[MPOV] The Dutch House

My rating: 3/5

Goodreads rating: 4.1/5
Published: September 24, 2019
Author: Ann Patchett
Genre: Historical fiction, family drama

At the end of the Second World War, Cyril Conroy combines luck and a single canny investment to begin an enormous real estate empire, propelling his family from poverty to enormous wealth. His first order of business is to buy the Dutch House, a lavish estate in the suburbs outside of Philadelphia. Meant as a surprise for his wife, the house sets in motion the undoing of everyone he loves.

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.

This novel has won many literary awards. One would wonder why which is why I have bought it to satisfy my curiosity. Also, it has an attractive cover to boot. The story is narrated by Danny, which is about his family, the Conroys, from dad Cyril, mom Elna, sister Maeve and eventually stepmom Andrea with her daughters Norma and Bright. It revolves around the house they live in namely the Dutch House. 

Though the pace is a wee bit slow for me, I can see why it was nominated and has won many awards. The author took the time to describe the scenarios with clarity, making sure the readers understand it perfectly. The plot itself was methodically placed with care that everything falls into place neatly. Truth be told, it was like a family biography or legacy being told which happens to be surrounded around where they live in. 

If you like family dramas, then you should try The Dutch House. It was just too slow for me, slower than the usual movies on Diva channel so I tend to yawn more. It did feels like reading something educational and yet it is fiction, so to speak.