The Dutch House
Author: Ann Patchett

This book received so many accolades, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to read it. It scored over four stars on both Barnes & Noble’s and Goodreads’ websites, was a New York Times Bestseller, and made several “best book of the year” lists for 2019. Because I had read Ann Patchett’s novels Bel Canto and Commonwealth and since much of this story takes place in my old home base – the Philadelphia suburbs – it was a must read for me.  

I was surprised to find this is a story that takes place over five decades in the mid-20th century and is mainly about a house and a somewhat dysfunctional family. And although it offers no real suspense or romance, I found it a fascinating read; the characters carry the story. Danny Conroy, the son and second child of Cyril and Elna Conroy, is the narrator. He and his sister, Maeve, become the best and most safe place for each other as, over time, they experience the loss of both of their parents and their home as well. Yet together they go back to sit in their car in front of the house to talk over their lives, try to make sense of their past, discuss the present, and do what they can to plan for their futures. 

The siblings start out in the Dutch House living with their father and with Jocelyn and Sandy, two  local sisters hired to care for the family; the whereabouts of Danny and Maeve’s mother remains unclear. When their father decides to marry Andrea (yes, she is a wicked stepmother) and bring her two small daughters to live in the Dutch House, Maeve is forced to leave home. Over time, family stories and recollections become more clear, and some secrets are revealed for both the siblings. 

The Dutch House, really more of a mansion, is almost like a quiet, inanimate character in the story, a silent witness to all the past and present family history. Because the house was purchased “as is,” all the old family belongings and paintings are not Conroy family heirlooms. At times, it is as if the Conroys live in another family’s house. 

I found the main characters and their situations or plights so irresistible that while I couldn’t call the book a page-turner, I had to find out what happened to them and what became of their mother. And Danny and Maeve, so different from each other, are fully fleshed-out characters, flawed but also endearing. The story was easy to follow, and it was well written. Throughout their lives, Danny and Maeve cling to each other, and in a way, they both also cling to the Dutch House and their shared and different experiences and memories of life there. 

I’m sorry I missed the audio book because I understand Tom Hanks narrates that version; I may give it a second reading (listening). The Dutch House is already on my personal list of top 10 books of 2020. Happy reading!