The Dutch House
Ann Patchett
4.11 · 42 ratings · Published: 24 Sep 2019
The story is told by Cyril’s son Danny, as he and his older sister, the brilliantly acerbic and self-assured Maeve, are exiled from the house where they grew up by their stepmother. The two wealthy siblings are thrown back into the poverty their parents had escaped from and find that all they have to count on is one another. It is this unshakable bond between them that both saves their lives and thwarts their futures.
Set over the course of five decades, The Dutch House is a dark fairy tale about two smart people who cannot overcome their past. Despite every outward sign of success, Danny and Maeve are only truly comfortable when they’re together. Throughout their lives, they return to the well-worn story of what they’ve lost with humor and rage. But when at last they’re forced to confront the people who left them behind, the relationship between an indulged brother and his ever-protective sister is finally tested.
- historical 3
- historical fiction 3
- literary fiction 3
- family 3
- coming of age 3
- realistic 3
- drama 3
- city/urban 2
- 20th century 2
- domestic drama 2
- grief 2
- bildungsroman 2
- friendship 2
- classics 1
- mystery 1
- world war II 1
- aging 1
- children 1
- Add topics
- format - reader age
- audiobook 3
- book 1
- adult fiction 1
- content warnings
- death / grief 2
- mental illness 1