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The miniaturist - did i miss something? spoilers

19 replies

lemisscared · 20/02/2015 22:27

got all the way til the end and couldn't really work out the miniaturist's role in everything. was she predicting? influencing? why? and did it turn out that loads of people were getting miniatures?

where did she go? i sort of feel like i missed the final chapter when it all came together.

OP posts:
jaynebxl · 20/02/2015 22:29

Yeah I felt like that at the end. Very disappointing I felt.

DuchessofMalfi · 21/02/2015 06:33

That bit was a bit of a mystery wasn't it? Ultimately it didn't spoil my enjoyment of the story but I did wonder what the point of the Miniaturist was. Perhaps Jessie Burton will explain a bit more in her book chat next week?

littlesupersparks · 21/02/2015 06:39

Yes, I haven't passed it on to anyone because honestly I was so so disappointed. I found the book as a whole rather bizarre and, ultimately, a bit pointless!!

sebsmummy1 · 21/02/2015 07:06

I enjoyed it but yes, lots of unanswered questions at the end. I guess we are to draw our own conclusions!

TranquilityofSolitude · 21/02/2015 07:08

I loved the atmosphere of the book but would agree that it felt as if the last chapter was missing. I have to confess I hoped the miniaturist would be able to create a happy ending and I was sorry that it didn't materialise.

HomeIsWhereTheHeartIs · 21/02/2015 07:10

I felt the same. Got off to a great start but then it just sort of trailed off at the end.

sebsmummy1 · 21/02/2015 07:16

As a teenager I used to read Stephen King and I always felt that that bloke was unable to finish a book too. Perhaps some authors just really struggle with it.

jaynebxl · 21/02/2015 07:19

Maybe that could be a whole new career. Hi I'm a professional book finisher offer!

Floopledoop · 21/02/2015 07:22

I agree. I was disappointed and felt the ending was rushed and incomplete

DuchessofMalfi · 21/02/2015 08:03

I was left with the impression that the Miniaturist will make another appearance in a subsequent novel. Maybe she's just a meddler in people's lives? She messes with their heads and then leaves them to pick up the pieces. Life doesn't always have a happy ending, that sort of thing....

But yes I was hoping there would be even a partial happy ending, but then I suppose there was but not the one I had hoped for.

BsshBosh · 22/02/2015 23:04

I thought that in the end Nella realised it didn't matter whether the Miniaturist meddled in her life anymore, that she (Nella) was ultimately the mistress of her destiny. So the importance of the Miniaturist to her lost its relevance. In this context it made sense, to me, that the Miniaturist as a character simply slid away from the novel.

I read an interview with the author where she said she's now writing a book unrelated to The Miniaturist.

MrsCakesPrecognition · 22/02/2015 23:12

Hmm - I found it a really unsatisfying book, may be the odd ending was one of the reasons why. Although I found it all very tedious and depressing and the only bit that woke me up was when the baby was named - I found that genuinely unsettling, but for purely personal reason rather then the writing.

trixymalixy · 22/02/2015 23:17

I totally agree. It felt like she totally ran out of steam at the end of the book and didn't finish it properly. I was very disappointed.

I also think there may be another book to carry on the story. Not sure I'll bother with it though.

MilesHuntsWig · 22/02/2015 23:33

I enjoyed it, but was confused about the involvement of the miniaturist, particularly when her Dad sorts of shrugs it off as her being up to her old tricks. I wondered if it was some comment on Nella taking charge of her own destiny rather than relying on others as a previous poster said (maybe echoed/highlighted by the bergermeisters banning idols at the same time).

treaclesoda · 22/02/2015 23:42

I enjoyed the book but I did feel exactly the same, that the Miniaturist just suddenly became irrelevant to the story, that it was heading towards something very relevant and then...nothing. But I'm not sure that's necessarily a bad thing. I crave a 'tying up the loose ends' finish when I'm reading a book, but in real life that rarely happens I suppose.

hackmum · 23/02/2015 08:39

There isn't an ending that could have explained it all, really - there is no way that the miniaturist could have known the things she apparently did know. If I recall correctly, some of the miniatures in Nella's possession actually change to reflect events that have happened (e.g. a spot of blood appearing when one of the character is stabbed). So I think the miniaturist is supposed to be enigmatic and mysterious with a hint of supernatural powers.

Shadey1211 · 04/01/2018 21:55

Perhaps that's more of an indictment of you than a multimillion selling author that has spent decades at the top,of his trade........help with finishing indeed....lol

AKAmyself · 06/01/2018 17:14

Very meh. Nothing made sense, really did not enjoy it

endehors · 10/01/2018 18:07

I enjoyed reading it, to a point. And on a shallow note, the detailed descriptions of marzipan and sugar made me want to buy some, which I did Grin

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