The Dutch House

Bookseller recommendation

“Any novel by Ann Patchett is going to include little sparks of description that catch in the imagination, moments of dialogue so good that you forget later you weren't there, and stories that capture your heart as well as a zeitgeist. In The Dutch House, Patchett creates a narrator standing at the intersection of poverty, dream, privilege, and family, confused by the gap between his sister's memory of hardship and his own experience of wealth - and loss. Tom Hanks narrates this audiobook fully in character, his pacing capturing the main character's moments of realization: the cook had a husband? The strangely designed, luxurious Dutch House had shaped his relationship with his sister far more after they couldn't go back! His mother and his sister shared taste in books? How? His children are curious about things he'd never thought important! ...It's a novel beautifully suited to our cultural moment - a time of economic loss and uncertainty about basically everything except the bonds of love we want to protect - and an audio performance perfect for the novel. Five stars and two thumbs up!”

— Nialle • The Haunted Bookshop

Bookseller recommendation

“I love Ann Patchett. The Dutch House is the story of brother and sister Danny and Maeve and how after losing their mother and then their father, they are cast out of the only home they know. It is then that Danny and Maeve realize they only have each other to rely on. Their relationship is complex and intriguing. Danny and Maeve are each other's saviors, but I am wondering if they are also not each other's downfall. I am finding that I can't put this story down. Wonderfully written. A great book club selection. Also, such a pleasure to listen to the Tom Hanks recording.”

— Karen • Anderson's Bookshop

Bookseller recommendation

“This complex novel details the story of two siblings and their childhood home across decades. After the mother leaves their home, a place which she always hated due to the ornate display of wealth (nicknamed the "Dutch House" after previous inhabitants), the two siblings are raised by their distant father. The novel traces the inescapability of the past and the burden of materialism and expectations. Loss and belonging are woven through the poetic fable tone as the two siblings traverse relationships, secrets, memories, grief, love and forgiveness. Patchett develops vivid uncanny descriptions through the depths of character interiors. If you enjoy books that keenly observe the human condition through non-linear narratives, this book is for you!”

— Chelsea • Vroman's Bookstore

Bookseller recommendation

“This is a wonderful story - well written, excellent character development, and interesting. A story of redemption for siblings. This novel hits an emotional chord on many levels - personal choice, the importance of being present in your everyday life, and letting others make life choices for you instead of you making them for yourself. The novel reinforces the importance of being engaged throughout our life not sleepwalking through it because that is easier. The Dutch House makes one look at your own life and wonders why you made the choices you did and how things could be drastically different with just a small twist of fate.”

— Megan • Big Pine Books

Bookseller recommendation

“Listening to Tom Hanks makes this one of the most soothing books I've listened to. The storyline keeps moving and the story of the house is as fascinating as the family who loves it. ”

— Nichole • Bryant Books & Music

Bookseller recommendation

“The Dutch House is an engrossing story that spans over 50 years. It is about a house and the memories that it holds. The story revolves around Danny and Maeve, a brother and sister who love each other deeply - more than any other person including Danny's wife. They share a sad childhood in which their Mother disappears with very little explanation. They are brought up by their distant father who loves their home, The Dutch House, more than his children or his second wife. When he dies suddenly in his 50's, the second wife takes everything and throws Danny and Maeve out of the house. The siblings manage and continue to be each other's lifeline. I enjoyed this book tremendously and developed great affection for the siblings, even with their complex, dysfunctional dynamics. An added bonus: Tom Hanks reads the story with plenty of heart and soul.”

— Melinda • Buttonwood Books and Toys

Bookseller recommendation

“I finished this book wishing that I could tour THE DUTCH HOUSE in real life. I'm sure every person who reads this wishes they could have had Maeve's room. Patchett writes another beautiful and vivid family drama story. What she does best & my favorite aspect of her writing is her character development. The story can be a bit slow but it helped shape the characters and their relationships. Once I heard that Tom Hanks was the narrator of the audiobook, I immediately put myself on the library wait list. The entire time I pictured him as our main character, Danny, going through life and it made me like the book so much more.”

— Monica • Kramers

Bookseller recommendation

“I feel like I only have to say two things...Tom Hanks narrating Ann Patchett. & The ultimate sibling novel. Really, that is all you need to know.”

— Carrie • Skylark Bookshop

Bookseller recommendation

“Meeting the Conroy family and stepping into their elaborate Dutch house—part museum, part home, with all its secrets and charm, comfort and sadness—enthralled me as the mystery unfolded like a gentle call to arms. From poverty to wealth and from wealth to poverty, we see through Danny’s eyes the struggle to hold the family together against grief, greed, and the heartbreak of losing all that once bound them. Patchett paints a masterpiece here; there’s no looking away. It lingers in your imagination long after the story has been told.”

— Diane McGuire • Valley Bookseller

Bookseller recommendation

“Even if you've already Ann Patchett's masterful new novel, don't overlook the audio version! Knowing the story and hearing Tom Hanks as Danny are unique experiences -- in fact, listeners can savor Hanks' insightful depiction of the narrator even better knowing the plot. Patchett's work and Hanks' interpretation are a perfect match!”

— Cheryl • Book Passage

Bookseller recommendation

“The Conroy family lives in the Dutch House, an architecturally prominent home in Philadelphia. After Danny and Maeve’s mother leaves, their father eventually remarries. ANDREA. (How you will hate Andrea.) I won’t spoil any of the plot twists, but what I can tell you is that this novel is about the love and loyalty in found family and true family, about the one-second choices we make that change everything and the choices we make by just living our lives. It’s about forgiveness and not-forgiveness, when a grudge is made of pure love for someone else. It’s about people’s ability to change over a long life. And forgiveness, again, in the end. Patchett’s writing is pitch perfect—nostalgic, funny, thoughtful, full of the nuances and idiosyncrasies of everyday life. (If you read it in your head in the voice of Tom Hanks, that is also nice.)”

— Stefanie • Water Street Bookstore