Blogging Anniversary - 10 years

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A while ago I checked when I did my first blog post, in order to celebrate with an anniversary post. Well, that day came and went without any reaction from me. Better late than never, so here a reminder of my very first blog post from 24 October 2012.  The book was New Finnish Grammar  by Diego Marani. Marani is an Italian novelist, translator and newspaper columnist. While working as a translator for the European Union he invented a language ‘Europanto’ which is a mixture of languages and based on the common practice of word-borrowing usage of many EU languages. It was a suitable book to start with, being a book about letters, languages and memories. With a beautiful prose, the novel went directly to my heart.  "One night at Trieste in September 1943 a seriously wounded soldier is found on the quay. The doctor, of a newly arrived German hospital ship, Pietri Friari gives the unconscious soldier medical assistance. His new patient has no documents or anything that can ide...
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The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton

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The Miniaturist comes with a lot of good reviews, and as usual I am afraid that I will expect too much. Not so. This is a wonderfully written magical piece of historical fiction. Nella Oortman is married to a successful merchant trader in Amsterdam in 1686. He is a good catch for her and although she does not know him she has high hopes for the future. Once she arrives in Amsterdam to knock on the door of his house, her life changes for ever. And not in the way she expected it.

"On the step of her new husband's house, Nella Oortman lifts and drops the dolphin knocker, embarrassed by the thud. No one comes, though she is expected. The time was prearranged and letters ritten, her mother's paper so thin compared with Brandt's expensive vellum. No, she thinks, this is not the best of greetings, given the blink of a marriage ceremony the month before - no garlands, no betrothal cup, no wedding bed."

Johannes lives with his sister Marin in an elegant house, together with a black servant and a maid. They are all unique characters and it takes time for Nella to find out going ons in the house. As a wedding present she gets a miniature doll's house and through an advertisement she finds a miniaturist who creates wonderful pieces for the house. It is just that the pieces reflects the life in her real house.

In small pieces we get to know the secrets of the house together with Nella. It is much more complicated that what meats the eye. It gives a good description of the times, both as regards people, pictures of the city and the rules and policies of the time. When Nella sets out to find out who the miniaturist is and why the miniaturist knows so much about the family, she discovers more than she asked for. She grows adult fast and have to deal with unexpected events as regards her family.

An intriguing story that captures you from page one. It is beautifully written and the characterisation is well developed. The story takes you into hidden territories, love and friendship and it is a magical world that Jessie Burton has created. Could hardly put the book down.

Comments

  1. Jeanie9 January 2018 at 17:03

    This one sounds extremely intriguing -- and the words "could hardly put the book down" sure do make me interested in checking it out myself!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lisbeth 17 October 2019 at 11:48

      Sorry, Jeanie. Just realised I had not answered your comment. Yes, it is a wonderful book. I am just about to review her second book, The Muse, which is a worthy second book from this interesting author.

      Delete

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