A plot twist is a story development that readers do not expect in which either something shocking happens or something shocking is revealed. Strangely enough, however, the central mystery, the miniaturists uncanny knowledge of the future, is never solved, and the reader is left unsatisfied. But plot twists are also needed during the inbetweens. This generator will trigger those lateral thinking moments that lead to something surprising. Although some of the characterisation lacks depth especially johannes of the main characters, burtons depiction of the 17th century amsterdam setting is so attentive to detail that one feels like unseen observers of the action and the atmosphere has a real eeriness and mysteriousness.
But her new home, while splendorous, is not welcoming. Last week i met up with the cambridge book club for the first time. It may change the audiences perception of the preceding events, or introduce a new conflict that places it in a different context. Set in 17th century amsterdam, the miniaturist is the story of a young bride, nella, married by arrangement to a wealthy merchant twice her age.
Ive decided to get back into blogging after having the longest break ever. The miniaturist book washington county cooperative. In fact, i love it so much i put together a list of 100 books with plot twists. Jessie burtons 2014 debut novel the miniaturist does have a good deal to admire. An international bestseller, it was the focus of a publishers bidding war at the 20 london book fair. I love it when a book makes me want to run up to the first person i can find and say, holy crap, you need to read this book right now.
Yes, sandra, it was marins funeral, narrated by the miniaturist. Generally, the storyteller will set up expectations and then twist those expectations by revealing new information through subsequent plot points. The miniaturist is narrated by a thirdperson narrator who has insight only into nellas thoughts and feelings. One and a half pages to tell her story, as if revealing that much would be enough. The miniaturist was a book club pick and probably not something i would have picked up ordinarily. Strangely enough, however, the central mystery, the miniaturists uncanny knowledge of the future, is. One of the main points of a plot twist is that it entices your audience to keep reading, desperate to find out what happens next. Perhaps the author tried to achieve too much in one book which led to some strange plot twists and a slightly unsatisfactory explanation of the role of the miniaturist. On a brisk autumn day in 1686, eighteenyearold nella oortman arrives in amsterdam to begin a new life as the wife of illustrious merchant trader johannes brandt. Readers love to be put off the scent and wrong footed with a clever and unexpected twist in the tale. Set in seventeenth century amsterdam a city ruled by glittering wealth and oppressive religion a masterful debut steeped in atmosphere and shimmering with mystery, in the tradition. Engaging the services of a miniaturist to furnish a cabinetsized replica of her new home, 18yearold nella oortman, the wife of an illustrious merchant trader, soon discovers that the artists tiny creations mirror their reallife counterparts in eerie and unexpected ways. This book is beautifully written, wellcrafted both structurally and syntactically, and just thoroughly enchanting. The miniaturist carves figures that seem to predict future events about the characters lives, but we never know why or how theyre carved, just that they.
The book up for discussion this month was jessie burtons the miniaturist, which, if you live anywhere other than under a stone, you will no doubt be familiar with. Adding more than one might make the logistics of your story an absolute nightmare to structure. On a brisk autumn day in 1686, eighteenyearold nella. Johannes is kind yet distant, always locked in his study or at his warehouse office leaving nella alone with his sister, the sharp. Cambridge book club the miniaturist jade the obscure. Published august 26th 2014 by ecco press first published july 3rd 2014 more details. Shoe horning one of these plot twists into a story is certain to take it in a new direction.
Nella finds herself in the midst of unusual and strong willed characters she struggles to understand, not the least of which is the mysterious miniaturist who delivers pieces for her house. The kind of book that reminds you why you fell in love with reading s. I have to say i wasnt planning to read this one, and the woowoo seemed forced and unnecessary. Much of the work in adding a plot twist is simply making it possible to have occurred in your story world. The miniaturist is that rarest of things beautifully written, yet also a compelling pageturner. If anything, your plot twist should ramp up the actiontensionintrigue, not act as a high point followed by a lull. The midpoint plot twist made my jaw drop the first time i read it, and the second half of the book continues to spiral with several revelations about how tightly wound sue and mauds lives are to. Myriad plot twists involve brandts commercial activities, especially the stores of precious sugar cones from. Set in amsterdam in 168687, the novel was inspired by petronella oortmans dolls house on display at the rijksmuseum. Explaining the major plot change, executive producer kate sinclair said.
