Series
Publication
Ecco (2014), Edition: First Edition, 416 pages
Description
Engaging the services of a miniaturist to furnish a cabinet-sized replica of her new home, 18-year-old Nella Oortman, the wife of an illustrious merchant trader, soon discovers that the artist's tiny creations mirror their real-life counterparts in eerie and unexpected ways.
Similar in this library
Media reviews
In spite of some lovely passages and fine research, Jessie Burton's tale of a young woman in 17th-century Amsterdam lacks plausibility
User reviews
LibraryThing member wellsie
One thing I learned from reading this novel is that clearly most readers are better at suspending disbelief than I am. At times the plotting of this book was so preposterous and highly excitable that it seemed to me like the literary equivalent of pantomime. A wild man in pantomime clothes stabs a
But there’s also something cynical about the construction of this novel. As if, prior to composition, a lot of market research was done to identify what exactly makes a best-selling novel. I suspect a computer program might have come up with a plot similar were it engineered to formulate the basic components for a best-selling novel. We’ve got the exotic location, the innocent heroine, we’ve got tall dark strangers mincing into virtually every other chapter, we’ve got goodies and baddies with just enough leeway to allow for twists, we’ve got a sugary relish for sensual descriptive prose and we’ve got one mystery after another shovelled into the narrative. I thought maybe the doll’s house might be a symbol of a clever subtext about women’s lack of autonomy in the public realm back in those dark days but really it’s just a cheap gimmick to feed a constant current of mystery into the plot. There are good things. The characters are well-drawn and evolve well in relation to each other and there’s a truly harrowing account of childbirth. But essentially it’s a watercolour of a novel, little texture or underpainting or depth – everything is on the surface. I guess this is escapist fiction because rarely did it make me think about anything – a story that allows one to forget about real life for a bit. I had the feeling near the end that thirty or so revealing pages were missing from the text. I felt cheated. Depressing that this outsold virtually every other novel last year.
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painting, then he stabs a dog, then he in turn is stabbed by an equally exotic piratical character, he seems to be dying but then suddenly reverts back to amateur dramatics – the entire scene, aspiring to pathos, is pure farce, childish slapstick. Then the whole premise of the miniaturist and her dark arts is so cynically far-fetched that I wouldn’t be surprised if initially this novel was conceived as a children's story. In some ways it’s two different novels: there’s the basic storyline with its adult themes - a young girl marries into a family of Dutch traders and finds herself in a house with many dark secrets and then grafted somewhat heavy-handedly on top is the fairy story of the miniaturist supplying a constant feast of implausible hollow mystery the nature of which is never addressed. And not once did I feel these two narratives were reconciled. You could take out the entire character of the miniaturist and her sorcery from this novel without it altering the novel’s basic plot at all. But there’s also something cynical about the construction of this novel. As if, prior to composition, a lot of market research was done to identify what exactly makes a best-selling novel. I suspect a computer program might have come up with a plot similar were it engineered to formulate the basic components for a best-selling novel. We’ve got the exotic location, the innocent heroine, we’ve got tall dark strangers mincing into virtually every other chapter, we’ve got goodies and baddies with just enough leeway to allow for twists, we’ve got a sugary relish for sensual descriptive prose and we’ve got one mystery after another shovelled into the narrative. I thought maybe the doll’s house might be a symbol of a clever subtext about women’s lack of autonomy in the public realm back in those dark days but really it’s just a cheap gimmick to feed a constant current of mystery into the plot. There are good things. The characters are well-drawn and evolve well in relation to each other and there’s a truly harrowing account of childbirth. But essentially it’s a watercolour of a novel, little texture or underpainting or depth – everything is on the surface. I guess this is escapist fiction because rarely did it make me think about anything – a story that allows one to forget about real life for a bit. I had the feeling near the end that thirty or so revealing pages were missing from the text. I felt cheated. Depressing that this outsold virtually every other novel last year.
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LibraryThing member cathyskye
I was looking forward to reading this book with a great deal of anticipation. I was ready to be transported to seventeenth-century Amsterdam and immersed in the lives of a family filled with secrets. I was, but when all is said and done, I couldn't quite suspend my disbelief enough to thoroughly
As should be, the main character, Nella, held most of my attention, and her clumsy attempts to fit in this very strange household and to entice her husband into her bed elicited my sympathy. Each character-- from Nella to Marin the hateful sister-in-law to the distant husband Johannes to the servants, Otto and Cornelia-- have secrets and unexpected depths that add a great deal to the story, although I found none of them particularly likeable.
However, two things kept throwing me out of the story: historical accuracy and the character of the miniaturist. Let me stress one thing before I go any further. I am not a stickler for historical accuracy in fiction. If the story has its grip on me, I can ignore a few things here and there because I know I'm reading fiction. In The Miniaturist, the author has obviously done a lot of research on physical setting and objects. I can see the streets, I can picture Nella's house, and I can see the cabinet filled with tiny works of art. Unfortunately, the time frame of the story always seems a little "off"-- and not just because the characters slip into a twenty-first century way of speaking and writing from time to time.
In the book, Amsterdam is in the clutches of a strict and repressive church. Church leaders ban the baking of gingerbread in the form of humans because it smacks of Catholic idolatry. At the same time, women supposedly have a great deal of freedom in the city; Nella walks across town several times without a chaperone. Religious repression and female emancipation of any sort never go hand in hand. There were just too many times when I felt off balance-- as though the early and late seventeenth century time periods were fighting it out for supremacy. I felt so off-kilter in fact, that I did a bit of checking to refresh my memory. For example, those gingerbread men were banned in 1607, not 1686. However, there is room for literary license because not everyone will have read enough about the time period to find these things jarring enough to turn to Google.
At the end of the day, the character of the miniaturist was the one thing that didn't work for me at all. Very little background is given, and the character vanishes midway through the book. Is the person magical? Crazy? Some sort of savior? I have a feeling that I would have enjoyed the book-- and the author's lyrical and descriptive writing style-- much more without this particular character.
