Cressida Connolly

Ann Patchett’s The Dutch House is even better on second reading

Much goes on beneath the surface of this novel of sibling affection, an absent mother and a longed-for house of childhood memories

issue 05 October 2019
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  • The Dutch House

    Ann Patchett

    Bloomsbury, pp. 337, £18

Having a saint in the family is dreadful, They’re often absent, either literally or emotionally, and because they’re always thinking of higher things they can’t be expected to do prosaic stuff like take the rubbish out or pay the gas bill. They tend not to enjoy jokes, much less teasing.

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