![]() ![]() ![]() There is a lot of mystery in the beginning, and a host of secrets waiting to be revealed. I enjoyed reading about Otto, the only African man in Amsterdam, who consequently attracts a lot of attention, and Cornelia, the maid who speaks her own mind. Nella is young but not naïve, and the other characters are fascinating in their own ways. The plot is certainly not what I was expecting, and Burton expertly transports the reader to another time and place – some of the description in the novel is quite breath-taking. As things begin to unravel, secrets are revealed, and the miniaturist seems to know more than any of them. It is only when she is presented with unasked for and eerily accurate representations of real items in her home, that Nella begins to fear the miniaturists’ powers of prediction. The elusive miniaturist creates exquisite pieces, far beyond Nella’s expectations. Nella struggles to settle into her new life, but soon finds some pleasure in commissioning furniture and other items for her miniature house. But he does present her with a wedding gift – a perfect miniature replica of her new home. Burton tells the story of Nella, a young country girl arriving at the home of Johannes Brandt (her new husband and a wealthy merchant) who seems distant and uninterested in her. The Miniaturist is an intriguing work of historical fiction which immediately draws you in to the world of seventeenth century Amsterdam – a world ruled by Burgomasters and Guilds, where neighbours spy on each other and traders show off their riches. ![]()
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