4.5 stars.

I listened to the audiobook of this novel, which was narrated fantastically by Tom Hanks. The book is a character-driven novel focusing on the life of two siblings in Pennsylvania, following them from their childhood years into the ends of adulthood.

The writing is descriptive and flowing with great character to the dialogue. The narrative is delivered by Danny, the younger of the two siblings, and the portrayal of him by Hanks in the audio version is incredibly well done.

This is not a book for those who are bothered by a shifting and non-linear timeline in a plot. Though I feel it was done quite well, I can see that some may become confused, and even potentially aggravated, by this approach. For me, it added another layer of complexity that helped to keep the book interesting and to develop the plot in small strokes as the chapters moved on.

I enjoyed this sweeping narrative and felt that it added a bit more diversity to my reads this year. It's a good story and well-balanced between positive and negative events. There is a large range of emotion in the pages and the saga kept me intrigued. Though not in my usual range of reading (I prefer plot-driven stories), The Dutch House was definitely worth the time and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a strong narrative with full-bodied characters and a family focus.