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The Miniaturist: A Novel by [Jessie Burton]

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Jessie Burton

The Miniaturist: A Novel Kindle Edition

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Now a television miniseries, as seen on Masterpiece on PBS

Set in seventeenth century Amsterdam—a city ruled by glittering wealth and oppressive religion—a masterful debut steeped in atmosphere and shimmering with mystery, in the tradition of Emma Donoghue, Sarah Waters, and Sarah Dunant.

”There is nothing hidden that will not be revealed . . .“

On a brisk autumn day in 1686, eighteen-year-old Nella Oortman arrives in Amsterdam to begin a new life as the wife of illustrious merchant trader Johannes Brandt. But her new home, while splendorous, is not welcoming. Johannes is kind yet distant, always locked in his study or at his warehouse office—leaving Nella alone with his sister, the sharp-tongued and forbidding Marin.

But Nella’s world changes when Johannes presents her with an extraordinary wedding gift: a cabinet-sized replica of their home. To furnish her gift, Nella engages the services of a miniaturist—an elusive and enigmatic artist whose tiny creations mirror their real-life counterparts in eerie and unexpected ways . . .

Johannes’ gift helps Nella to pierce the closed world of the Brandt household. But as she uncovers its unusual secrets, she begins to understand—and fear—the escalating dangers that await them all. In this repressively pious society where gold is worshipped second only to God, to be different is a threat to the moral fabric of society, and not even a man as rich as Johannes is safe. Only one person seems to see the fate that awaits them. Is the miniaturist the key to their salvation . . . or the architect of their destruction?

Enchanting, beautiful, and exquisitely suspenseful, The Miniaturist is a magnificent story of love and obsession, betrayal and retribution, appearance and truth.

Print length

419 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Ecco
Publication date

26 August 2014
File size

752 KB
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Book Description

NOW A MAJOR BBC TELEVISION SERIES – beautiful, intoxicating and filled with heart-pounding suspense, The Miniaturist is a magnificent story of love and obsession, betrayal and retribution, appearance and truth. --This text refers to the audioCD edition.

Review

'The Miniaturist is that rarest of things – beautifully written, yet also a compelling page-turner. It's haunting, magical, and full of surprises, the kind of book that reminds you why you fell in love with reading.' -- S J Watson, bestselling author of Before I Go to Sleep

'A remarkable debut – complex, involving and deeply atmospheric.' -- Deborah Moggach

'The next big thing ... Incredibly well-written, beautifully plotted ... If you tore through Donna Tartt's The Goldfinch, you'll love it.' -- Evening Standard

'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.' -- The Observer

'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 --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

From the Inside Flap

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?
Beautiful, intoxicating and filled with heart-pounding suspense, The Miniaturist is a magnificent story of love and obsession, betrayal and retribution, appearance and truth.

--This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

From the Back Cover

On a brisk autumn day in 1686, eighteen-year-old Nella Oortman arrives in Amsterdam to begin a new life as the wife of illustrious merchant trader Johannes Brandt. But her new home, while splendorous, is not welcoming. Johannes is kind yet distant, always locked in his study or at his warehouse office–leaving Nella alone with his sister, the sharp-tongued and forbidding Marin.

But Nella's life changes when Johannes presents her with an extraordinary wedding gift: a cabinet-sized replica of their home. To furnish her gift, Nella engages the services of a miniaturist–an elusive and enigmatic artist whose tiny creations mirror their real-life counterparts in eerie and unexpected ways...

Johannes's gift helps Nella pierce the closed world of the Brandt household. But as she uncovers its unusual secrets, she begins to understand–and fear–the escalating dangers that await them all. In this repressively pious society where gold is worshipped second only to God, to be different is a threat to the moral fabric of society, and not even a man as rich as Johannes is safe. Only one person seems to see the fate that awaits them. Is the miniaturist the key to their salvation...or the architect of their destruction?

Enchanting, beautifully written, and exquisitely suspenseful, The Miniaturist is a magnificent story of love and obsession, betrayal and retribution, appearance and truth.

