The Miniaturist

The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I have to be honest. I had no idea what this book was about before I started reading it. I assumed it was about a dollhouse and that was about all I knew.

Petronella is a young bride, starting her life with her new husband, his sister, and their servants in Amsterdam. Her husband gives her a dollhouse--a replica of their home--and tells her to fill it. She contracts a miniaturist to makes pieces for the cabinet, and unasked-for pieces soon arrive, showing a glimpse into their private lives that no one else should know. Who is the miniaturist? How do they know the intimate details of the Brandt home? Petronella works to understand the miniaturist while adapting to an entirely new life with her family.

I found myself intrigued with the story, the mystery around the miniatures, and the lifestyle and culture in Amsterdam in the late 1600s. The ending left some things unsaid, and I would have liked to have known more about Nella's fate, but overall it was an enjoyable read.



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