The Miniaturist

The Miniaturist (2014) is the debut novel of English author and actress Jessie Burton. The novel became an international bestseller following a bidding war in 2013 and won the 2014 Waterstones Book of the Year award. In 2017, a television adaptation aired on BBC One, starring Anya Taylor-Joy.

A work of historical fiction, The Miniaturist is set in 17th-century Amsterdam. Narrated in the third person, the story follows the coming-of-age of protagonist Nella Oortman within a marriage that meets none of her girlish expectations. The narrative combines historical detail with elements of mystery and suspense as Nella receives cryptic gifts from a miniaturist (an artist who creates miniature models) who has uncanny insight into her life. The novel’s themes include gender roles and autonomy, the nature of love, and appearances versus reality.

This guide refers to the 2014 Picador paperback edition.

Plot Summary

In 1686, 18-year-old Petronella (Nella) Oortman arrives in Amsterdam from her rural hometown of Assendelft. After marrying Dutch merchant Johannes Brandt, Nella has come to live with her husband on the Golden Bend, Amsterdam's wealthiest area.

Nella is impressed by her husband’s mansion, which looks out onto the canal.