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enjoy the book.As should be, the main character, Nella, held most of my attention, and her clumsy attempts to fit in this very strange household and to entice her husband into her bed elicited my sympathy. Each character-- from Nella to Marin the hateful sister-in-law to the distant husband Johannes to the servants, Otto and Cornelia-- have secrets and unexpected depths that add a great deal to the story, although I found none of them particularly likeable.
However, two things kept throwing me out of the story: historical accuracy and the character of the miniaturist. Let me stress one thing before I go any further. I am not a stickler for historical accuracy in fiction. If the story has its grip on me, I can ignore a few things here and there because I know I'm reading fiction. In The Miniaturist, the author has obviously done a lot of research on physical setting and objects. I can see the streets, I can picture Nella's house, and I can see the cabinet filled with tiny works of art. Unfortunately, the time frame of the story always seems a little "off"-- and not just because the characters slip into a twenty-first century way of speaking and writing from time to time.
In the book, Amsterdam is in the clutches of a strict and repressive church. Church leaders ban the baking of gingerbread in the form of humans because it smacks of Catholic idolatry. At the same time, women supposedly have a great deal of freedom in the city; Nella walks across town several times without a chaperone. Religious repression and female emancipation of any sort never go hand in hand. There were just too many times when I felt off balance-- as though the early and late seventeenth century time periods were fighting it out for supremacy. I felt so off-kilter in fact, that I did a bit of checking to refresh my memory. For example, those gingerbread men were banned in 1607, not 1686. However, there is room for literary license because not everyone will have read enough about the time period to find these things jarring enough to turn to Google.
At the end of the day, the character of the miniaturist was the one thing that didn't work for me at all. Very little background is given, and the character vanishes midway through the book. Is the person magical? Crazy? Some sort of savior? I have a feeling that I would have enjoyed the book-- and the author's lyrical and descriptive writing style-- much more without this particular character.
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LibraryThing member Eyejaybee
This is an atmospheric and intriguing, though to my mind ultimately dissatisfying novel, set in the austere society of late seventeenth century Amsterdam which is governed by the harshly orthodox Protestant Republic. Eighteen year old Petronella ("Nella") Oortman has lived in Alkmaar in a family
Upon arrival at the Brandt home she is met by the indomitable Marin, Brandt's sister and housekeeper, who offers only the most grudging of welcomes to her new sister-in-law. The rest of the household consisted of Cornelia, the sassy maid, and Otto, a liberated former slave, who performs a range of duties within the home. When Brandt finally returns he remains curiously distant from Nella. He also seems to be at odds with almost all of his fellow merchants, and the household seems curiously removed from the general drift of Amsterdam life. He does, however, present Nella with an impressive wedding present - a cabinet formed in the shape of a miniature replica of their house. During one of her periods of loneliness in the house Nella comes across an advertisement in the local journal posted by a miniaturist. As she gradually becomes more confident in her new surroundings she decides to write to the miniaturist, telling her about her cabinet and commissioning some items with which to furnish it. This decision sparks off the central actions of the novel, and a aseries of cataclysmic events and revelations ensue.
The descriptions of seventeenth century Amsterdam are marvellous (at least, I found them very enjoyable though I have no yardstick at all with which to judge their accuracy), and Burton captures the fell of an oppressive society. The writing is sound and the plot develops very satisfyingly, too, for the first two-thirds of the book, though once we reach the crucial stage, the cohesion slips away. There are just too many loose ends (not least the role and purpose of the miniaturist!), which made me wonder if the book had been truncated as a consequence of impending deadline issues, or whether Ms Burton has decided to write a sequel, and wanted to hold back some useful material.
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that commands respect locally, but which, following the recent death of her financially imprudent father, is brutally impoverished. She is, therefore, married off to middle aged and taciturn merchant, Johannes Brandt, in a hastily arranged wedding. Brandt is immensely industrious and has to depart on a new expedition before he can bring his young wife back to Amsterdam. As the novel opens she is making that journey alone.Upon arrival at the Brandt home she is met by the indomitable Marin, Brandt's sister and housekeeper, who offers only the most grudging of welcomes to her new sister-in-law. The rest of the household consisted of Cornelia, the sassy maid, and Otto, a liberated former slave, who performs a range of duties within the home. When Brandt finally returns he remains curiously distant from Nella. He also seems to be at odds with almost all of his fellow merchants, and the household seems curiously removed from the general drift of Amsterdam life. He does, however, present Nella with an impressive wedding present - a cabinet formed in the shape of a miniature replica of their house. During one of her periods of loneliness in the house Nella comes across an advertisement in the local journal posted by a miniaturist. As she gradually becomes more confident in her new surroundings she decides to write to the miniaturist, telling her about her cabinet and commissioning some items with which to furnish it. This decision sparks off the central actions of the novel, and a aseries of cataclysmic events and revelations ensue.
The descriptions of seventeenth century Amsterdam are marvellous (at least, I found them very enjoyable though I have no yardstick at all with which to judge their accuracy), and Burton captures the fell of an oppressive society. The writing is sound and the plot develops very satisfyingly, too, for the first two-thirds of the book, though once we reach the crucial stage, the cohesion slips away. There are just too many loose ends (not least the role and purpose of the miniaturist!), which made me wonder if the book had been truncated as a consequence of impending deadline issues, or whether Ms Burton has decided to write a sequel, and wanted to hold back some useful material.
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LibraryThing member missizicks
This is a well told story about expectation, disappointment, secrets and betrayal. At times it seemed quite a modern story to me, at odds slightly with its 17th century setting. Sometimes the language didn't feel right, but that didn't stop it being a gripping read. I finished it in a day.
The main
There are echoes of Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell in the strangeness that envelopes Nella's new life. She is an intelligent and curious girl who doesn't take being treated as a child lying down. She has spirit and a mind of her own and is determined to winkle out the truth behind her new husband's life.
