The Dutch House

 

The Dutch House by Ann Patchett

Rating: 4

Literary Fiction

Ann Patchett's The Dutch House was a Pulitzer Prize Finalist in 2020. The writing is excellent, as you would expect. The story is mainly about the relationship between Danny and his older sister, Mauve, who grow up in a grand house in Pennsylvania. The description of the house reminded me of Stan Hywet. Their father, Cyril, purchased the house for his wife thinking she would love it. Not so. She hated the house because she felt out of place and wanted nothing more than to serve the poor. Her drive to help people led her to leave the family when Danny was still very young. Mauve, who was several years older, stepped in as a mother figure.

Soon after, a woman named Andrea, who is obsessed with the house, worms her way into Cyril's life and they marry. She has no love for Danny and Mauve. In fact, she throws them out of the house when their father dies. Fortunately, Danny and Mauve are grown by then. Up until their exile, they lived lives of plenty. Afterward, they are left to fend for themselves and this makes them rely on each other more than ever. 

The book is very character-driven. Not much plot. The brother/sister relationship between Danny and Mauve was the main point of the book for me. I enjoyed it. FYI - Tom Hanks reads the audio version.