Ann Patchett doesn't need any introduction from me, having already written several highly acclaimed books. But, what you may not know is that she also owns an independent bookstore in Nashville, TN (Parnassus Books) and is an activist for independent bookstores. Yay!
In their younger years, Maeve and Danny Conroy lived in the titular Dutch House, a mansion outside Philadelphia that their father bought at auction in 1946, completely furnished, as a surprise for his wife. Unfortunately, his wife, Elna, hated the house and walked away when Maeve was 10, Danny was 3. Ostensibly she went to India to work with the poor; they haven't heard from her since. Their father managed with the help of housekeeper, cook and nanny for a time until a young widow, Andrea--18 years Cyril Conroy's junior--gets her heart set on living in the house. She has two younger daughters in tow and as soon as she moves in, things begin to change--and not for the better, in Maeve and Danny's opinion. When Maeve goes to college, Andrea moves her belongings to an attic bedroom and moves her older daughter into the room. Maeve never comes back to the Dutch House after that. When Cyril Conroy unexpectedly dies of a heart attack, Maeve and Danny are dismayed to find that Andrea has convinced her husband to put her name on all of the business and personal assets; Maeve and Danny inherit nothing. She kicks Danny out of the house and they are left penniless. Maeve is already working as a bookkeeper and living in a one bedroom flat in a nearby town. The lawyer does say that there is an educational trust that will cover Danny's education and Maeve is determined to take every penny she can for Danny. So he is sent off to an expensive boarding school (Choate) and when he finishes, she makes sure he gets into Columbia and then into Columbia med school. Danny honors Maeves wishes because she is all he has, even though he has no interest in being a doctor and really just wants to follow in his father's footsteps, buying and fixing up old buildings. Maeve remains fixated on The Dutch House, driving over to sit out front in her car every time Danny comes home from school for a visit, and even long after. Danny seems to get on with his life as he wants it after he finally finishes his residency. He gets married, has kids, buys up and renovates old buildings. When Maeve suffers a heart attack, their mother makes an appearance and, surprisingly to Danny, Maeve accepts her into her life. That is, until Andrea seems to need Elna more. Complicated relationships and obsessions characterize every aspect of this book. Ann Patchett said in an interview with The Guardian in 2016 that "I’ve been writing the same book my whole life — that you’re in one
family, and all of a sudden, you’re in another family and it’s not your
choice and you can’t get out.” That pretty well sums up this situation here, as well.
No comments:
Post a Comment