It’s a slightly unusual tale, but on reflection probably quite likely to have occurred in that time period. This book takes the reader to an utterly believable world and you become immersed in that world. In fact, her fragmented experiences are reflected in the ever present but mostly absent Miniaturist. And in this 17th-century Amsterdam, the teenage bride struggles to learn all of the secrets the city and the family she has joined hold dear. In a world so open, people crave for privacy. In fact, the front rooms are designed for such a purpose. Amsterdam at the time, and possibly even now, in the city where people live in close proximity, where neighbours find it easy to peer into front room windows. I struggled to get into this book at first, but eventually the mysterious characters, atmosphere, and building and suspenseful climax kept me going. Her family have arrange for her to marry a man, more than twice her age, who leads a secretive life on the seas as a trader, and in Amsterdam as a privileged (and rich) merchant. Petronella, or Nella as she describes herself, is a young bride arriving in Amsterdam from rural Holland. The only other factual aspect to this story is the main character’s name.
The inanimate objects that are created by the mysterious Miniaturist are central and ever present to the story that unfolds. This ornate miniature house becomes a central character in this book. Jessie Burton’s book was inspired by Petronella Oortman’s real cabinet house in the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. This book is set in 17th-century Amsterdam – a compact city that is dominated by canals, the constant threat of flooding, and a secretive society where everyone knows your business.
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