I am soooo far behind with updating this blog that I'm going to do a series of very short entries starting with The Dutch House, by Ann Patchett. Nominated for The Women's Prize 2022, this is the story of two siblings (Danny and Maeve) who grow up in the Dutch House - an amazing building that their father bought on a whim. They were a happy family until their mother, who had always hated the house, left them. Their father remarries a much younger woman who brings two daughters from her previous relationship into the mix. This is where things start to go wrong and when their father subsequently dies, the two siblings are pretty much forced out of their home with their money all tied up in trusts to pay for their education. Maeve (the older sibling) looks after Danny and the two become very close, visiting each other regularly and with Maeve doing the accounts of Danny's business. They swing by the Dutch House every few weeks and sit outside it, chatting, but never go in. Over the course of many years, relationships, illness and the unexpected return of their mother, the bond between the siblings never waivers, and their lives are always drawn back to the Dutch House. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, maybe partly because of the fine story telling of Tom Hanks who narrated the audio edition. The characters are ones I wanted to spend time with and the emotions were raw and believable. The writing was simply beautiful and it totally immerses the reader in the world of the book. This is my first introduction to Ann Patchett and I will certainly seek more from her.
My STAR rating: FIVE.
Length: 352 print pages.
Price I paid: £3.50.
Formats available: print; unabridged audio download; ebook.
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