Friday, July 12, 2013

Ever After High Madeline Hatter Review

After Raven Queen, Madeline Hatter is my favorite character from Ever After High, so I was thrilled that she was one of the two dolls that made it to my local Justice. :)  I won't go into quite as much detail for this post since I just did a post on Raven, and there are a lot of similarities between the two.  (You can see my post on Raven HERE.)  Here are a few pictures of the quirky cutie:

Madeline still in her box.

Just like the other dolls, the right side of her box looks like the spine of a storybook.

The back of the box

Left side

A few box details:

Just like Raven, Maddie comes with a story bookmark.

An introduction to Maddie's character.

You'll want to click on this picture to see more detail.

Raven, Apple, and Briar artwork

Info about the Ever After High website

Maddie artwork

Here's Maddie without the clear plastic cover on her box.

I love her coloring, and even though I wish she had a brighter expression, I still thing she's cute.

Maddie's story bookmark.

Maddie's teapot purse.

Box artwork

Maddie's blingy ring.  A word of caution...this comes off REALLY easily.  I just went back to my room to see how it fits on the hand and discovered that my Maddie no longer has her ring. :(  Judging from the rest of the pictures, it looks like I lost it somewhere at my mom's, because all of the pictures after this one were taken at my house and she's not wearing it in any of those.  So be sure you keep an eye on this when you're playing with her.  

So here is Maddie, ringless :{ and free from her box.

Adorable Maddie

Here's a closer look at her outfit and accessories:

Her teacup hat

Cute spoon earrings :)

Her necklace

I LOVE her dress! ;)

Her hands are painted blue with white polka dots to look like gloves.  The white "lace" cuffs (made of plastic) are separate from her hands and are removable.

Another look at her teapot purse

Cute polka dot tights

And heels designed to look like dinnerware. ;)

Maddie looks a little perturbed in this one...maybe she's tired of all the pictures. ;)

My Maddie's headband ended up way back on her head, so I had to adjust it to keep it from falling off. :)

I also noticed that she had a pretty thin patch of hair in the back, but I think a lot of this was the fact that this part of her head was pressed against the box.  It looks much better now that I've rearranged her hair.

Her curls are nice.  I was pleasantly surprised to find that they weren't all crusty with gel like most curly-haired Barbie dolls.  I would not advise brushing her hair, because the curls will just get big and frizzy.  


I decided not to undress Maddie for this review, especially since taking her dress off meant removing her hands.  This was as far as I could get her legs to go in her clothing.

I linked to this review in my last post, but I thought it would be appropriate to do so again.  The Toy Box philosopher did an excellent, detailed review of Madeline HERE, so if you'd like more information and would like to see her compared to other dolls, including Monster High, be sure to check it out. :) 

So cute! ;)

Showing the flexibility of her knees. 



Maddie with Raven. :)



Overall, I love my new Maddie doll.  I love her fun, bright colors and her beautiful dress (although I wish it was just a smidge longer).  Her hair is perfect, but I would probably shy away from giving this doll to a younger fan since the hair would not last for long.  I've found that curly doll hair and kiddos do not make a good combination...at least in my house. ;)  Of course, the fact that she can't get undressed without removing her hands (because of the width of her white lace cuffs) is also something that would make me hesitant to give this doll to a little girl.  If I did, I'd probably remove her cuffs so that she could get her undressed without needing my assistance.

I love all of her fun tea-themed accessories, too, like her spoon earrings and teapot purse.  Really, the only complaint I have is her facial expression, and her face is still cute in spite of it.

In my last post, I talked a bit about the fact that I felt these dolls were a little mature for young girls, so I won't go into that again.  (If you're dying to know my thoughts, you can read them in Raven's post HERE.  Sorry to keep linking to the same post, but I figured that would be easier than having you search for the first link again.) ;)  I do feel that Maddie's attire is a little more appropriate for younger ones.  It has more of a fun, little girl feel to it than Raven's.