In an attempt to distract her from the inadequacies of her new life, her husband buys her a cabinet modelled on the rooms of his house. Her sister in law provides her with promissory notes and the 17th century Amsterdam equivalent of the Yellow Pages, and Nella begins to furnish the house with the assistance of a mysterious miniaturist who knows more about Nella's new life than Nella herself does.
I enjoyed the references to spices and other scents, and the way they are used to add another dimension to the descriptions of Nella's environment and the people within it. I loved the air of mystery and Nella's tenacity. She is a likeable protagonist. The tension as the story unfurls is exquisite. My heart was in my mouth at times, almost unbearably so.
The story is also about choice, in particular choices made by those who aren't recognised or accepted by society as having rights. This Amsterdam household is made up of people who must hide their truths from wider society and who work together to create a kind of freedom that is also a prison.
The main
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character is a young woman, Nella, who is married off by her mother to a rich merchant in order to secure her future. The marriage of convenience doesn't meet Nella's expectations, but teaches her a whole range of other things.There are echoes of Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell in the strangeness that envelopes Nella's new life. She is an intelligent and curious girl who doesn't take being treated as a child lying down. She has spirit and a mind of her own and is determined to winkle out the truth behind her new husband's life.
In an attempt to distract her from the inadequacies of her new life, her husband buys her a cabinet modelled on the rooms of his house. Her sister in law provides her with promissory notes and the 17th century Amsterdam equivalent of the Yellow Pages, and Nella begins to furnish the house with the assistance of a mysterious miniaturist who knows more about Nella's new life than Nella herself does.
I enjoyed the references to spices and other scents, and the way they are used to add another dimension to the descriptions of Nella's environment and the people within it. I loved the air of mystery and Nella's tenacity. She is a likeable protagonist. The tension as the story unfurls is exquisite. My heart was in my mouth at times, almost unbearably so.
The story is also about choice, in particular choices made by those who aren't recognised or accepted by society as having rights. This Amsterdam household is made up of people who must hide their truths from wider society and who work together to create a kind of freedom that is also a prison.
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LibraryThing member ecmross
I have to admit that this book didn't grab me from the beginning. I almost bailed on it, but at the end of Part I the plot thickened and I decided to keep listening to the audiobook. I'm very glad that I didn't chuck it because it really turned around and I found myself trying to get as much
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listening in as I could. The title is a bit misleading because although the miniaturist plays an important role, she isn't the main character. I sometimes found myself wishing that Nella could do something, anything, to turn things around, but I realized toward the end that during the set time period, things would remain on the path. It is a beautiful story of self discovery and determination for Nella and just a bit heartbreaking. Show Less
LibraryThing member Lynsey2
What started out as an intriguing story with detailed prose describing Amsterdam in the 17th century turned into an overblown, ridiculously dramatic book that just didnt work.
LibraryThing member nicx27
Nella Oortman arrives at the house of her new husband, Johannes, who she has met only once on the day of their marriage. Johannes is not waiting for her on that day, but his prickly sister, Marin, and their servants, Cornelia and Otto are there. Nella finds that her marriage is not what she hoped
I loved this book and felt it was one where I wanted to savour every single word. It has a similar feel to Tracy Chevalier's Girl with a Pearl Earring in writing style and is set in a similar place and time. I liked Nella very much and loved how she grows in confidence as the story progresses. And the other characters all grew on me as I got to know their stories. I also found the idea of the miniaturist really intriguing. Towards the very end I felt quite emotional about the turn of events.
Jessie Burton has written an excellent debut here and I can understand why people rave about it. I know it's also had some poor reviews but I think that's because it's a book which needs to be read fairly slowly to take it all in. I loved it, anyway, and look forward with interest to seeing what this author does next.
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for when Johannes is distant but he buys her a cabinet house, a miniature of their own house which Nella then starts to furnish with the help of a miniaturist. Strangely, the miniaturist seems to be able to predict what will happen in the house and things start to go very wrong.I loved this book and felt it was one where I wanted to savour every single word. It has a similar feel to Tracy Chevalier's Girl with a Pearl Earring in writing style and is set in a similar place and time. I liked Nella very much and loved how she grows in confidence as the story progresses. And the other characters all grew on me as I got to know their stories. I also found the idea of the miniaturist really intriguing. Towards the very end I felt quite emotional about the turn of events.
Jessie Burton has written an excellent debut here and I can understand why people rave about it. I know it's also had some poor reviews but I think that's because it's a book which needs to be read fairly slowly to take it all in. I loved it, anyway, and look forward with interest to seeing what this author does next.
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LibraryThing member SallyApollon
An intent perspective of life in Amsterdam in this era. A magical tale with equal parts of realism and mysticism. Full of drama and lyrical in prose, Most enjoyable,
LibraryThing member porch_reader
Amsterdam, 1686. Nella Oortman is an eighteen-year-old bride. She has arrived from the countryside to join the household of her husband Johannes Brandt, a wealthy trader. It does not take long before Nella realizes that she barely knows Johannes and that the members of his household have even more
Without giving away too much, it is hard to convey the layers of this story. Like all good historical fiction, The Miniaturist transports us to a different time and place. It has a touch of magical realism as the role of the miniaturist plays out. But I enjoyed this book most as a story of women who do not quite realize their own capabilities to shape their environment and stand up for that which is most important to them. Nella grows beyond her years in her first few months in the Brandt household and finds a welcome ally in Brandt's long-time servant Cornelia. I found myself turning the pages and rooting for these two against all odds.
