![]() Cyril brings a woman into the household: Andrea, an avaricious young woman who, like Cyril, dislikes children. Apparently saintly and ascetic, she abandons her children, Danny and his adored elder sister Maeve to devote herself to serving the poor in India.The children believe she is dead. She hates it, can't bear the willing house servants, the children's nanny, the opulence of it. Brimming with pride, Cyril displays the mansion to his new wife, Elna. By the end of the novel, generations have grown, and the hosue remains as powerful as ever. The massive 1920s villa with its marble Vermeer-like checked floors, vast rooms, Delft decorations and vast rooms is acquired by Cyril Conroy in 1946 when the Dutch owners go bankrupt leaving behind the house, crammed with its treasures. The Dutch House itself is in some ways the main character. ![]() It could even benefit from a second listening to pick up all the nuanced clues evident from the start, the significance of which is appreciated only towards the end. As a good novel should, The Dutch House, Anne Patchett's first novel for 3 years, keeps you thinking once it has finished. ![]()
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