  I'd give Maddie a 5 out of 5 for collectors and a 4 out of 5 for kids (because of her hair and dressing difficulties).      

Shoes and purses

Since modesty is a huge issue in our house (especially with Hubby), I tried to think of other clothing alternatives for these dolls that might make them a little more "daughter-friendly". ;)  Barbie clothes are way too big for the dolls, and most of the other current dolls with similar body types are in styles that wouldn't be much different.  As I was brainstorming, I remembered an online discussion I'd heard about the Moxie Girlz reminding someone of the Lady Lovely Locks dolls, and then I thought about the color schemes of the Ever After High dolls...which led me to try this:

I realize that this color palate is not quite right for Raven, and that her heels look rather ridiculous with such a light, lacy frock. (I was not ABOUT to take those heels off again!)  Still, the Lady Lovely Locks gowns, I think, provide a nice alternative for those moms out there who love the dolls but aren't impressed with their outfits.

This particular dress was just a little loose in the bodice on Raven, but it still looked nice.


An even better option for Raven would be Duchess RavenWaves' dress.  You can see a picture of her HERE to get an idea of how the dress would look. ;)  

I also happened to have Maiden FairHair's dress here and thought that it would be perfect for Maddie.  What do you think?

Unfortunately, my Maiden FairHair dress was a lot wider and lower in the bodice than the Lady Lovely Locks dress was (I'm not sure if all of them are like this or if it was just my particular dress).   I was able to make it work by attaching a little claw to the back of the dress.

Of course, not everyone will go for this look, but I thought that if there were other moms out there who wanted to find more age-appropriate clothing for their daughters' dolls, this would give them a good starting point. ;)

I decided to go ahead and take pictures of Maddie's entire bookmark story.  I've also added Raven's story to the end of her post.  (Once again, doing multiple links for your convenience, not to annoy.) ;)

I mentioned this in the comments on my Raven post, but I thought I'd mention it here as well since the following story includes some elements I don't care for.  In trying to be clever, the EAH stories and marketing have used terms like "Hex, yeah!" for "Heck, yeah!" or "hexting" for texting.  Personally, I wish they would have found another word to use.

What bothers me more is the uses of "Oh my godmother" that have come up a couple of times (including in this story).  Because I'm a Christian, I do not appreciate it when God's name is used lightly, and this is obviously meant to be a play on the widely used term.  I totally get why they used it.  It's a very common expression.  I just wish they'd chosen another way to have the characters express themselves.

So, with that little side note in place, here is Maddie's story:


At this point, I prefer the webisodes to the bookmark stories (although I do think it would be fun to learn to speak in Riddlish). ;)  It will be interesting to see how well they fit together.  I have to admit, though, it's nice to get a clearer storyline in the bookmark stories.  So far in the webisodes, we've just gotten little snippets of story here and there.  

I hope you enjoyed getting a closer look at Maddie in this post. :)  To find out more about Ever After High, you can click on the following links:




25 comments:

All AG said...

Some people customize their dolls (monster high specifically) I think she would be really cute as an AG doll (especially since they have a smile hehe). I personally wish I could just have an AG doll like her she would be too cute!!! :-D

Hannah Prewett (beastsbelle) said...

I've seen some AMAZING repaints of the Monster High dolls, especially this one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zvXud_AuMw

If I was brave enough, I would attempt a repaint on Maddie. ;)

I think Maddie would be a fun AG doll, too! ;)

Anonymous said...

My Maddie has some wonky eyebrows, but her eyes are level, so it adds to quirky ness. Her right eyebrow is a bit higher than the other.

Hannah Prewett (beastsbelle) said...

I could see how that would add to her character. :) She must be adorable!

Korianne said...

Can you tell, are Maddie's hands painted blue or are they molded from blue plastic? I think the gloved part is cute but I would want other options.

BlackKitty said...

I love the dresses you found. You could store the saucer-cuffs separately for special occasions and replace them with paper circles squished in a cone shape with a hole in the middle for regular play. Maybe not as pretty, but easier to use.

