A review by elizabethtye
The Dutch House by Ann Patchett

4.0

4/5 stars. Audio book. Very minor spoiler below. I must say that the audio book is narrated by Tom Hanks and he does an incredible job. The Dutch House is now one of my favorite audio books. The story is about a grand house and how, for better or worse, it binds a family together over the course of many decades. The story is wonderful, the character development was so deep, every character holds a place in my heart for different reasons. The sibling relationship between Danny and Mauve made me miss my deceased brother so much. Mauve was Danny’s mom, for all intents and purposes, and her fierce love and loyalty touched my heart. She guided him, took care of him, and they both made the most sense when they were together. I did not rate this book 5 stars because there was a major issue that was never fully explained. Mauve and Danny’s mother leaves them as children and there was never a real suitable reason why she left. She wanted to help the poor? That was silly and impossible for me to reconcile. Overall, I would recommend this book, especially the audio book. It was a beautiful journey.