Bookseller Reviews
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Biggest Book of 2014
This is the biggest book of 2014, and for good reason. Nella Oortman is married to a wealthy merchant and begins her new life in 17th Century Amsterdam. Bu... READ MORE
Dark and twisted...
This book starts well enough; the pages turn and the plot unfolds quickly - I never really felt connected to the main protagonist, Nella in any way at the ... READ MORE
Beautiful and chilling!
This is a spectacular debut that submerges the reader in historic Amsterdam, walking the streets of a beautiful city that hides it's many delicious secrets... READ MORE
A stunning debut
This is a remarkable debut novel in which the past is brought to life in vivid, sensory detail. Like the beautiful doll’s house at the centre of the novel,... READ MORE
A great mix of history, mystery & suspense!
This is a beautifully written book, full of atmosphere. It's very easy to get immersed in it and conjur up in your mind all the places that are being descr... READ MORE
A moving and accomplished debut novel.
So skilfully written, the author has evoked an atmospheric sense of time and place and created a cast of complex and sympathetic characters who we observe ... READ MORE
An enjoyable debut.
I am really shocked that this book is a debut because it doesn't read that way at all. I feel as though Jessie has been writing for a long time, or at leas... READ MORE
Sinister historical fiction at its finest
A quietly dark, historical novel full of secrets, treachery and Dutch debauchery in 17th Century Amsterdam.
Nowadays most people go for a Gift List at Joh... READ MORE
Be transported to a stunning historical Amsterdam
They do say not to judge a book by its cover, but in this case we can make an exception. The cover is definitely an eye-catcher. And the pages between are ... READ MORE
Interesting Amsterdam!
Although this is fiction I found a lot of things interesting in the Miniaturist. I also have the feeling we have not seen the last of this mysterious perso... READ MORE
Fantastic!
Rating: 8/10
The Waterstones Book of the Month for July 2014, AND based in Amsterdam, my interest was peaked, so I decided to pick up this book and I love... READ MORE
A lovely debut!
I was instantly drawn to this book, and not only for its absolutely beautiful cover, but with its promise of intrigue, mystery and some historical aspects ... READ MORE
A great mix of history, mystery and suspense!
This is a beautifully written book, full of atmosphere. It's very easy to get immersed in it and conjur up in your mind all the places that are being descr... READ MORE
A stunning historical novel.
While I know the old adage, nevertheless, this book has an absolutely sumptuous cover, and upon picking it up I was a little concerned that whatever was in... READ MORE
Dark and intriguing
Amsterdam 1686 and young Nella arrives at the home of her new husband, Johannes. Greeted by his cold sister, Marin and two servants Nella's new life begins... READ MORE
a delight to read
I have to admit, when I bought this , I was initially drawn to the gorgeous cover, pretty floral endpapers, and the matching bookmark that came with it at ... READ MORE
Magical Realism in 17th century Amsterdam
I was hooked from the very start, the detail in this book would match the detail of the Miniaturist.
This is, on the face of it, a story of love and marr... READ MORE
Your own house....
Nella first arrives at the house of her new husband( of which she is yet to lay with) and is met with a very frosty welcome. No one talks to her not even h... READ MORE
Synopsis
There is nothing hidden that will not be revealed...
On an autumn day in 1686, eighteen-year-old Nella Oortman knocks at the door of a grand house in the wealthiest quarter of Amsterdam. She has come from the country to begin a new life as the wife of illustrious merchant trader Johannes Brandt, but instead she is met by his sharp-tongued sister, Marin.
Only later does Johannes appear and present her with an extraordinary wedding gift: a cabinet-sized replica of their home. It is to be furnished by an elusive miniaturist, whose tiny creations mirror their real-life counterparts in unexpected ways...
Nella is at first mystified by the closed world of the Brandt household, but as she uncovers its secrets she realizes the escalating dangers that await them all. Does the miniaturist hold their fate in her hands? And will she be the key to their salvation or the architect of their downfall?
In 2014, Jessie Burton's debut The Miniaturist stood out for us as an exquisite example of the writer’s craft, combining an intoxicating sense of place with a genuine sense of mystery and suspense. From our selection that year for our Waterstones Book of the Year, The Miniaturist stood out as a clear winner and it has been truly rewarding to see its reputation as a novel subsequently recognised the world over.
Publisher information
- Publisher: Pan Macmillan
- ISBN: 9781447250937
- Number of pages: 448
- Dimensions: 197 x 131 x 28 mm
- Weight: 315g
- Languages: English
Customer Reviews
View allA literary masterpiece
It is not the story of this book that draws you in, it is the pure bliss that accompanies Jessie Burton's writing. The book leaves you bewildered but also ... READ MORE
Historical Fiction
The setting is Amsterdam in 1686 and Petronella (known as Nella) has arrived at her new home for the first time. She has recently married Johannes Brandt, ... READ MORE
Loved it!
I absolutely adore this book!!!! I was so so happy when I got this as a present I started to read it straight away. I thought that it was brilliantly well ... READ MORE
Quiet, impressive novel
I won't bother rehashing the synopsis here. Suffice to say the writing is evocative, and characters really nicely drawn. It's the sort of book you can lose... READ MORE
Boring
I went into my local waterstones had a browse around the offers, this booked happened to be on a cheap deal I couldn't refuse. I took it on holiday with me... READ MORE
An excellent read!
This is a complex and well paced tale set in the claustrophobic world of 1686 Amsterdam, a city where strict observance of religious and guild values is e... READ MORE
A stunning debut
I bought this book as an impulse buy from my local Waterstones after the assistant recommended it. Thoroughly researched with twists and turns on almost ev... READ MORE
Quiet, interesting find recommended!
