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tenderbench's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
An absolute masterclass on memory. Such a balance struck between introspection, ferocity of emotions, mystery, and the outward passing of time. As a person who can't help but think of the past like Danny and Maeve and the rest of the cast, this novel was gut-wrenching. I will be carrying this one in my heart for a while.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abandonment, Chronic illness, and Death
sarasbooks's review against another edition
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
The dutch house tells the story of a family through the course of five decades. Cyril Conroy brings his family from poverty to wealth through his real estate empire. He buys a mansion, the dutch house, which will have a big impact on his wife and children.
The story is told by the younger son, Danny. And what is especially remarkable throughout the book is his bond with his older sister, Maeve. They both admire and look out for each other in a beautiful way. Their closeness and open and sincere relationship was really what made me like the book and tear up. They help each other deal with their past, their fears, their regrets. I love reading about siblings dynamics and this one was probably the most beautiful and special one I have ever read about.
I also loved Danny and Maeve's relationship with Fluffy, the nanny, Sandy, the housekeeper and Jocelyn, the cook.
The story moves back and forth between the different timelines, which I found very interesting and worked very well with the story.
It's a story about grief, family, resentments, sacrifice, nostalgia, childhood memories.
I won't be giving it a full 5/5 rating because I thought it was slow paced and at the end I was a bit frustrated with one of the characters. I was also always expecting something exceptional to happen, like a twist. But it never did. I guess this isn't a book that is supposed to be plot-driven and exciting. Don't go into it expecting that. It's supposed to be character and emotion-driven. I think it's supposed to make you think and feel nostalgia.
"But we overlay the present onto the past. We look back through the lens of what we know now, so we're not seeing it as the people we were, we're seeing it as the people we are, and that means the past has been radically altered."
"There are a few times in life when you leap up and the past that you'd been standing on falls away behind you, and the future you mean to land on is not yet in place, and for a moment you're suspended knowing nothing and no one, not even yourself."
"Like swallows, like salmon, we were the helpless captives of our migratory patterns. We pretended that what we has lost was the house, not our mother, not our father. We pretended that what we had lost has been taken from us by the person who still lived inside."
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death
marthaguymaid's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-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? Yes
4.0
“We pretended that what we had lost was the house, not our mother, not our father. We pretended that what we had lost had been taken from us by the person who still lived inside.”
I’m so pleased that this was one of my book club reads for the year. It would have been a real shame to miss this one.
I’ve seen some reviews describe the house as a character in this story. I can’t go along with that but as a setting, it is central to this poignant exploration of family love and loss.
On the surface, it’s the sibling relationship that seems most important in this novel but for me, that was just another version of the parent-child dynamic that The Dutch House is really about. For our narrator, Danny, his older sister Maeve takes the place of the mother he barely remembers. Their difference in age, memories and childhood experiences drive this family history that spans about 50 years in post-war America.
There is a wicked stepmother and two step-sisters, household help as extended family, a physically absent mother and emotionally absent father.
While the ending was too tidy for my tastes, that was more than overcome by the compassionate, character-driven whole.
A highly recommended read but readers should beware triggers, especially around abandonment.
I’m so pleased that this was one of my book club reads for the year. It would have been a real shame to miss this one.
I’ve seen some reviews describe the house as a character in this story. I can’t go along with that but as a setting, it is central to this poignant exploration of family love and loss.
On the surface, it’s the sibling relationship that seems most important in this novel but for me, that was just another version of the parent-child dynamic that The Dutch House is really about. For our narrator, Danny, his older sister Maeve takes the place of the mother he barely remembers. Their difference in age, memories and childhood experiences drive this family history that spans about 50 years in post-war America.
There is a wicked stepmother and two step-sisters, household help as extended family, a physically absent mother and emotionally absent father.
While the ending was too tidy for my tastes, that was more than overcome by the compassionate, character-driven whole.
A highly recommended read but readers should beware triggers, especially around abandonment.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment
Moderate: Death, Death of parent, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Alcoholism and Dementia
sadiefc's review against another edition
challenging
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
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment
Moderate: Blood, Chronic illness, Death, Death of parent, Dementia, Grief, and Medical content
moiracampbell23's review against another edition
emotional
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abandonment and Death
horationelson's review against another edition
sad
medium-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? Yes
4.0
Overall, I liked this book, and will probably check out some other books by Patchett. The last twoish hours (of the audiobook) fell kind of flat. The reappearance of the first Mrs. Conroy felt like... a deflation? It was disappointing and unbelievable. Maybe I'm not as goodhearted as Maeve and Danny learned to be in the end.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Death of parent, Death, Grief, and Abandonment
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Medical content, and Terminal illness
Minor: Infidelity and Vomit
ellik6612's review against another edition
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Well written but very much not my style. Unlikeable characters and too depressive
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Death of parent, Dementia, and Medical content
treereads's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
katyisreading's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
This book is very beautifully written and I would definitely recommend it for someone who loves literary fiction. I found it a little too slow and plotless to be a 5 star book, but I sometimes struggle with literary fiction. I listened on audio and Tom Hanks was fantastic.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death
curatoriallyyours's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
slow-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
The pace of the story at the beginning was unbearably slow to me, and I found the storyline and characters somewhat confusing. Things picked up about half way through with the introduction of Celeste, then it all started falling into place. Essentially this is the story of a messed up family, centred around an extravagant house that is not in keeping with its surrounds. The characters are not particularly likeable but as you start to piece together their lives, you begin to understand why they are the way they are. I found myself thinking about the nature of marriage and the way real estate can affect relationships. I also thought there were some points of incisive commentary about values and human nature that made me think. So, if that's what you're into, this book is for you. If a slow pace is not up your alley, avoid this book like the plague!
Content Warnings
Minor: Chronic illness, Death, Dementia, Emotional abuse, Grief, Infidelity, Medical content, Terminal illness, and Vomit