The Miniaturist

Why bother to title the book, “The Miniaturist” when the story has almost nothing to do with the miniaturist? One and a half pages to tell her story, as if revealing that much would be enough. The Miniaturist carves figures that seem to predict future events about the characters lives, but we never know why or how they’re carved, just that they are. For 1-2 pages. And why bother to flesh out the contents of Marin’s bedroom if they serve no purpose? Marin, Nella’s sister-in-law, has a bedroom that is full of maps and documents and secret things that we are led to over and over. Why did she have them? What was she charting? Did it have to do with her brother’s business, Otto’s travels, places she’d been to, would like to go to? Nothing in the book serves any purpose to the story. It should have been titled, How Homosexuals Were Persecuted in 16th Century Amsterdam, for the book was nothing more than unanswered questions and loose ends leading nowhere in order to showcase the constant the sorrow of hiding homosexuality. What a waste of what cold have been a really awesome mystery.

I found this story fascinating and complex with many unexpected elements. The time period matches when enterprising Dutch traders traveled the world including coming to America among the first founding families. Most activity was controlled by guilds with strict rules about trade, just as daily life was controlled by strict religious rules. Manner of dress and activity was all dictated as well so there was little room for a free spirit of any kind in Amsterdam. Into this world enters young Nella who comes from the far freer countryside but because of her revered old family name has been successfully married off to an older and successful business man who seems likely to provide her a good life. He gives her a huge cabinet sized doll house for a wedding present which she is expected to furnish and through it learn the ways of running the big house she finds herself mistress of. It’s not as easy as it seems though. Nella finds herself in the midst of unusual and strong willed characters she struggles to understand, not the least of which is the mysterious miniaturist who delivers pieces for her house.

The writing is as detailed and precise as a painting by Vermeer and was the perfect style to tell this story. I thoroughly enjoyed it and stayed up late into the night reading. This is not a quick beach-read sort of book, but the type to sink into before the fire on a cold winter night. It’s also surprisingly relevant to modern times.

I was SO excited to start this book. The storyline sounded great, especially if you love historical fiction. I assumed this would be a new favorite of mine. That’s why it’s so frustrating that the author did not write this book….well….better. At first, the story was great. Well-written, captivating, again-great storyline. However, I gradually couldn’t stand the fact that Petronella was 18 years old and basically a country bumpkin. And yet, she somehow garnered the attention and respect of this household in just a chapter or two. One minute, Marin and Cornelia hate her, and the next, they bow down to everything she says and does. And yet nothing she says or does is particularly brave, smart, or noteworthy. Plus, she was only in the house for a whole…4 months? I find it hard to believe that after just 4 months Petronella would have been so invested in this family, even if it’s technically now her family and she is the lady of the house. Johannes totally humiliates and betrays her. Marin treats her like crap, and yet she risks everything to save them after knowing them for a few measly months. Just couldn’t get over details like this. Such high hopes for this one. Disappointing.

An outstanding read. I devoured this book in two days, even falling asleep over it one night, unwilling to put it down. In reading other reviews please be aware that this is a LITERARY historical novel, not a romance or women’s fiction. It also contains magic realism which seems to have thrown some readers off. The setting is 17th century Amsterdam, and the author captures perfectly the conflicting sides of the Dutch personality at the time, perfectly describing it as a pendulum between God and guilder. This is the Amsterdam of the Dutch conquerors and the merchants who build their wealth on Eastern trade. It is the Amsterdam of Calvinism, staunch, suspicious, unyielding, unforgiving. Into this city Nell merges as a new bride, eighteen year old and fresh from the country. Her new husband is a wealthy merchant, charming and well liked. For a wedding gift he gives his young bride a cabinet house (doll house) which she begins to fill with minatures. As the story unfolds unsolicited additions arrive from the miniaturist, additions that foretell events in the household before they even happen. Nell attempts to find the mysterious miniaturist while trying to understand the complex characters of her new husband, his strong-willed sister, their maid, and the Black man her husband treats as an assistant in a city in which Blacks are curiosities and inferiors. So many twists and turns in which the character of Amsterdam itself unfolds with the individual characters. Beautifully written and fully realized. A lovely, lovely book.

This is the story of Nella who is married off to a rich man in Amsterdam, she rarely sees her husband in the beginning, he obviously has secrets which we find out fairly quickly, and then there is Marin her sister in law, she is very unfriendly and also has her own secrets to hide. Her husband buys her a dolls house which is a replica of her own house and soon she starts receiving items for it from a miniaturist whose identity is unknown. I enjoyed aspects of this book, however I took ages to get into the story, it’s very slow, and also a very sad, dark read. I was also very disappointed with the ending as the main question of the book was left unanswered i thought. It could have done with 1 more chapter to the everything together.

Galaxyaudiobook Member Benefit

- Able to comment

- List watched audiobooks

- List favorite audiobooks

- Bookmark will only available for Galaxyaudiobook member