Definitely a book you can easily become immersed in. Not one I would have usually gone for, but a friend convinced me to try it, resulting in me losing mys... READ MORE
A fascinating read
The original idea for this story is that a girl, newly married and newly arrived in late 17th century Amsterdam, is given as a wedding gift by her husband ... READ MORE
Haunting and beautiful
So The Miniaturist, I resisted reading it for a long time – no matter how much it caught my eye – I’m often hugely disappointed when I read ‘Bestsellers’ a... READ MORE
Gobsmacked!
I can not quite believe that this is Jessie burtons first ever novel, and what a novel it is. The story line is quite elaborate yet easy to follow and grip... READ MORE
Wonderful Debut Novel
The Miniaturist is a great debut novel, set in historic Amsterdam, it's intriguing and mysterious and makes for a great page turner.It has some great char... READ MORE
Wonderful and mysterious
I read this book, first to last page, on one five hour flight. From the minute Nella enters her new home to the last letter, the story was gripping and sur... READ MORE
What an exciting premise for a book!
If you have never been to Amsterdam, if you know nothing of the city’s wealthy area known as the Golden Bend and the Herengracht canal, then you will soon ... READ MORE
Absolutely fantastic
Beautifully poetic and exquisitely written, I loved every word.
Good read
It is 1686 and Nella arrives in Amsterdam to begin her new life as wife of Johannes Brandt. It is a strange household. When her husband presents her with a... READ MORE
Wonderful
Nella Oortman, at 18 yrs old, moves from her rural hometown to Amsterdam, the new bride of wealthy merchant Johannes Brandt. Life is far from how she expec... READ MORE
A Glittering Tale of the Dutch Golden Age
In 1686, eighteen year old Nella Oortman arrives in Amsterdam. She is newly married to a wealthy merchant she has barely met, and carries with her little m... READ MORE
Authentic, atmospheric, gripping seventeenth century Amsterdam
This must be the saddest book that I have read for a very long time. The writing is superb. The prose is exquisite and the research adds great authenticity... READ MORE
Held me in its spell.
This book is a rare treasure. A debut novel which feels like a seasoned novel. The characters are vivid, the setting beautifully told and the story was cap... READ MORE
Intrigue and mystery
A story of intrigue and mystery with twists along the way set in historical Amsterdam. Part history, part mystery with tragic circumstances for one family ... READ MORE
An intriguing tale
The story is set in and convincingly portrays 17th century Amsterdam. The reader's curiosity is quickly drawn towards the central family and their househol... READ MORE
Truly wonderful
I found the first few pages hard going and thought I'd made the wrong choice of reading material for travel but then suddenly the book grabs your attention... READ MORE
Lots of secrets to keep you reading
I really enjoyed this book and found myself wanting to keep reading as there were secrets I wanted answers to. There is a really obvious comparison to 'Gir... READ MORE
An unexpected pleasure
I received this book as an Advance Reading Copy from Waterstones in exchange for a review. It is Jessie Burton's debut novel and as there have been no news... READ MORE
A HUGE achievement
Some reviews are more difficult to write than others, especially when a book’s brilliance has left me slightly dazed and dumbfounded. I’ve grappled for the... READ MORE
A stunning debut
If this is to be my introduction to Amsterdam, it was a wonderful one. In terms of setting, this is one of the best novels, historical or otherwise, I have... READ MORE
An addictive little read
Burton's Miniaturist is a light and easy read that isn't overburdened by masses of descriptive text. Consumed over a candlelit Christmas with copious helpi... READ MORE
A novel about love, unexpected, hidden, forbidden or expected
Nella Oortman arrives in Amsterdam in 1686, apprehensive about starting her new life with her new husband Johannes Brandt. She arrives at his home to be fa... READ MORE
A good historical novel
This novel takes place in 1687 in Amsterdam and deals with the marriage of young Nella Oortman to the wealthy merchant, Johannes Brandt. It also involves t... READ MORE
Is it just me?
There must be something wrong with me. I know this book is hugely popular. Many of my friends rave about it. But somehow the characters did not come alive ... READ MORE
Good but...
This is a strange book because on the one hand it's written so beautifully, the characters are portrayed so well, and there's a really strong sense of plac... READ MORE
Visually stunning location, atmospheric and captivating
The Miniaturist is the most exciting premise I have come across in fiction for a long time. Jessie Burton’s imaginative writing however is the real treasur... READ MORE
One of the best books I’ve read
When aspiring writers desire to create real, tangible characters, they hope to do so as successfully as Jessie Burton does in her novel, The Miniaturist. F... READ MORE
Intriguing blend of history and diversity!
Beautifully written and a few surprising twists which Jessie Burton has mastered in both her books! Based in 17th century Amsterdam, this book highlights t... READ MORE
In three words: gripping, mysterious and atmospheric.
I was immersed reading this book set in seventeenth century Amsterdam, the city with its canals, the merchants with their traded goods and the wealth it cr... READ MORE
Amazing!
You will be unable to put this book down- and I challenge you not to cry!
A Beautiful Historic Fairytale
I come seven years late to the party reviewing The Miniaturist but oh what a novel!
I am sure there are already a vast array of reviews that describe thi... READ MORE
The Devil is always in the details
A little town. A little square. A little building. A little artist. A little gift. A little house. A little family. A little world. A little surprise. A li... READ MORE
Ok
Lovely vivid writing, but couldn’t really believe in any of the characters or their actions - 21st century values sit clumsily in the 17th century - and it... READ MORE
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