A review by tasmanian_bibliophile
The Naturalist of Amsterdam by Melissa Ashley

4.5

 
‘Oma, Ma, my sister, Johanna, and I had joined the Labadists at Walta Schloss only two seasons ago and I knew already that they did not like children.’ 


Set in the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries, this novel introduces us to Maria Sibylla Merian and her daughters Johanna and Dorothea Graff (known as Dortje), our narrator. Maria Sibylla Merian is a talented naturalist, an artist, and a restless soul. After joining the Labadists—a strict Protestant sect named after its French founder Jean de Labadie (1610–1674)— with her mother and daughters, she separates from her husband. After her mother dies, Maria Sibylla leaves the Labadists and moves to Amsterdam which was, at the time, at the centre of world trade. She then takes Dortje to Suriname where the Labadists had a community. Here, with Dortje’s help, Maria Sibylla immerses herself in understanding and drawing the metamorphoses of the native insects, and in learning about native medicine. Unfortunately, Maria Sibylla contracts malaria, and she and her daughters return to Amsterdam.  Here, because she is unable to establish a business as a married woman, Maria Sibylla claims to be a widow. After Johanna marries, Maria Sibylla relies even more heavily on Dortje. 

And what about Dortje? While she seems destined to live in her mother’s shadow, she does find happiness before tragedy strikes. As Maria Sibylla’s health fails, Dortje’s own knowledge as a naturalist becomes apparent. And it seems that Dortje’s commitment to preserving Maria Sibylla’s legacy will have a significant emotional and personal cost. 

Before I picked up this novel, I knew nothing about Maria Sibylla Merian (1647-1717) and her daughters Johanna (1668-1723) and Dorothea (1678-1743). Part way into the novel, I started searching online for some of the artworks referred to. And by the time I finished this novel, I wanted to know more. For those who are also interested, here’s a link: 

Ms Ashley brings Maria Sibylla, her daughters, and the period in which they lived to life. This was a golden age for Amsterdam, thanks to the Dutch East India Company. This is Ms Ashley’s third novel, and I have enjoyed them all. 

Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Affirm Press for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes. 

Jennifer Cameron-Smith