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3.51 AVERAGE
3.51 AVERAGE
emotional
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This story is wonderful researched, has good characters and everything what happens in life happens also in the story. I want to read more if Jessie Burton and can't await her second novel.
A page turner, looking forward to reading the 2nd book
The Miniaturist is so ornately and darkly written. I found the book to be somewhat reminiscent of Daphne DuMaurier's darker work, particularly "Julian." However, as much as I enjoyed the beautiful writing and rich descriptions of characters and place, the storyline felt very stilted. There were several characters' stories that were not explored thoroughly (or hardly at all), and some whose stories seemed to be explored more than was necessary. And the book's ending was joltingly abrupt. I'm glad I read the book because of the beautiful nature of the writing, but the storyline(s) were just too disjointed.
What I liked about this book was that more than anything else, it was a story about the city of Amsterdam at the height of it's success. Calvinism was thriving, capitalism was beginning to flourish, and the world was getting bigger. This story challenges the values of this time and place in history, exposing the hypocrisies and paradoxes that were involved in the birth of capitalism. The story itself was a good one with interesting characters and some good twists, some predictable, some unexpected. But what I enjoyed most was the rich symbolism and the way the story told a bigger story about the fascinating time and place that gave birth to modernity.
Ach. ACH.
Ich bin sehr zwiegespalten.
Zum einen war die Story teils sehr schleppend, zum anderen im letzten Drittel wirklich spannend. Mit dem Schreibstil bin ich nur mäßig warm geworden, dafür gab es einige (für mich) sehr gute Twists, die ich nicht habe kommen sehen. Aber das Ende war so... unbefriedigend? Was war denn nun mit Petronella, was passiert mit den restlichen Personen und WARUM ZUM HECK MUSSTEN DIE MINIATUREN SO SEIN?? Mir fehlte da irgendwie ein ganzes Stückchen "Warum", und ach man. Es hätte so viel besser sein können?
3,5 Sterne, abgerundet auf 3 (da ich das Buch nicht nochmal lesen würde).
Sorry, ich wollte dich echt viel mehr mögen.
Ich bin sehr zwiegespalten.
Zum einen war die Story teils sehr schleppend, zum anderen im letzten Drittel wirklich spannend. Mit dem Schreibstil bin ich nur mäßig warm geworden, dafür gab es einige (für mich) sehr gute Twists, die ich nicht habe kommen sehen. Aber das Ende war so... unbefriedigend? Was war denn nun mit Petronella, was passiert mit den restlichen Personen und WARUM ZUM HECK MUSSTEN DIE MINIATUREN SO SEIN?? Mir fehlte da irgendwie ein ganzes Stückchen "Warum", und ach man. Es hätte so viel besser sein können?
3,5 Sterne, abgerundet auf 3 (da ich das Buch nicht nochmal lesen würde).
Sorry, ich wollte dich echt viel mehr mögen.
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Not the historical fiction I was expecting it to be- a dash of thriller and a sprinkle of magical realism elements.
I really felt immersed in seventeenth century Amsterdam.
I really felt immersed in seventeenth century Amsterdam.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Gore, Blood
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes