Reviews tagging 'Medical content'

The Dutch House by Ann Patchett

43 reviews

trapdorr's review against another edition

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reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Interesting at times but it didn’t really make me feel anything. The skipping timeline was confusing a few times as well. It’s fine but I wouldn’t recommend it. Tom Hanks was a big redeeming factor. 

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bessadams's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25


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torianne9413's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5


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sparklefarm's review against another edition

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emotional reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

BY GEORGE SHE'S DONE IT AGAIN. I walk around this world convinced that I'm a genre reader, telling people I need plot in order to like a book ... and then I read a book by Ann Patchett, say, and I find myself holding back tears as I drive to work. Patchett is truly a miracle worker, so skilled at weaving relationships and fully formed characters, making me CARE! (Also, expert narration by Tom Hanks! a delight.)

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javafenn's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Wow was this an excellent book and made even better listening to Tom Hanks read it! He did a great job at voicing each character and getting the real heart of this family. Danny and Maeve are very reliant on one another even when time and distance keep them apart. Maeve always looks out for Danny and Danny begrudgingly goes to medical school so his sister can stick it to their awful stepmother. The siblings go through so much in a lifetime that the last quarter of the book is so emotional. There was one death that happened so quick and you knew it would eventually but it just happened with no immediate lead up. It hit me like a gut punch and I had to stop for a minute to cry and catch my breath. I really wanted more from this family simply because it was so well written you felt like you knew them. Through loss and abandonment and heartache they remained a united force. 

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ressicajicks's review against another edition

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emotional funny mysterious reflective sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0


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nialiversuch's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0


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macyh3's review against another edition

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emotional reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

how does the write these things? she just takes all the tiniest thoughts and noticings from the whole world and compiles it into these sagas of complexity and depth. this book is so simple. it’s just life. no crazy twists and no crimes of passion or explosive love stories. the world looks different through her eyes. 

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emjay2021's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

When I read Tom Lake a few weeks ago, I was so taken by it. So, I thought I’d try another Ann Patchett. The audiobook of The Dutch House became available and my cousin had recommended it on the strength of Tom Hanks’ narration. Well, she was not wrong! I loved it. The story was fascinating and sucked me in immediately; the characters were all so well rounded the felt like real people. Everyone was flawed, some more than others. It’s such a sad story and yet Patchett has a deceptively light touch.

I found it very hard to empathize with Danny and Maeve’s mother for abandoning her children, particularly given how horribly Andrea treated them. And their father was not much better, allowing Andrea to dominate them and eventually cut them off from their inheritance. And yet, at the end of the story, both Elna and Andrea, the two mothers who have failed their children so miserably, are locked in a relationship with each other (Andrea unknowingly, Elna deliberately). What a strange ending. It surprised me, and yet at the same time, I was not that surprised.


I loved Maeve. She was flawed but fierce. Danny, the narrator, is not particularly self-aware until the very end, but that’s not really too surprising. I enjoyed his wry observations and his always admiring, loving descriptions of his sister. This is really a story of siblings, a fairy tale like Hansel and Gretel. If you liked Tom Lake I would totally recommend this. And alhough I loved Tom Lake, I feel like this is an even better book.

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mangogo's review against another edition

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emotional funny reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Enjoyable, reflective story about a brother and sister who can’t escape from their past. Family dynamics, especially in the absence or transition of parental roles, are a major theme, and the parallelism between generations is an intriguing aspect  I wish I could explore more. Medical conditions (DM, AD) and lack thereof seem to be very symbolic, as well as resemblance and occupation. Forgiveness and resentment are also major themes, as well as the contrast between poverty and wealth as illustrated by the Dutch House

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