The Miniaturist (Paperback)
Jessie Burton (author)
£8.99
£6.99
Paperback
448 Pages /
Published: 01/01/2015
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Winner of the Waterstones Book of the Year 2014
There is nothing hidden that will not be revealed...
On an autumn day in 1686, eighteen-year-old Nella Oortman knocks at the door of a grand house in the wealthiest quarter of Amsterdam. She has come from the country to begin a new life as the wife of illustrious merchant trader Johannes Brandt, but instead she is met by his sharp-tongued sister, Marin.
Only later does Johannes appear and present her with an extraordinary wedding gift: a cabinet-sized replica of their home. It is to be furnished by an elusive miniaturist, whose tiny creations mirror their real-life counterparts in unexpected ways...
Nella is at first mystified by the closed world of the Brandt household, but as she uncovers its secrets she realizes the escalating dangers that await them all. Does the miniaturist hold their fate in her hands? And will she be the key to their salvation or the architect of their downfall?
In 2014, Jessie Burton's debut The Miniaturist stood out for us as an exquisite example of the writer’s craft, combining an intoxicating sense of place with a genuine sense of mystery and suspense. From our selection that year for our Waterstones Book of the Year, The Miniaturist stood out as a clear winner and it has been truly rewarding to see its reputation as a novel subsequently recognised the world over.
The BBC's adaptation of The Miniaturist is scheduled for broadcast this Christmas.
Publisher: Pan Macmillan
ISBN: 9781447250937
Number of pages: 448
Weight: 327 g
Dimensions: 197 x 131 x 28 mm
MEDIA REVIEWS
The kind of book that reminds you why you fell in love with reading -- S. J. Watson, author of Before I Go to Sleep
A fabulously gripping read that will appeal to fans of Girl With a Pearl Earring and The Goldfinch, but Burton is a genuinely new voice with her visceral take on sex, race and class . . . Burton writes great complex female characters * Observer *
A terrific novel: compelling cast, gripping plot, writing to savour -- Nathan Filer, author of The Shock of the Fall
A remarkable debut - complex, involving and deeply atmospheric -- Deborah Moggach, author of Tulip Fever
The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton is set in 17th century Amsterdam where a trader presents his new wife Nella with a miniature replica of their home. Its tiny occupants mirror their real-life counterparts and show Nella what grave dangers lie in wait. -- Hot Books of 2014 * Daily Express *
A delight on every page, The Miniaturist completely immerses the reader in sumptuous but strict seventeenth-century Amsterdam. Like the intricately crafted doll's house at the centre of the novel, there is a surprise behind each closed door and curtain - hidden worlds of deceit and seduction, guilds and guilders, candied walnuts and sugar loaves. Burton's novel is lovingly done, and exquisite to read -- Naomi Wood, author of Mrs. Hemingway
Utterly beguiling and impeccably written. I am missing the characters already -- Emylia Hall, author of The Book of Summers
Utterly transporting, The Miniaturist is one of those rare debut novels that excels in every regard. The past is brought to life in potent, sensory detail: one feels steeped in it. Burton's prose beguiles the reader, while a riptide of a plot takes hold with an unrelenting grip of suspense. My first instinct on finishing this book was to immediately read it again -- Hannah Kent, author of Burial Rites
A fabulously gripping read that will appeal to fans of Girl With a Pearl Earring and The Goldfinch, but Burton is a genuinely new voice with her visceral take on sex, race and class . . . Burton writes great complex female characters * Observer *
A terrific novel: compelling cast, gripping plot, writing to savour -- Nathan Filer, author of The Shock of the Fall
A remarkable debut - complex, involving and deeply atmospheric -- Deborah Moggach, author of Tulip Fever
The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton is set in 17th century Amsterdam where a trader presents his new wife Nella with a miniature replica of their home. Its tiny occupants mirror their real-life counterparts and show Nella what grave dangers lie in wait. -- Hot Books of 2014 * Daily Express *
A delight on every page, The Miniaturist completely immerses the reader in sumptuous but strict seventeenth-century Amsterdam. Like the intricately crafted doll's house at the centre of the novel, there is a surprise behind each closed door and curtain - hidden worlds of deceit and seduction, guilds and guilders, candied walnuts and sugar loaves. Burton's novel is lovingly done, and exquisite to read -- Naomi Wood, author of Mrs. Hemingway
Utterly beguiling and impeccably written. I am missing the characters already -- Emylia Hall, author of The Book of Summers
Utterly transporting, The Miniaturist is one of those rare debut novels that excels in every regard. The past is brought to life in potent, sensory detail: one feels steeped in it. Burton's prose beguiles the reader, while a riptide of a plot takes hold with an unrelenting grip of suspense. My first instinct on finishing this book was to immediately read it again -- Hannah Kent, author of Burial Rites
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“Biggest Book of 2014”
This is the biggest book of 2014, and for good reason. Nella Oortman is married to a wealthy merchant and begins her new life in 17th Century Amsterdam. But Johannes Brandt’s home is full of secrets and is dominated... More
“Dark and twisted...”
This book starts well enough; the pages turn and the plot unfolds quickly - I never really felt connected to the main protagonist, Nella in any way at the beginning, and to me the author struggles to have Nella's... More
“A literary masterpiece”
It is not the story of this book that draws you in, it is the pure bliss that accompanies Jessie Burton's writing. The book leaves you bewildered but also with food for thought. The language enough should make... More
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