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secrets. But there may be someone in the strange city who can help Nella pull the pieces together. When she contacts a miniaturist to commission pieces for a replicate of Brandt's mansion, the miniaturist provides more than a replicate of life as it is in the mansion. She provides insight into life as it will be. The pace of the narrative picks up as secrets are revealed and Nella tries to maintain a sense of control. Without giving away too much, it is hard to convey the layers of this story. Like all good historical fiction, The Miniaturist transports us to a different time and place. It has a touch of magical realism as the role of the miniaturist plays out. But I enjoyed this book most as a story of women who do not quite realize their own capabilities to shape their environment and stand up for that which is most important to them. Nella grows beyond her years in her first few months in the Brandt household and finds a welcome ally in Brandt's long-time servant Cornelia. I found myself turning the pages and rooting for these two against all odds.
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LibraryThing member OscarWilde87
Jessie Burton's The Miniaturist tells the story of Petronella, or Nella in short, a girl from the Dutch Assendelft that gets married to the rich merchant Johannes Brandt. She moves to his big house in Amsterdam and lives there with Johannes' sister Marin and Otto and Cornelia, two servants in the
What I find most striking about the novel are the relationships between the characters. The relationship between Nella and Johannes is very one-sided at the beginning with Nella wanting to live the life of happily married wife with all its facets and Johannes being away all the time and not even talking to her. When he takes her out to the public one night, Nella finally thinks their marriage is going to start, but again her hopes are crushed. In the meantime the relationship between Nella and the two servants gets ever warmer, but the relationship to Marin, Johannes' sister, remains mysterious. Marin is a very dominant character who does not let anyone come to close to her. An important part that complicates the relation between Johannes and Marin as well as the relation between Marin and Nella is the Meermans family. The reader learns that Frans Meermans and Marin have been a couple when Marin was still young, but the relationship has ended abruptly. Agnes Meermans, who inherited a sugar plantation in Suriname, has her husband Frans charge Johannes with selling the sugar. Generally, there are many secrets in the novel which are only slowly revealed to the reader. Suffice it to say at this point that you really want to find out what lies behind all those secrets and find out about Marin and Johannes Brandt's backgrounds.
In the reading process I found myself having more and more questions about what was really happening. Why does Johannes not live a normal life with his wife? Does he love her? What role does Marin play as the lady of the house? Why did her relationship to Frans Meermans end? Who is the miniaturist? How does the miniaturist know what to send Nella? Are the things that are sent some kind of prophecy of the future? It is these questions and many more that I wanted to find answers to and this was the driving force behind my reading. The larger issues that are explored in the novel, that is the role of women in 17th century Amsterdam, for instance, do also provide for an interesting angle on the story. While the story that is told is not completely my cup of tea, I do think that this novel has its merits and leaves you with a sense of a worthwhile reading experience. 3.5 stars.
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house. The novel is set in the 17th century and covers a relatively short time span from October 1686 until January 1687. As Johannes is rarely home Nella does not see much of her husband. They do not even consume their marriage, which is very hard on Nella who wonders what might be wrong with her. One day, Johannes brings home a large cabinet which is an exact copy of the house and is his wedding present to Nella. Nella does not really know what to do with the gift, so she starts buying miniature items to put into the cabinet. When little figurines of the inhabitants of the house arrive without her having ordered them she wonders about the identity of the miniaturist who sends them.What I find most striking about the novel are the relationships between the characters. The relationship between Nella and Johannes is very one-sided at the beginning with Nella wanting to live the life of happily married wife with all its facets and Johannes being away all the time and not even talking to her. When he takes her out to the public one night, Nella finally thinks their marriage is going to start, but again her hopes are crushed. In the meantime the relationship between Nella and the two servants gets ever warmer, but the relationship to Marin, Johannes' sister, remains mysterious. Marin is a very dominant character who does not let anyone come to close to her. An important part that complicates the relation between Johannes and Marin as well as the relation between Marin and Nella is the Meermans family. The reader learns that Frans Meermans and Marin have been a couple when Marin was still young, but the relationship has ended abruptly. Agnes Meermans, who inherited a sugar plantation in Suriname, has her husband Frans charge Johannes with selling the sugar. Generally, there are many secrets in the novel which are only slowly revealed to the reader. Suffice it to say at this point that you really want to find out what lies behind all those secrets and find out about Marin and Johannes Brandt's backgrounds.
In the reading process I found myself having more and more questions about what was really happening. Why does Johannes not live a normal life with his wife? Does he love her? What role does Marin play as the lady of the house? Why did her relationship to Frans Meermans end? Who is the miniaturist? How does the miniaturist know what to send Nella? Are the things that are sent some kind of prophecy of the future? It is these questions and many more that I wanted to find answers to and this was the driving force behind my reading. The larger issues that are explored in the novel, that is the role of women in 17th century Amsterdam, for instance, do also provide for an interesting angle on the story. While the story that is told is not completely my cup of tea, I do think that this novel has its merits and leaves you with a sense of a worthwhile reading experience. 3.5 stars.
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LibraryThing member flourgirl49
After I read the first 4 pages of this book, I thought to myself "uh oh, I don't think I'm going to be finishing this." And I did find the first half to be rather slow, but I plugged on, and I'm glad I did. This story takes place in 17th century Netherlands, a time, place and subject matter that
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are uncommon, and I found that to be intriguing. Nella, 18 years old, has an arranged marriage to a wealthy man she rarely sees and who disappoints her (to put it mildly) in very crucial ways, and his sister Marin is a cold character who makes her feel unwelcome. Yet as time goes on, Nella changes her attitude towards these people, along with the household's servants, who are now her family. As one reads, it is a mystery if the miniaturist is a good or bad person - however, when you're done with the book, go back and read those first 4 pages again, and perhaps it will become more clear, as it did to me. This is an interesting, unusual book. Show Less
LibraryThing member librarian1204
A first novel, set in Amsterdam in 1687. Very well written. Vividly descriptive of life during that time. Oppressive religion and regimented life styles. The characters are clearly presented. I was intrigued by this book and I stayed with it, even as I had figured out what was going to happen. The
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Miniaturist, (not the title but the character) remains the un explained mystery. Show Less
LibraryThing member sleahey
Eighteen year old Nella becomes the child bride of Johannes, a wealth Dutch merchant who seems to have no interest in nor affections for her. After she receives a cabinet (oversized dollhouse replica of their house) from him, she commissions a few small items for it from a miniaturist. More
The author paints a vivid picture of the culture and constraints of Amsterdam in the 1680s, and the story unfolds with certain suspense. However, I would have welcomed more about the mysterious miniaturist who never quite succeeds as a focus of the story warranting the title.
