The Miniaturist was the debut novel by Jessie Burton, released back in 2014.
To say it was successful is a massive understatement. It was the winner of the Specsavers National Book Award and Waterstones Book of the Year, featured on the Richard and Judy book club and was later made into a major BBC drama series.
I’m a bit (8 years!) late to the party in reading this one. I don’t know what has taken me so long since I love historical fiction and creepy old houses.
I saw the sequel, The House of Fortune, was being released so decided it was a good time to read the prequel.
The Miniaturist Plot
The year is 1686, and an eighteen-year old Nella arrives at a huge house in the wealthiest quarter of Amsterdam.
The house belongs to her new husband, the mysterious Johannes Brandt. Nella has come from the country to start her marriage, arranged by her family, and expects to meet Johannes when she arrives at her new home.
However, instead of being greeted by her new husband, Nella finds herself being introduced to Marin, Johannes’ waspish and stern sister. Mystified by her husband’s absence, Nella struggles to settle within the house, especially with Marin undermining her at every turn.
When Johannes eventually returns, he presents Nella with an extravagant wedding gift – a cabinet-sized replica of their home. It is to be furnished by an elusive miniaturist, whose tiny creations mirror their real-life counterparts in unexpected ways.
Nella soon begins to realise that all is not as it seems within the Brandt household and as she begins to uncover secrets, she discovers that all of them could be in danger. As the Brandts struggle to maintain their façade, none of them predicts the role the miniaturist might have in the events yet to unfold.
The Miniaturist Book Review
I’m a bit torn when it comes to this book. It was really immersive and the writing was so evocative, but it just missed the mark for me.
I loved the setting. I’ve never read a book set in 17th century Amsterdam but I really enjoyed it. It was definitely one of the best things about the book. Jessie Burton clearly did a lot of research about what life was like for those living there in the 1600s.
The descriptions were so vivid I felt like I was there and I could feel the claustrophobic tension. I could clearly visualise the large house and its inhabitants, as well as the tiny creations made by the miniaturist.
It was atmospheric, beautifully written, all the things I love and yet it just didn’t grab me as much as it should have. The plot was quite slow-moving and I just wasn’t gripped by it.
I found it hard to relate to Nella, who seemed naive and almost submissive one moment and then self-assured and confident the next. I think so much time was spent on details, which to the author’s credit were beautifully done, that there was a lack of character development. Also, I found the lack of resolution frustrating. I wanted answers!
Overall, I was a bit disappointed with this book. I didn’t dislike it, I just wanted more from the story. I will still be reading the sequel, The House of Fortune, in the hope it will clear up any ambiguities.
What should I read after The Miniaturist?
If you enjoyed The Miniaturist, I’d also recommend reading the sequel, The House of Fortune. I’d also recommend reading other Jessie Burton books, such as The Confession and The Muse.
This book is featured in the following lists:
Related Books
