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theladyjsays's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
2.5
Graphic: Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Violence, and Pregnancy
lesbegays's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
3.0
i never would have read this if not for it being a book club pick, but i don’t regret it.
MAJOR content warning for societal homophobia of the sort you would expect from a puritan nation in the 1600s.
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Homophobia, Infidelity, Blood, Pregnancy, and Outing
Moderate: Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Confinement, Slavery, Xenophobia, Alcohol, and Colonisation
esjackson's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Confinement, Death, Homophobia, Misogyny, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Outing, and Classism
odds's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
This is an incredibly well-crafted story about secrets, with a perfect historical setting to clash with the ideas of personal freedom and choice - in Amsterdam - "Where the pendulum swings from God to a guilder". People must live as they're supposed to - observed, like clockwork, all playing a well-oiled part in society. Absences are noted, money powers everything. Entirely deliberate then, I imagine, (small spoiler) that "The Miniaturist" whose presence seems to throw so many lives into turmoil was apprenticed to a clockmaker. It's about appearance warring with desire and reality, the lies and secrets that even the most pious seeming people tell and keep. Mostly a cast of women, it also involves a great deal of frustration at their various places and overall powerlessness in society. You form an opinion of each person, then have it altered by their actions before the end.
It has a sense of mystery which propels a reader through the story. I guessed a couple of the twists, but there are always more to come. You think you've worked something out, but it's a distraction. It's fantastic to read a story that features the figure of a "prophet", when the characters and reader both are often unable to see the warnings until events have already passed.
In short, I thought it was exceptional!
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, and Violence
Minor: Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, and Sexual violence
danikajoan's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Violence, Blood, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Outing, Colonisation, and Classism
emhromp's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Moderate: Animal death, Homophobia, Violence, Police brutality, and Religious bigotry
ok7a's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Graphic: Death, Homophobia, Racism, and Colonisation
Moderate: Misogyny, Violence, and Xenophobia
Minor: Pregnancy
fbarros's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
I was a bit disappointed with the final turn of events as well as the explanation of the main plot though. I also didn't feel very connected to the characters.
However the intigre and the background of the book made it worth my time.
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Violence, Medical trauma, and Murder
Moderate: Slavery, Medical content, and Pregnancy
nrogers_1030's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Animal death, Confinement, Death, Homophobia, Infidelity, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Outing, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Racism, Sexual content, Excrement, and Vomit
Minor: Alcoholism, Child death, Racial slurs, Slavery, Torture, and Abortion
booksemmahasread's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Animal death, Homophobia, Racism, and Violence
Moderate: Death
Minor: Death of parent