On a chilly fall day, there is nothing better than curling up by the fireplace with a good book. Thankfully, Jenna Bush Hager just announced her exciting selection for the #ReadWithJenna book club to dive into this October.
Jenna's latest pick is "The Dutch House," by Ann Patchett.
"The Dutch House," by Ann Patchett
“‘The Dutch House’ is a beautiful, dark fairy tale,” said Jenna.
Set over five decades, "The Dutch House" follows the close sibling relationship of the book's main characters, Danny and Maeve, as they navigate life's obstacles.
“What I kept coming back to in this book was Danny and Maeve’s closeness, their bond, how they raise each other,” said Jenna. "I thought it was a beautiful story of a relationship between brother and sister.”
Narrated by Danny, the story is set into motion when the two siblings' father, Cyril Conroy, makes a lucky real estate investment at the end of World War II. He uses his newly acquired wealth to surprise his family with the purchase of a large property known as The Dutch House. With this purchase, he unknowingly thrusts a series of tragedies upon Danny and Maeve.
Long after the pair move out of The Dutch House, they continue to visit their old home to relive and remember their childhood. Their shared pain and their fascination with the physical house keep their unshakable bond intact throughout adulthood but also threaten to hold them back from moving forward with their lives.
“One thing that has been very interesting to me is to hear readers say that this book makes me stop and reconsider some of the old hurts and injuries I’ve been hanging on to from my childhood all my life," author Ann Patchett told TODAY.
The novel tackles the themes of forgiveness, pain, love and the question of who we are versus who we want to be.
“There are moments of sadness,” said Jenna. "Danny and Maeve’s childhood is filled with disappointment, but the love they find in each other is beautiful and hopeful.”
One thing is certain: Readers will fly through the suspense-filled pages of "The Dutch House," wondering what will come next for Danny and Maeve.
“I read ‘The Dutch House’ right after I had Hal, and even in the middle of the night when I was feeding him I reached for this beauty of a book," said Jenna.
We hope you will enjoy the October book selection as much as we did! Let us know what you think and be sure to join in the conversation all month long.
For past #ReadWithJenna book club picks, you can read the announcements for her March pick, April pick, May pick, June pick, July pick, August pick and September pick. Also check out our Read With Jenna page.
To stay involved all month long, be sure to follow us on Instagram (don't forget to tag your photos with the hashtag #ReadWithJenna), join our Read With Jenna Facebook group and follow along on Goodreads to continue the conversation about "The Dutch House."
