The Dutch House, by Ann Patchett

I am wildly jealous of Ann Patchett. She has an uncanny ability to write novels that are consistently gripping, luminous, emotional, layered and utterly real. She scores again with Dutch House, a sweeping family saga that I had trouble putting down after the very first page.

In The Dutch House, Danny Conroy tells the story of his family and their historic mansion — the Dutch House — in the suburbs of Philadelphia. When Danny and his sister Maeve are thrown out of the house by their step-mother, they are impoverished and alone, and deal with the ramifications of that decision for the rest of their lives.

This novel is not perfect. There were a few plot points and things here and there that didn’t really ring true to me. But it is a testament to Patchett’s skill that I loved this novel despite those things. This is probably one of my favorite books of the year. Highly recommend!