Ann Patchett's "The Dutch House" has an enticing framework that pulls you into the novel. Although, once inside, "The Dutch House" is a hallow shell that leaves the reader unmoored & unmoved. Danny & Maeve Conroy are extremely close siblings. Maeve is the older, saintly and stalwart big sister. They grow-up for the most part in a Gatsby like mansion in Philadelphia with a lots of glitz, shimmering glass and sparkle. Unfortunately, their childhoods are shattered when their mother abandons them. Their father's new wife Andrea is a stand-in for the wicked step-mother in Cinderella. Andrea moves in with her 2 daughters and quickly moves Maeve to the attic so her daughter can have the better room. Danny wants to follow in the footsteps of his father Cyril into owning & managing rental properties. When their beloved father dies unexpectedly Andrea sends them packing leaving them homeless & penniless. Within the home there was warmth & kindness coming from the two sisters who worked tirelessly caring for Maeve & Danny & the house. Maeve takes Danny under her wing. Maeve's ambitions are set aside to work and ensure Danny's educational expenses are met; the only thing left in trust from their Dad. Danny submits to sis' insistence to go to med school despite his reluctance to practice medicine. The years draw on as Maeve's life seems frozen. Danny completes med school, marries, has a son & daughter and turns to a vocation in NYC real estate. Danny & Maeve are continually drawn back to the Dutch House. They stall their car outside, smoking & holding back from putting their lives in drive. Danny reflects later, "We had made a fetish out of misfortune, fallen in love with it. I was sickened to realize we'd kept it going for so long." "The Dutch House" is an adult fairytale that double downs on Hansel & Gretel, Cinderella and A Little Princess. The novel constructs a facade of interest based on a strong foundation between siblings. But after completion, the magic dissipates like smoke.
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