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3.51 AVERAGE
3.51 AVERAGE
3.5/4
written beautifully - the book started quite slow but the way in which it’s written kept me interested and intrigued of what would become of Nella.
the end of the book was a little disappointing in that we didn’t really find out the purpose of the miniaturist, and there didn’t seem to be an ‘end’ to many of the stories, but equally a ‘happy ending’ wouldn’t have been real. however i still felt very connected to the characters and their journey
written beautifully - the book started quite slow but the way in which it’s written kept me interested and intrigued of what would become of Nella.
the end of the book was a little disappointing in that we didn’t really find out the purpose of the miniaturist, and there didn’t seem to be an ‘end’ to many of the stories, but equally a ‘happy ending’ wouldn’t have been real. however i still felt very connected to the characters and their journey
Interesting concept and characters had a lot of potential, but it felt like it was missing some depth.
I really enjoyed this book; very evocative of the time period of 1686 Amsterdam and the heyday of the Dutch East India Company. Also the pinnacle of the Reformist movement - lots of freedoms and lots of constraints. The principal characters are interesting and well drawn but I thought some of the secondary characters a little less so. The story of the cabinet and the minature maker was very intriguing and I'd love to learn more about these little house miniatures and their fittings.
One is full of questions reading this book - what makes these people tick? Why do they behave the way they do? Will the sugar get sold? Who is the Miniaturist? Why does she send so many pieces to Nella? And lots of other questions that I won't mention which would be spoilers : -)
I highly recommend this book to everyone - a highly satisfying read.
One is full of questions reading this book - what makes these people tick? Why do they behave the way they do? Will the sugar get sold? Who is the Miniaturist? Why does she send so many pieces to Nella? And lots of other questions that I won't mention which would be spoilers : -)
I highly recommend this book to everyone - a highly satisfying read.
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
entertaining but it gets a little too soapy at the end
I wasn't around for the hype but I do hear it talked about from time to time. I get where it might come across as chaotic but the twists really aren't as surprising. The plot is kind of interesting, though it really should have been spread out over a year rather than four months.
The biggest downfall I had is the same one everyone else is having: the characters. Nell is annoying. I get that she is 18-19 and inexperienced beyond her little village but the doe-eyed qualities of her character overshadowed any kind of progress she may have made.
I listened to this on audio book and the narrator managed to make 30-something Marin sound like she was in her 60s or 70s. I had to remind myself a lot that she was approaching middle age, not at the end of it.
Cornelia is annoying. She has a few spare moments where she's not so annoying, but overall she's a chicken who runs around and squawks at people. Otto has little to no personality because he has little to no information about him. So I will say I was a little shocked that Marin and Otto came together enough to have a baby considering he's little more than a servant who could've been a slave.
The miniaturist. This was second to my least liked character, because it turns out there's nothing super or preternatural going on with her. She's just got, "Really good powers of observation."
The biggest frustration was Johannes. No way in hell that a merchant in that era of Dutch society with that level of influence and wealth is going to go around and blatantly flaunt his homosexuality. Especially in a society heavily influenced and run by the Church. But okay, he hates living in the shadows. Please stop injecting your modern sensibilities into a character upon which this makes no sense.
No I will not be reading the second book because everyone is insufferable.
The biggest downfall I had is the same one everyone else is having: the characters. Nell is annoying. I get that she is 18-19 and inexperienced beyond her little village but the doe-eyed qualities of her character overshadowed any kind of progress she may have made.
I listened to this on audio book and the narrator managed to make 30-something Marin sound like she was in her 60s or 70s. I had to remind myself a lot that she was approaching middle age, not at the end of it.
Cornelia is annoying. She has a few spare moments where she's not so annoying, but overall she's a chicken who runs around and squawks at people. Otto has little to no personality because he has little to no information about him. So I will say I was a little shocked that Marin and Otto came together enough to have a baby considering he's little more than a servant who could've been a slave.
The miniaturist. This was second to my least liked character, because it turns out there's nothing super or preternatural going on with her. She's just got, "Really good powers of observation."
The biggest frustration was Johannes. No way in hell that a merchant in that era of Dutch society with that level of influence and wealth is going to go around and blatantly flaunt his homosexuality. Especially in a society heavily influenced and run by the Church. But okay, he hates living in the shadows. Please stop injecting your modern sensibilities into a character upon which this makes no sense.
No I will not be reading the second book because everyone is insufferable.
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death
Moderate: Homophobia
The mysteries, twists, and secrets of The Miniaturist make this book hard to put down. I was so easily caught up in the story of Nella and her new life and family in Amsterdam, it was bittersweet reaching the end of the book. I love that not all of the questions were answered, but felt the ones that needed to be were - the rest leaving the reader to wonder. This is definitely a book that stays in your mind long after you've read the last page. It is very much worth reading. I only gave it four stars because it didn't end the way I hoped it would (silly, I know)...
I liked reading a story about Amsterdam as it is so close to home. The historical elements combined with a bit of mystery made the story work for me, although I didn’t like most of the characters. But all in all I really liked this book. Especially reading it in December. Somehow it fits with the darkness from the book.
Quote:
She closes away the church’s cool interior, turning to face the sun, heading from the ringed canals toward the sea. Starling, she thinks, if you believe that building is the safer spot, then I’m not the one to set you free.
Quote:
She closes away the church’s cool interior, turning to face the sun, heading from the ringed canals toward the sea. Starling, she thinks, if you believe that building is the safer spot, then I’m not the one to set you free.