Set in Elkins Park, Pennsylvania, “The Dutch House” is a 2019 novel written by Ann Patchett that tells the story of Danny and Maeve Conroy who grew up in a mansion called The Dutch House. While on the surface a story about a wealthy family that endures immense emotional hardship, such as their mother leaving them and their father marrying a woman who legally sets herself up to inherit everything, as readers dig deeper they will find a complex narrative that illustrates how success without passion can breed discontent.  

While Danny starts his life well-off, his step-mother, Andrea, later kicks Danny out of the house following the death of their father. Once a private school kid who was set up for launching into a career path of his choosing, Danny finds his life turned upside down. Maeve discovers that, while Andrea may have inherited everything, their father still set up a trust that can be used for their college education. 

Maeve sets out to drain as much of that trust as possible. She already went to college prior to her father’s death, so she forces Danny to complete college in the most expensive way possible, going to medical school at Columbia despite his passion for real estate. 

Even though there’s no passion in his work, Danny discovers he’s a skilled surgeon. He’s so miserable, though, that he simply cannot practice medicine, despite years of schooling and residency. Patchett expertly depicts how a person can have success and acclaim, but be miserable because the passion for such successful endeavors is nowhere to be found. 

Patchett also weaves in the complexities of marriage, with Danny’s girlfriend and later wife, Celeste, only really being with him because of his status as a doctor. Danny still marries her and has children with her, though, despite their values being in misalignment, making this yet another instance of Danny bending to the expectations of others. 

Fans of audiobook listening are in for a treat with this book. The narrator is none other than Tom Hanks, who made for an engaging and entertaining listening experience. Hanks’s narration was the cherry on top of excellent writing that makes this book unique and highly-recommended. 

In 2020, “The Dutch House” was a Pulitzer Prize for Fiction finalist. Overall, for fans of complex and meaningful narratives, “The Dutch House” is an excellent selection.