Reviews
"Jessie Burton's debut novel…has all of the trappings of a historical page-turner: a rich setting in 17th-century Amsterdam, a plot inspired by an antique "cabinet house" located at the renowned Rijksmuseum, and a diverse cast of characters…a perfect amount of authentic detail and a plot that speeds along.", In Jessie Burton's atmospheric debut, The Miniaturist , the powers of love and obsession, sins and secrets, loyalty and forgiveness bind together a cast of sympathetic characters who all have a part to play in a collectively chilling conclusion., The Miniaturist excels in depicting Amsterdam and its wealthy upper class, and lovers of art and of Amsterdam will be drawn to Burton's imaginative story, which flows as effortlessly as water down a canal., A fabulously gripping read that will appeal to fans of Girl With a Pearl Earring and The Goldfinch, but Burton is a genuinely new voice with her visceral take on sex, race and class..., A magical, intricate marvel of perfection… with luxurious prose that immerses the reader in the cold, damp of Amsterdam… A book that enchants from beginning to end., Rich in 17th century atmosphere...Debut novelist Jessie Burton has a terrific subject... All those severe portraits of people in dark clothes and starched white ruffs, along with those glossy, death-scented still lifes, spring to life., The Miniaturist is a masterpiece of atmosphere and tension .... The themes Burton explores are as relevant today as they were long ago .... a thoroughly engaging, beautifully written work of historical fiction., Burton's writing is expressive and descriptive. While her prose is rich, it does not overwhelm the story...This historical novel with its strong female characters will appeal to those who enjoy the haunting undercurrents of Carlos Ruiz Zafon's The Shadow of the Wind., Jessie Burton nimbly transports contemporary social issues to the 17th century where a costume drama rich in historical detail is embellished with supernatural intrigue... The Miniaturist is a late-harvest summer delight., A seductive meditation on greed, power and the tortuous journey even the well-heeled must endure for self-possession. Burton adroitly depicts a culture of contradiction: a love of affluence and indulgence chafing against the impulse for Godfearing abstinence., Rich in 17th century atmosphere…Debut novelist Jessie Burton has a terrific subject... All those severe portraits of people in dark clothes and starched white ruffs, along with those glossy, death-scented still lifes, spring to life., Burton gives her narrative the propulsive drive of a thriller, but her distinctive prose conveys deeper, harder answers than a whodunit. This fine historical novel mirrors the fullness of life, in which growth and sorrow inevitably are mingled., The Miniaturist is that rarest of things - beautifully written, yet also a compelling page-turner. It's haunting, magical, and full of surprises, the kind of book that reminds you why you fell in love with reading., As in Donna Tartt's The Goldfinch , the pleasure lies in giving in to well-wrought illusions, and the result is a beach read with meat on its bones - perfect for the Labor Day transition from play to work., In The Miniaturist , Burton uses a historical object - the real Petronella Oortman's cabinet house in Amsterdam's Rijksmuseum - as the springboard for a fantastically spun tale of love and mystery. It's a story that astutely reflects our own age's obsessions and prejudices, and it's one not to be missed., Seventeenth-Century Amsterdam Comes Alive in this Meticulously Researched, Enchantingly Told Tale., The Miniaturist is a masterpiece of atmosphere and tension …. The themes Burton explores are as relevant today as they were long ago …. a thoroughly engaging, beautifully written work of historical fiction., This debut novel, set in 17th-century Amsterdam, hits all the marks of crossover success: taut suspense, a pluck heroine- and a possibly clairvoyant miniature-furniture designer., The Miniaturist is an impressive debut… Burton has created a world that, like the cabinet house, draws us in until we feel the dread and mystery and wonder that surround Nella., Jessie Burton nimbly transports contemporary social issues to the 17th century where a costume drama rich in historical detail is embellished with supernatural intrigue… The Miniaturist is a late-harvest summer delight., "Jessie Burton's debut novel...has all of the trappings of a historical page-turner: a rich setting in 17th-century Amsterdam, a plot inspired by an antique "cabinet house" located at the renowned Rijksmuseum, and a diverse cast of characters...a perfect amount of authentic detail and a plot that speeds along.", Teen bride Nelly strives to connect with her aloof husband and his spinster sister, but uncovers secrets that, in intolerant 1686 Amsterdam, could mean death. It's a tense tale., The Miniaturist is an impressive debut... Burton has created a world that, like the cabinet house, draws us in until we feel the dread and mystery and wonder that surround Nella., 'Utterly transporting...one of those rare debut novels that excels in every regard. The past is brought to life in potent, sensory detail: one feels steeped in it. Burton's prose beguiles the reader...My first instinct on finishing this book was to immediately read it again.", The Miniaturist is one of the year's most hyped novels, and it's easy to see why. Burton conjures every scent and crackle of Nella's world. A-, A magical, intricate marvel of perfection... with luxurious prose that immerses the reader in the cold, damp of Amsterdam... A book that enchants from beginning to end.
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