Anonymous said...

She's so cute! I do have to wonder why they didn't give her an expression more like her cartoon character, though. Wouldn't she look adorable with a side-glance and a big grin like on the box? She's still a cutie, though, and I love her outfit and all the details. :)

I do have to agree with the whole "hex" and "godmother" thing. Monster High does something similar, like using "fangtastic" for fantastic, but most of those are just funny plays on words or substitutions and none really make me uncomfortable. Using hex, though, is a little different. As far as I know, to hex someone means to put a curse on them, and that really isn't all that funny. The use of "oh my godmother" is also rather annoying. Really, Mattel, you couldn't come up with a better, funnier exclamation? :(

Language issues aside, though, I definitely like EAH and will try to get Raven and Maddie when I get the chance.

Thanks again for the great reviews!

--Kate :)

Anonymous said...

P.S. I'd love to see how Belle and Rapunzel would react to these two on Belle's blog. :)

--Kate :)

Hannah Prewett (beastsbelle) said...

Hi Korianne! It's difficult to say, but as far as I can tell, it looks like Maddie's hands are molded from blue plastic. Sorry to disappoint you. :}

BlackKitty, I was thrilled with how well the Lady Lovely Locks dresses worked, too. :) And I think removing the cuffs and making paper ones would be a great idea, especially for kiddos. :)

Kate, I agree. Maddie would have been completely perfect if they would have painted her like her box artwork. :)

I knew that Monster High did similar things, like "ghoul" for "girl" and such, so I wasn't surprised that EAH came up with their own "cute" phrases. Like you, though, I wish they had chosen less offensive terms.

I'm glad you enjoyed the reviews. :)

Oh, and rumor has it that Belle will be posting about meeting Raven and Maddie on her next post. ;)

Anonymous said...

I don't understand how 'hex' is offensive. Magic isn't real. Playing with kind of dark magic-y dolls won't make your child go and actually curse people, because magic isn't real. How can it be a corrupting influence when even if people tried, nothing would happen?

As for modesty, you sound like you're talking from the 19th century. As far as I'm aware, ankle-length skirts aren't practical on children. Shorter skirts are less likely to catch on things, and even regardless of that, it doesn't matter what your child or their dolls wear, they'll still be constantly exposed to underwear models on billboards or Miley Cyrus near naked at the VMA awards and etc. This is a changing world and modesty is a dated idea.

Hannah Prewett (beastsbelle) said...

Hi Anonymous. Thank you for stopping by and sharing your thoughts.

As I mentioned in my post, I am a Christian. As such, I have a Biblical worldview, basing my beliefs on what the Bible teaches. I understand that you do not hold the same views I do...the majority of people in the world don't. ;)

While the magic spells and sorcery we read about in storybooks may not be true, there are those in the real world who practice witchcraft. Of course, a lot of that sort of stuff is just show or sleight of hand, but I believe that there are true Satanic influences at work in some cases. Even though things like the word hex and "dark magic-y dolls" don't seem like a big deal, they could lead to a curiosity about the occult or other dangerous interests that could harm the girls spiritually. I also want to help my girls learn to think on things that are good, wholesome, and uplifting (as believers are instructed in Philippians 4:8). Even if books, movies, or toys are just fantasy, they can still have a harmful influence. There's such a fascination with the macabre and the dark right now in the world, and I believe it's unhealthy, especially for children.

I don't think that Ever After High is the worst thing out there. I actually find the story lines fun and appealing. My complaints with the series are fairly minor, but I would like to wait to introduce the stories and dolls to my girls until they're a little older and we can discuss some of these issues. I should also note that I try to mention anything that might be offensive or concerning for my readers when I do a blog review, especially since I have so many moms and young girls from a variety of backgrounds who read and follow my blogs. Some of my issues may seem petty, but I'd rather err on the side of being too strict than being too lenient.

