The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton

On an autumn day in 1686, eighteen-year-old Nella Oortman arrives at a grand house in Amsterdam to begin her new life as the wife of wealthy merchant Johannes Brandt. Though curiously distant, he presents 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 ring eerily true.

As Nella uncovers the secrets of her new household she realises the escalating dangers they face. The miniaturist seems to hold their fate in her hands – but does she plan to save or destroy them?

This book was not what I expected from reading the blurb. I had expected quite a tame and gentle story, based around a lonely young bride finding comfort in a miniature house. In fact, the story becomes surprisingly dark and sinister.

At the outset, Nella arrives at the house in Amsterdam, nervous and alone. Everyone is unfriendly to her and the house is large and cold.

After a few days, Nella ventures out into Amsterdam. She visits some of the shops, including a bakery where she learns about the prospering sugar trade in which her husband is involved.

Meanwhile, on a more personal level, she becomes aware of information about her husband and some of his relatives and acquaintances which, if discovered, would be devastating to those involved. Whilst she is grappling with her discoveries, she keeps receiving mysterious packages containing miniature figures of members of her household, and has no idea who the miniaturist is or how they have sufficient knowledge of the household to recreate such detail in their work. The other characters become more and more complex throughout the book as their secrets are revealed, and those shared secrets cause unexpected bonds to develop between them and Nella.

Without giving anything away, the climax of this book was one of the most dramatic I had read in a while.

Nella really grew on me. At the start of the book, she is (understandably) timid and rather sheltered, and I had thought she might be a bit dull. However, as the story develops, and the plot becomes darker, she has no option but to be sharp and courageous in the midst of some fearful events.

Sinister but unexpectedly effective.