Audio read discovered on my library app "Libby."
Best thing about this book: narrated by Tom Hanks. He did a fabulous job.
It was fairly interesting. I think what stood out the most was the relationship of the protagonist with his siter. They were kind of "us against the world."
Their mom was a mysterious woman who apparently had once held aspirations to be a nun. She was drawn to charity work like a moth to a flame and once they moved into the gargantuan, demonstrative "Dutch House" that her husband had purchased secretly as a surprise, she became increasingly unhappy.
She moved out when her youngest son was still small and virtually disappeared.
Maeve (the sister featured on the cover in a painting) developed severe diabetes.
The maid and nanny was relied upon by their eccentric successful father for more than just housekeeping and childcare.
Eventually he remarries an ambitious women named Andrea who is an exacting stepmother who loves the Dutch House.
When the father dies unexpectedly, Andrea kicks both children out permanently. They move into together but over the course of their adult lives, find themselves creeping back to observe the Dutch House from afar.
The book centers around the concept that the house has some kind of mysterious pull for them with a mixture of unhappy and happy memories.
Danny (the speaker) goes on to marry and despite going to medical school at his siter's insistence, ends up in real estate which is is his passion that was passed down from his father. Their mother re-emerges later in the story and there is a reconciliation of sorts. In a twist of events, the mother ends up a caretaker for Andrea in the Dutch house (which she had once despised). The mother discovers that she is needed and Andrea relies on her.
The story ends with Danny's daughter May purchasing the house bringing everything full circle.
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