I realize that I'm in even more of a minority on the modesty issue, and that's okay. In our family, we want our girls to learn that it's okay to be feminine, and that their bodies are gifts from God that need to be clothed modestly and appropriately. Ankle-length skirts are indeed unpractical for children, which is why we're fine with knee-length skirts, longer shorts, or capris. My girls are perfectly capable of healthy activity even with the restrictions I place on them.

I'll agree that it's impossible to keep our girls from being exposed to the rampant immodesty in the world today, which is why we feel it is vital that our daughters be taught the importance of modesty while they are still in our home. We don't watch the VMAs or any other similar shows. In fact, pretty much the only TV my girls watch is on Disney Junior...and even with that we only choose a few select shows. We've found DVDs to be a better option for us.

You're right, the world is changing...but that doesn't mean that we have to change with it. I know that my views will not be the same views held by most the rest of the world, but that's okay. My husband and I are teaching our girls (and hopefully showing by example) that it's okay to stand up for what you believe in, even if it means you are different from most of the people around you.

I realize that we are coming from two very different points of view, and I don't expect to change your mind with my comment. I just thought I'd explain a bit more about why I've made the decisions I have. If you're interested in discussing this further, I'd love to chat with you via email. My address is nevergrowup.beastsbelle@gmail.com.

Dot said...

Maybe Only Hearts Club clothing would fit them

Hannah Prewett (beastsbelle) said...

It does! :) I actually did a post about this, which you can see here: http://nevergrowupdollguide.blogspot.com/2013/09/other-clothing-for-ever-after-high-dolls.html

Abigail said...

I have a Madeline Hatter doll and i brushed her hair and it gets big but if you add a little water to her hair it looks fine.

Hannah Prewett (beastsbelle) said...

Thanks for the info, Abigail. :)

Unknown said...

Thank you for this post! I stand beside you on the issues you presented about "Hex" "Dark magic" etc.... I like the webisodes but dont agree with such things. Thank you so much for your stand. Stay strong for the Lord!

Hannah Prewett (beastsbelle) said...

Thank you, Layla. That is my biggest goal and desire. :) Have a great day.

Unknown said...

I love the Ever After High dolls and have just started collecting them, myself. :) So far I've got Maddie, Cerise, and Blondie. They're all very lovely but my complaint with my Maddie doll was how clumped together her curls were and how the bald spots were visible on the back. I just had to brush them out and now she's got a bit of an 80's sort of poof to her hair, but I actually quite like it a lot. xD I think it suits her more and looks a bit more like it does in the cartoon now, though there is some slight frizz. Overall though, I think it looks a lot better than it did originally when I first took her out of the box.

Hannah Prewett (beastsbelle) said...

Hi Desirae...thanks for stopping by! :) I love the detail on these dolls. Sorry to hear your Maddie wasn't great at first, but it sounds like you figured out a way to make her more enjoyable. :)

Manta said...

My computer is letting me comment today, yay!!

Maddie is so cute! I've seen her at Justice and wanted her, but I didn't buy her because I don't think I'd be allowed to. :( ('cause of the magic stuff and whatnot) Oh well. Guess I'll just enjoy your pictures!!:)

Hannah Prewett (beastsbelle) said...

Hi Manta. :) I can understand why your parents might not want you to have the EAH dolls. I haven't gotten them for my daughters yet for some of the same reasons. I'm glad you can at least enjoy my pics. :)

Meritre said...

I think the new facemold Kitty Cheshire has would be perfect for Maddie. And Kitty needs a bigger grin, at least in my opinion. :)

Hannah Prewett (beastsbelle) said...

I agree, Meritre! I wonder how long it will be before someone does a custom Maddie with Kitty's face? ;)

Anonymous said...

New Maddie Facemold

http://dollienews.tumblr.com/post/131231780172/venivididolli-confettirainbows-new-eah-sig

Hannah Prewett (beastsbelle) said...

I love Maddie and Apple's new faces. Not as much a fan of Raven's, but I'm so happy that Apple and Maddie actually look pleasant! :D