Error loading page.
Try refreshing the page. If that doesn't work, there may be a network issue, and you can use our self test page to see what's preventing the page from loading.
Learn more about possible network issues or contact support for more help.

The Dollhouse Academy

A Novel

Audiobook
0 of 1 copy available
Wait time: At least 6 months
0 of 1 copy available
Wait time: At least 6 months

" ... audio readers are guaranteed an enthralling delight here." —Booklist on Acts of Violet (starred review)
" ... an absolutely delightful audiobook, essential for all contemporary fiction collections." —Library Journal on Acts of Violet


From the NATIONAL BESTSELLING author of GMA Book Club Pick OONA OUT OF ORDER, a novel about two best friends and aspiring actresses who join the Dollhouse Academy, where stars are made and dangerous secrets are hidden
"Deliciously sensational...What could be more fun? As if the wives of Stepford went to the Valley of the Dolls." —Kirkus
Ivy Gordon is living on borrowed time. For the past eighteen years, she has been the most famous star at the Dollhouse Academy, the elite boarding school and talent incubator that every aspiring performer dreams of attending. But now, at age thirty-four, she is tired of pretending everything is fine. In secret diary entries, Ivy begins to reveal the truth of her life at the Dollhouse: strange medical exams, mysterious supplements, and something unspeakable that's left Ivy terrified and feeling like a prisoner.
Ramona Halloway and her best friend, Grace Ludlow, grew up idolizing Ivy. Now both twenty-two, neither has made much headway in showbiz until a lucky break grants them entry to the Dollhouse. They're enchanted by the picturesque campus and the chance to perform alongside their idols. When Ramona begins to receive threatening anonymous messages, it's easy to dismiss them as a prank from a rival. Her bigger concern is Grace's skyrocketing success, while Ramona struggles to keep up with the fierce competition. As the messages grow more unsettling, so does life at the Dollhouse. Can Ramona overcome her jealousy and resentment to figure out what's really going on? Will Ivy finally find her voice, before another young performer follows her catastrophic path?
With dark academia twists and enormous heart, The Dollhouse Academy is a novel about the complexities of friendship, our desire to be seen and understood, and the true cost of making our dreams a reality.
A Macmillan Audio production from Flatiron Books.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

  • Formats

  • Languages

  • Reviews

    • Publisher's Weekly

      November 18, 2024
      Ambitious 20-somethings learn the price of fame in this frothy, 1990s-set thriller from Montimore (Acts of Violet). The elite and secretive Dollhouse Academy in the Catskills is known for producing platinum talent for Dahlen Entertainment’s hit music, film, and television offerings. Dollhouse attendance is the surest path to stardom, so when founder and pharmaceutical heir Genevieve Spalding invites 22-year-old best friends Ramona Holloway and Grace Ludlow to enroll, they can’t believe their luck. Grace becomes Genevieve’s protégé and lands a role on a top prime-time drama, while a bitterly jealous Ramona receives remedial training, is fired from her first TV gig, and gets anonymous notes urging her to leave Dollhouse. Ramona initially suspects a rival student is trying to scare her, but as Dollhouse’s required medical exams and treatments grow stranger and more invasive, encompassing frequent blood work and psych evaluations, she begins to fear for her and Grace’s safety. Terrified diary entries from Dollhouse’s first and biggest star, which punctuate Ramona’s increasingly anxious first-person narration, effectively ratchet up the suspense. Though the plot occasionally slides into soapy melodrama, readers won’t mind amid all the twisted fun. It’s a darkly enjoyable takedown of the entertainment industry. Agent: Philippa Sitters, David Godwin Assoc.

    • AudioFile Magazine
      In a duet performance, Brittany Pressley and Xe Sands bring listeners the story of three actresses and the cost of fame. Ivy, portrayed by Sands, is the star of Dollhouse Academy, a prestigious acting school that closely controls its actors. When strange events occur, Ivy journals about her experiences as a warning to others. Sands's portrayal of Ivy's terror that will leave listeners breathless. Pressley portrays two best friends, struggling actors, who are chosen to join the academy. Grace rises to stardom quickly, while Ramona struggles. Pressley plays the arrogant rising star and the jealous friend to perfection. When Ramona investigates the academy from within, things become threatening and dangerous. Is the price of stardom worth the cost? L.M.G. © AudioFile 2025, Portland, Maine

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

Languages

  • English

Loading
Check out what's being checked out right now Content of this digital collection is funded by your local Minuteman library, supplemented by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners and the Institute of Museum and Library Services.