--This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

From the Publisher

Jessie Burton was born in 1982. She studied at Oxford University and the Central School of Speech and Drama, and has worked as an actress and a PA in the City. She now lives in south-east London, not far from where she grew up. She is the author of the bestselling novels The Miniaturist and The Muse. --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

Review

The sensational No. 1 Sunday Times Bestseller now a three-part BBC adaptation. --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

From the Author

Jessie Burton was born in 1982. She studied at Oxford University and the Central School of Speech and Drama, and has worked as an actress and a PA in the City. She now lives in south-east London, not far from where she grew up. She is the author of the bestselling novels The Miniaturist and The Muse. --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

Review

'The Miniaturist is that rarest of things – beautifully written, yet also a compelling page-turner. It's haunting, magical, and full of surprises, the kind of book that reminds you why you fell in love with reading.' (S J Watson)

'A remarkable debut – complex, involving and deeply atmospheric.' (Deborah Moggach)

'The next big thing ... Incredibly well-written, beautifully plotted ... If you tore through Donna Tartt's The Goldfinch, you'll love it.' (Evening Standard)

'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.' (The Observer)

'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) --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

Review

The kind of book that reminds you why you fell in love with reading

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

A remarkable debut - complex, involving and deeply atmospheric

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. ― 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

Utterly beguiling and impeccably written. I am missing the characters already

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 --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Jessie Burton is the author of the Sunday Times number one and New York Times bestsellers The Miniaturist and The Muse, and the children’s book The Restless Girls. In its year of publication The Miniaturist sold over a million copies, and in 2017 it was adapted into a major TV series for BBC One. Her novels have been translated into thirty-eight languages, and she is a regular essay writer for newspapers and magazines. She lives in London. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00H1UK3UO
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Ecco; Illustrated edition (26 August 2014)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 752 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Print length ‏ : ‎ 419 pages

Customer Reviews:
5,991 ratings

About the author

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Jessie Burton

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Jessie Burton is the author of the Sunday Times bestselling novels The Miniaturist, The Muse, and The Confession, and of the children's book The Restless Girls. Her novels have been translated into 38 languages, and she is a regular essay writer for newspapers and magazines.

The Miniaturist was a Sunday Times number 1 bestseller in both hardback and paperback, and a New York Times bestseller. It sold over a million copies in its first year of publication, and was awarded the Waterstones Book of the Year, and Book of the Year at the National Book Awards. In 2017 it was adapted into a major TV series for BBC One.

The Muse was a Sunday Times number 1 bestseller in both hardback and paperback, and has sold more than 500,000 copies.

The Confession is Jessie's third novel, and became an immediate Sunday Times bestseller.

Visit her website at https://www.jessieburton.com, and follow her on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/jessieburton

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Top reviews from Australia

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Sheila Cronk

Book of the Year!

Reviewed in Australia on 3 March 2018

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Just wonderful! I saw episode 1 on television and felt I had to see the book, it didn't disappoint. So beautifully written, the prose just uplifted me and I felt I was reading a book that will become a true classic.

The plot is intriguing, with many twists, turns and nuances. It's not a romance but how a girl becomes a strong woman through the crucible of fire.

At times I cried, times I threw my hands up in horror. To say its haunting is an understatement. Somehow I kept thinking about Tale of Two Cities - its in that class of fiction; or Hardy who was master of setting his scenes with unforgettable prose .

The scenes are richly drawn, the hidden secrets that drive the book are unexpected, the characters full and complex, and sometime not so nice - but always human.

The city that swirled around the girl is just amazing, I smelt it, felt the ground beneath my feet and cried three times at the events. I am not a weepy person and it takes something very powerful to make me cry. I think the author drew me into the shoes of her central character.
It is for me a book I couldn't put down. I read it in one sitting all evening, through the dark nightinand finished it around midday.

I see some comment that they didn't like The Miniaturist, that it was confusing and even boring. If you are reader of light romance then this is not what you are seeking. But if you are an educated reader this book will fulfil everything you want.

I bow to Jessie Burton! This book will become a classic. If this is the only book you ever buy on Kindle - then buy it.

