Reviews

“The road in front is empty: it is behind them that something waits.”

We're back in Amsterdam, 18 years after The Miniaturist left off, and the Brandt household is still busy keeping up appearances and keeping secrets... It's 1705 and Thea Brandt has grown up in a patchwork of a household consisting of her father, Otto, her aunt, Nella, and loyal servant, Cornelia. Her mother died giving birth to her and she knows next to nothing about who she was, just one of the things her family does not talk about. They do talk about marrying her off to a rich man, and quickly, because of their dwindling financial situation. But Thea is in love with the theatre and the theatre's set painter, although he is also not quite as he seems...

I just loved reading this story! I had thoroughly enjoyed The Miniaturist and thought it was a great standalone novel but it was such a treat to be given this sequel to catch up on the characters and how their lives had continued. The writing takes the reader straight to 1700s Amsterdam, the social politics, the clothes, and the culture. This is not a sequel about the miniaturist of the first book although she does remain a presence in The House of Fortune for Nella, but there's still enough magic and mystery to keep readers guessing about how closely she continues to watch the family! 🍍

Recommend to fans of The Marriage Portrait, and The Essex Serpent.

isobarkerrrr's review against another edition

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mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

jbbooks's review against another edition

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emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Very engaging next instalment of The Miniaturist story, strongly evoking old Amsterdam and its society and prejudices. Good plot twists. Feels as if there is everyone reason to expect another book in time…

ljutavidra's review against another edition

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2.0

Još jedan slučaj nepotrebnog nastavka. Ako se sećate "Minijaturistkinje" (da ne kažem, "Tajne devet soba"), Džesi Barton je odlučila da, valjda, iskešira još malo taj hajp i skarabudžila je ovaj roman u nadi da će se ljudi upecati. I bila je u pravu.

Upecala sam se jer sam htela da čitam neko fenfikšn istorijsko štivo i mislila sam da će ovo štiklirati sve neophodno za taj žanr: malo misterije, malo drame, neka romansa čisto da vam drži pažnju, a u pozadini bilo koji evropski grad koji služi samo da vas izmesti u vremenu i prostoru.

E, pa, sastojci su bili tu, ali niđe veze (s mozgom, a i prethodnom knjigom). Nela Brandt (devojačko Ortman) je sada u kasnim tridesetim, nije se preudala i dane provodi u koškanju sa Otom i njegovom ćerkom Teom. Tea je, inače, nervozna 18-godišnjakinja sa nedostatkom manira i vaspitanja, pa misli da sve zna i da je najpametnija (sve više zvučim kao moji roditelji, sjajno), te tako dane provodi u pozorištu i ljubakanju sa nepodobnim Valterom. Tu se sad niže gomila nepotrebnih opisa Amsterdama koji su me malo udavili, a to sve je ispresecano sa unutrašnjim previranjima svih likova, uključujući i kuvaricu Korneliju koja nikako da se odupre prisluškivanju (je l' odatle potiče reč "sluškinja", kao slušaju iza vrata, xexe) tuđih razgovora i njuškanju oko tuđih paketa.

Sve u svemu, mogli smo bez ovog nastavka, a ja sam mogla da čitam nešto bolje. The end.

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