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artifacts than she ordered start to appear and demonstrate uncanny familiarity with the household and its secrets.; the also presage the scandals that will rock the lives of everyone in the household.The author paints a vivid picture of the culture and constraints of Amsterdam in the 1680s, and the story unfolds with certain suspense. However, I would have welcomed more about the mysterious miniaturist who never quite succeeds as a focus of the story warranting the title.
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LibraryThing member KrisMcG
Beautiful writing, some well-wrought characters, and a fascinating setting in time and place. However, when I look at the novel as a whole, it didn't completely gel for me. Some characters appeared to shift or change rather dramatically in a short space of time and something about the miniaturist
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seemed lacking. That said, I am still definitely glad I read it and would recommend based on the aspects in my first sentence. Show Less
LibraryThing member Xleptodactylous
Nella Oortman - now known formally as Petronella Brandt after her marriage to wealthy merchant Johannes - moves to Amsterdam from the dull countryside to begin her new life as his wife. Living in the same household, Johannes sister, Marin, is the head of the household, with two servants, Cornelia
For a much-hyped book, I was pleasantly surprised. Though I wasn't overly surprised, which doesn't surprise me. I've yet to read a book that deserves any of the hype it gets, including Harry Potter.
It was well-written, though at times there were mistakes, grammatical errors and the narration P.O.V irritated me at times. This is what I would expect from any first-time Author, though. The characters were well developed with immense back-stories, though at times they slipped and turned in to cardboard "background" characters. Nella was one of the more infuriating characters, purely because she was lovely and well-rounded at times, sometimes headstrong and sometimes a very timid young woman (childlike), but often her personality decomposed so much that I became unable to like her at all. I often went back and forth with my feelings for her, though in the end I think I did like her altogether.
The plot was likeable, and there were many times when I was taken aback by what was happening, which I enjoyed immensely. It was very surreal, however, and I would prefer the book to have been ousted as a kind of fantastical book from the beginning, because elements of the story were far-fetched (The Miniaturist, for one) but I certainly enjoyed the historical elements. Nella Oortman was a real lady who owned a Miniature Dollhouse (now housed in Rijksmuseum, though it certainly isn't biographical) and the atmosphere of 17th Amsterdam is wonderful.
For a first novel, it's a wonderful world. There are many pitfalls that bring it down, and the characters are quite schizophrenic at times (in that their personalities and three-dimensional properties get a little murky sometimes), but all in all, honestly, and if you know me you'll know I don't overrate books at all, nor do I buy in to the hype, this is a good book. Well done.
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and Otto. But the house is strange and cold, despite their wealth, and Johannes seems uninspired by his new wife. However, he buys her a brand new, very expensive dollhouse to satiate her, not knowing what it might mean for their marriage.For a much-hyped book, I was pleasantly surprised. Though I wasn't overly surprised, which doesn't surprise me. I've yet to read a book that deserves any of the hype it gets, including Harry Potter.
It was well-written, though at times there were mistakes, grammatical errors and the narration P.O.V irritated me at times. This is what I would expect from any first-time Author, though. The characters were well developed with immense back-stories, though at times they slipped and turned in to cardboard "background" characters. Nella was one of the more infuriating characters, purely because she was lovely and well-rounded at times, sometimes headstrong and sometimes a very timid young woman (childlike), but often her personality decomposed so much that I became unable to like her at all. I often went back and forth with my feelings for her, though in the end I think I did like her altogether.
The plot was likeable, and there were many times when I was taken aback by what was happening, which I enjoyed immensely. It was very surreal, however, and I would prefer the book to have been ousted as a kind of fantastical book from the beginning, because elements of the story were far-fetched (The Miniaturist, for one) but I certainly enjoyed the historical elements. Nella Oortman was a real lady who owned a Miniature Dollhouse (now housed in Rijksmuseum, though it certainly isn't biographical) and the atmosphere of 17th Amsterdam is wonderful.
For a first novel, it's a wonderful world. There are many pitfalls that bring it down, and the characters are quite schizophrenic at times (in that their personalities and three-dimensional properties get a little murky sometimes), but all in all, honestly, and if you know me you'll know I don't overrate books at all, nor do I buy in to the hype, this is a good book. Well done.
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LibraryThing member uvejota
"Received in exchange for an honest review"
3.5 Stars
I have strong mixed feelings about this book, in fact I find it hard to rate it when you enjoyed so much the fluent reading, the historical fiction, the drama and, of course, the mystery, but at the end everything seems so unsolved, specially with
I wasn't expecting such that end for the Brandt's either, I mean, I don't want a happy ending but I was expecting more fight from two of the strongest characters of the book.
At last all I can say about this book: a excellent way to tell a story, not a great story.
3.5 Stars
I have strong mixed feelings about this book, in fact I find it hard to rate it when you enjoyed so much the fluent reading, the historical fiction, the drama and, of course, the mystery, but at the end everything seems so unsolved, specially with
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the title itself, the miniaturist is an elusive character and I didn't really get the point of having her as the central on the story. I like the symbolism of the miniature house but at the end I wonder if without it or the Miniaturist Burton could tell the same story, I don't know. I wasn't expecting such that end for the Brandt's either, I mean, I don't want a happy ending but I was expecting more fight from two of the strongest characters of the book.
At last all I can say about this book: a excellent way to tell a story, not a great story.