Occasionally in our lives we come across literature that influences us, and is with us forever. For me Eve Langley's Pea Pickers captured me as a teen, trapped inside a wet tent, rain pouring down, in an obscure outback town as we travelled Australia. That was long ago but I know The Miniaturist will stay in my mind forever.
Just an amazing book!

One person found this helpful

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Sally Forest

A page-turner with depth

Reviewed in Australia on 10 April 2017

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Thank you, Jessie Burton, for the book I've been looking for - something to keep me reading but with plenty of good characters and writing. Just starting now to re-read it again immediately (there was so much depth in the narrative and the background) I realized how fabulous was the opening chapter: intriguing setting, even more mysterious characters and happenings, and so many questions left in my mind - what, who, why?
Even though normally I prefer realist plots the hints of magic and secret controls were resolved by allusions to human perceptions and vulnerability to suggestion in times of ignorance, fear and uncertainty.
The story of a young relatively ignorant young woman, newly married, arriving at the home of her husband, as she faces confusing, frustrating and threatening events had me concerned, hopeful, anxious, fearful and proud. Her strength and character in response to set-back is as relevant now as it apparently was in the 17th century.

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Lulu

If you love good writing, and a good story ,this book is for you.

Reviewed in Australia on 18 December 2019

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This book had me fascinated from the first page to the last. I would put it in the same league as “The Goldfinch.”
It was well written and the story is captivating, certainly different from anything I imagined. I recommend this book and would love to read more from this author.

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Helereb

I wanted to like this book more but to be honest I found ...

Reviewed in Australia on 6 June 2018

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I read this book some weeks ago for my book club. I found the setting in Amsterdam quite lovely but the social side of things was very limiting at that time. Class distinction was rife and the Dutch East Indies Company was so powerful. I wanted to like this book more but to be honest I found it quite depressing and the spiritual side of the story was just not convincing.

Reviewed in Australia on 5 July 2019

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The setting in old Amsterdam was riveting. The customs and the times were engaging. The characters well drawn with all their human traits expounded. Great read and movie.

Reviewed in Australia on 28 April 2018

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A book of Ultimate love and sacrifice and how strong one woman is to prove her husbands innocence. A tragic ending.

One person found this helpful

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Miss Shezza

A beautiful, beautiful story....

Reviewed in Australia on 11 January 2015

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A beautiful read but also a very sad, strange, uplifting and very moving read....I loved this book from page one and had it read, from cover to cover, in two days.
I highly recommend it!

Reviewed in Australia on 26 January 2018

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Beware the secrets you hide. A spellbinding tale of secrets kept, disclosed and buried forever. Hard to put down, intriguing.

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Kindle Customer

A little slow

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 7 January 2018

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This is the story of Nella who is married off to a rich man in Amsterdam, she rarely sees her husband in the beginning, he obviously has secrets which we find out fairly quickly, and then there is Marin her sister in law, she is very unfriendly and also has her own secrets to hide. Her husband buys her a dolls house which is a replica of her own house and soon she starts receiving items for it from a miniaturist whose identity is unknown. I enjoyed aspects of this book, however I took ages to get into the story, it's very slow, and also a very sad, dark read. I was also very disappointed with the ending as the main question of the book was left unanswered i thought. It could have done with 1 more chapter to the everything together.

28 people found this helpful

Book Bonkers

"I Fight To Emerge"

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 20 April 2018

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This little motto is one of many elliptical messages sent out by The Miniaturist, whose sylph-like presence in the novel traces the growing pains of Nella Brandt during the Dutch Golden Age. The trope of the doll's cabinet is cleverly conceived as it allows Burton to let the feminist coming-of-age theme to mould itself. The narrative works as delicately as a prism, its tortoiseshell and pewter shades refracting 'the more irregular, intimate jumps of an interior life' as the miniaturist authors Nella's story, opening up into little compartments whose inhabitants seem to shape-shift according to the joys and tragedies that beset them in real life. Living among the sumptuous fabrics of Johannes' home, her struggle is to turn them into tapestries of hope, with no one to weave them, she says, but ourselves. Male homosexuality, miscegenation and the struggle for female independence become obstacles in a city where the tradition of the 'Gebuurte', a sort of 17th-century Dutch neighbourhood watch scheme, pries into the private lives of individuals who, like Johannes, try to reach out 'for something his own tongue can never achieve'.

