Reviews tagging 'Grief'

The Dutch House by Ann Patchett

30 reviews

emjay2021's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

5.0

When I read Tom Lake a few weeks ago, I was so taken by it. So, I thought I’d try another Ann Patchett. The audiobook of The Dutch House became available and my cousin had recommended it on the strength of Tom Hanks’ narration. Well, she was not wrong! I loved it. The story was fascinating and sucked me in immediately; the characters were all so well rounded the felt like real people. Everyone was flawed, some more than others. It’s such a sad story and yet Patchett has a deceptively light touch.

I found it very hard to empathize with Danny and Maeve’s mother for abandoning her children, particularly given how horribly Andrea treated them. And their father was not much better, allowing Andrea to dominate them and eventually cut them off from their inheritance. And yet, at the end of the story, both Elna and Andrea, the two mothers who have failed their children so miserably, are locked in a relationship with each other (Andrea unknowingly, Elna deliberately). What a strange ending. It surprised me, and yet at the same time, I was not that surprised.

I loved Maeve. She was flawed but fierce. Danny, the narrator, is not particularly self-aware until the very end, but that’s not really too surprising. I enjoyed his wry observations and his always admiring, loving descriptions of his sister. This is really a story of siblings, a fairy tale like Hansel and Gretel. If you liked Tom Lake I would totally recommend this. And alhough I loved Tom Lake, I feel like this is an even better book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Emotional abuse, Bullying, Dementia, Grief, Medical content, and Death of parent

moabgirlie's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I only chose this because Tom Hanks narrates and everyone I know who’s read/heard it loved it. I immediately was interested in the story as he told it, but had to look up what it was even about.  I’m unsure if I would have actually read it, certainly not in 3 days and not likely at the top of my TBR but I’m so glad I got the audio! It is such a touching story but not sure I would have made the same decision as Maeve at the end.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Dementia, Chronic illness, Abandonment, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Grief

b_easelbub's review against another edition

emotional funny reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I absolutely adored this book. 11/10

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent and Grief

prettiestwhistles's review

emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Abandonment, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Child abuse, Grief, Terminal illness, Blood, Medical content, and Dementia

Minor: Religious bigotry, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

carolyn1504's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Death, Dementia, and Grief

bearlynormalursa's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Death, Grief, and Death of parent

Moderate: Addiction

Minor: Mental illness, Grief, and Emotional abuse

sarah_amy's review against another edition

reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.0

Tom Hank's narration scores most of the points in this novel. I love his art of storytelling. However, I found the story itself uninteresting. The characters had plenty of substance; I liked the relationship between the brother and sister in particular, but the plot itself was quite unmoving. 2 siblings unable to move forward from the past until they eventually do.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Dementia, Emotional abuse, Medical content, Death of parent, Death, Grief, Chronic illness, Mental illness, and Physical abuse

waybeyondblue's review

emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, Chronic illness, Abandonment, Toxic relationship, Death, Grief, and Death of parent

Minor: War

inlibraryitrust's review against another edition

emotional funny reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Grief, Death of parent, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Classism, Dementia, and Medical content

andrewhatesham's review against another edition

emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

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Content Warnings

Minor: Cursing, Death, Medical content, Mental illness, Abandonment, Death of parent, Dementia, and Grief