the dutch house book review questions

THE DUTCH HOUSE Book Club Questions: Your Meeting Guide

Emily Martin

Emily has a PhD in English from the University of Southern Mississippi, MS, and she has an MFA in Creative Writing from GCSU in Milledgeville, GA, home of Flannery O’Connor. She spends her free time reading, watching horror movies and musicals, cuddling cats, Instagramming pictures of cats, and blogging/podcasting about books with the ladies over at #BookSquadGoals (www.booksquadgoals.com). She can be reached at [email protected].

View All posts by Emily Martin

Have you chosen Ann Patchett’s 2019 novel The Dutch House for your book club? Here are ten The Dutch House book club questions and a reading guide to get the conversation going.

Ann Patchett’s The Dutch House is the book everyone is talking about right now. And I know this because when I visited my family for the holidays, more than one family member came up to me and asked if I’d read it yet. Word evidently spread over the end of the year, because when I went back to work, everyone was talking about this book there as well.

So what did I do? I decided to give into the hype and purchase the audiobook version of this novel. Several people told me this was a great audiobook (have I mentioned everyone is talking about this book?). Even better, America’s dad Tom Hanks narrates it. I sat back to listen to the novel and ended up finishing it over the course of two days. Now, I have thoughts. I have questions. And I’m here to share them with you in the hopes your book club will find them helpful!

The Dutch House : A Reading Guide

HarperCollins published Ann Patchett’s eighth novel, The Dutch House, on September 24, 2019. The novel tells the story of Danny and Maeve Conroy over the course of five decades. The siblings are raised together in the Dutch House by their father and their stepmother Andrea. But when Danny and Maeve’s father dies, Andrea forces the two out of the house. Left with no one else to care for them, Danny and Maeve spend the rest of their lives looking after one another in various ways. Danny Conroy narrates the novel as an adult looking back on his life, his sister, and The Dutch House.

Setting is very important in this novel, which takes place in Elkins Park, Philadelphia. In an interview with The Philadelphia Inquirer , Patchett explains that she set the novel here because she wanted a place that was close in proximity to New York, and she spent some time in Elkins Park when she was a student at Sarah Lawrence College.

In the same interview, Patchett discusses the themes that she writes about in all of her novels, including The Dutch House: “I write a lot about wealth and poverty. I write a lot about class. And I write a lot about race, although not in this book. I think that for every writer, there are just certain things that obsess you, and you keep coming back.”

How did these themes play out in the novel? And what other things obsessed you as you read the story of Maeve, Danny, and the house from which they were banished? Let’s talk through it.

Obviously, some spoilers to follow.

10 The Dutch House Book Club Questions

The dutch house book club questions: further reading.

What to do now that you’ve finished reading The Dutch House? Aside from the previously mentioned interview with The Philadelphia Inquirer, Ann Patchett has given a lot of great interviews about this book that could help enrich your book club discussion. Some of my favorites: this interview with Time, and this one with The Guardian.

Looking for what book to read after this? Ann Patchett herself gave some great recommendations based on Book Riot’s very own Read Harder Challenge . I know, cool, right?

Or maybe you want more stuff to talk about at your The Dutch House book club meeting? Here you go: a list of book club discussion questions for when you’re running out of things to say .

Have fun discussing this amazing book, Book Clubbers!

9 of the Most Polarizing Science Fiction Books to Love or Hate

books that slay

book summaries & discussion guides

9 The Dutch House Book Club Questions For Discussion

Ann Patchett’s The Dutch House is a haunting exploration of family, loss, and the enduring bonds of siblinghood. This sprawling saga follows Danny and Maeve, two wealthy siblings whose lives are irrevocably altered by the loss of their mother and the arrival of a stepmother.

As they navigate the complexities of their relationship and grapple with the shadow of their opulent childhood home, readers are drawn into a world of privilege and pain.

This discussion guide consisting of some amazing questions that delve into the novel’s rich themes, inviting readers to explore the complexities of sibling dynamics and the elusive nature of forgiveness.

Book Club Questions for The Dutch House

The Dutch House serves as a physical representation of the Conroy family’s wealth and status, as well as a symbol of their dysfunction and trauma. The house’s lavishness contrasts with the austere childhoods of Cyril and Elna, which they both try to leave behind in different ways. Do you agree with this metaphorical representation of the book title?
Danny and Maeve are forced to leave the house by their stepmother – a woman whom Cyril really loved. This is in sharp contrast to any kind of motherly behavior, one would assume. The act left a bit of trauma in the lives of the siblings and served as a focal point for their family’s history and conflicts. What is your take on such cruel deeds and the repercussions that followed in the later part of the novel?
Danny and Maeve’s relationship is at the heart of the novel, and their devotion toward each other is a powerful force that sustains them through tough times. The novel also examines the idea of inheritance, both in terms of material wealth and emotional legacies, and how these legacies can shape the course of a family’s history. Discuss.
Elna’s absence from the family is a key factor in the Conroy family’s dysfunction and trauma. Elna’s decision to leave the family and do charity work in India is a rejection of the materialism and superficiality of their lifestyle, and it leaves a lasting impact on Danny and Maeve. She becomes a kind of mythic figure in the novel, with Danny and Maeve both idealizing and demonizing her in different ways. How vital a role do you think this eccentric character plays in the novel?
The novel’s three-part structure allows the reader to see how the characters and their relationships evolve over time. Each part covers a different period of the Conroys’ lives, and the changes in their circumstances and relationships are reflected in the narrative structure. The structure also allows the reader to gain a deeper understanding of the characters’ motivations and desires, as they are revealed over the course of the novel. Additionally, this creates a sense of nostalgia and reflection as the characters look back on their past and come to terms with their present. Which part was your favorite and why?
Maeve is a strong, independent, and intelligent woman who takes on the role of caretaker for her younger brother Danny after they are expelled from the Dutch House by their stepmother Andrea. Throughout the novel, Maeve is motivated by a deep love for her family and a desire to protect Danny from the pain and trauma of their past. She is also driven by a need for justice and revenge against Andrea, who she believes has wronged her family. What other traits of Maeve did you like as you read through the novel?
The novel suggests that money can bring comfort and security, but it does not necessarily bring happiness. The Conroys are a wealthy family, but they are haunted by their past, and their relationships with each other are often strained. The Dutch House, while beautiful and grand, is also a source of pain and anxiety for the family. Discuss.
Patchett’s writing style is often described as elegant and understated, with a focus on character development and emotional depth. Her prose is precise and measured, with a keen eye for detail and nuance. The use of first-person narration from Danny’s perspective allows the reader to get inside his head and understand his motivations and feelings while also allowing for a sense of distance and objectivity. What is your take on her writing style and what could she have improved in the novel to make it perfect – if you think it was not perfect?
Maeve struggles to forgive Andrea for Cyril’s death and for banning her and Danny from The Dutch House. Meanwhile, Danny resents Elna for abandoning the family at the moment when they needed her most. At the same time, Danny eventually forgives Elna and allows her to be a part of his life. Do you think this theme of forgiveness has been dealt with well in the novel?

If you liked this set of book club questions, here are some other options for you to explore.

The Magnolia Palace Book Club Questions
The Dictionary of Lost Words Book Club Questions
Atlas of the Heart Book Club Questions
We Begin At The End Book Club Questions
The Housemaid Book Club Questions

Best the dutch house discussion questions

Home » Questions » Best the dutch house discussion questions

The Dutch House, written by Ann Patchett, is a captivating novel that explores themes of family, love, and loss. This thought-provoking book delves into the lives of the Conroy siblings, Danny and Maeve, as they navigate the complexities of their past and the challenges of their present. With its richly drawn characters and intricate storytelling, The Dutch House sparks numerous questions for readers to ponder and discuss. In this article, we have compiled a comprehensive list of discussion questions to enhance your reading experience and encourage meaningful conversations about the book.

See these The Dutch House discussion questions:

What is the significance of the Dutch House as a setting in the novel?
How does the relationship between Danny and Maeve evolve throughout the book?
Discuss the role of memory in The Dutch House. How does it shape the characters’ actions and perceptions?
What is the impact of the absent mother figure in Danny and Maeve’s lives?
How does the theme of wealth and social class influence the characters and their relationships?
What are the parallels between the Dutch House and the lives of the Conroy siblings?
How does the character of Andrea play a role in the story? What does she represent?
Discuss the significance of the painting of the Dutch House. What does it symbolize?
What are the effects of the abandonment experienced by Danny and Maeve?
How does the book explore the idea of forgiveness?
Discuss the theme of identity and how it is explored in the novel.
What is the role of the housekeeper, Fluffy, in the story? How does she contribute to the narrative?
What is the significance of the title, The Dutch House, and how does it relate to the overall story?
Discuss the impact of wealth and privilege on the characters’ lives and choices.
How does the narrative structure, with its shifts in time and perspective, enhance the story?
What role does Danny and Maeve’s father play in the novel? How does his absence affect them?
Discuss the theme of betrayal in The Dutch House. How does it manifest in various relationships?
What does the character of Jocelyn represent in the novel? How does she influence Danny’s life?
How does the book explore the themes of home and belonging?
Discuss the ending of the novel. Is it satisfying? Why or why not?
What does the character of Celeste symbolize in the story?
How does the book explore the idea of sacrifice?
What is the significance of Maeve’s relationship with her ex-husband, Walter?
Discuss the impact of Danny’s relationships with women throughout the novel.
How does the character of Sandy influence the story? What does he bring to the narrative?
What is the role of Danny’s career as an EMT in the novel? How does it shape his character?
Discuss the theme of guilt and its effects on the characters’ lives.
How does the book explore the concept of memory and its fallibility?
What is the significance of Maeve’s collection of biographies and how does it reflect her character?
Discuss the theme of redemption in The Dutch House.
What is the impact of Danny’s second marriage on his relationship with Maeve?
How does the book explore the idea of love and its various forms?
Discuss the significance of the characters’ names in The Dutch House.
What is the role of literature and storytelling in the novel?
How does the book explore the theme of abandonment?
Discuss the significance of the painting of Maeve in the Dutch House.
What does the character of Andrea’s mother represent in the story?
How does the book address the idea of inheritance, both in terms of wealth and trauma?
Discuss the theme of resilience in The Dutch House.
What is the significance of the character of Fluffy’s daughter, Sandy?
How does the book explore the idea of homecoming?
Discuss the role of the house itself as a character in the story.
What is the impact of Danny’s relationship with his stepdaughters on his life?
How does the book explore the theme of regret?

These discussion questions provide a starting point for engaging conversations about The Dutch House. Whether you are reading the book with a book club, a friend, or on your own, exploring these topics will deepen your understanding of the novel and stimulate thought-provoking discussions. Enjoy delving into the world of The Dutch House and uncovering its many layers of meaning.

25 questions to think over as you finish #ReadWithJenna's October pick

This month, #ReadWithJenna book club participants have been falling in love with Ann Patchett's "The Dutch House," a modern fairy tale that's perfect for Halloween season .

Spanning 50 years, the novel follows the close relationship between siblings Danny and Maeve as they navigate a series of tragedies that affect them long after they move out of the titular home. Patchett's writing is lush and lyrical, brilliantly tackling themes like forgiveness, pain, love and the overarching question of who we are versus who we want to be.

Throughout the month, we've been posting some questions about the book on the Read with Jenna Instagram page and we've loved following along with the conversations that have started! If you want to take an even deeper dive into "The Dutch House," the publisher behind the book shared some questions to think about once you've finished reading.

"The Dutch House" by Ann Patchett

The Dutch House: A Novel

What are the many and varied details of the Dutch house — rooms, stairways, architectural specifics, furniture, windows and doors, etc.? What mood or personality does each space or element possess? What is the complex, overall effect? What might Danny mean when he says, “the house was the story” or that it was “impossible?”
What is the nature of the relationship between Maeve and Danny? What explains the longevity and power of their support and love for one another?
What is Cyril Conroy like? How might specific behaviors, routines and decisions of his have influenced Maeve and Danny? Why was he “always more comfortable with his tenants than he was the people in his office or … in his house?” What was it about buildings that he loved so much?
What are Fluffy’s various, evolving roles in "The Dutch House?" What is her overall influence on Maeve and Danny?
What explains why Elna Conroy abandoned her children? In what ways might such a profound decision be justified or not? Why, as Maeve argues, are men who leave their families often judged less harshly?
What were the various effects of Elna Conroy leaving her husband and children? Was it preferable, as Maeve argues, to have spent some years with her and then lost her or, as Danny experienced, to never have known her? What are the particular emotional challenges of each experience?
What might be the significance of Maeve receiving a box of matches and instructions for how to light a fire from her mother on her eighth birthday?
When discussing Maeve’s diabetes, Danny suggests that “the body had all sorts of means to deal with what it couldn’t understand.” What does this mean? What is the relationship between physical health and emotional stress or trauma?
In what ways are Sandy and Jocelyn important to the various Conroys?
What are Maeve’s particular strengths and abilities? What are her priorities in life? What might explain her decision to stay at her unchallenging job or not pursue a committed romantic relationship or family of her own?
What forces — familial, social, cultural — might explain why the two males, Cyril and Danny, are in various ways “excused … from all responsibility” about the lives and struggles of the girls and women in the house?
What is the source of Andrea’s power? Why is she so bent on using it against the others —especially the women — in the house? What does she covet and care about?
What is significant about each of the portraits in the Dutch house?
Why do Maeve and Danny sit secretly in a car outside of the Dutch house many times throughout the years after they are exiled from it?
Consider the various literary allusions throughout the novel. What is suggested, for example, by Celeste reading Adrienne Rich’s "Necessities of Life" when Danny first meets her on a train or by Marilynne Robinson’s novel "Housekeeping?"
What were the “original disappointments” that Celeste felt about Danny? Why did her relationship with Maeve begin so well and become so acrimonious?
Despite completing medical school, why is Danny drawn so powerfully to the construction, buying and selling of buildings? What does he mean when he says he is “at home on a building site?”
What does it mean that Maeve and Danny “had made a fetish out of [their] misfortune, fallen in love with it?" What explains such powerful attachment to painful experiences and relationships? Why might Danny not want “to be dislodged from [his] suffering?”
Danny eventually realizes that “after years of living in response to the past, (he and Maeve) had somehow become miraculously unstuck.” What does this mean? How did it happen? What explains the “insatiable appetite for the past” that Maeve and Fluffy shared? How does one determine when connections to the past are healthy or restrictive?
Later in life, sitting outside the Dutch house, Danny realizes that “the feeling of home” he was experiencing was due not to the house but “wholly and gratefully” to his sister Maeve. What defines and determines a feeling of home? What role does a house play or not?
What explains the very different responses Maeve and Danny have to their mother’s return?
What might it mean that, when confronted with an aged and enraged Andrea, Danny thinks he “had not been born with an imagination large enough to encompass this moment?” What’s the role of imagination in times of trauma or emotional difficulty? What is its relationship to compassion and empathy? When does imagination become unhealthy illusion?
After reuniting, Elna tells Maeve and Danny that when she left she “knew (they) were going to be fine.” In what ways did they end up fine or not?
Finally, Danny realizes that “the rage (he) carried for (his) mother exhaled and died. There was no place for it anymore.” What does this mean? What are other ways to process such anger and emotional pain?
What changes and transformations are suggested by May’s buying of the Dutch House? What might it imply that Danny walks with her through the darkness to enter it?

View this post on Instagram A post shared by ReadwithJenna (@readwithjenna) on Oct 24, 2019 at 8:54am PDT

For past #ReadWithJenna book club picks, you can check out our Read With Jenna page .

To stay involved all month long, be sure to follow us on Instagram (don't forget to tag your photos with the hashtag, #ReadWithJenna), join our Read With Jenna Facebook group and follow along on Goodreads to continue the conversation about "The Dutch House."

Kerry Breen is a reporter and associate editor for TODAY.com , where she reports on health news, pop culture and more. She holds a master’s degree in journalism from New York University.

The Dutch House Book Club Questions

Ann Patchett’s The Dutch House is quite a read. The novel has received a lot of accolades. It was a Pulitzer Award Finalist, Women’s Prize for Fiction finalist and it’s been featured on Jenna Bush’s Book Club list .

The Dutch House features a looming, ornate house that anchors a complicated multi-generational family story. The book’s themes feature abandonment, betrayal, damaging silences, revenge and a lot of sibling loyalty. And each character has their own relationship with the Dutch House, which adds a lot of layer to the narrative. This book is a great pick for a group read and we are here to help you unpack it with our The Dutch House book club questions and discussion guide.

Our usual format is to offer you the official publisher synopsis, 10 The Dutch House book club questions and some selected (and thought provoking) reviews. Start with the synopsis. Does it accurately reflect your experience with the book? Then move onto the questions and the reviews.

And if you loved the book, we also offer three more books like The Dutch House to help fill up your TBR list.

(This article contains affiliate links. This means that if you choose to purchase, I’ll make a small commission.)

The Dutch House Synopsis

The Dutch House , Ann Patchett

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. His first order of business is to buy the Dutch House, a lavish estate in the suburbs outside of Philadelphia. Meant as a surprise for his wife, the house sets in motion the undoing of everyone he loves.

The story is told by Cyril’s son Danny, as he and his older sister, the brilliantly acerbic and self-assured Maeve, are exiled from the house where they grew up by their stepmother. The two wealthy siblings are thrown back into the poverty their parents had escaped from and find that all they have to count on is one another. It is this unshakeable bond between them that both saves their lives and thwarts their futures.

Set over the course of five decades, The Dutch House is a dark fairy tale about two smart people who cannot overcome their past. Despite every outward sign of success, Danny and Maeve are only truly comfortable when they’re together. Throughout their lives they return to the well-worn story of what they’ve lost with humor and rage. But when at last they’re forced to confront the people who left them behind, the relationship between an indulged brother and his ever-protective sister is finally tested.

Why use a house for the main narrative metaphor? Did that work? Was the Dutch House a character in and of itself?
“We always knew that my father didn’t like children” And yet Cyril embarked upon a second marriage with a woman who came with two of them. What was his motivation for marrying Andrea?
How is it that Maeve and Danny seemed so out of the loop regarding their father’s courtship with Andrea? Is it simply that they were clueless kids? Or was their father deliberately keeping them out of the loop? Would things have gone better if Cyril had made more of an effort to build a relationship between Andrea and the kids?
Danny says, “There would never been an end to all the things I wished I’d asked my father. After so many years I thought less about his unwillingness to disclose and more about how stupid I’d been not to try harder.” There is a lot that goes unspoken in the Conroy family– between Danny and his father, between Danny and Maeve, between Andrea and everyone and certainly between Elna and her kids. Why the distance? Are there a lot of unspoken spaces in your family?
Late in the book, Maeve argues that men leave their families all the time and are hardly judged for it. And yet, Elna is judged harshly for her abandonment. Did you judge her? Were you satisfied with her explanations for why she left?
Speaking of judgements. Did you judge Cyril for not taking more care in his estate planning? He knew that Andrea and the kids didn’t get along and yet, he put her in charge of everything. Is this simply the way things were done in the 70’s? Who did you judge more– Cyril more for his lack of planning or Andrea for cutting out Danny and Maeve?
“The fact that I had never wanted to be a doctor was nothing more than a footnote to a story that interested no one.” Medical school wasn’t the only way to spend heavily on education. Danny easily could have bilked the trust by getting an MBA and a law degree at Harvard. Why then, did Patchett chose medical school? And how did Danny’s profound disinterest in medicine affect the story?
“And so I made the decision to change. It might seem like change was impossible, given my nature and my age, but I understood exactly what there was to lose. It was chemistry all over again. The point wasn’t whether or not I liked it. The point was it had to be done.” Danny says this after finally deciding to accept his mother’s return. What explains the very different reactions that Maeve and Danny have to her re-insertion into their lives?
“We had made a fetish out of our misfortune, fallen in love with it.” Maeve and Danny spent so many nights talking, smoking and lurking in front of the Dutch House. Were they too obsessed? Or did the time they spent together help them stay bonded as siblings?
Elna had felt suffocated by the Dutch House, and yet in the end, she moves back in to care for Andrea and reprises Fluffy’s former role as the caretaker. Why was she able to finally tolerate the house after so many decades of being away from it?

Selected Reviews for The Dutch House

“Just punch me right in the heart next time, Patchett. It’d be faster.”

“In terms of scope, tone, setting, and depth, this book seems like a throwback to masterpieces written in the 1700s and 1800s; there is a classic and epic feel to it. Having a grand mansion as the setting helps. As in classics, Patchett does give lots of details of things that by themselves aren’t interesting, but she ends up painting a vivid picture that sets a perfect stage for the action going down, and you feel like you’re right there.”

“A little like a fairy tale flipped upside-down, this story includes an imposing, castle-like house, which seems to affect each character differently, as though abiding inside these walls seems to create an entirely different relationship between the house and each character.”

“This was an absorbing read even though the narrator was infuriating, self-absorbed, oblivious, selfish, and annoying…There is an epic feel to this novel but it is also an intimate portrait of siblings who have found home in each other when they are failed by the adults who were supposed to nurture them.”

“The writing is still compelling enough that it helped carry the story through to the end, so I was never bored. But the last two thirds shambled along without momentum or purpose, and was utterly forgettable. It feels like I read a short story that reached its conclusion and then continued on for 200 more meandering pages.”

NEED BOOK CLUB IDEAS?

Use our guide to find dozens of book ideas for your group.

3 Books like The Dutch House

If you like the pics for Jenna’s Book club, then be sure to check out our reading guide for The Lincoln Highway , Black Cake , The Measure , Remarkably Bright Creatures and Malibu Rising . Or if you group like pulitzer award winners, then you could also get our guide for The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich or All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr.

We also recommend taking a look at Patchett’s newer book Tom Lake. You can get more info (+ a synopsis) on our Tom Lake discussion guide .

by Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney

When doped-up Leo Plumb crashes his car and severely injures a women, he needs some fast cash to get him out of the pickle. And the money is there– but it’s always been intended as a bequest for all four of the Plumb siblings, who each have their own issues. The Nest explores what money does to relationships, what happens to our ambitions over the course of our lives, and the fraught but unbreakable ties we have with our families.

The Nest cues on the same Dutch House themes as the corruptibility of money and sibling loyalty (and disloyalty). Also, a lot of the action takes place in NYC.

The Wangs Vs the World

by Jade Chang

This first generation Chinese immigrant family had it all…until they didn’t. Charles the dad is reluctant to tell his kids how bad it really is. And yet, he spirits the family away on a countrywide road trip in an effort to make a fresh start. His wife wants their old life back, his son wants to be a comedian, his younger daughter is obsessed with fashion and their oldest daughter is hiding out from all of them.

The book has more overt humor than The Dutch House , but it picks up the themes of fraught family relationships, stepmoms, and resiliency.

Mexican Gothic

by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

If you like the idea of a large old house as a major character in a book, then take a look at Mexican Gothic . When Noemí Taboada gets a frantic SOS letter from her cousin, she heads to High Place, a distant house in the Mexican countryside to see what’s up. This truly gothic read is fraught with dark family secrets, fading family wealth and a brooding (and perhaps dangerous) house.

It’s more atmospheric than The Dutch House and it may give you the shivers.

Have a listen on Audible. Try audio books for free for 30 days.

Share our The Dutch House discussion guide on Pinterest:

Book Club questions The Dutch House, Ann Patchett

Meet our Writers :

Book Club Questions for The Dutch House by Ann Patchett (+ Printable PDF)

By: Author Luka

Posted on Last updated: August 14, 2024

Categories Reading Guides

Book club questions for The Dutch House by Ann Patchett explore the complexities of relationships, the consequences of choices, and the ways in which individuals cope with adversity and change.

This is a dark fairytale: two young siblings removed from their beloved childhood home by their wicked stepmother.

Ms. Patchett writes beautifully, and in many ways, her words often feel like life rather than literature. I highly recommend this novel – it is heartbreaking, tragic, and at times very odd and ironic – overall, one of Patchett’s best works.

The Dutch House by Ann Patchett

There are more than 40 questions in this comprehensive guide, so I suggest printing them out, and taking your time with each question as there’s lot to unpack!

Book Club Questions | Additional Reco m mendations | Printable PDF

About the Story

The Dutch House is a novel about the strong bond between two siblings, Danny and Maeve, and the impact of their family’s history on their lives.

The story follows their father’s rise to wealth after World War II and his purchase of a grand mansion called the Dutch House. However, their lives take a tragic turn when their father’s decision to buy the house leads to the unraveling of their family. After being kicked out of the house by their stepmother, Danny and Maeve must navigate life’s challenges together, relying on each other for support.

The novel spans five decades and explores themes of inheritance, love, forgiveness, and self-discovery. Despite their outward success, the siblings find solace only in each other and must confront their past and the people who left them behind, putting their unshakeable bond to the ultimate test.

About the Author

Ann Patchett is a renowned author known for her nine novels, including Bel Canto and State of Wonder.

She has also written nonfiction books and children’s stories. Patchett has received numerous awards, such as the National Humanities Medal and the PEN/Faulkner Award. In 2011, she co-founded Parnassus Books in Nashville, Tennessee, becoming a strong advocate for independent booksellers. Her dedication hasn’t gone unnoticed; she was named one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World in 2012.

Ann Patchett lives in Nashville with her husband, Karl VanDevender, and their dog, Sparky, and she shares her book recommendations and insights on her blog, Notes from Ann.

For updates on her bookstore and literary endeavors, you can follow Parnassus Books on various social media platforms.

Book Club Questions for The Dutch House

What are your thoughts on the characters of Danny and Maeve? How did their relationship shape the story?
Explore the dynamics between the siblings, stepmother Andrea, and their biological mother. How did these relationships evolve over the course of the story?
What kind of person is Cyril Conroy? How have his specific actions, routines, and decisions influenced Maeve and Danny? Why was he “always more comfortable with his tenants than he was with the people in his office or…in his house”? What was it about buildings that he cherished so deeply?
Explore the various roles Fluffy assumes within the Dutch House as they evolve. How does she impact Maeve and Danny overall?
What led to Elna Conroy abandoning her children? In what ways could such a profound decision be justified or condemned? Why, as Maeve argues, are men who leave their families often judged less severely?
How does the theme of family play out in the novel? In what ways do the characters’ family backgrounds influence their actions and choices?
The Dutch House itself is a central theme. How does the house symbolize different things for different characters? What does it represent to Danny and Maeve?
The story is narrated by Danny. How does his perspective shape the reader’s understanding of the events and characters?
Later in life, while sitting outside the Dutch House, Danny realizes that “the feeling of home” he was experiencing was due not to the house but “wholly and gratefully” to his sister Maeve. What defines and determines a feeling of home? What role does a house play, if any?
Why do Maeve and Danny react so differently to their mother’s return?
What might it signify that when faced with an aged and enraged Andrea, Danny thinks he “had not been born with an imagination large enough to encompass this moment”? What role does imagination play in times of trauma or emotional difficulty? How is it related to compassion and empathy? When does imagination become unhealthy illusion?
After reuniting, Elna tells Maeve and Danny that when she left, she “knew [they] were going to be fine.” In what ways did they end up fine or not?
The narrative spans several decades. How did the passage of time affect the characters and their relationships? Discuss specific instances where time played a significant role.
How did the parenting styles of Cyril, Elna, and Andrea impact the lives of Danny and Maeve? Are there any parallels between the relationships of the parents and their children?
What were the “original disappointments” that Celeste felt about Danny? Why did her relationship with Maeve start off well but turn acrimonious?
Despite completing medical school, why is Danny strongly drawn to construction, buying, and selling of buildings? What does he mean when he says he is “at home on a building site”?
What does it mean that Maeve and Danny “had made a fetish out of [their] misfortune, fallen in love with it”? What explains such a deep attachment to painful experiences and relationships? Why might Danny resist being “dislodged from [his] suffering”?
Danny eventually realizes that “after years of living in response to the past, [he and Maeve] had somehow become miraculously unstuck.” What does this mean? How did it happen? What accounts for the “insatiable appetite for the past” shared by Maeve and Fluffy? How does one discern when connections to the past are healthy or restrictive?
Finally, Danny realizes that “the rage [he] carried for [his] mother exhaled and died. There was no place for it anymore.” What does this mean? What are other ways to process such anger and emotional pain?
Discuss the idea of parental expectations and how it influenced the characters’ decisions, especially in terms of education, career, and relationships.
Reflect on the choices made by the characters and the consequences they faced. How did these choices define their lives? Can you identify turning points for specific characters?
Describe the relationship between Maeve and Danny. What accounts for the endurance and intensity of their mutual support and love?
What were the consequences of Elna Conroy leaving her husband and children? Was it preferable, as Maeve argues, to have spent some years with her and then lost her, or, as Danny experienced, to never have known her? What are the unique emotional challenges associated with each experience?
What might be the significance of Maeve receiving a box of matches and instructions on how to light a fire from her mother on her eighth birthday?
When discussing Maeve’s diabetes, Danny suggests that, “the body had all sorts of means to deal with what it couldn’t understand.” What does this mean? What is the connection between physical health and emotional stress or traumas?
Are there moments in the story where forgiveness played a significant role? How did forgiveness (or lack thereof) affect the characters’ development?
Explore the symbolism of the Dutch House itself. What does it represent in terms of wealth, status, and emotional connection?
Consider the significance of the butterscotch Lifesavers in the story. How does this small detail carry meaning throughout the novel?
How did Ann Patchett’s writing style contribute to your engagement with the story? Were there specific passages or descriptions that stood out to you?
What are the intricate details of the Dutch House—its rooms, stairways, architectural specifics, furniture, windows, and doors? What emotions or characteristics are associated with each space or element? What is the overall impact of the house, and what might Danny imply when he says, “the house was the story” or that it was “impossible”?
In what ways are Sandy and Jocelyn significant to the various Conroys?
What are Maeve’s distinctive strengths and abilities? What are her priorities in life? What might explain her choice to remain in her undemanding job or not pursue a committed romantic relationship or family of her own?
What societal, cultural, and familial influences might excuse Cyril and Danny from taking responsibility for the lives and challenges faced by the girls and women in the house?
What is the source of Andrea’s power? Why is she so determined to wield it against others, especially the women in the house? What does she desire and value?
Analyze the significance of each portrait in the Dutch House.
Why do Maeve and Danny clandestinely sit in a car outside the Dutch House multiple times over the years after their exile from it?
What transformations are hinted at by May’s acquisition of the Dutch House? What might it signify that Danny accompanies her through the darkness to enter it?
Reflect on the use of humor and irony in the novel. How did these elements enhance the storytelling?
What are your overall thoughts on the book? Did it meet your expectations? Why or why not?
Do you agree with the critical acclaim and awards received by “The Dutch House”? Why do you think this novel resonated with so many readers?

Other Books by Ann Patchett

Tom lake by ann patchett.

In this beautiful and moving novel about family, love, and growing up, Ann Patchett once again proves herself one of America’s finest writers.

In the spring of 2020, Lara’s three daughters return to the family’s orchard in Northern Michigan. While picking cherries, they beg their mother to tell them the story of Peter Duke, a famous actor with whom she shared both a stage and a romance years before at a theater company called Tom Lake.

As Lara recalls the past, her daughters examine their own lives and relationship with their mother, and are forced to reconsider the world and everything they thought they knew.

Tom Lake is a meditation on youthful love, married love, and the lives parents have led before their children were born. Both hopeful and elegiac, it explores what it means to be happy even when the world is falling apart.

As in all of her novels, Ann Patchett combines compelling narrative artistry with piercing insights into family dynamics. The result is a rich and luminous story, told with profound intelligence and emotional subtlety, that demonstrates once again why she is one of the most revered and acclaimed literary talents working today.

To read my review of this book, click here . For my book club questions and printable reading guide for this book, click here .

These Precious Days by Ann Patchett

These Precious Days is a collection of heartfelt essays written by Ann Patchett, in which she reflects on various aspects of life, including home, family, friendships, and the art of writing.

The central essay explores an unexpected friendship with Tom Hanks’ assistant, Sooki, delving into the profound impact of human connections. Patchett’s writing is eloquent and intimate, inviting readers to explore the depths of her experiences and emotions.

She weaves together personal stories with universal themes, touching on childhood memories, literary influences, and the fleeting nature of life.

Through her words, Patchett reminds readers to cherish the precious moments in life and appreciate the beauty found in everyday experiences.

To read my book club questions for this book, click here!

Commonwealth by Ann Patchett

The acclaimed, bestselling author—winner of the PEN/Faulkner Award and the Orange Prize—tells the enthralling story of how an unexpected romantic encounter irrevocably changes two families’ lives.

One Sunday afternoon in Southern California, Bert Cousins shows up at Franny Keating’s christening party uninvited. Before evening falls, he has kissed Franny’s mother, Beverly—thus setting in motion the dissolution of their marriages and the joining of two families.

Spanning five decades, Commonwealth explores how this chance encounter reverberates through the lives of the four parents and six children involved. Spending summers together in Virginia, the Keating and Cousins children forge a lasting bond that is based on a shared disillusionment with their parents and the strange and genuine affection that grows up between them.

When, in her twenties, Franny begins an affair with the legendary author Leon Posen and tells him about her family, the story of her siblings is no longer hers to control. Their childhood becomes the basis for his wildly successful book, ultimately forcing them to come to terms with their losses, their guilt, and the deeply loyal connection they feel for one another.

Told with equal measures of humor and heartbreak, Commonwealth is a meditation on inspiration, interpretation, and the ownership of stories. It is a brilliant and tender tale of the far-reaching ties of love and responsibility that bind us together.

Printable PDF

Happy reading! ❤️

aaron burden t8MgrNitecE unsplash e1723651053104

I love to read and I enjoy exploring a range of genres including contemporary and historical fiction, mysteries, thrillers, nonfiction, and memoirs. If you would like me to review your book, feel free to reach out to me!

print archive
digital archive
book review

[types field='book-title'][/types] [types field='book-author'][/types]

Harper, 2019

Contributor Bio

Jackie thomas-kennedy, more online by jackie thomas-kennedy.

Some of Them Will Carry Me
Homesickness
We Want What We Want
The Souvenir Museum

The Dutch House

By ann patchett, reviewed by jackie thomas-kennedy.

In her eighth novel, Patchett revisits the concerns of previous works, including Commonwealth (the shifting plates of family life after divorce; the bonds among siblings; the process of forgiveness) and Run (the absent mother, the creation of family). The “Dutch house” in a wealthy suburb of Philadelphia is the site of Cyril Conroy’s failed first marriage to Elna, a woman who flees the ornate excesses of the home. It is also the site of Cyril’s second, catastrophic marriage to Andrea, a cruel stepmother who disinherits his children after his death. It is, most crucially, the site of narrator Danny Conroy’s cherished conversations with Maeve, his elder sister. Following Elna’s willful departure, Cyril’s sudden heart attack, and Andrea’s dismissal, the now-grown siblings establish a habit of parking on their old street with a view of their former home to hash out the past and consider their future. In these sessions, which they conduct for most of their lives together, Danny’s love for his sister—her beauty, her ferocious intelligence, her caretaking of her brother, her general kindness and decency—grows and calcifies until it is greater than any love in his life. For Maeve, it turns out, this type of love is reserved for their absent mother.

Elna is referred to in worshipful tones by everyone except her son, who remembers none of her merits but suffers the sting of abandonment. Danny is the only person who cannot absolve Elna. Other people in his life—including a chorus of former domestic employees at the Dutch House named Sandy, Fluffy, and Jocelyn—insist that his mother is a “saint.” This saintly behavior eventually extends to Andrea, who, in one of the novel’s strongest scenes, sees Danny standing on the lawn of the Dutch house, mistakes him for her late husband, and begins hitting the window “like a warrior beats a drum.” Though Elna is repulsed by the gaudy mansion, she moves back into the house to care for Andrea, who is suffering from either Alzheimer’s or aphasia, her family isn’t sure which. Her neediness draws Elna to her side.

Danny begrudgingly accepts his mother’s late appearance in his life, mostly to appease Maeve, whose heart attack precipitates Elna’s return. In the hospital, Maeve tells Danny, “‘I’m so happy. I’ve just had a heart attack and this has been the happiest day of my life.” Danny can’t bring himself to disrupt the newfound companionship between the women, so he relegates himself to the sidelines, where he tries to supervise silently. The other elements of his life—his successful real estate business, his children (a son, Kevin, and a precocious daughter, May), his lukewarm marriage—fail to command half the attention his sister does. Late in the novel, after Maeve, a diabetic, dies in middle age, Danny tells the reader, “The story of my sister was the only one I was ever meant to tell.” This is a depiction of wholehearted, undiluted love, of praise that cannot be held back. It is tiring to Danny’s wife, Celeste, whose mutual dislike of her sister-in-law occasionally reads like a sitcom trope, adding conflict to work that often functions like a love song. When Maeve refuses Danny’s resentment of their mother, challenging him to “[g]row up,” their argument has all the tension, emotion, and knowingness that Danny and Celeste’s relationship seems to lack.

If elderly Andrea hits the Dutch house window “like a warrior,” surely the war is a war of finding and keeping a home. Danny is at home—if home is to be utterly comfortable and safe—only with Maeve, and mostly in her car. He meets Celeste on a train. He encounters his mother, decades after she leaves, in a hospital waiting room. These transitional spaces are where the greatest emotional work of Danny’s life happens, perhaps because he’s embroiled in Andrea’s war. Having had his house taken from him—a house described with details as lush as Jean Stafford or Edith Wharton might offer—he becomes obsessed with real estate, succeeding in the industry just as his late father did. He buys houses for the women in his life, presenting them as casually as bouquets of flowers. Years later, Celeste admits she never liked her house, suggesting a thoughtless and speedy acquisition on Danny’s part.

Andrea—thief of all to which the Conroy children are entitled—is rarely and briefly on the page. Other than being rude to the household staff and unkind to her stepchildren, she has a flimsy presence, and is easily read as a villain who gets her comeuppance simply by aging. The novel also includes a significant digression to cover Danny’s time as a medical student, though he never practices medicine. The schooling is Maeve’s idea, a way to take advantage of the educational trust their father left to them. Its role is perhaps overlarge for its impact. The novel, save for a few dramatic scenes, could nearly be distilled to those hours in the car, with Maeve’s cigarette smoke and Danny’s eager questions, as they cobble together a family history and serve as each other’s witness. “The ghosts are what I come for,” Sandy says, explaining her continued presence at the Dutch house even after it belongs to Andrea. Readers, too, should come for the ghosts: they give the novel its richness, its texture, and its heart.

Published on April 1, 2020

Like what you've read? Share it!

PBRFavorites
BookClubQ's

--> -->

By Renee Rosen

By Fiona Davis

--> -->

By Brendan Slocumb

By Mary Kubica

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
READER FAVORITES
MYSTERIES & THRILLERS
BEST SELLERS
AWARD WINNING BOOKS
CLASSIC BOOKS
WEEKEND READING
WHAT TO READ NEXT
POPULAR BOOKS
SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER

Book Clubbin’: 10 Discussion Questions for The Dutch House by Ann Patchett

Welcome to our monthly blog feature — Book Clubbin’! Sometimes life can get busy, we get it! That’s why listening to an audiobook can allow you to read so much more than you already do! Press play on your current listen during your commute, while you’re cooking dinner, or after the kids go to sleep — the possibilities are endless!

Every month we pick a popular book club pick and set up some discussion questions to get you and your book club going. This month, we’ve got questions for The Dutch House by Ann Patchett . This book has been taking the world by storm, and news traveled fast when it was announced that Tom Hanks would be narrating Patchett ’s latest release. Already a smash hit, The Dutch House was selected as 2019’s Book of the Year by publications such as The Times , Guardian , Daily Telegraph , Washington Post , and more . Plus, it was Jenna Bush Hager’s October choice for her book club, Read with Jenna.

So take a peek at our questions, and as always, remember there MAY be some spoilers in here!

—————MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS!————

1) What allows Maeve and Danny’s relationship to persevere throughout everything they go through together?

2) Why do you think Andrea was so spiteful toward Maeve and Danny? Would you go as far as to label her as an “evil stepmother?”

3) Academy award-winning actor, Tom Hanks, narrates the audiobook for The Dutch House . Do you think that celebrity narrators add to the experience of listening to an audiobook or take away from it?

4) Even after finishing medical school, Danny still feels drawn to working with construction and building houses. Why do you think this is?

5) Do you think the setting of Philadelphia was integral to the story or could this have taken place somewhere else?

6) The story is told from the perspective of an adult Danny Conroy. Do you think this impacted how the story was told? Do you think it would have been more effective from another character’s perspective?

7) The Dutch House takes place over a span of five decades. Do you think this amount of time was necessary? Could the same message have been conveyed in a shorter period of time or could Patchett have stretched it out even longer?

8) What do you think the Dutch House represents for Maeve and Danny? And why do they continue to revisit it?

9) Is there a place that resonates with you the same way the Dutch House resonates with Maeve and Danny?

10) Is there a specific character or storyline that you wish you could follow after the audiobook ends to see what happens next?

New to Audiobooks.com? Get your first book free, PLUS a bonus book from our VIP selection when you sign up for our one-month free trial. Digital audiobooks make audible stories come to life when you’re commuting, working out, cleaning, cooking, and more! Listening is easy with our top-rated free audiobook apps for iOS and Android, which let you download & listen to bestselling audiobooks on the go, wherever you are. Click here to get your free audiobooks!

No Responses | Leave a Comment

Comments are closed.

Feature Posts

Skip to main content
Keyboard shortcuts for audio player

Book Reviews

Motherless children make their own family in ann patchett's 'the dutch house'.

Heller McAlpin

The Dutch House

Buy featured book.

Your purchase helps support NPR programming. How?

Independent Bookstores

Ann Patchett may well be the most beloved book person in America — not just for her irresistibly absorbing novels and memoirs (including The Patron Saint of Liars, Bel Canto and This Is the Story of a Happy Marriage) but for becoming a patron saint of readers and publishers when she opened Parnassus Books in her hometown of Nashville, Tenn. And despite a few small reservations, this is the story of a happy book critic: The Dutch House is another wonderful read by an author who embodies compassion.

Patchett's eighth novel is a paradise lost tale dusted with a sprinkling of Cinderella , The Little Princess and Hansel and Gretel . Two siblings, Maeve and Danny Conroy, bond tightly after their mother leaves home when they're 10 and 3. Home is the eponymous Dutch House, a 1922 mansion outside Philadelphia that their father, Cyril, a real estate mogul, bought fully furnished in an estate sale as a surprise for his wife in 1946, when Maeve was 5. The house, built by a Dutch couple who made their fortune in cigarettes, is grand, with an ornate dining room ceiling, six bedrooms on the second floor, and a ballroom on the third floor. His wife, Elna, hates it, aesthetically and ethically. After she flees, ostensibly to India to devote herself to the poor, her family suffers, as if "they had all become characters in the worst part of a fairy tale," Patchett writes.

The Dutch House is, in part, about real estate lust. "The only thing our father really cared about in life was his work: the buildings he built and owned and rented out," Danny writes with a surprising lack of bitterness. "He loved buildings the way boys loved dogs," he adds later, an observation equally applicable to himself.

Andrea, a pretty young widow 18 years Cyril's junior, falls in love with his house and then finagles her way into it with her two small daughters. She certainly doesn't fall in love with Cyril's two children. The wicked stepmother's arrival, even more than their mother's ghosting, marks the end of Danny and Maeve's childhood. Their expulsion from paradise becomes quite literal a few years later; in classic fairy tale fashion, Cyril is putty in his second wife's hands.

Rare among Patchett's fiction, The Dutch House is written in the first person, from Danny's adult point of view. Because Danny is by design a clueless, tight-lipped character, it isn't clear that this was the right choice; an omniscient third person narration might have been a better way to get deeper inside him. Many of the details about his eccentric upbringing come courtesy of his older sister, a much more interesting character. But eventually Danny comes to realize how much he's missed along the way, including the fact that the Conroys' two loyal housekeepers are sisters. "The problem, I wanted to say, was that I was asleep to the world. Even in my own house I had no idea what was going on," he comments.

Like memory, Danny's narrative jumps around in time, fast-forwarding to medical school, which he attends only on Maeve's insistence, and his marriage, to which Maeve objects. Periodically, he scrolls back to his boyhood, tracing his intangible inheritances, which include his reticence and the real estate bug he caught from his father.

Author Interviews

Ann patchett calls 'commonwealth' her 'autobiographical first novel'.

Patchett: In Bad Relationships, 'There Comes A Day When You Gotta Go'

The Dutch House is also about obsessive nostalgia. Whenever Danny returns to Pennsylvania to visit Maeve, the two park across the street from their former home to mull over what happened to them: "like swallows, like salmon, we were the helpless captives of our migratory patterns. We pretended that what we had lost was the house, not our mother, not our father." Danny adds later, "We had made a fetish out of our misfortune, fallen in love with it."

On one of these visits Danny asks, "Do you think it's possible to ever see the past as it actually was?" Maeve insists she does just that. "But we overlay the present onto the past," Danny objects, a statement that highlights the trickiness of retrospective personal histories, including the one we're reading. "We look back through the lens of what we know now, so we're not seeing it as the people we were, we're seeing it as the people we are, and that means the past has been radically altered."

Patchett's previous novel, Commonwealth (2016), was her most autobiographical, and it also involved blended families and children left too much to their own devices. The Dutch House belongs to a tradition in both fairy tales and American fiction of motherless children (sometimes raised by their father, often with the aid of an aunt or trusty hired help) — books that include Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird and Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn .

Patchett's concern here, as in much of her fiction, is with the often unconventional families we cobble together with what's available to us. Being Patchett, she brings her novel around to themes of gratitude, compassion and forgiveness. The Dutch House goes unabashedly sentimental, but chances are, you won't want to put down this engrossing, warmhearted book even after you've read the last page.

Links

		Ann Patchett

		The Dutch House
			Book Companion A finalist for the Pulitzer Prize and NY Times bestseller. Ann Patchett’s most powerful novel to date: a richly moving story that explores the indelible bond between two siblings, the house of their childhood, and a past that will not let them go. The Dutch House is the story of a paradise lost, a tour de force that digs deeply into questions of inheritance, love and forgiveness, of how we want to see ourselves and of who we really are. Characters: 49. Amazon rating: 4 1/2 stars. Genre: Fiction.

		The Dutch House
Ch12		North Carolina Correctional Institute for Women.

		If you liked The Dutch House you may also like other books in our . To view more posted books, go to . To view books in process, and to suggest new books, go to . To view additional authors, go to .

ADMIN AREA MY BOOKSHELF MY DASHBOARD MY PROFILE SIGN OUT SIGN IN

Awards & Accolades

Our Verdict

Kirkus Reviews' Best Books Of 2019

New York Times Bestseller

IndieBound Bestseller

Pulitzer Prize Finalist

THE DUTCH HOUSE

by Ann Patchett ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 24, 2019

Like the many-windowed mansion at its center, this richly furnished novel gives brilliantly clear views into the lives it...

Their mother's disappearance cements an unbreakable connection between a pair of poor-little-rich-kid siblings.

Like The Children's Crusade by Ann Packer or Life Among Giants by Bill Roorbach, this is a deeply pleasurable book about a big house and the family that lives in it. Toward the end of World War II, real estate developer and landlord Cyril Conroy surprises his wife, Elna, with the keys to a mansion in the Elkins Park neighborhood of Philadelphia. Elna, who had no idea how much money her husband had amassed and still thought they were poor, is appalled by the luxurious property, which comes fully furnished and complete with imposing portraits of its former owners (Dutch people named VanHoebeek) as well as a servant girl named Fluffy. When her son, Danny, is 3 and daughter, Maeve, is 10, Elna's antipathy for the place sends her on the lam—first occasionally, then permanently. This leaves the children with the household help and their rigid, chilly father, but the difficulties of the first year pale when a stepmother and stepsisters appear on the scene. Then those problems are completely dwarfed by further misfortune. It's Danny who tells the story, and he's a wonderful narrator, stubborn in his positions, devoted to his sister, and quite clear about various errors—like going to medical school when he has no intention of becoming a doctor—while utterly committed to them. "We had made a fetish out of our disappointment," he says at one point, "fallen in love with it." Casually stated but astute observations about human nature are Patchett's ( Commonwealth , 2016, etc.) stock in trade, and she again proves herself a master of aging an ensemble cast of characters over many decades. In this story, only the house doesn't change. You will close the book half believing you could drive to Elkins Park and see it.

Pub Date: Sept. 24, 2019

ISBN: 978-0-06-296367-3

Page Count: 352

Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins

Review Posted Online: May 26, 2019

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2019

LITERARY FICTION | FAMILY LIFE & FRIENDSHIP

Share your opinion of this book

More by Ann Patchett

BOOK REVIEW

by Ann Patchett

More About This Book

The Dutch House New Pick for Jenna Bush Hager Book Club

SEEN & HEARD

Bookseller Patchett Not Worried About Amazon

PERSPECTIVES

THE NIGHTINGALE

by Kristin Hannah ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 3, 2015

Still, a respectful and absorbing page-turner.

Hannah’s new novel is an homage to the extraordinary courage and endurance of Frenchwomen during World War II.

In 1995, an elderly unnamed widow is moving into an Oregon nursing home on the urging of her controlling son, Julien, a surgeon. This trajectory is interrupted when she receives an invitation to return to France to attend a ceremony honoring passeurs : people who aided the escape of others during the war. Cut to spring, 1940: Viann has said goodbye to husband Antoine, who's off to hold the Maginot line against invading Germans. She returns to tending her small farm, Le Jardin, in the Loire Valley, teaching at the local school and coping with daughter Sophie’s adolescent rebellion. Soon, that world is upended: The Germans march into Paris and refugees flee south, overrunning Viann’s land. Her long-estranged younger sister, Isabelle, who has been kicked out of multiple convent schools, is sent to Le Jardin by Julien, their father in Paris, a drunken, decidedly unpaternal Great War veteran. As the depredations increase in the occupied zone—food rationing, systematic looting, and the billeting of a German officer, Capt. Beck, at Le Jardin—Isabelle’s outspokenness is a liability. She joins the Resistance, volunteering for dangerous duty: shepherding downed Allied airmen across the Pyrenees to Spain. Code-named the Nightingale, Isabelle will rescue many before she's captured. Meanwhile, Viann’s journey from passive to active resistance is less dramatic but no less wrenching. Hannah vividly demonstrates how the Nazis, through starvation, intimidation and barbarity both casual and calculated, demoralized the French, engineering a community collapse that enabled the deportations and deaths of more than 70,000 Jews. Hannah’s proven storytelling skills are ideally suited to depicting such cataclysmic events, but her tendency to sentimentalize undermines the gravitas of this tale.

Pub Date: Feb. 3, 2015

ISBN: 978-0-312-57722-3

Page Count: 448

Publisher: St. Martin's

Review Posted Online: Nov. 19, 2014

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2014

HISTORICAL FICTION | FAMILY LIFE & FRIENDSHIP

More by Kristin Hannah

by Kristin Hannah

BOOK TO SCREEN

‘The Nightingale’ Is Reese’s Book Club Pick

THE LAST LETTER

by Rebecca Yarros ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 26, 2019

A thoughtful and pensive tale with intelligent characters and a satisfying romance.

A promise to his best friend leads an Army serviceman to a family in need and a chance at true love in this novel.

Beckett Gentry is surprised when his Army buddy Ryan MacKenzie gives him a letter from Ryan’s sister, Ella. Abandoned by his mother, Beckett grew up in a series of foster homes. He is wary of attachments until he reads Ella’s letter. A single mother, Ella lives with her twins, Maisie and Colt, at Solitude, the resort she operates in Telluride, Colorado. They begin a correspondence, although Beckett can only identify himself by his call sign, Chaos. After Ryan’s death during a mission, Beckett travels to Telluride as his friend had requested. He bonds with the twins while falling deeply in love with Ella. Reluctant to reveal details of Ryan’s death and risk causing her pain, Beckett declines to disclose to Ella that he is Chaos. Maisie needs treatment for neuroblastoma, and Beckett formally adopts the twins as a sign of his commitment to support Ella and her children. He and Ella pursue a romance, but when an insurance investigator questions the adoption, Beckett is faced with revealing the truth about the letters and Ryan’s death, risking losing the family he loves. Yarros’ ( Wilder , 2016, etc.) novel is a deeply felt and emotionally nuanced contemporary romance bolstered by well-drawn characters and strong, confident storytelling. Beckett and Ella are sympathetic protagonists whose past experiences leave them cautious when it comes to love. Beckett never knew the security of a stable home life. Ella impulsively married her high school boyfriend, but the marriage ended when he discovered she was pregnant. The author is especially adept at developing the characters through subtle but significant details, like Beckett’s aversion to swearing. Beckett and Ella’s romance unfolds slowly in chapters that alternate between their first-person viewpoints. The letters they exchanged are pivotal to their connection, and almost every chapter opens with one. Yarros’ writing is crisp and sharp, with passages that are poetic without being florid. For example, in a letter to Beckett, Ella writes of motherhood: “But I’m not the center of their universe. I’m more like their gravity.” While the love story is the book’s focus, the subplot involving Maisie’s illness is equally well-developed, and the link between Beckett and the twins is heartfelt and sincere.

Pub Date: Feb. 26, 2019

ISBN: 978-1-64063-533-3

Page Count: 432

Publisher: Entangled: Amara

Review Posted Online: Jan. 2, 2019

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2019

Review Program: Kirkus Indie

GENERAL ROMANCE | ROMANCE | FAMILY LIFE & FRIENDSHIP | CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE

More by Rebecca Yarros

by Rebecca Yarros

Discover Books Fiction Thriller & Suspense Mystery & Detective Romance Science Fiction & Fantasy Nonfiction Biography & Memoir Teens & Young Adult Children's
News & Features Bestsellers Book Lists Profiles Perspectives Awards Seen & Heard Book to Screen Kirkus TV videos In the News
Kirkus Prize Winners & Finalists About the Kirkus Prize Kirkus Prize Judges
Magazine Current Issue All Issues Manage My Subscription Subscribe
Writers’ Center Hire a Professional Book Editor Get Your Book Reviewed Advertise Your Book Launch a Pro Connect Author Page Learn About The Book Industry
More Kirkus Diversity Collections Kirkus Pro Connect My Account/Login
About Kirkus History Our Team Contest FAQ Press Center Info For Publishers
Privacy Policy
Terms & Conditions
Reprints, Permission & Excerpting Policy

Popular in this Genre

Hey there, book lover.

We’re glad you found a book that interests you!

Please select an existing bookshelf

Create a new bookshelf.

We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!

Please sign up to continue.

It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!

Already have an account? Log in.

Trouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.

Almost there!

Industry Professional

Welcome Back!

Sign in using your Kirkus account

Don’t fret. We’ll find you.

Magazine Subscribers ( How to Find Your Reader Number )

If You’ve Purchased Author Services

Don’t have an account yet? Sign Up.

Advertise Contact Privacy

Browse All Reviews

New Releases

List Reviews by Rating

List Reviews by Author

List Reviews by Title

dutch house ann patchett summary book review synopsis

The Dutch House (Review, Recap & Full Summary)

By ann patchett.

Book review, full book summary and synopsis for The Dutch House by Ann Patchett, a family drama about two siblings making sense of their childhood.

In The Dutch House , Maeve and Danny are siblings who grow up in a grand house in Elkins Park. The house is nicknamed The Dutch House, after the wealthy Dutch family that once inhabited it.

Maeve and Danny's mother abandoned their family when they were young, so they are raised by their father and the household help instead. One day, their father brings home a woman, Andrea Smith, who he later marries. Their father is more interested in his real estate holdings than in them, and Maeve and Danny's relationship with Andrea is fractious and later overtly hostile.

The Dutch House follows Maeve and Danny lives over many, many years as they revisit and struggle to make sense of their childhood.

(The Full Plot Summary is also available, below)

Full Plot Summary

In Part I , Danny and Maeve are raised by their father Cyril. Their mother Elna left when they were younger. They grow up in a grand house, known as the Dutch House. One day, Cyril brings home Andrea, a young, pretty woman with two young girls, Norma and Bright. Cyril and Andrea are indifferent parents. Instead, Maeve helps to take care of the girls and Danny. The household help, Sandy (housekeeper) and Jocelyn (cook), help to raise them as well. Maeve has an adversarial relationship with Andrea. Cyril is also more interested in nurturing Danny than Maeve, since Danny is male and will take over his real estate business someday. Cyril and Andrea marry.

When Cyril dies from a heart attack, Andrea bans both Maeve and Danny from the house, which is now hers along with Cyril's entire business. The only thing Cyril provided for is an educational trust for Danny, but not Maeve. This disrupts Maeve's plans for grad school. Instead, Maeve pushes Danny to pursue an expensive education (medical school), in order to drain the trust and prevent money from reverting to Andrea.

In Part II , Danny is in college now. Maeve still works as a bookkeeper at a grocery store in a nearby town. Danny and Maeve occasionally park outside the Dutch House and spy on Andrea voyeuristically. 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. Instead, he goes to medical school. When he starts making money as a medical intern, he's able to make his first real estate investments and pursue that instead.

Maeve runs into Fluffy, their former nanny, one day. Fluffy tells Danny that their mother Elna is alive and in town. Fluffy didn't tell Maeve in fear of upsetting her. Fluffy explains how Elna had hated the Dutch House and never felt at ease there. Elna had started disappearing for periods of time, and Cyril finally told Elna not to come back because of how upset Maeve was each time she disappeared.

Danny marries his girlfriend Celeste, and they have two children, May and Kevin. Danny is now quite wealthy. Fluffy becomes their nanny, and Sandy and Jocelyn are a part of their lives, too. Maeve and Danny still stake out the Dutch House, but mostly out of nostalgia. One night after almost being seen by Andrea, they agree it's time to stop visiting.

In Part III , Maeve gets very sick (she has diabetes), so Fluffy reaches out to Elna, who shows up at the hospital. Maeve is delighted, but Danny is resentful. Elna moves in with Maeve. 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.

One day, Elna suggests visiting Andrea. They (reluctantly) go and discover that Andrea now has a degenerative mental condition and doesn't recognize them. Norma has recently moved back to the Dutch House to take care of Andrea, and Bright is estranged from Andrea. Maeve reclaims a painting of herself that's still there. Elna decides to help take care of Andrea (partially as a penance for abandoning her family). Maeve passes away, and Danny eventually lets go of his resentment against Elna. May and Kevin spend more time at the house, and May falls in love with it.

When Andrea passes away, May asks Norma not to sell it yet. When May becomes rich and famous actress, she buys the house.

For more detail, see the full Section-by-Section Summary .

If this summary was useful to you, please consider supporting this site by leaving a tip ( $2 , $3 , or $5 ) or joining the Patreon !

Book Review

The Dutch House by Ann Patchett, her most recent novel, was released on September 24.

I’ve read a few books from Patchett in the past and really enjoy her writing. I thought Bel Canto was a lovely book, and State of Wonder was just okay, but still well written. 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.

I was out of town for a while and have been otherwise wrapped up in some other stuff, so this review took a little longer to get up than I’d intended, but here it is!

The Dutch House is one of those books that reminds my why I love reading so much. Flipping through its pages, I feel myself drawn into the understated and engrossing story of Danny and Maeve Conroy. On the most basic level, The Dutch House is a book about two people piecing together the fragments of their youth.

As much as I enjoy flashier mystery or fantasy or adventurous stories, there is a special place in my heart I reserve for subtle stories that are elegantly told. I find Ann Patchett’s writing very pleasurable to read. It’s neither too sparse or too flowery, instead it’s crisp, clear and confident in an unassuming way.

Maeve and Danny’s childhood has a fairytale-eque quality, as if Cinderella and Hansel & Gretel were mixed together. They grow up in a wealthy household but lose everything, their mother is presumed to be dead, Andrea plays the role of the evil stepmother, and their stepsisters Nora and Bright are brought in and given preferential treatment. 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.

But The Dutch House is no fairy tale and instead the book provides a sober reflection on how the stories we tell ourselves are shaped and whether the roles we cast people in should be considered or reconsidered later, with more maturity and perhaps more empathy.

That said, there were parts of the Dutch House didn’t entirely resonate with me. The conclusion of the novel felt a little too quaint or simplistic and a bit devoid of realism. And I found the character of their mother a little improbable as well, since her motivations and personality just didn’t make sense to me. Still, I realize this is a very subjective opinion, so people (or book clubs!) will likely have differing views on this, and it’s no reason not to read the book.

the dutch house by ann patchett book review

Read it or Skip it?

The Dutch House is a lovely and interesting story. People who enjoy family dramas or have liked Patchett’s work in the past should definitely consider this title.

It didn’t quite bring the story to a satisfying conclusion for me, but it’s such a well-written and engrossing family drama that I enjoyed it very much anyway. And I’m sure many people will like the ending just fine. Even if you feel like I did, I think you’ll probably still find something of value in this story anyway.

This would also be a fantastic book for book clubs to debate over the ending and discuss whether it makes them think about the roles they’ve cast the people in their lives into. It certainly made me think about my own childhood and the stories I’ve formed around it.

Of course, this is an understated and somewhat interior novel, so if that’s not something that interests you, then maybe try something else. Also, note that while their childhood borrows from fairytale-esque elements, this is not a fairytale-type book and doesn’t read like one. So if that’s what you’re interested in, you might want to skip this.

What do you think? Did you read this or would you consider reading it? Share your thoughts below! See The Dutch House on Amazon .

Book Excerpt

Read the first pages of The Dutch House

Share this post

Bookshelf -- A literary set collection game

Middle of the Night

The Housemaid is Watching

She’s Not Sorry

The Seven Year Slip

Darling Girls

It Finally Happened + Summer Romances

Best Literary Fiction of 2024 (New & Anticipated)

The Housemaid Book Series Recap

2024’s Best Book Club Books (New & Anticipated)

Bookshelf: Development Diary

10 comments

Share your thoughts cancel reply.

I loved the audiobook. It was my first novel by her, and I was impressed by her writing.

Tom Hanks did the audio for the Dutch house and I loved it.

Thanks for your thoughts. I loved Bel Canto but haven’t read anything else by Patchett. I’ll put this one my list and see if I can get to it.

I definitely want to read this book. It’s now shortlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction. Although I haven’t read any of Ann Patchett’s other books so perhaps I should start with Bel Canto?

I was confused after finishing this book. It seemed a little too far out the story of the mother that goes to India and comes back… What mother leaves 2 children? I did not care that much for the book. I am sure this book is great for our Book club discussions.

I totally agree! I mean I think some mothers would, but someone who was that concerned about helping others but couldn’t see how her actions would affect her children? It just didn’t sync up with me as a character.

Glad to hear I’m not the only one that thought it seemed like her personality didn’t make a ton of sense. Seemed like her actions were molded to fit the plot as opposed to a real person you could imagine.

I have read some comments detailing disbelief that Elna would leave her Children. Believe it! The guilt and shame for some women who abandon their Children overpower their love. Perhaps returning to their Children seemed like the opposite of love to Elna.

I’ve agreed with most of your reviews, but I thought The Dutch House was an inferior novel, very disappointing work from an author I respect. The house itself may have symbolized love and loss for the siblings, but I just wanted to say “Get over it!” Every childhood has trauma, a not unpleasant stepmother is not a major one in the scheme of things, and (considering how often the average American moves) the loss of a house is just shallow.

I love reading anything Ann Patchett writes and think she is a masterful storyteller. I agree with above reviews about Elna’s character not quite syncing in the story but was able to move past that easily because of the whole of the story. As someone who experienced 2 stepmothers after the death of my mother as well as the emotional abandonment of my father, this story was very real to me. Childhood trauma can and does follow you for life. Some people grow through it and some it cripples but few can just look in the rear view mirror and say “oh well”.

The book is great! Tom Hanks did a great job as always! I can picture Mads Mikkelsen as the father.

