Name: Ilse's review of The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton
Item: The Miniaturist
Rating: 4
Author: Ilse

Jessie Burton

"There is nothing hidden that will not be revealed..." On a cold winter's day in 1686, eighteen-year-old Nella Oortman knocks at the door of a grand house in the wealthiest quarter of Amsterdam. She has come from the country to begin a new life as the wife of illustrious merchant trader Johannes Brandt, but instead she is met by his sharp-tongued sister, Marin. Only later does Johannes appear and present her with an extraordinary 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 is at first mystified by the closed world of the Brandt household, but as she uncovers its secrets she realises the escalating dangers that await them all. Does the miniaturist hold their fate in her hands? And will she be the key to their salvation or the architect of their downfall?WINNER of the Waterstones Book of the Year.

The Miniaturist

Dana Paduraru

On a brisk autumn day in 1686, eighteen-year-old Nella Oortman arrives in Amsterdam to begin a new life as the wife of illustrious merchant trader Johannes Brandt. But her splendid new home is not welcoming. Johannes is kind yet distant, and leaves Nella alone with his sister, the fearsome Marin. Nella's life unexpectedly changes when Johannes presents her with an extraordinary wedding gift: a cabinet-sized replica of their home. To furnish it, she engages the services of a miniaturist–an elusive and enigmatic artist whose tiny creations mirror their real-life counterparts in eerie ways. Johannes's gift helps Nella pierce the closed world of the Brandt household. But as she uncovers its unusual secrets, she begins to understand–and fear–the escalating dangers around them. Only one person seems to see the fate that awaits them. Is the miniaturist the key to their salvation...or the architect of their destruction?

A Novel

Ilse

I got this book through blind date with a book, intrigued by the keywords that were provided on the wrapper. I wasn’t disappointed in the slightest and loved the story Jessie Burton created! Nella Oortman is a very interesting character in that she isn’t at all like some characters I’ve come to know in other books and I rather liked that. The mystery around the miniaturist was a heap of fun to figure out, and the story at times was very tragic and beautiful. Definitely a big recommendation if you enjoy a good historical fiction set in 17th century Amsterdam!

Sian Wadey

Having recently visited Amsterdam with my friend, specifically the Van Loon Museum, reading this was a treat for my imagination. 
The story follows 18-year-old Nella, recently betrothed to Johannes Brandt, a wealthy merchant and a pillar of his community. He lives in Amsterdam with his sister Marin and their servants Cornelia and Otto. Despite being the lady of the house, Marin makes it clear that Nella is not in charge. 
From the initial awkwardness of fitting into a household, to the unravelling of the Brandt family The Minaturist held my attention throughout and I couldn't wait to find out where the story would take me.
The reason why this is four stars and not five is because the story of the actual miniaturist seemed to fall flat. Johannes gift to Nella upon marriage is a beautiful doll's house (which can be seen in the Rijksmuseum). He gives her permission to buy whatever she likes to fill the house. Nella orders several items and the miniaturist continues to send more, often with hidden motives and telling of things yet to come. However, this story line just seems to peter out. 
For me, the real strength lies in the characters Jessie Burton creates. I really sympathised with Nella, even if she was beyond her years in terms of her opinions, thoughts and knowledge. The supporting characters provide warmth and friction for Nella. Although the fact that Otto was black was touched upon and then not really mentioned. 
I have come to realise that families, relationships and affairs of the heart are what keep the pages turning for me and this novel was full of them. The description of 17th Century Amsterdam was rich and detailed and I easily pictured the house and the surroundings. I look forward to reading more of Jessie Burton in the future.

Nadine 

Intriguing premise and interesting story but the terrible Dutch accent of the narrator of the audio book was very off putting- are there seriously no bilingual voice talents to be found!

The phenomenal Number One BestsellerWinner of the Specsavers National Book Award and Waterstones Book of the YearA Richard and Judy Book Club selectionThere is nothing hidden that will not be revealed . . . On an autumn day in 1686, eighteen-year-old Nella Oortman knocks at the door of a grand house in the wealthiest quarter of Amsterdam. She has come from the country to begin a new life as the wife of illustrious merchant trader Johannes Brandt, but instead she is met by his sharp-tongued sister, Marin. Only later does Johannes appear and present her with an extraordinary 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 is at first mystified by the closed world of the Brandt household, but as she uncovers its secrets she realizes the escalating dangers that await them all. Does the miniaturist hold their fate in her hands? And will she be the key to their salvation or the architect of their downfall?Beautiful, intoxicating and filled with heart-pounding suspense, Jessie Burton's magnificent debut novel The Miniaturist is a story of love and obsession, betrayal and retribution, appearance and truth.

Megan McMillan

Whilst i pulled this book from the Rabbit of Reading a while ago, i didn’t actually manage to start it until February 3rd. I finished this book in 3 reading days! To think that this is a debut book for Jessie Burton, i tip my hat to you!

This was my first time using tags to track my feelings throughout a book, whilst i didn’t annotate it this time round it is nice to see which bits i have enjoyed the most and what parts of the book made me feel a certain way. I’m hoping getting transparent post-its will help with my note taking!

Where can i start? I absolutely loved this book from the get go, its historical intrigue and its cliff-hanging chapters kept me reading for hours, i couldn’t wait to pick it back up again. There were some heart wrenching bits, and Oh my God moments were endless as you can see from my key but i really enjoyed this book and thats a first for a long time. I would have loved to have learnt more about the Miniaturist herself as the introduction of her father peaked my interest, but I’m hoping with the discovery of Jessie Burton writing a sequel to this book that we get more of an investigation into it. I give this boo a STRONG 5 stars, and thats a rarity or me! Definitely recommend it to anyone who loves a bit of historical mystery and some ark truths and secrets. 



Ashten Scheller

Though wildly vivid, gripping, and an excellent pace, I can’t help but be left with a feeling of shallowness—just a few too many loose ends and undeveloped characters to give a full 5 stars.

Anastaciya

A sensational feat of storytelling for fans of Sarah Waters and Donna Tartt

Elize van Heerden

What an amazing debut by Jessie Burton. The cover drew me in and I found myself reading until the early hours of the morning. 
The haunting story of Nella intrigues you and you find yourself trying to figure out how the miniaturist is doing it. 
Brilliant book, a must read for all who loves historical fiction.

cygnoir

This was a delightful, delicate read with some dark undertones ... just the kind of book I enjoy. I felt rushed through the middle third of the story, however, and wished for more details about the miniaturist. But perhaps that was the point: the miniaturist was more of a catalyst than a character. Regardless, it was beautifully constructed and I am eagerly awaiting Jessie Burton's next novel.

Dana Paduraru &
The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton

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Dana Paduraru &The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton

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Dana Paduraru &
The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton