Note 6 : The Dutch House by Ann Patchett

What is it?

Published in 2019

Set in the United States in Philadelphia and New York, this is a story about a family and the role the eponymous Dutch House plays in their lives. It is centred on Danny Conroy, the narrator, and his beloved older sister Maeve, detailing their lives from childhood in the 1950s to old age. As children they are abandoned by their mother, for reasons that emerge as the novel progresses,  and left with their successful but remote property developer father. When he remarries, he introduces into their lives a stepmother with very much her own agenda.  

Why read it?

We all enjoyed reading this book, thought it well-written on the whole and found lots in it to talk about.  We agreed that there were elements of the story that would resonate with most readers: parent/child, wife/husband and sibling relationships, anger and forgiveness, loss and reconciliation.  We thought the circular structure of the book was interesting,  beginning and ending in the Dutch House, highlighting its huge importance to the story, in fact almost as if it is another character. The house is a catalyst – Andrea’s ambition to acquire it drives her to marry Danny and Maeve’s father and later,  when he dies, to evict them, while it was dislike of it that spurred their real mother to leave. It is also a symbol of their father’s ambition and of the flaw in his relationship with his first wife and retains a totemic power over Danny and Maeve representing what they have lost.  We noticed how Danny almost becomes his father, taking up the same career and making the same mistake as his father did in buying a house that his wife dislikes.  At the end the Dutch House is where the fractured Conroy family achieve reconciliation after years of separation and resentment. We noticed how the plot, particularly in the first part had an archetypal, almost fairy tale quality-  motherless children, a wealthy but emotionally detached father, a wicked stepmother, the loss of the kingdom and the eventual punishment of the wicked step-mother (Andrea’s dementia) and the regaining of it by a beautiful young princess (May).  

Why not to bother

We all agreed that the strongest and most memorable part of the book was the first section leading up to Danny and Maeve’s eviction from the Dutch House.  After that, we found the middle section which deals mostly with Danny’s career and marriage, less engaging. The final section where their mother returns, Andrea is found to have severe dementia and the house is acquired by Danny’s daughter May, seemed to us to be a little too neat and tidy. We were puzzled by why Maeve, who is such a strong character where Danny's well-being is concerned, was content to limit her career and live alone. We all felt she was an interesting character and deserved a bit more of the action. We wondered whether her portrayal may be intended to echo the fairy tale archetype - is she the dutiful sister who stays at home while her brother has adventures? Interestingly, although we all enjoyed reading this book at the time,  some of us found that even only a week after finishing it we couldn’t remember much about the plot or the characters. So for all its qualities the book was not as memorable as it seemed at first. 

What we asked

What is the significance of the house to Danny and Maeve and to the events in the story?

Did we find the ending believable? Or too neat?

What do the staff who worked at the house contribute to the story?

Keep?

We all agreed we’d keep it.

Score?  

4 out of 5