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LibraryThing member jlhenson
The Miniaturist is a compelling, well-written novel from this debut author. Part historical fiction, part mystery, The Miniaturist is, above all things, a story of women. It asks us to define what it means to be a woman. Is it marriage and motherhood? Nella Brandt, the 19 year-old protagonist, is
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newly married to the older Johannes, a wealthy Dutch merchant. Such a marriage should define her status, but he is frequently absent and leaves their marriage bed cold. So what is she then, if she has no child? Her sister-in-law, Marin, is also unmarried, but tightly controls the household and her brother's business dealings. But in a time where women do not play a role in business and politics, she is still a force to be reckoned with. And then there is the titular Miniaturist, a character who hovers near all the action, but is never really seen. How does he or she always seem to know the secrets that live behind closed doors? A great read. Show Less
LibraryThing member Katyas
Book Info: Genre: Historical Literary Fiction
Reading Level: Adult
Tense, Person, POV: third person, present tense, limited omniscient POV
Diversity: GLBTQ, interracial relationship
Recommended for: Fans of historical literary fiction, interested in 17th century Amsterdam
Book Available: August 26, 2014
Trigger Warnings: torture, capital punishment—those sentenced to execution are thrown into the sea with a weight around their neck to drown
Animals: someone opens a window and lets out a parakeet; kittens and puppies left in bags to die, or thrown into river to drown, dog is murdered
My Thoughts: Amsterdam: “Where the pendulum swings from God to a guilder.” 17th century Amsterdam, to put it mildly, is not a place I would want to spend my time. This book is hard to define, but to me it is about hypocrisy, greed, religion, mob mentality, life and death, beginnings and endings. There is a lot going on in this book, and the thing with the miniaturist is very strange. Is she just able to put together information due to intuition, or does she has a psychic gift? It is never answered, and we never catch more than a glimpse of her. I think the cabinet is a metaphor for Nella's life in general, and how she feels trapped. There is a great deal of emphasis placed upon the roles of women and men, as well as the repressive nature of religion at the time. The sense of fear and paranoia soaks this book.
There are a lot of things that I found quite interesting, and don't forget the excellent glossary and appendix in the back of the book. I had a really hard time with the offhand way that people treated animals, so be aware of that if you are sensitive to that; it was, however, sadly a part of the society of the time, and historically accurate, so it was necessary. If this sounds like an interesting book for you, definitely check it out. It's not the sort of thing I would ordinarily read, but despite the rating I would be comfortable recommending this book.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the Amazon Vine program in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Synopsis: On a brisk autumn day in 1686, eighteen-year-old Nella Oortman arrives in Amsterdam to begin a new life as the wife of illustrious merchant trader Johannes Brandt. But her new home, while splendorous, is not welcoming. Johannes is kind yet distant, always locked in his study or at his warehouse office-leaving Nella alone with his sister, the sharp-tongued and forbidding Marin.
But Nella's world changes when Johannes presents her with an extraordinary wedding gift: a cabinet-sized replica of their home. To furnish her gift, Nella engages the services of a miniaturist—an elusive and enigmatic artist whose tiny creations mirror their real-life counterparts in eerie and unexpected ways . . .
Johannes' gift helps Nella to pierce the closed world of the Brandt household. But as she uncovers its unusual secrets, she begins to understand-and fear-the escalating dangers that await them all. In this repressively pious society where gold is worshipped second only to God, to be different is a threat to the moral fabric of society, and not even a man as rich as Johannes is safe. Only one person seems to see the fate that awaits them. Is the miniaturist the key to their salvation . . . or the architect of their destruction?
Enchanting, beautiful, and exquisitely suspenseful, The Miniaturist is a magnificent story of love and obsession, betrayal and retribution, appearance and truth.
Reading Level: Adult
Tense, Person, POV: third person, present tense, limited omniscient POV
Diversity: GLBTQ, interracial relationship
Recommended for: Fans of historical literary fiction, interested in 17th century Amsterdam
Book Available: August 26, 2014
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in Hardcover, Kindle, Large Print paperback, and August 15 in a prerecorded Digital Audio Player.Trigger Warnings: torture, capital punishment—those sentenced to execution are thrown into the sea with a weight around their neck to drown
Animals: someone opens a window and lets out a parakeet; kittens and puppies left in bags to die, or thrown into river to drown, dog is murdered
My Thoughts: Amsterdam: “Where the pendulum swings from God to a guilder.” 17th century Amsterdam, to put it mildly, is not a place I would want to spend my time. This book is hard to define, but to me it is about hypocrisy, greed, religion, mob mentality, life and death, beginnings and endings. There is a lot going on in this book, and the thing with the miniaturist is very strange. Is she just able to put together information due to intuition, or does she has a psychic gift? It is never answered, and we never catch more than a glimpse of her. I think the cabinet is a metaphor for Nella's life in general, and how she feels trapped. There is a great deal of emphasis placed upon the roles of women and men, as well as the repressive nature of religion at the time. The sense of fear and paranoia soaks this book.
There are a lot of things that I found quite interesting, and don't forget the excellent glossary and appendix in the back of the book. I had a really hard time with the offhand way that people treated animals, so be aware of that if you are sensitive to that; it was, however, sadly a part of the society of the time, and historically accurate, so it was necessary. If this sounds like an interesting book for you, definitely check it out. It's not the sort of thing I would ordinarily read, but despite the rating I would be comfortable recommending this book.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the Amazon Vine program in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Synopsis: On a brisk autumn day in 1686, eighteen-year-old Nella Oortman arrives in Amsterdam to begin a new life as the wife of illustrious merchant trader Johannes Brandt. But her new home, while splendorous, is not welcoming. Johannes is kind yet distant, always locked in his study or at his warehouse office-leaving Nella alone with his sister, the sharp-tongued and forbidding Marin.
But Nella's world changes when Johannes presents her with an extraordinary wedding gift: a cabinet-sized replica of their home. To furnish her gift, Nella engages the services of a miniaturist—an elusive and enigmatic artist whose tiny creations mirror their real-life counterparts in eerie and unexpected ways . . .
