Jessie Burton’s debut novel The Miniaturist packs a lot of plot and history into its 537 pages. The action takes place in Amsterdam over the course of 3 months, from October 1686 into January 1687, and focuses on the oppressive social and religious restrictions that operated within a booming and expanding economy during the Dutch Golden Age. Eighteen-year-old Nella Oortman, whose family name is old and respected but whose fortunes have faltered, has made a fine match with Johannes Brandt, a successful businessman some 20 […]
Secrets, Secrets are no fun
Set in 1686, in the god-fearing yet gold-centric city of Amsterdam, The Miniaturist features a beautiful background, but very little enjoyment in the way of plot. The main character, eighteen-year-old Nella Oortman, newly married to a prosperous merchant, irritated the hell out of me, and the author seemed so intent on hiding and revealing secrets that not much else happened. “Amsterdam: Where the pendulum swings from God to a guilder.” Nella has arrived in Amsterdam to make a home with her new husband, whom she barely knows. Unfortunately, she continues […]