The Dutch HouseThe Dutch House
Score Modern
What it's about
At the end of the Second World War, Cyril Conroy's lucky investment launches a real estate empire, and he buys the Dutch House, a lavish estate outside Philadelphia. Told by his son, Danny, over five decades, the novel follows Danny and his sister, Maeve, after their stepmother turns them out of the house, and how they keep returning to it.
Why it's worth reading
It was a Pulitzer Prize finalist and spent 60 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists. It's a richly moving, fairy-tale-like story about siblings, inheritance and forgiveness.
You'll love it if you liked
Good to know
The audiobook is read by Tom Hanks. It's quiet and character-driven.
By the numbers
- Readers63 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics32 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller65 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz14 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #51 of the 116 historical novels we rank
- #284 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #567 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving, Thought-provoking
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Quick answers
Is The Dutch House worth reading?
Yes. It was a Pulitzer Prize finalist and spent 60 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists. It ranks #567 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 77.6 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Dutch House about?
At the end of the Second World War, Cyril Conroy's lucky investment launches a real estate empire, and he buys the Dutch House, a lavish estate outside Philadelphia. Told by his son, Danny, over five decades, the novel follows Danny and his sister, Maeve, after their stepmother turns them out of the house, and how they keep returning to it.
How long does it take to read The Dutch House?
About 8 hours (336 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Dutch House?
If you liked it, try Whistler by Ann Patchett, Bel Canto by Ann Patchett or The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt.