The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton
Nella Oortman is whisked away from her small Dutch village to big city, Amsterdam by marrying a man she barely knows. Her family has fallen on hard times financially and Johannes Brandt is a wealthy merchant. In the 17th century, her family sees him as a good match for her. She arrives at the Brandt home with her parakeet and not much else. Her new sister-in-law, Marin immediately sets out to make sure the young and naive, Nella, knows who's in charge of the household. It will not be the new wife.
When Johannes eventually returns home from his travels, he brings his wife a replica cabinet house as a wedding gift. Nella sets out to furnish the house with miniatures. The items are small and detailed, matching the Brandt home furnishings perfectly. Additions to the cabinet begin arriving which Nella has not ordered. She becomes drawn into a dark web and deception of her new life through the tiny items she finds neatly wrapped in brown paper.
The setting of late 17th century Amsterdam was very well developed in The Miniaturist. The historical backdrop of Dutch life drew me in completely. Nella held my attention, with her attempts to fit in a strange place and find her place as a wife. Though only eighteen, she had a strong will. Marin, hiding a secret of her own, tried to break her, but in the end, it was Nella she needed most.
I'm on the fence about this novel. Many things about it, I loved. The writing is good, the story moves quickly and I never felt bogged down in it. The historical aspect of the story is interesting and keeps the plot line grounded. But when I got to the last page I felt let down in a big way. The miniaturist, herself, had such a small role yet commanded the title of the book. Nella deserved much more from this story than she got. But I might not have read it if the title had been different. The Miniaturist serves as a double edged sword much like the story inside the cover.
Nella Oortman is whisked away from her small Dutch village to big city, Amsterdam by marrying a man she barely knows. Her family has fallen on hard times financially and Johannes Brandt is a wealthy merchant. In the 17th century, her family sees him as a good match for her. She arrives at the Brandt home with her parakeet and not much else. Her new sister-in-law, Marin immediately sets out to make sure the young and naive, Nella, knows who's in charge of the household. It will not be the new wife.
When Johannes eventually returns home from his travels, he brings his wife a replica cabinet house as a wedding gift. Nella sets out to furnish the house with miniatures. The items are small and detailed, matching the Brandt home furnishings perfectly. Additions to the cabinet begin arriving which Nella has not ordered. She becomes drawn into a dark web and deception of her new life through the tiny items she finds neatly wrapped in brown paper.
The setting of late 17th century Amsterdam was very well developed in The Miniaturist. The historical backdrop of Dutch life drew me in completely. Nella held my attention, with her attempts to fit in a strange place and find her place as a wife. Though only eighteen, she had a strong will. Marin, hiding a secret of her own, tried to break her, but in the end, it was Nella she needed most.
I'm on the fence about this novel. Many things about it, I loved. The writing is good, the story moves quickly and I never felt bogged down in it. The historical aspect of the story is interesting and keeps the plot line grounded. But when I got to the last page I felt let down in a big way. The miniaturist, herself, had such a small role yet commanded the title of the book. Nella deserved much more from this story than she got. But I might not have read it if the title had been different. The Miniaturist serves as a double edged sword much like the story inside the cover.
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