15, 2022
A reclusive woman avoids the outside world by focusing on a magical miniature house--until the real world starts knocking at her door. When Myra Malone was 5 years old, a serious car accident killed her beloved stepgrandmother, Trixie, and injured Myra herself. The trauma--both from spending months in the hospital recovering and from losing Trixie--caused Myra to retreat into her home, attending school on her computer and only talking to her parents and her best friend, Gwen. But Trixie didn't leave Myra completely alone. She left behind a beautifully ornate dollhouse called the Mansion--although Myra would argue that it isn't a dollhouse, since it's not a home for dolls. Now, in her 30s, Myra spends her days up in the attic where she decorates the tiny rooms, fills them with handmade furniture, and shares the results on her popular website. Myra's life is small and contained, but that's exactly how she likes it--until she discovers that her mother has been running up debt that may cause them to lose their home. In a desperate scheme to make enough money to save the house, Gwen convinces Myra to run an essay contest where, for a fee, her fans can win the chance to meet her. Even though Myra has no interest in anyone coming into her home, she agrees. What she doesn't expect, though, is an email from a man named Alex Rakes who claims to live in a real-life, full-size version of her miniature, magical house. He's always felt like there was something mystical about his family mansion, where mysterious music often plays on its own. As he and Myra correspond, the two of them realize that they--and their respective full-size and miniature homes--may share some deep and surprising connections. Burges creates a magical, unique world, and her characters are incredibly lovable. Myra is so lonely and stuck inside her house that it's impossible not to root for her to open up, and Alex is similarly unmoored. The story alternates between the present and past, slowly weaving together storylines that are extremely satisfying when they finally come together. Perfect for readers who long to escape into a world of magic and romance.

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December 1, 2022
Social media star Myra Malone has a legion of followers who love her design aesthetic and clamor for new stories featuring her Minuscule Mansion, the intricate miniature house that is her obsession. In spite of her success, Myra is a recluse, traumatized by memories of a childhood car accident that killed her beloved step-grandmother and left Myra with extensive facial scars. When the bank threatens to foreclose on Myra's home, her best friend comes up with a scheme to monetize the Mansion with a contest. One of the entrants, Alex, is amazed to see that the Mansion is an exact replica of his own home, thousands of miles away. The mystery deepens as we realize the Minuscule Mansion is no ordinary dollhouse. It wields a special power that draws Myra and Alex together, revealing their secret shared history. This creative, engaging debut weaves together an unusual family legacy, a romance between two lonely souls, and a touch of magic in the form of a tiny mansion that seems to know what's best for everyone.

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