The Locale: Online with Kristine
The Book: 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.
http://www.annpatchett.com/the-dutch-house
Sarah's Summary:
I enjoyed seeing all of you again on Sunday and can’t wait to actually SEE you in person!! Truthfully, I miss your cooking 😉 We are beginning to think you don’t like us, Lori!
Even though the ending was too perfect for a lot of us, I don’t believe anyone hated The Dutch House by Ann Patchett. It wasn’t my favorite by the author but I did like it- Her writing is rich, characters flawed. It was a perfect read for these strange times. Thanks for changing it up, Kristine! I love how even though we are all stuck at home (most of us working remotely for the first time) we can still find things to talk about, LOL. No one has taken an interesting trip or run a marathon or done much of anything aside from home improvements (and many of us are still working 40 hours a week and home schooling to top it off) 😊 Life marches on…
We are meeting, probably virtually again, on June 14th to discuss The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix Harrow. Tassy is “hosting."
We voted on Jolynda’s suggestions and picked The Glass Hotel by the Station Eleven author (I just realized you didn’t put the authors in your email, Jolynda!). I’ll look it up when I go to put it into the spreadsheet.
We picked July 12th for that call/meeting.
Happy quarantining for those of us who are still working from home as things begin to “open up”- don’t kill your families and I won’t judge for day-drinking.
The Vote: Jolynda presented...
- Year One by Nora Roberts
- The Glass Hotel by Emily St. John Mandel WINS!!
- Pachinko by Min Jin Leen
Next to Present: Brenda
Then:
- Susan
- Gina
- Jana
- Susan H.
- Sarah
- Jessica
- Kristine
- Holly
- Tassy
- Jolynda
