The Dutch House: A Novel

The Dutch House by Ann Patchett — a Pulitzer Prize Finalist, New York Times Bestseller, and Read with Jenna Book Club Pick — is a poignant, multi-generational story about family, love, and the inescapable pull of the past.

After World War II, Cyril Conroy transforms his family’s fortunes with a lucky investment, buying the Dutch House, a grand estate meant as a gift for his wife. But the house becomes the catalyst for tragedy, driving his wife away and later leading to the exile of his children, Danny and Maeve, by their stepmother.

Narrated by Danny, the novel follows the siblings over five decades as they cling to each other through loss, resentment, and the ghosts of their childhood home.

A dark, modern fairy tale filled with humor, heartbreak, and forgiveness, The Dutch House explores how the places and people we love shape who we become—and how some bonds can never be broken.