THE HOUSE OF FORTUNE
Alive with the magic of eighteenth-century Amsterdam, a bestselling, bewitching historical novel about one young woman learning to set her own life’s course despite family and cultural pressure, from New York Times bestselling author Jessie Burton.
In Amsterdam in 1705, Thea Brandt is coming of age, trying to grapple with her family’s secrets and her own identity as a young Dutch African woman. She’s drawn to the theater and an artistic life, but with her family in serious financial decline, pressure is on Thea to marry up in society.
As her father and Aunt Nella work desperately to save the family home and catastrophe threatens to engulf them,
Alive with the magic of eighteenth-century Amsterdam, a bestselling, bewitching historical novel about one young woman learning to set her own life’s course despite family and cultural pressure, from New York Times bestselling author Jessie Burton.
In Amsterdam in 1705, Thea Brandt is coming of age, trying to grapple with her family’s secrets and her own identity as a young Dutch African woman. She’s drawn to the theater and an artistic life, but with her family in serious financial decline, pressure is on Thea to marry up in society.
As her father and Aunt Nella work desperately to save the family home and catastrophe threatens to engulf them, Thea seeks refuge in the arms of her secret lover, Walter, the chief set painter at her favorite theater. But the thrill of their romance is shadowed by another secret she keeps close: Her birthday marks the day her mother, Marin, died in labor. Thea’s family refuses to share the details of the story, just as they seem terrified to speak of the shadowy artist from their past whose tiny figurines seem to capture the things most carefully hidden away. Aunt Nella believes the solution to Thea’s problems is to find her a husband, and an unexpected invitation to Amsterdam’s most exclusive ball seems like a golden opportunity. But when a miniature figure of Walter turns up on Thea’s doorstep, it becomes clear that someone out there has another fate in mind for the family— and that perhaps the new beginning Thea seeks won’t depend on a man.
A feat of sweeping, magical storytelling, The House of Fortune is an unputdownable novel about love and obsession, family and loyalty, and the fantastic power of secrets.
- Bloomsbury Publishing
- Paperback
- July 2024
- 304 Pages
- 9781639731626
Buy the Book
$17.99
About Jessie Burton
Jessie Burton’s first novel, The Miniaturist, was a New York Times bestseller and was adapted into a PBS series, starring Anya Taylor-Joy. Jessie’s second novel, The Muse, was also a #1 international bestseller. Jessie has written essays and reviews for the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. She lives in London.
Praise
“[Burton] has a way of drawing us into her world.” —The New York Times Book Review
“Eighteenth-century Amsterdam has never been steamier.” —People Magazine
“The Dutch setting is masterfully evoked, both indoors and out, and the Brandts and their secrets are shrewdly depicted . . . Captivating.” —Minneapolis Star-Tribune
“A beautifully written and wholly engrossing tale. New readers will be delighted that they can enjoy this book without having read the first one.” —Library Journal
“Jessie Burton is a master storyteller who brings 18th century Amsterdam to life . . . The cost of keeping secrets and the danger of not being able to communicate with those closest to us thrums through this exquisite page-turner.” —Janet Skeslien Charles, New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Library
“A more than worthy sequel to The Miniaturist. Elegant, atmospheric, compelling. I absolutely loved it.”
—Marian Keyes, New York Times bestselling author of The Brightest Star in the Sky and Again, Rachel
“The most beautiful book you’ll read this year. A spectacular achievement, this glittering glass bauble of brilliance, the story of Thea, will break your heart and put it back together again . . . Shining, sinuous, truly a marvel.” —Kate Williams, New York Times bestselling author of Becoming Queen Victoria
“Captivating . . . the vibrant period detail, the characters’ vibrant inner lives, and Thea’s fulfilling journey to maturity make for a winning combination.” —Publishers Weekly
“A captivating coming-of-age drama . . . Dark and opulent . . . Burton’s narrative talents shine at full brilliance in The House of Fortune, offering a heady, hypnotic immersion into Thea’s world that readers will be reluctant to leave.” —Shelf Awareness
“A book of beauty and insight: Burton’s ability to meld a deep understanding of human nature with pitch-perfect historical detail is awe-inspiring. I turned the final page feeling moved, satisfied and sad to leave the characters (and Lucas the cat) behind. Burton is a master storyteller.” —Elizabeth Day, author of How to Fail and The Party
“I was absolutely swept away by this exquisite and propulsive novel. I found the world so meticulously crafted and the vibrant cast of characters so alluring that I entered a divine fictional dream, bewitched by Burton’s deft narrative hand . . . Magical and suspenseful, this epic tale felt written in the stars long ago. The kind of book that makes you feel lucky to hold it in your hands.” —Chelsea Bieker, author of Godshot and Heartbroke
Discussion Questions
1. The novel is written in close third person. How does this point of view affect your reading experience? How are Thea and Nella’s worldviews expressed, compared, and contrasted through this choice of POV? How would the novel have been different in the first person or third-person omniscient?
2. Thea routinely eavesdrops and overhears conversations. What is the result of this plot device? How effective is this device in conveying information or furthering character? How does it clarify or confuse?
3. Values such as “cleanliness” and “patience” are used to personify Amsterdam. To what extent do these values accurately capture the novel’s setting? Discuss the ways in which the Brandt’s exemplify or reject these values.
4. Although flashbacks are not used often, the dead are very much alive in the novel. What devices does the author use to portray Marin and Johannes? How do these “ghosts” influence the present?
5. The novel consistently returns to the image of Thea’s “stained gold dress.” What is the symbolism of this image? Identify and discuss other examples of repeated or prominent images. What is the significance or purpose of this repetition?
6. The Brandt’s are described as the “masquerade of a wealthy family.” Consider the theme of appearance versus reality in the novel. Discuss the “necessary deceptions” the novel chronicles. What is the significance?
7. One female character, the miniaturist, is described as “meddler” and “witch” and “guide” and “protector.” Discuss how the author uses gendered language to expand or limit nuance. How are women represented in the novel?
8. Thea sells a map of Africa to pay off her blackmailer. What is the significance of maps in the novel? Discuss the theme of travel and how it is explored and perceived by different characters.
9. Shakespearean allusions are featured prominently in the novel. Titus Adronicus, Romeo and Juliet, and The Taming of the Shrew are mentioned by name. What is the result of these allusions? How are the themes and characters of these plays used to reflect or contrast the characters and themes in the novel?
10. The novel portrays a world in which everything is turned into a commodity and, in turn, for sale: real estate, art, housekeepers, even silence. How are economic matters rendered in the novel?
11. Discuss the role of botany and the natural world in the novel. How do plants function against the urban setting? How does Nella’s ancestral home, Assendelft, function as a setting, memory, or character?
12. Contrasting philosophies of love are in conversation throughout the novel. Discuss the different philosophies and the ways in which they are practiced by different characters. How do characters change or maintain their philosophies or love?