Madeline
At first, my Book Club refused to read The Dutch House. At the time, we had just finished The Island of Sea Women and we were not trying to stay depressed. So instead we read Nevermoor (which was fantastic). When it came time to read the next book, The Dutch House came back to the top of the list. And now I’m here writing about the two siblings and their revenge in The Dutch House. It ended up not being as depressing as we all expected.
Premise of The Dutch House
This is the life story of Danny Conroy. The book starts where he lives in a house previously owned by a Dutch family with his sister, Meave, and their father. His mother was long gone and was replaced by his father’s new wife, Andrea. After his father dies suddenly, Andrea takes the fortune his father has built including the Dutch house and kicks Danny out, leaving him to live with the recently graduated from college, Meave.
At that point, Meave and Danny find a loophole in their father’s will. And this is when the two siblings and their revenge on Andrea come into play. They have been given a trust for schooling. And Meave is determined to use it all before Andrea’s daughters, Norma and Bright, are ready for college and therefore are qualified to use the money in the trust as well.
One of the clauses in the trust is that it much be continuous education. With no breaks. Since Meave had already graduated from college she is not qualified to use any of the money in the trust. Danny is her only hope. Because board school is technically schooling, Danny is sent to board school in place of living in a one bedroom apartment with his sister. Then to pre-med and medical school at Columbia. But all Danny wants to do is buy real estate and rent it out like his father.
The story goes through the sibling’s lives through the lense of Danny. How he felt about his childhood, going to medical school, wanting to purchase real estate to rent out, his marriage and children, and his relationship with his sister.
The Dutch House
In the beginning, it is very clear why the book is called The Dutch House. The house is a major character in the story. It symbolizes the life they previously had. It was where they grew up. The house their mother ran away from. And the house they were gradually pushed out of. But as the story progresses, the house is something they drive by and wonder about. The significance is that it’s a life they once had.
Although there is a large amount of description of the house, I really had a hard time fully visualizing the house. It’s a three story house with a ballroom on the third floor. I cannot picture this. The best bedroom is not the master bedroom but has a great window seat that faces the back. I cannot picture this. Anyone on the street can see right through to the back yard, although there is plenty of privacy. I cannot picture this either.
My Final Thoughts
There was no mountains in this book. There was no emotional roller coaster. There are no stressful moments. It’s just an even keel kind of book. Even in the cases of the multiple death, it’s done with such matter of fact. It is brought up as just a fact of life. Regardless, it was a good and easy read and I enjoyed reading about these two siblings and their revenge.
