The Dutch House: A Read with Jenna Pick

Before I got more than a page or two into this book, I said to myself, Wow, this is going to be a good book! Myself replied, Of course it is, it's by Ann Patchett. And indeed, this is one of Patchett's best books. The biggest criticism I can level is that it's a little self-indulgent at times, but the characters leap off the page, and are so true to themselves, that any self-indulgence was just a natural part of the progression of the story. I could go on and on about the language and the descriptions and everything else. I could even make a bad metaphor about how picking up this book was like rubbing velvet: it just felt perfect. But I won't. If you like Ann Patchett, you've already read this book. If you've never been introduced to her, this one is a great one to start with.

Actually, my biggest criticism of this book is the cover. I hate the cover.