#the dutch house

[sardinesinthegarden]

My fave reads of 2023 in a collage zine :•)

[dreaming-of-texel]

"After years of living in response to the past, we had somehow become miraculously unstuck, moving forward in time just like veveryone else."

The Dutch House - Ann Patchett

[theworldoffostering]

I loved this book!

[starsparks]

"Two weeks after our trip to the Dutch House, my mother called me just before daylight to tell me that Maeve was dead. "Is she there?" I asked. I didn't believe her. I wanted Maeve to come to the phone and say it herself."

- The Dutch House, Ann Patchett

[diaryoftruequotes]

And so I made the decision to change. It might seem like change was impossible, given my nature and my age, but I understood exactly what there was to lose. It was chemistry all over again. The point wasn’t whether or not I liked it. The point was it had to be done. Ann Patchett, The Dutch House

[egoschwank]

al things considered — when i post my masterpiece #1222

first posted in facebook october 11, 2023

noah saterstrom -- "maeve" (ca. 2019)

"maeve, speak up. don't expect that anyone will do you the favor of listening if you don't trouble yourself to use your voice" … ann patchett

"the first edition u.s. cover [of 'the dutch house'] featured a portrait by noah saterstrom that was specifically created for the cover. the novel heavily references a painted portrait of maeve wearing a red coat that was commissioned when she was 10. saterstrom created a portrait to match patchett's description" … wikipedia

"you know, the funny thing is, i don't really ever have a hard image of anyone in my head. so when i saw the painting what i thought was that's perfect. i did not think oh he's read my mind because there really wasn't anything in my mind" … ann patchett

"you know, the funny thing is, people always tell me i never have anything in my mind … and that i should not speak up and use my voice if i have nothing to say … but that never stopped me" … al janik

[fulltimecatwitch]

this is so Maeve and Danny Conroy coded

[turning-pages-seeking-sages]

📖✨ Monthly Reading Wrap-Up

November 2024 Edition

📕 The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich Historical Fiction | ★★★★★ (5/5) An intimate and powerful novel inspired by Erdrich’s own grandfather, blending the personal and political struggles of Native American communities. Review: Excellent storytelling with characters I didn't want to leave.

📗 Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie Sci-Fi | ★★★★☆ (3.75/5) A unique tale of revenge, artificial intelligence, and fragmented identity, set in an expansive universe. Review: Some parts dragged, but I did like the story and overall plot.

📓 My Heart is a Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones Horror | ★★★★☆ (4/5) A slasher-fanatic teen uncovers real horror in her small town in this love letter to the genre. Review: You don't need to be a slasher fan to enjoy this book, but be wary of the emotional fallout. 📌 Click "keep reading" for StoryGraph links.

📘 The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison Fantasy | ★★★★☆ (4/5) An exiled half-goblin ascends the throne, navigating court politics and intrigue with unexpected grace. Review: The world-building was wonderful, but Maia's inner world captivated me the most.

📕 Malas by Marcela Fuentes Fiction | ★★★★¼ (4.25/5) A sharp, darkly funny exploration of identity, family, and societal expectations in a richly textured narrative. Review: The deep sense of nostalgia resonated with me, especially as a Mexican American growing up on the border in California.

📙 Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari Nonfiction | ★★★☆☆ (3/5) A sweeping history of our species, from hunter-gatherers to the modern age. Review: Some sections felt reductive, though the big-picture insights were interesting.

📗 Don’t Fear the Reaper by Stephen Graham Jones Horror | ★★★★☆ (4/5) The final girl returns to face a fresh wave of terror in this gripping sequel to My Heart is a Chainsaw. Review: This book was savage on multiple levels, especially reading the chapter from Jennifer's mother's perspective--prepare your heart for this one.

📒 We Solve Murders by Richard Osman Mystery | ★★★★☆ (3.75/5) Quirky retirees team up once more to crack a murder case in this cozy, clever mystery. Review: Witty and charming, though some plot twists felt predictable.

📕 The Dutch House by Ann Patchett Fiction | ★★★★★ (5/5) A luminous tale of family, loss, and the power of memory, centered around a richly symbolic house. Review: Not my typical read but I fell in love with the characters and enjoyed seeing them grow and change.

[easternpine]

“There are a few times in life when you leap up and the past that you’d been standing on falls away behind you, and the future you mean to land on is not yet in place, and for a moment you’re suspended, knowing nothing and no one, not even yourself.” - Ann Patchett, The Dutch House

[myfairynuffstuff]

Alena Post - Christmas Eve, Dutch Houses. 2023. Oil on canvas.

[outlawroute]

The Dutch House

by Ann Patchett 5.0/5.0

Woooooooh my first 5 star rating of 2024 and of course it was recommended to me by my older sister, Nicole. She pitched it to me as "David Sedaris said it's the best depiction of a sibling relationship he's ever seen."

The book is narrated by Danny, the younger sibling of two who moves into the Dutch House after their father buys it. Danny tells the story of how the house ultimately ruins the lives of everyone it touches- having the greatest impact on Maeve, his older sister.

David Sedaris is correct. This is the best depiction of a sibling relationship I've ever seen in any form of media. Patchett captured the loyalty, admiration, and authenticity of a sibling relationship when raised in a dysfunctional family. And as the younger sibling of two daughters, I'll never be completely aware of but always in debt to the sacrifices my older sister has made for me.

The book depicts generational trauma, gender expectations and misogyny, the effect of time and growth on your own memories with such incredible nuance.

I would recommend this book to anyone who has a ride-or-die close relationship with their sibling (dysfunctional parental relationships not required but it certainly enhances the reading). But I probably wouldn't recommend this book to someone outside of that criteria.

Some of my favorite quotes from the book: “Because I was fifteen and generally an idiot, I thought that the feeling of home I was experiencing had to do with the car and where it was parked, instead of attributing it wholly and gratefully to my sister.”

“Sandy shook her head. “Boys,” she said, and with that single word excused me from all responsibility.”

"Norma said that childhood wasn't something she could imagine inflicting on another person, especially not a person she loved."

StoryGraph Link

[huariqueje]

House at Night - Serge de Vries

Dutch, b. 1968 -

Oil on panel , 14 x 18 cm.

[psychotic-star-girl]

[galleryofart]

Houses at Auvers

Artist: Vincent van Gogh (Dutch, 1853–1890)

Date: 1890

Medium: Oil on canvas

Collection: Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Description

In May 1890, van Gogh moved from the south of France to Auvers, northwest of Paris, painting many of his finest pictures there in a feverish spurt of activity before his suicide in July. Houses at Auvers shows the landscape of early summer. The view from above creates a flattened tapestry of shapes in which the tiled and thatched roofs of the houses form a mesmerizing patchwork of color.

[thunderstruck9]

Theo Stiphout (Dutch, 1913-2002), Landscape near Neffe (Dinant), c.1951. Oil on canvas, 50.1 x 40 cm.

[diaryoftruequotes]

There are a few times in life when you leap up and the past that you'd been standing on falls away behind you, and the future you mean to land on is not yet in place, and for a moment you're suspended knowing nothing and no one, not even yourself.

Ann Patchett, The Dutch House