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The Miniaturist cover art

The Miniaturist

By: Jessie Burton
Narrated by: Jessie Burton
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Editorial reviews

Winner of the Specsavers Book of the Year Award 2014, the National Book Awards: New Writer of the Year 2014 and Waterstones Book of the Year 2014, The Miniaturist is written by rising fiction star Jessie Burton and narrated by the author in this complete and unabridged audiobook. Hear of the unique love story of Nella Oortman, whose life changes forever when she leaves her family in the countryside and enters the house of her new husband. Find yourself as curious as Nella about the wedding gift she receives from her husband. A tantalising story available now from Audible.

Publisher's Summary

Winner of the Specsavers Book of the Year Award 2014

National Book Awards: New Writer of the Year 2014

Waterstones Book of the Year 2014

There is nothing hidden that will not be revealed...

On an autumn day in 1686, eighteen-year-old Nella Oortman knocks at the door of a grand house in the wealthiest quarter of Amsterdam. She has come from the country to begin a new life as the wife of illustrious merchant trader Johannes Brandt, but instead she is met by his sharp-tongued sister, Marin. Only later does Johannes appear and present her with an extraordinary wedding gift: a cabinet-sized replica of their home. It is to be furnished by an elusive miniaturist, whose tiny creations mirror their real-life counterparts in unexpected ways. Nella is at first mystified by the closed world of the Brandt household, but as she uncovers its secrets she realizes the escalating dangers that await them all. Does the miniaturist hold their fate in her hands? And will she be the key to their salvation or the architect of their downfall? Beautiful, intoxicating and filled with heart-pounding suspense, The Miniaturist is a magnificent story of love and obsession, betrayal and retribution, appearance and truth.

Jessie Burton was born in 1982. She studied at Oxford University and the Central School of Speech and Drama, and has worked as an actress and a PA in the City. She now lives in south-east London, not far from where she grew up.

©2014 Jessie Burton (P)2014 Audible Studios

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What listeners say about The Miniaturist

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Wonderful book read beautifully

Loved the narration of this fascinating book. The characters, so rich and complex, will stay with me for a long, long time.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

A page turner

I really enjoyed reading this book. It was compelling enough to make me want to keep reading. I never got bored. There is some beautiful prose - really nice turns of phrase. I don't usually like overly descriptive language, but this was done well. The story was a bit implausible at times, but it was a story and a good enough story to be enjoyable. I thought the performance was excellent, a really good book reader. I only discovered at the end that the reader was the author.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Fabulous

Incredibly creative, it has many layers, beautifully written, will look for for book by Jessie Burton.
Bravo !

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Magnetic mysteries

I loved it. Her words are beautiful and powerful. It is like reading through smoke... The mystery and uncertainties make it magnetic.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A brilliant story that really draws you in

I really enjoyed this book and the authors ability to conjure the imagery of another time and another place. A subtle fable of tolerance and acceptance.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Beautifully imagined

I enjoyed 'The Miniaturist' and was pulled along by the mystery of the narrative together with beautiful descriptions of 17th C Amsterdam. But I felt the intrusion of late 18th C Romanticism and 21st C apologetics.
Both the book's narrator and the main characters had the voice and shared perspectives of the principal character.
Overall I enjoyed 'The Miniaturist' but it lacks the depth of a classic.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

good easy listen when driving.

Pretty good. The characters are a little boring but its an eaay plot to follow when your driving.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Full of Twists and Turns

Such a fantastic story! I really liked this one, it was different and full of suspense. In the end we still didn’t know what was going to happen.
The house remains though, still lingering with mystery.

-Z

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great literature

Excellent work of literature and surprising symbolism. The narration could have been better but it wasn’t too bad. Still, a great story and excellent book.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
  • Deb
  • 14-11-2015

Always a surprise

What made the experience of listening to The Miniaturist the most enjoyable?

There was always a new twist in tnis story, some i did not see coming.

What other book might you compare The Miniaturist to, and why?

Nothing to compare it to

What aspect of Jessie Burton’s performance might you have changed?

Slow to start, took a while to get into it

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Look beyond the appearance

Any additional comments?

Took a while to get into it but worth the perseverance

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4 people found this helpful

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