It just didn’t sync up with me as a character. Suduiko, Aaron ed. Celeste and Maeve despise each other, and Danny tries to manage their acrimony. She also chose Elkins Park given its proximity to New York, which she already knew would feature in the novel. Maeve and Danny's mother abandoned their family when they were young, so they are raised by their father and the household help instead. They (reluctantly) go and discover that Andrea now has a degenerative mental condition and doesn't recognize them. Elna dislikes the Dutch House. The house is nicknamed The Dutch House, after the wealthy Dutch family that once inhabited it. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Celeste wants to marry him, but he is not ready, so they break up. At the end of the Second World War, Cyril Conroy combines luck and a single canny investment to begin an enormous real estate empire, propelling his family from poverty to enormous wealth. The years pass. In Part III, Maeve gets very sick (she has diabetes), so Fluffy reaches out to Elna, who shows up at the hospital. Perhaps returning to their Children seemed like the opposite of love to Elna. Your email address will not be published. (The Detailed Plot Summary is also available, below). When Andrea passes away, May asks Norma not to sell it yet. By doing so, she allows her father to ultimately find a degree of peace with his past. It certainly made me think about my own childhood and the stories I’ve formed around it. When Danny is 3 and Maeve is 10, she falls ill and abandons the family to work with the poor in India, later relocating to New York City. Elna tells them how she had wanted to be a nun before she married Cyril, and that she'd been at the convent the times she disappeared. Danny enters medical school. The Dutch House Summary The Dutch House is the story of Danny Conroy and his older sister, Maeve. They mourn with Sandy and Jocelyn but forget to notify Andrea. Cyril is also more interested in nurturing Danny than Maeve, since Danny is male and will take over his real estate business someday. Their children, Danny and Maeve, were raised in the Dutch House. Plus, The Dutch House’s fairytale-esque elements appealed to me along with it’s beautiful cover, so naturally it was high priority on my list of books to read. Their children, Danny and Maeve, were raised in the Dutch House. It tells the story of a brother and sister over the course of five decades. For the Detailed Plot Summary, click here or scroll all the way down. When Danny is 3 and Maeve is 10, she falls ill and abandons the family to work with th… [2], The novel was a finalist for the 2020 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.[3]. But if you allow yourself to walk along with Patchett, you'll find riches at the end of the trail. Fluffy explains how Elna had hated the Dutch House and never felt at ease there. I am sure this book is great for our Book club discussions. Elna’s penchant for compassion for those who cannot take care of themselves manifests itself when she sees Andrea. May and Kevin go off to college, and May is on her way to becoming a famous actress. The sisters jab at Andrea by saying that she’s no Elna Conroy, who was a saint, and they do not know why Mr. Conroy married her. Instead, he goes to medical school. The guilt and shame for some women who abandon their Children overpower their love. His first order of business is to buy the Dutch House, a lavish estate in the suburbs outside of Philadelphia. They also have a young nanny for a while: Fluffy, who worked for the VanHoebeeks and then for the Conroys. The children live with their parents in Elkins Park, Pennsylvania, in the astonishingly grandiose and old-fashioned Dutch House. I loved Bel Canto but haven’t read anything else by Patchett. Maeve still works as a bookkeeper at a grocery store in a nearby town. One night after almost being seen by Andrea, they agree it's time to stop visiting. I’ll put this one my list and see if I can get to it. One day, Elna is driving Danny and Maeve and pulls up to the Dutch House. Celeste is not exactly pleased, always having hoped she’d be married to a doctor. When Danny is fifteen, he and Maeve get the news that their father has died of a heart attack and falling down some stairs in an unfinished building. The siblings maintain contact with Sandy and Jocelyn and eventually Fluffy as well, whom Maeve initially encounters and who then meets with Danny. Copyright © 1999 - 2020 GradeSaver LLC. Elna dislikes the Dutch House. [5], Publishers Weekly gave the novel a rave review, writing, "Patchett's splendid novel is a thoughtful, compassionate exploration of obsession and forgiveness, what people acquire, keep, lose or give away, and what they leave behind. In Part II, Danny is in college now. "[8], Writing for The New York Times Book Review, author Martha Southgate gave the book a positive review, saying, "This novel takes a winding road through the forest and doesn't rush to a finish, nor is the ending wholly surprising. Maeve discovers a scholarship trust and uses it to send Danny to Choate Rosemary Hall, Columbia University and to Columbia Medical School. "[6], Kirkus Reviews gave the novel a rave review, writing, "Casually stated but astute observations about human nature are Patchett's stock in trade, and she again proves herself a master of aging an ensemble cast of characters over many decades. [4], At the review aggregator website Book Marks, which assigns individual ratings to book reviews from mainstream literary critics, the novel received a cumulative "Positive" rating based on 31 reviews: 15 "Rave" reviews, 13 "Positive" reviews, and 3 "Mixed" reviews. When he starts making money as a medical intern, he's able to make his first real estate investments and pursue that instead. After their father dies, the two siblings are forced out of their home by their stepmother, Andrea. Did you read this or would you consider reading it? Still, I realize this is a very subjective opinion, so people (or book clubs!) In college, Danny discovers his genuine interest in real estate and wants to follow in Cyril's footsteps, but lacks the capital to pursue it. The Dutch House is a mansion located in Elkins Park, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Philadelphia. Maeve gets out to try to pull her off. He is finally able to forgive her, and the two establish a more comfortable relationship. The Dutch House is a 2019 novel by Ann Patchett. Like Hansel & Gretel, Maeve and Danny are forced to lean on each other and, as adults, are trying to pick up the pieces of their childhood and find a way back home. People who enjoy family dramas or have liked Patchett’s work in the past should definitely consider this title. What do you think? She is exceedingly kind to her, and when they all leave the house, Elna tells Maeve she is going to help out there.
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