A blog by Parnassus Books

Notes from ann: your questions about the dutch house, answered.

by parnassusmusing
Posted on February 12, 2020 March 6, 2020

We’ve been getting a lot of questions about The Dutch House , more than I can possibly answer individually, so I’ve put together a list of answers. I hope this covers any questions you might have.

There is no actual Dutch House. It exists in my imagination and in the reader’s imagination. Everyone has a house or houses they think are spectacular. It may have been someplace you lived or someplace you drove past once. It could have been a museum or a historical home. The important thing is that the Dutch House in the book conjures up that feeling. I’ve taken bits and pieces from great houses I’ve been in over my life and run those details together — carved wooden panels, the dining room ceiling, a tiny kitchen in a grand house, the staircase, the ability to see through certain houses. I love that.

Interestingly, the vice president’s house in Bel Canto was based on an actual house — the president’s house at Sarah Lawrence College. I used to babysit the president’s daughter and spent a lot of time in that house. I later moved the whole thing into my novel, china closet and all.

The reason I set the book in Elkins Park is because of my friend Erica Schultz (née Buchsbaum). Her family lived in Wyncote, and I used to go home with her for the weekends and holidays when we were in school. I wanted to set The Dutch House somewhere near New York and so this seemed like the perfect location, plus there was the added benefit of being able to ask Erica and her sisters and her parents questions about where Danny and Maeve went to school, what trains they would take from the city, and where they would live as their fortunes rose and fell. All the Buchsbaums were tremendously helpful. I thought about setting the book in Evanston, Illinois, and Chicago. My friend Melissa Pinney lives in Evanston and I’ve never seen so many gorgeous houses in my life, but a big part of Commonwealth took place in Chicago, and I didn’t want to set another book there.

It was very important to me not to have any part of a house on the cover of the book. I wanted the portrait of Maeve to be on the cover. This turned out better than I ever could have imagined. I called my friend Noah Saterstrom (who also lives in Nashville) and asked him to paint Maeve’s portrait. I gave him the two pages in which the painting is mentioned in the novel and based on those two pages, he did the painting in three days. It’s not a portrait of a real person. I bought the painting from him. It’s hanging in our den. I never get tired of it. You can see more of Noah’s work at noahsaterstrom.com .

There are so many things I love about the painting, one is that it’s actually part of the plot, so at some point the reader will look back at the cover and think, wait a minute! Also, you almost never see a woman or girl on the cover of a novel who has a direct gaze. Women’s faces are very often turned away, half-covered by hats, or chopped off. It drives me crazy.

The book was always going to be told from Danny’s point of view. Even though I think of it as Maeve’s book, it was important to have his perspective. Maeve isn’t the kind of person to tell her own story, which is really the first thing you have to ask yourself when thinking about writing a first-person novel. I did try to write it in third person but it didn’t work.

I had a lot of help with the research for this book. The Buchsbaums, of course, for Elkins Park. My lawyer, James Gooch (yes, Lawyer Gooch) read an early draft and did the research to figure out how Andrea could wind up with everything. I had several people who had dealt in real estate in New York since the late sixties help me figure out how Danny made money without having money (that was really tricky!) And my dear husband Karl VanDevender practices internal medicine so he gave me all the details about medical school, internships, and residencies. There’s one part that takes place in an emergency room that came to me compliments of my neighbor, Jay Wellons, a pediatric neurosurgeon at Vanderbilt.

People have asked how Tom Hanks came to read the audio book . It turns out I know Tom Hanks and so I asked him. I never thought he’d say yes, but he did. People have also asked if I gave him directions on how to read it, inflections and that sort of thing, to which I say ha-ha-ha. This is Tom Hanks we’re talking about. He knows what he’s doing. He did a spectacular job and made the book so much better than it actually is. Please listen to the audio , and check out Libro.FM if you want to download an audio book and help support your local independent bookstore. Tom makes the book funny. In my mind, much of the book is funny, and he really brought that aspect to life. For that, and for everything else, I am extremely grateful.

I hope this helps!

Ann Patchett

Let's make it a conversation. Share this:

Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
Subscribe Subscribed
Copy shortlink
Report this content
View post in Reader
Manage subscriptions
Collapse this bar

Member Login
Library Patron Login
Get a Free Issue of our Ezine! Claim

Reviews of The Dutch House by Ann Patchett

The Dutch House

BookBrowse Review:
Critics' Consensus:
Readers' Rating:
First Published:
Sep 24, 2019, 352 pages
Jan 2021, 352 pages

Historical Fiction
Mid-Atlantic, USA
New York State
20th Century (multiple decades)
Generational Sagas
Parenting & Families
Strong Women
Top 20 Best Books of 2019
Publication Information
Write a Review
Buy This Book

About This Book

Reading Guide

Book Summary

Ann Patchett, the New York Times bestselling author of Commonwealth and State of Wonder , returns with her most powerful novel to date: a richly moving story that explores the indelible bond between two siblings, the house of their childhood, and a past that will not let them go.

"'Do you think it's possible to ever see the past as it actually was?' I asked my sister. We were sitting in her car, parked in front of the Dutch House in the broad daylight of early summer." 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. His first order of business is to buy the Dutch House, a lavish estate in the suburbs outside of Philadelphia. Meant as a surprise for his wife, the house sets in motion the undoing of everyone he loves. The story is told by Cyril's son Danny, as he and his older sister, the brilliantly acerbic and self-assured Maeve, are exiled from the house where they grew up by their stepmother. The two wealthy siblings are thrown back into the poverty their parents had escaped from and find that all they have to count on is one another. It is this unshakeable bond between them that both saves their lives and thwarts their futures. Set over the course of five decades, The Dutch House is a dark fairy tale about two smart people who cannot overcome their past. Despite every outward sign of success, Danny and Maeve are only truly comfortable when they're together. Throughout their lives they return to the well-worn story of what they've lost with humor and rage. But when at last they're forced to confront the people who left them behind, the relationship between an indulged brother and his ever-protective sister is finally tested. The Dutch House is the story of a paradise lost, a tour de force that digs deeply into questions of inheritance, love and forgiveness, of how we want to see ourselves and of who we really are. Filled with suspense, you may read it quickly to find out what happens, but what happens to Danny and Maeve will stay with you for a very long time.

Excerpt The Dutch House

The first time Maeve and I ever parked on VanHoebeek Street (Van Who-bake, mispronounced as Van Ho-bik by everyone in Elkins Park) was the first time I'd come home from Choate for spring break. Spring was something of a misnomer that year since there was a foot of snow on the ground, an April Fool's Day joke to cap a bitter winter. True spring, I knew from my first half-semester at boarding school, was for the boys whose parents took them sailing in Bermuda. "What are you doing?" I asked her when she stopped in front of the Buchsbaums' house, across the street from the Dutch House. "I want to see something." Maeve leaned over and pushed in the cigarette lighter. "Nothing to see here," I said to her. "Move along." I was in a crappy mood because of the weather and what I saw as the inequity between what I had and what I deserved, but still, I was glad to be back in Elkins Park, glad to be in my sister's car, the blue Oldsmobile wagon of our childhood that my ...

Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!

What are the many and varied details of the Dutch House—rooms, stairways, architectural specifics, furniture, windows and doors, etc.? What mood or personality does each space or element possess? What is the complex, overall effect? What might Danny mean when he says, "the house was the story" or that it was "impossible"?
What is the nature of the relationship between Maeve and Danny? What explains the longevity and power of their support and love for one another?
What is Cyril Conroy like? How might specific behaviors, routines, and decisions of his have influenced Maeve and Danny? Why was he "always more comfortable with his tenants than he was the people in his office or...in his house"? What was it about buildings that he ...
"Beyond the Book" articles
Free books to read and review (US only)
Find books by time period, setting & theme
Read-alike suggestions by book and author
Book club discussions
and much more!
Just $45 for 12 months or $15 for 3 months.
More about membership!

Media Reviews

Reader reviews, bookbrowse review.

The varying descriptions of the house, inside and outside, before and after the siblings' exile, are atmospheric. It looms over everything that goes on, and it's easy to see why Danny and Maeve have remained so deeply affected by it. This is also the kind of novel you might put down many times after a certain line or two, thinking back to your own experiences and wondering how she could possibly know a piece of your life or your family so well... continued

Full Review (833 words) This review is available to non-members for a limited time. For full access, become a member today .

(Reviewed by Rory L. Aronsky ).

Write your own review!

Beyond the Book

The stories that houses can hold.

Exterior of Dyrham Park, the house used as a film location for Remains of the Day

This "beyond the book" feature is available to non-members for a limited time. Join today for full access.

Read-Alikes

Genres & Themes

If you liked The Dutch House, try these:

by Ann Patchett

Published 2025

About this book

More by this author

In this beautiful and moving novel about family, love, and growing up, Ann Patchett once again proves herself one of America's finest writers.

The Warm Hands of Ghosts

by Katherine Arden

Published 2024

During the Great War, a combat nurse searches for her brother, believed dead in the trenches despite eerie signs that suggest otherwise, in this hauntingly beautiful historical novel with a speculative twist, from the New York Times bestselling author of The Bear and the Nightingale .

Books with similar themes

Become a Member

BookBrowse Book Club

Members Recommend

Everything We Never Knew by Julianne Hough

A dazzling, heartwarming novel from Emmy winner Julianne Hough and Rule author Ellen Goodlett.

The Fertile Earth by Ruthvika Rao

A love story set against India's political turmoil, where two young people defy social barriers.

Solve this clue:

The A O M E

and be entered to win..

Win This Book

Follow the Stars Home by Diane C. McPhail

A reimagining of the intrepid woman who braved treacherous waters on the first steamboat voyage to conquer the Mississippi River.

Free Weekly Newsletters

Discover what's happening in the world of books: reviews, previews, interviews, giveaways, and more plus when you subscribe, we'll send you a free issue of our member's only ezine..

Spam Free : Your email is never shared with anyone; opt out any time.

Getting Started
Start a Book Club
Book Club Ideas/Help
Our Featured Clubs

LitResources

Popular Books
Reading Guides
Find a Recipe
About LitCourse
Course Catalog

Dutch House (Patchett)

Article Index

Book Reviews
Discussion Questions

The Dutch House Anne Patchett, 2019 HarperCollins 352 pp. ISBN-13: 9780062963673 Summary A powerful novel and richly moving story that explores the indelible bond between two siblings, the house of their childhood, and a past that will not let them go . "Do you think it’s possible to ever see the past as it actually was?" I asked my sister. We were sitting in her car, parked in front of the Dutch House in the broad daylight of early summer." 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. His first order of business is to buy the Dutch House, a lavish estate in the suburbs outside of Philadelphia. Meant as a surprise for his wife, the house sets in motion the undoing of everyone he loves. The story is told by Cyril’s son Danny, as he and his older sister, the brilliantly acerbic and self-assured Maeve, are exiled, by their stepmother, from the house where they grew up. The two wealthy siblings are thrown back into the poverty their parents had escaped from and find that all they have to count on is one another. It is this unshakeable bond between them that both saves their lives and thwarts their futures. Set over the course of five decades, The Dutch House is a dark fairy tale about two smart people who cannot overcome their past. Despite every outward sign of success, Danny and Maeve are only truly comfortable when they’re together. Throughout their lives they return to the well-worn story of what they’ve lost with humor and rage. But when at last they’re forced to confront the people who left them behind, the relationship between an indulged brother and his ever-protective sister is finally tested. The Dutch House is the story of a paradise lost, a tour de force that digs deeply into questions of inheritance, love and forgiveness, of how we want to see ourselves and of who we really are. Filled with suspense, you may read it quickly to find out what happens, but what happens to Danny and Maeve will stay with you for a very long time.

Create a free Bookclubs account to organize your book club, get reading recommendations, view hundreds of discussion guides, and more!

Reading this title?

The Dutch House

By Ann Patchett

The Dutch House Book Club Questions PDF

Click here for a printable PDF of the The Dutch House discussion questions

IMAGES

This review of The Dutch House by Ann Patchett explores the fictional family saga that has
The Dutch House [Book Review]
8 book club questions for ‘The Dutch House’ by Ann Patchett
The Dutch House Book Club Questions
Book Club Questions for The Dutch House by Ann Patchett (+ Printable PDF)
Best dutch house book club questions

COMMENTS

THE DUTCH HOUSE Book Club Questions: Your Meeting Guide
HarperCollins published Ann Patchett's eighth novel, The Dutch House, on September 24, 2019. The novel tells the story of Danny and Maeve Conroy over the course of five decades. The siblings are raised together in the Dutch House by their father and their stepmother Andrea. But when Danny and Maeve's father dies, Andrea forces the two out ...
The Dutch House by Ann Patchett
The Dutch House. by Ann Patchett. 1. What are the many and varied details of the Dutch House --- rooms, stairways, architectural specifics, furniture, windows and doors, etc.? What mood or personality does each space or element possess? What is the complex, overall effect? What might Danny mean when he says, "the house was the story" or ...
The Dutch House Book Club Questions (+PDF)
Conclusion. Ann Patchett's The Dutch House is a mesmerizing exploration of family, memory, and the passage of time, encapsulated by the line, "We overlay the present onto the past.". Book clubs will revel in dissecting the intricacies of the Conroy siblings' relationship, accompanied by questions of inheritance, loss, and redemption ...
9 The Dutch House Book Club Questions For Discussion
9 The Dutch House Book Club Questions For Discussion. Ann Patchett's The Dutch House is a haunting exploration of family, loss, and the enduring bonds of siblinghood. This sprawling saga follows Danny and Maeve, two wealthy siblings whose lives are irrevocably altered by the loss of their mother and the arrival of a stepmother.
Best the dutch house discussion questions
These discussion questions provide a starting point for engaging conversations about The Dutch House. Whether you are reading the book with a book club, a friend, or on your own, exploring these topics will deepen your understanding of the novel and stimulate thought-provoking discussions.
25 book club discussion questions for 'The Dutch House'
This month, #ReadWithJenna book club participants have been falling in love with Ann Patchett's "The Dutch House," a modern fairy tale that's perfect for Halloween season.. Spanning 50 years, the ...
The Dutch House Book Club Questions
The Dutch House Book Club Questions. September 3, 2021 by Carol Guttery. Ann Patchett's The Dutch House is quite a read. The novel has received a lot of accolades. It was a Pulitzer Award Finalist, Women's Prize for Fiction finalist and it's been featured on Jenna Bush's Book Club list. The Dutch House features a looming, ornate house ...
8 Book Club Questions for 'The Dutch House' by Ann Patchett
If you liked The Dutch House, then these related titles might be a hit for your next book club pick. 1. Commonwealth by Ann Patchett. The theme of sibling bonds — in addition to messy family relationships and struggles — runs through both novels by Patchett. Each also considers the deep, intricate love that makes the sibling bond so special.
Book Club Questions for The Dutch House by Ann Patchett (+ Printable PDF)
Book club questions for The Dutch House by Ann Patchett explore the complexities of relationships, the consequences of choices, and the ways in which individuals cope with adversity and change. This is a dark fairytale: ... Discover best-selling new books, popular book club picks, and join us on a literary journey through book reviews ...
The Dutch House
The Dutch House by Ann Patchett. reviewed by Jackie Thomas-Kennedy. In her eighth novel, Patchett revisits the concerns of previous works, including Commonwealth (the shifting plates of family life after divorce; the bonds among siblings; the process of forgiveness) and Run (the absent mother, the creation of family). The "Dutch house" in a wealthy suburb of Philadelphia is the site of ...
The Dutch House by Ann Pachett
Discussion Questions. 1. What are the many and varied details of the Dutch House rooms, stairways, architectural specifics, furniture, windows and doors, etc.? What mood or personality does each space or element possess? What is the complex, overall effect? What might Danny mean when he says, "the house was the story" or that it was "impossible ...
Book Clubbin': 10 Discussion Questions for The Dutch House by Ann
This month, we've got questions for The Dutch House by Ann Patchett. This book has been taking the world by storm, and news traveled fast when it was announced that Tom Hanks would be narrating Patchett's latest release. Already a smash hit, The Dutch House was selected as 2019's Book of the Year by publications such as The Times ...
The Dutch House by Ann Patchett
The Dutch House is full of the stuff I love in fiction. It's really well written, has great characters, is original and feels like a big meaty story I could get lost in. Danny is the narrator. He grew up in the grandiose Dutch House with his sister, Maeve, and his father. What happens to his mother is a mystery that unravels over time.
Ann Patchett's 'The Dutch House,' Reviewed : NPR
Ann Patchett's 'The Dutch House,' Reviewed Patchett's new novel is a story of paradise lost, dusted with fairy tale. It follows two siblings who bond after their mother leaves the family home ...
The Dutch House Reviews, Discussion Questions and Links
The Dutch House is the story of a paradise lost, a tour de force that digs deeply into questions of inheritance, love and forgiveness, of how we want to see ourselves and of who we really are. Characters: 49. Amazon rating: 4 1/2 stars. Genre: Fiction. North Carolina Correctional Institute for Women.
The Dutch House
The Dutch House. by Ann Patchett. Publication Date: January 5, 2021. Genres: Fiction. Paperback: 352 pages. Publisher: Harper Perennial. ISBN-10: 0062963686. ISBN-13: 9780062963680. Ann Patchett, the New York Times bestselling author of COMMONWEALTH and STATE OF WONDER, returns with her most powerful novel to date: a richly moving story that ...
THE DUTCH HOUSE
At times, the characters and the emotional core of the events are almost obscured by such quick maneuvering through the weighty plot. Dark and unsettling, this novel's end arrives abruptly even as readers are still moving at a breakneck speed. 68. Pub Date: April 24, 2018. ISBN: 978-1-5011-5464-5.
Review: The Dutch House by Ann Patchett
Book Review. The Dutch House by Ann Patchett, her most recent novel, was released on September 24. I've read a few books from Patchett in the past and really enjoy her writing. I thought Bel Canto was a lovely book, and State of Wonder was just okay, but still well written. Plus, The Dutch House's fairytale-esque elements appealed to me ...
Notes From Ann: Your Questions About The Dutch House, Answered
The important thing is that the Dutch House in the book conjures up that feeling. I've taken bits and pieces from great houses I've been in over my life and run those details together — carved wooden panels, the dining room ceiling, a tiny kitchen in a grand house, the staircase, the ability to see through certain houses.
The Dutch House by Ann Patchett: Summary and reviews
The Dutch House is the story of a paradise lost, a tour de force that digs deeply into questions of inheritance, love and forgiveness, of how we want to see ourselves and of who we really are. Filled with suspense, you may read it quickly to find out what happens, but what happens to Danny and Maeve will stay with you for a very long time.
Dutch House (Patchett)
The Dutch House Anne Patchett, 2019 HarperCollins 352 pp. ISBN-13: 9780062963673 Summary A powerful novel and richly moving story that explores the indelible bond between two siblings, the house of their childhood, and a past that will not let them go. "Do you think it's possible to ever see the past as it actually was?" I asked my sister.
Book club questions for The Dutch House: A Novel
Jump start your discussion of The Dutch House: A Novel with thought-provoking book club questions from Bookclubs, the best app and website for organizing your
The Dutch House Review and Summary
Conclusion. This The Dutch House review and summary explored a mesmerizing tale of family, memory, and the passage of time, encapsulated by the line, "We overlay the present onto the past.". Readers revel in dissecting the intricacies of the Conroy siblings' relationship, accompanied by questions of inheritance, loss, and redemption.

THE DUTCH HOUSE Book Club Questions: Your Meeting Guide

Emily Martin

The Dutch House : A Reading Guide

10 The Dutch House Book Club Questions

You Might Also Like

9 The Dutch House Book Club Questions For Discussion

Book Club Questions for The Dutch House

Best the dutch house discussion questions

See these The Dutch House discussion questions:

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

25 questions to think over as you finish #ReadWithJenna's October pick

"The Dutch House" by Ann Patchett

The Dutch House: A Novel

The Dutch House Book Club Questions

The Dutch House Synopsis

Selected Reviews for The Dutch House

NEED BOOK CLUB IDEAS?

3 Books like The Dutch House

The Wangs Vs the World

Mexican Gothic

Book Club Questions for The Dutch House by Ann Patchett (+ Printable PDF)

The Dutch House by Ann Patchett

About the Story

About the Author

Book Club Questions for The Dutch House

Other Books by Ann Patchett

These Precious Days by Ann Patchett

Commonwealth by Ann Patchett

Printable PDF

[types field='book-title'][/types] [types field='book-author'][/types]

Contributor Bio

The Dutch House

Like what you've read? Share it!

Book Clubbin’: 10 Discussion Questions for The Dutch House by Ann Patchett

Feature Posts

Book Reviews

The Dutch House

Author Interviews

Patchett: In Bad Relationships, 'There Comes A Day When You Gotta Go'

THE DUTCH HOUSE

THE NIGHTINGALE

THE LAST LETTER

Please select an existing bookshelf

Please sign up to continue.

Almost there!

Sign in using your Kirkus account

The Dutch House (Review, Recap & Full Summary)

Full Plot Summary

Book Review

Read it or Skip it?

Book Excerpt

10 comments

A blog by Parnassus Books

Let's make it a conversation. Share this:

Reviews of The Dutch House by Ann Patchett

The Dutch House

About This Book

Book Summary

Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!

Media Reviews

Beyond the Book

Read-Alikes

Books with similar themes

BookBrowse Book Club

Members Recommend

Win This Book

Free Weekly Newsletters

LitResources

Article Index

The Dutch House

The Dutch House Book Club Questions PDF

IMAGES

COMMENTS