Danny marries his girlfriend Celeste, and they have two children, May and Kevin. The novel is narrated by an adult Danny Conroy. Maeve still works as a bookkeeper at a grocery store in a nearby town. Celeste is Danny's wife and the mother of May and Kevin. This character is a young teenager when one of the character's parent dies. And in each of her books, you find a kind of fairy-tale starting point, a fairy tale where the vivid characters figure out how to be real: how to live and manage in their extraordinary circumstances. Danny Conroy: narrator and younger child of Elna and CyrilMaeve Conroy: Danny’s older sisterCyril Conroy: Maeve and Danny’s father, referred to primarily as dad or Mr. ConroyElna Conroy: Maeve and Danny’s mother; Cyril Conroy’s first wifeAndrea Smith: Cyril’s second wife, a young widow and wicked step-mother to Maeve and DannyNorma Smith: Andrea’s older daughterBright Smith: Andrea’s younger daughterSandy: housekeeper at the Dutch House, sister to JocelynJocelyn: cook at the Dutch House, sister to SandyFluffy (Fiona) DiCamillo: nanny to Danny and Maeve and later to May and KevinMr Otterson: owner of Otterson’s Frozen Vegetables where Maeve worksMrs Buchsbaum: neighbor who lives near the Dutch HouseLawyer Gooch: Conroy family lawyer and friendCeleste Norcross: Danny’s wifeMay and Kevin: Celeste and Danny’s childrenDr. I was out of town for a while and have been otherwise wrapped up in some other stuff, so this review took a little longer to get up than I’d intended, but here it is! Sandy suggests she is a saint, noting that saints' families rarely have an easy time with them. Maeve's heart attack draws her out and she reestablishes a connection with her daughter. Cyril Conroy, a self-made real estate mogul, bought the mansion in 1946 to surprise his wife Elna. Maeve is his anchor throughout his life, and he would do anything to protect her. Copyright © 1999 - 2020 GradeSaver LLC. The siblings are raised together in the Dutch House by their father and their stepmother Andrea. If you enjoy The Dutch House, you might like to read Commonwealth, also by Patchett, and compare the characters and their interactions between the two books. Eventually, she leaves completely for India to help the poor, and Cyril tells her not to come back because it jeopardizes Maeve's health. She also chose Elkins Park given its proximity to New York, which she already knew would feature in the novel. I find Ann Patchett’s writing very pleasurable to read. They grow up in a wealthy household but lose everything, their mother is presumed to be dead, Andrea plays the role of the evil stepmother, and their stepsisters Nora and Bright are brought in and given preferential treatment. After Elna abandons the family when Danny is just a child, Danny relies heavily on his relationship with his sister. What do you think? "[8], Writing for The New York Times Book Review, author Martha Southgate gave the book a positive review, saying, "This novel takes a winding road through the forest and doesn't rush to a finish, nor is the ending wholly surprising. The Dutch House: A Reading Guide. She does not get along with Celeste at all, but she eventually loses the intensity of her hatred when she has a heart attack and her mother, Elna, returns to her.