Burton is very good at bringing into the centre ground the importance of sugar. People's prosperity depends on it, yet it symbolises the sickly indulgence of a city saturated in its own opulence against a leering backdrop of Protestant austerity. Amsterdam becomes a terrible victim of its own commercial success. Riddled with hypocrisy, the city drinks from its own poisoned chalice with guilds, merchants and magistrates all vying for position as Nella sets about discovering her true woman's self beyond the cabinet that her husband brings her as compensation for an unconsummated marriage. The Miniaturist, in turning her into one of the puppets, in the end allows her to see into the compartments of her own life, so that she becomes the most powerful magistrate of them all in command of the thing that really matters, her own life as a woman. This is a brilliant debut novel, but the men float too freely, never properly pinned down to those vital dynamic encounters with the crises of their own lives, eluding and escaping instead of engaging with them. Two mottos, the one stating that 'Everything Man Sees He Takes For A Toy. Thus He Is Forever A Boy' and the other that 'Every Woman Is The Architect Of Her Own Fortune' together tend to nullify each other and prevent the evolution of the male characters. Fight to emerge, but relish the ending. It's beautifully done.

17 people found this helpful

Bookworm

Nella and the Miniaturist

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 4 July 2017

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I enjoyed this book right up to the last couple of chapters. There seemed to be an intriguing mystery as to who the "Miniaturist" was, and how he/she was able to predict events in the heroine, Nella's life within the secretive Amsterdam household. The story is well written, and interesting up to a point, but I felt let down at the end, because the Miniaturist's identity was never revealed, neither was his/hers apparent ability to predict future events. It turned out to be a damp squib, in my opinon. Otherwise an interesting read.

23 people found this helpful

Lance Mitchell

Authentic, atmospheric, gripping seventeenth century Amsterdam

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 16 March 2019

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This must be the saddest book that I have read for a very long time. The writing is superb. The prose is exquisite and the research adds great authenticity to the characters and to the scenes, which are set in seventeenth century Amsterdam. The atmosphere is palpable and the action is intense.

I became immersed in the characters and quite attached to some of them.

The cruelty and brutality of the protestant religious leaders of the Dutch Republic is appalling. They flex their man-made power in the name of God and they wallow in the satisfaction that the get from their unchallengeable authority. Even the wealth of the merchants is trumped by the pastors.

I loved the mystery that surrounded the wonderful craftmanship of the miniaturist who supplies tiny replicas of people and objects which predict actual events. She is seldom seen and is a prophet of reality. That is rather scary at times.

The story is gripping. This book kept me awake until well after one in the morning on several occasions.

For me, because of the background, the scene-setting, the religious undertones, the character-building and the starkness of society, The Miniaturist struck echoes of Burial Rites by Hannah Kent. I mean that as a huge complement to the writing of Jessie Burton.

For a while, I wavered between awarding four stars or five stars because I became irritated by the number of missing inverted commas and apostrophes. However, it would have been very unfair to award less than five stars to a book that gripped me from beginning to end and stirred my emotions so much that I wept many tears for the tragedy.

You must read this book.

7 people found this helpful

Mrs R L Knight

An absolute page turner, beautifully descriptive, full of suspense and mystery. Loved it!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 27 July 2017

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Set in 17th century Amsterdam, Nella aged just 18 arrives in the city to start her new life with the handsome husband she has barely met. She is excited and curious to escape her poor and predictable country upbringing to live in the comfort of a successful merchant's home and to meet his household. Her husband barely acknowledges her however and it seems as if there are secrets and a history that she us not to be privy to. Her husband does buy her a sumptious replica of the house she now lives in with the instructions that she is to fill it with miniture furniture as she sees fit. She finds a miniaturist who soon sends eerily accurate tiny copies of items in the house, and even of the people who live in it. It is as if he is watching Nella and even predicting the future...how can this be?

This book draws you in from the first page. Nothing and no one is as they seem on first appearance and every character has secrets and mysteries to share. This might be set in the 1600s but the themes are no different to today, greed, love, lust and hypocrlsy to name a few.

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