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What we're reading

Find your new favourite book or recommend one on our Book forum.

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Original poster

Jessie Burton

16 replies

Uncomplicated · 16/05/2022 22:04

I am reading the Minaturist. I’m loving every page. I’m only up to p.50 but feeling sad that every page, is a page closer to the end. I’m planning ahead to my beach holiday. I don’t want to take a kindle, I like paper books. But therefore I can only take a few and have to pick carefully. For anyone who has read Jessie Burton’s other books, are they as good, or am I likely to be disappointed?

OP posts:

LubaLuca · 16/05/2022 22:07

I loved The Miniaturist as well. I haven't been so keen on the others of her's I've read; I'm halfway through The Confession and I'm finding it a bit of an effort.

Original poster

Uncomplicated · 16/05/2022 22:13

Thanks for replying. I definitely don’t have the time or commitment for a slog of a read. To be honest I don’t read often as I find it hard to find a style of writing and a story that captures me. Please can you tell me which books you have enjoyed as much as the Minaturist?

OP posts:

jimbobalot · 16/05/2022 22:21

I’ve read both of Burton’s books. It’s like the Miniaturist was written by a different author they are so different in quality IMO! The confession was readable but nothing more for me.

libbytrois · 16/05/2022 22:22

I enjoyed The Muse, very different era but very enjoyable nevertheless. I enjoy historical settings in books.

GreenCereal · 16/05/2022 22:25

I also enjoyed The Muse, more than The Confession but still both were good.

Similar books I've found are those by Bridget Collins which I really liked, and also recently The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams.

Cakeandslippers · 16/05/2022 22:45

I liked the Muse and the Confession, I think I probably preferred the Muse but I agree with the pp who said that the Minaturist felt like it was written by a different author. The Minaturist is one of my favourite books ever, I wasn't disappointed by the other two at all but they aren't the same - worth a read though.

Original poster

Uncomplicated · 16/05/2022 23:10

Thank you all for your comments. I’m glad I asked rather than taking the risk of just packing my suitcase with Jessie Burton books. The Dictionary of lost words looks good. I may give that a try

OP posts:

elkiedee · 20/05/2022 16:43

I enjoyed all three of Jessie Burton's novels but I also wouldn't automatically recommend The Muse and The Confession in these circumstances, to someone who loved The Miniaturist as they are very different in settings and style. I believe JB has a new book coming out called The House of Fortune and billed as a sequel (I don't remember the expected publication date).

Hope you can find something good and then perhaps try the author's other books when you're home and not having to worry about luggage limits.

Original poster

Uncomplicated · 20/05/2022 22:09

Thank you @elkiedee . I have just found that book. It’s due to be published in July. I’m going to order it 😊

OP posts:

MurderAtTheBeautyPageant · 20/05/2022 22:10

I was quite annoyed by The Miniaturist but I won't say why as you're still reading it!

littlepeas · 21/05/2022 19:16

I adored the miniaturist but found the muse a bit dull. Haven’t read anything else by her.

Blackcountryexile · 22/05/2022 17:06

I loved The Minaturist and would recommend The Words in my Hand by Guinevere Glasfurd which is also set in 17th century Amsterdam. I think The Dictionary of Lost Words is an enjoyable read.

FredrikaPeri · 02/09/2022 19:57

MurderAtTheBeautyPageant · 20/05/2022 22:10

I was quite annoyed by The Miniaturist but I won't say why as you're still reading it!

Why????

elkiedee · 03/09/2022 02:43

I managed to place a library ebook hold ahead of publication on 7 July for The House of Fortune and was quite astonished when the availability notification popped up on my phone. It was an excellent read and now has a big queue. No idea how I got to be at the front of it. It's set 18 years after the end of the first story. I'm not sure I could write a review without borrowing it again or acquiring a copy to keep, but if I did I would have to post it on a separate thread with a warning that there are unavoidable spoilers for The Minituarist.

It did make me think that I may need to reread The Minituarist as my memory of it already is very hazy and mostly about shifting relationships between the main characters - although I borrowed it from the library originally I did get it on Kindle on offer later.

Framboisery · 03/09/2022 10:16

I felt a bit meh about the Muse. Bits seemed quite poorly written.

MurderAtTheBeautyPageant · 28/09/2022 14:29

FredrikaPeri · 02/09/2022 19:57

Why????

Show quote history

Bit late replying but...

I was annoyed because the magical mystical miniaturist was completely extraneous to the story. If she hadn't been included it wouldn't have changed anything about the plot. Finished the book and thought what was the point? Why was the book focused on this character who we never actually saw. I think the writer couldn't think of a way for it to make sense, didn't know how to resolve that storyline...so didn't.

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