I was able to finish this book in two days due to the scathing hot temperatures outside that allowed me to stay indoors and read.
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| The Dutch House |
The Dutch House, a novel by Ann Patchett, September 24, 2019, Harper
Genre: family drama, domestic drama, fiction
The plight of two children, Danny and Maeve, grabbed me from the beginning - the story of a sister and her young brother whose mother disappeared from their gilded mansion in the Philadelphia suburbs and left them and their father in the care of a cook, a nursemaid, and a housekeeper.
The house in which they lived, called the Dutch house because of the previous owners, seems to be the center of the novel. The Dutch house is a large impressive mansion bought by the father, Cyril, for his family, but its opulence and size overwhelmed the mother, Elna, so much that she deserted it along with her husband and children. The house is later taken over by a stepmother, Andrea, who loves the house but not the children, Danny and Maeve. She banishes them from their home after Cyril's sudden death, leaving them impoverished and alone.
The house and their past family life continue to influence Maeve and Danny as they make their own future without the benefit of their father's house or fortune.
Intense and forceful, the story narrated by Danny, held on to me till the very end. The characters Elna and the stepmother Andrea are two opposites, distinct in their response to and relationship to the Dutch house.
A five-star recommendation. This was an ebook borrowed through NetGalley.
Two new books:
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| The Butterfly Girl |
The Butterfly Girl by Rene Denfeld, October 1, 2019, Harper
Genre: thriller, suspense
An investigator tracks down a missing girl. Setting: Portland, Oregon
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| The House of Brides |
The House of Brides by Jane Cockram, October 22, 2019, Harper
Genre: psychological suspense
A young woman flees to a family estate in England, but finds not safety, but only danger, there.
Memes:
The Sunday Post hosted by The Caffeinated Bookreviewer. Also, It's Monday: What Are You Reading, and the Sunday Salon, Mailbox Monday.