Most plot twists are built around a unique and specific plot device like time travel for example. Of course, not every plot twist is as dramatic as this, but i love it when an author does a nifty bit of sleightofhand magic. Burton conjures every scent and crackle of nellas world. The main character of the title, the miniaturist, doesnt appear a huge amount in the book and we felt that that was a. As always, i shall only be writing about things that i feel passionate about mostly dedicating this space to my love of literature. While her husband, johannes, shows little interest in her, his puritanical sister, marin, is. A tense bbc period drama featuring an excellent anya taylorjoy performance. The miniaturist book columbus metropolitan library. And the human mystery is no mystery at all to the minimally attentive reader we spot every single revelation hours before our heroine does. Its haunting, magical, and full of surprises, the kind of book that reminds you why you fell in love with reading. Myriad plot twists involve brandts commercial activities, especially the stores of precious sugar cones from surinam, and the tragic, fatal consequences of illicit love affairs. When it happens near the end of a story, it is known as a twist or surprise ending.
Enchanting, beautiful, and exquisitely suspenseful, the miniaturist is a magnificent story of love and obsession, betrayal and retribution, appearance and truth. The miniaturist is one of the years most hyped novels, and its easy to see why. Also in this area is a bakery, where cornelias old friend hanna works. The narration was good and the story engaging, with a nice sense of atmosphere depicting amsterdam in the 17th century. It does not otherwise attempt to be a biographical novel. Marin gives nella a book called smits list and through the directory of merchants, nella is able to locate a miniaturist who can craft items for her cabinet and brings a letter with her requests to the miniaturist s workshop on the kalverstraat, a business street. Watson, author of before i go to sleep a fabulously gripping read that will appeal to fans of girl with a pearl earring and the goldfinch, but burton is a genuinely new. I had thought the miniaturist would be a central part of the book, but instead she seemed tacked on, a device to make the plot work. The miniaturist by burton spoilers book chat central. The miniaturist is the 2014 debut novel of english actress and author jessie burton. The list below gives the first 12 plot twist ideas, examples, and the expected questions readers will. Johannes is kind yet distant, always locked in his study or at his warehouse. The writing is as detailed and precise as a painting by vermeer and was the perfect style to tell this story. Dont disappoint them by letting the momentum slow down too much after the twist.
Publishers know this all too well, which is why the promise of a twist is often used to advertise books that don. All ready to be adapted any which way, and popped into your beautiful workinprogress. Watson, author of before i go to sleep a fabulously gripping read that will appeal to fans of girl with a pearl earring and the goldfinch, but burton is a genuinely new voice with her visceral take on sex, race and class. A plot twist is a literary technique that introduces a radical change in the direction or expected outcome of the plot in a work of fiction. T he word twist exerts a strange power over crime fiction addicts like me. Set in seventeenth century amsterdama city ruled by glittering wealth and oppressive religiona masterful debut steeped in atmosphere and shimmering with mystery, in the tradition of emma donoghue, sarah waters, and sarah dunant. Why bother to title the book, the miniaturist when the story has almost nothing to do with the miniaturist. Unfortunately for the plot, and the reader, the miniaturist, the titular character, turns out to be utterly irrelevant to the story, a mere decorative fancy. The following version of this book was used to create this study guide. Very strong writing for a first novel with images and characters that linger long after the final page. The miniaturist book austin public library bibliocommons. Its haunting, magical, and full of surprises, the kind of book that reminds you why you fell in love with reading s.
218 825 981 1116 144 575 925 702 736 199 330 1153 1227 509 732 3 324 716 794 169 398 854 1256 1226 510 1211 1387 481 1555 1382 1270 597 718 1152 1485 1360 101 654