Johannes' gift helps Nella to pierce the closed world of the Brandt household. But as she uncovers its unusual secrets, she begins to understand-and fear-the escalating dangers that await them all. In this repressively pious society where gold is worshipped second only to God, to be different is a threat to the moral fabric of society, and not even a man as rich as Johannes is safe. Only one person seems to see the fate that awaits them. Is the miniaturist the key to their salvation . . . or the architect of their destruction?
Enchanting, beautiful, and exquisitely suspenseful, The Miniaturist is a magnificent story of love and obsession, betrayal and retribution, appearance and truth.
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LibraryThing member thewanderingjew
The year is 1686. The story is about Petronella Oortman, an 18 year old young woman who has, within recent months, married a man of 39, Johannes Brandt, to help her family solve its many money problems. Although she wanted very much to be a dutiful wife, her husband was absent from the marriage
Johannes was soft spoken, handsome and wealthy, but his lack of affection distresses Nella. She observes that he loves his two dogs to excess and wishes he would display the same affection toward her.
One day, to show his fondness for her, against his sister’s better financial judgment, Johannes presents Nella with a magnificent, extravagant miniature house. It is an exact replica of their home. (The author was inspired to write this story after observing a miniature house in the Rijksmuseum) Nella is disappointed with her gift, believing she is no longer a child and has no need for such a thing, but she soon becomes involved, and almost obsessed, with the furnishings and their possible meaning and intent. Miniature homes are a trend of the times for women. They are not permitted to do many things in society, and this is another mundane way to occupy their time. As time passes, Nella begins to believe that the unasked for miniatures that keep arriving, are warning of things to come, that the Miniaturist she hired to help her furnish the rooms is a prophet of some kind, sending her messages and warnings that she needs very much to decipher and interpret for the well being of the household.
Mr. and Mrs. Meermans, Agnes and Frans, are involved in a business transaction with Johannes, and they play a pivotal role in the tale, but they are never fully realized and remain almost minor characters, along with his nemesis who possesses a less than moral background and character and would do anything for a price. He is a rather disreputable creature whom Johannes “befriended” and employed to watch over his sugar loaves, among other things. Although these characters play a role that turns the tale, there is a feeling that they are just dropped into the dialogue, at particular times, and their important purpose feels almost revealed by accident. I would have liked to see them further developed.
Two other characters were in the employ of the household. They are the maid, Cornelia, and the manservant, Otto. Both fit into the plot with some degree of importance, as well, with Otto playing more of a crucial role. Neither of them has their backgrounds investigated fully, either.
The book is a grand effort at recreating a period of England’s history. The story takes place near the end of the 17th century, at a time when women had few rights and were allowed few responsibilities, when the church played a far too influential role in the lives of the citizens, when the bias and bigotry of the church prevailed, and the greed and envy of the people ruled.
The book examines the danger of keeping secrets and telling lies, of defying the standards of the day and living a clandestine, unacceptable lifestyle according to the acceptable mores of the day. It also examines the compassion, or lack thereof, shown when an individual’s motivation, correctly or incorrectly, is used for the fulfillment of one’s self serving needs. It is a tale of forbidden love, overlaid with mystical and magical inferences which never quite come to fruition, or at least not fully or satisfactorily enough for this reader. The characters remain on the surface, and I wondered if there was to be a sequel to explain the story going forward, since there were many unresolved issues for the surviving characters.
The book would be good for a discussion on the absence or presence of universal civil rights and free choice, on the freedom of religion for all, on the power of the church to inflict punishment and effect public opinion, but taken alone, it would be best suited for a pleasant read on the beach.
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much of the time, and there was little physical contact. Nella was a bit immature due to her tender age, but she was brave and self-confident enough to travel alone to her husband’s home. When she arrived, she was greeted by his sister, Marin, who seemed distant and rather cold and calculating. Johannes was soft spoken, handsome and wealthy, but his lack of affection distresses Nella. She observes that he loves his two dogs to excess and wishes he would display the same affection toward her.
One day, to show his fondness for her, against his sister’s better financial judgment, Johannes presents Nella with a magnificent, extravagant miniature house. It is an exact replica of their home. (The author was inspired to write this story after observing a miniature house in the Rijksmuseum) Nella is disappointed with her gift, believing she is no longer a child and has no need for such a thing, but she soon becomes involved, and almost obsessed, with the furnishings and their possible meaning and intent. Miniature homes are a trend of the times for women. They are not permitted to do many things in society, and this is another mundane way to occupy their time. As time passes, Nella begins to believe that the unasked for miniatures that keep arriving, are warning of things to come, that the Miniaturist she hired to help her furnish the rooms is a prophet of some kind, sending her messages and warnings that she needs very much to decipher and interpret for the well being of the household.
Mr. and Mrs. Meermans, Agnes and Frans, are involved in a business transaction with Johannes, and they play a pivotal role in the tale, but they are never fully realized and remain almost minor characters, along with his nemesis who possesses a less than moral background and character and would do anything for a price. He is a rather disreputable creature whom Johannes “befriended” and employed to watch over his sugar loaves, among other things. Although these characters play a role that turns the tale, there is a feeling that they are just dropped into the dialogue, at particular times, and their important purpose feels almost revealed by accident. I would have liked to see them further developed.
Two other characters were in the employ of the household. They are the maid, Cornelia, and the manservant, Otto. Both fit into the plot with some degree of importance, as well, with Otto playing more of a crucial role. Neither of them has their backgrounds investigated fully, either.
The book is a grand effort at recreating a period of England’s history. The story takes place near the end of the 17th century, at a time when women had few rights and were allowed few responsibilities, when the church played a far too influential role in the lives of the citizens, when the bias and bigotry of the church prevailed, and the greed and envy of the people ruled.
The book examines the danger of keeping secrets and telling lies, of defying the standards of the day and living a clandestine, unacceptable lifestyle according to the acceptable mores of the day. It also examines the compassion, or lack thereof, shown when an individual’s motivation, correctly or incorrectly, is used for the fulfillment of one’s self serving needs. It is a tale of forbidden love, overlaid with mystical and magical inferences which never quite come to fruition, or at least not fully or satisfactorily enough for this reader. The characters remain on the surface, and I wondered if there was to be a sequel to explain the story going forward, since there were many unresolved issues for the surviving characters.
The book would be good for a discussion on the absence or presence of universal civil rights and free choice, on the freedom of religion for all, on the power of the church to inflict punishment and effect public opinion, but taken alone, it would be best suited for a pleasant read on the beach.
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LibraryThing member Romonko
I had such high hopes for this book. It's not that the book isn't good, it's just that it wasn't quite good enough. I enjoyed Ms. Burton's style of writing, and her knowledge and understanding of her subject (seventeenth century Amsterdam) is impressive. I really enjoy it when an historical novel
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is as well-researched as this one so obviously was. But there is such a sense of unrelenting hopelessness in this story. I tried to look for a tiny glimmer of hope and light, and could not find it anywhere. The characters are mostly well-drawn, but a lot of the time I found there was a lack of humanity displayed by the characters in this book. I just couldn't warm up to them. And the one character that I hoped would tie this story together and that would bring some humanity into the main character (Petronella), never appears anywhere. The book is about the miniaturist, but we never meet this person and we never find out why or how she discovers the information that she requires for the miniatures she creates. We learn how family secrets can destroy a family. We learn that we never should take anyone at face value and we learn a lot about what life might have been like in Amsterdam at this time. This book would get five stars from me if there hadn't been so many loose threads left hanging and if there hadn't been such a sense of hopelessness and sadness. I read to learn about different places and different times. I read to increase my knowledge of subjects that I have not been exposed to before. But most of all, I read for enjoyment, and for the chance to find that silver lining that is usually somewhere in a novel. There was no silver lining at all in the unrelenting sadness of this book, and I was puzzled as to why the miniaturist never becomes a real character in the book. It is because of these two things that this book rates as four stars for me, instead of the five stars that I was expecting after reading the reviews about it. Show Less
LibraryThing member vcfvcs
An interesting coming of age story. Written in the present tense but I fell there should be more fluidity in the style.
LibraryThing member Cariola
Burton gives us a novel set in 17th century Amsterdam, a booming mercantile center. Young Nella has arrived from the country, newly married, only to find that her husband Johannes is away on business and that her harsh sister-in-law, Marin, rules the roost. When he returns, he presents her with a
This novel was really slow-going at first, so slow that I almost gave up on it. While I'm glad that I stuck with it to the end, there were a number of problems. First, we never really learn exactly who the miniaturist is or how she knows so much. At times, Nella seems almost too naive, and she and other characters change far too abruptly to be believable. The ending--well, lets just say that we're somewhat left hanging. While it feels like a conclusion, again, there are just too many holes.
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wedding gift that he believes will keep her busy: a cabinet designed like their house, but empty. It's Nella's task to fill it, and she contacts by mail a miniaturist to create the first pieces. When the package arrives, there are additional, unordered pieces that are astonishingly identical to reality. How does the miniaturist know so much about the Brandt home? Even more strangely, some of the figures representing the family start to change . . . and Nella begins to feel that she is living in a house of secrets.This novel was really slow-going at first, so slow that I almost gave up on it. While I'm glad that I stuck with it to the end, there were a number of problems. First, we never really learn exactly who the miniaturist is or how she knows so much. At times, Nella seems almost too naive, and she and other characters change far too abruptly to be believable. The ending--well, lets just say that we're somewhat left hanging. While it feels like a conclusion, again, there are just too many holes.
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LibraryThing member v_allery
The Miniaturist is a very slow-paced, yet intriguing read that has left me with a handful of different thoughts and emotions. It is a little mysterious, a little disturbing, a little unfair.
I am very surprised by the fact that I liked the characters a lot, even though the author has not given me
The story of the Miniaturist is seemingly the foreground story, but the most interesting things always happen in the background.
I am very surprised by the fact that I liked the characters a lot, even though the author has not given me
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much information about them or even a glimpse of their inner world. All I have is facts about their lives and their doings, so I feel like I only scratched the surface. It would usually be a bad thing, but this book is written masterfully - the main heroin Nella is an epitome of every woman that got married into a rich, screwed up family and is now in over her head; Marin is every woman that has ever felt she deserves to speak up and to be her own person, not being dependent on others, especially on a husband; and Johannes is every man that is seen as a picture-perfect pillar of the community, a successful professional, but has this whole other - inner - world that he is not supposed to talk about for the fear of being judged and misunderstood. Also, the book depicts the prejudiced and biased society perfectly well. As well as people whose horizons might be wider, but who are always too scared to speak up and do anything about an obvious injustice, because they do not want to be punished or killed for it. The story of the Miniaturist is seemingly the foreground story, but the most interesting things always happen in the background.
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LibraryThing member St.CroixSue
I listened to this debut historical fiction novel, which takes place in the 1600’s in Amsterdam. It was very well read and held my attention to the end, but there were several loose ends and occasionally the issues and the character’s responses did not seem consistent with 15th century mores.
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If you want to escape to a different time and place this is an option. Show Less
LibraryThing member brangwinn
This is excellent writing for a debut author. Taking us back to 16th century Amsterdam, the reader discovers what it is like to be a woman married to a man she barely knows and thrust into a household that at first is not welcoming. It’s an excellent look at how women were forced to show their
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business skills behind the scences. Although I felt that the author was quite ambitious in her attempt to include a multi-racial baby and homosexuality as well as a taste of the occult, into this story it all worked well together and created a very visual image of life in Amsterdam when both capitalism and conservative faith were constants in everyone’s lives. I look forward to more books by Jessie Burton. Show Less
ISBN
0062306812 / 9780062306814