Miniaturist, The
Burton, JessieWhen Petronella Oortman marries the rich merchant Johannes Brandt in 1686, he presents her with a miniature of their home as a wedding gift. The miniaturist contracted to furnish it creates artefacts that not only reflect the contents of the Brandt household but mysteriously foretell future possibilities as well. But Nella will need to have her wits about her if she is to survive these intrigues and the deception that swirls around her in this pious and repressed society.
This is an absorbing, atmospheric tale with a young heroine equal to the demands of Calvinistic Amsterdam which is presented in meticulously researched detail.
Pages
425
425
Year
2014
2014
Reviews
02-11-2023
Great imagination and realistic research. Most of us enjoyed it.
29-04-2022
The book took a little while to get into, but most people in the group really enjoyed it. Great descriptions of miniatures, husband in prison, smells and sounds - all enabled vivid pictures to form. Could feel the times. Wanted to read it to find out what was going to happen next in the original story. Highly recommend.
04-09-2019
Most members thoroughly enjoyed this book. It brought alive Amsterdam in the 17th century. It left the reader with challenges as to the identification of the miniaturist. We enjoyed the mystery of the story and applauded the strong female characters.
03-04-2019
What a mixed reaction! Some members couldn't finish the book - they had trouble with the opening chapters and just where the story line was going. Quite a few were disappointed with the ending but then we agreed that that ending was maybe meant to lead to a sequel. The author's descriptions were very vivid. It was a hard time in history and we all learned a lot about Dutch history through this book. We were disappointed with the lack of detail regarding the actual Miniaturist. However most of us read the whole book.
14-05-2018
An intriguing book with some interesting historical details and information. The story was a bit weird with many unanswered questions. It was all a bit grim at the end but most of us felt it was worth reading, and we enjoyed some of the strong-minded female characters. A few in our group thought the story was a bit like a "Mills & Boon' read, but parts of it were a bit too explicit and gross to be called Romantic Fiction. Otherwise, an unusual read and quite impressive for such a young writer.
14-05-2018
Good sense of time and place, but a weak plot with too many unanswered questions.
14-05-2018
Most people in the group enjoyed the book and felt that they learnt a number of things about Dutch society at the time. The mysterious miniaturist was not really explained, which added to the spooky feeling of the book.
14-05-2018
Members loved this book, even though it was a bit far fetched. Someone thought the author may have studied English at university - hence the great use of language and drama in the gripping story line. All felt for Nella and the strange marriage. Great insight into the lifestyle of the era.
14-05-2018
We enjoyed this book, which had complex characters and addressed some interesting issues. Perhaps too many issues - there was a lot crammed in. We felt there was room for a follow up book, as the miniaturist herself was not covered in much detail.
14-05-2018
An enjoyable page turner, but upon reflection we thought modern day attitudes and speech overran the seventeenth century austere lives of the Dutch. Much discussion on Calvinism and the sugar trade, but we needed questions answered about the miniaturist's inside knowledge and predictions of the Brandt household.
14-05-2018
A few couldn't get into it initially, but when others in the group told them to persevere, it became a popular title!
14-05-2018
We all agreed the first chapters were confusing, perhaps to echo the confusion of Nella as she steps into her new role as the wife of a wealthy merchant in the city. However, the book quickly became a real "page-turner." We felt the mysterious character for which the book is named was too "thin." Perhaps there will be a sequel that intersects the lives of Nella, Otto, Cordelia, Thea and the other Petronella!
14-05-2018
All but one of us really enjoyed this book. The storyline kept us reading, but the ending was a little dissatisfying.