Tulip Fever: A Novel

If you are looking for a book to help you understand Holland’s tulip mania, search on. This is not it.It is, however, a quick and interesting story of lives intertwined around Dutch art and the relationships between a wealthy, aging merchant, his much younger second wife, their family servant and an artist engaged to paint the family portrait.The story is engaging and the writing is generally good. My primary complaint is that the author seems obsessed with all things sexual. At times, particularly in the first half of the story, the book reads like a cheap romance novel.Good read, though, if you either enjoy or can get past that element.

Tulip Fever by Deborah Moggach follows a young woman named Sophia as she is married to an elderly man, Cornelis, whom she married because her family was poor and needed the money he had. Set in 1630s Amsterdam, this wasn’t something out of the ordinary, but one feels for the character as she doesn’t truly love him, the age difference being significant and she simply wanted to help her family out. Cornelis wants an heir but she, some reason, doesn’t ever get pregnant. Deciding to instead have a painting done of themselves, Cornelis hires a young painter named Jan van Loos. Jan and Sophia become close and create a very elaborate plot in order to escape her marriage with Cornelis and be able to live somewhere where no one could find them. In order to do this, they decide to invest in the tulip business that was like a fever in Holland, everyone going crazy for the flower.This story was written very well, its plot very elaborate and a lot of twists, leaving you on the edge of your seat. The characters were well developed, and I can’t wait to see Christoph Waltz play Cornelis in the movie that is to come to theaters next year. I just hope he twirls his mustache a bunch again…I learned a lot about Holland that I didn’t know, and found myself imagining the city very well. Deborah Moggach was very descriptive and I think did a lot of research on the era and on the city. Although the story isn’t true, I found it to be plausible and it made me curious as to who this artist really was. The story reminds me “The Girl with the Pearl Earring”, inspiring a story from a painting, and the relationship of the model and the artist.The only problem I had was with the shift in characters and sometimes in perspective. Sometimes it is in first-person and other times it is in third-person. It took a while getting used to. I am a person who doesn’t care for adding new perspectives part way through, but I didn’t let it ruin the story. I did not see the ending coming and found that it wrapped up the story nicely.All in all, I give the novel a 4.5/5, having been a very interesting love story, but the perspectives drawing away from connecting with the character. If you like a historical romance, pick this story up!Original review posted on A Bibliophile's Reverie

Tulip Fever is a kind of soap opera like historical novel, set in Amsterdam, when the city was the center of art and culture and beauty in Europe. As far as books like this one go it isn't bad, but I can't say I was overly awed by it.This story is of a wife named Sophia with an older husband named Cornelis who falls in love with a painter named Jan van Loos who paints their portrait. Her only friend is her maid, Maria and she is hopelessly lonely. Desperate to somehow escape the comfortable but emotionally dead life she leads Sophie grabs at the chance to use Maria's pregnancy as a means of escape.As I said, this book is very soap opera-ish. There are lots of elaborate plans, fortunes gained and lost, and a whole lot of tragedy. The setting of this novel is quite well done. Amsterdam comes alive as a city of elegant art and beauty everywhere. The tulip mania that gripped the city so badly is portrayed as a flirty business, dangerous to gamble on, but irresistible because of the beauty of the tulip in bloom.What I didn't like about this book was the love story between Sophie and Jan. It felt extremely unconvincing. I hate stories where people talk to each other maybe once, exchange a couple of heated glances and then are all of a sudden deeply in love with each other. Because the love story doesn't pan out, a lot of the novel doesn't either. Sophie is also an unconvincing character. Not a lot of her actions make sense. Additionally the view point in this novel alternates a lot, from Sophie in first person, to everyone else, including sometimes Sophie, in third person. While I do think multiple view points were necessary for the story to be told perhaps the number of viewpoints could have been cut down on.The really good part about this book was Maria, who had a real personality and a really convincing love and story.Three stars in the end. If you like historical fiction you'll get some enjoyment out of this.For more books on the tulip craze check out "Earthly Joys" by Philippa Gregory, which is about an English gardener and at one point in the book he falls in love with tulips.

This book has many layers which made it interesting. There is the surface love relationships between Sophia and her older husband, the illicit affair with the young painter, and the relationship between the maid and a common peddler.As the story unfolds, it shows the unanticipated effects of deceit on the lives of so many, the questioning of faith and the power of belief in God, and the historical aspects of tulipmania including the destructive greed that consumed lives. Appreciated that the author tied up all the loose ends at the conclusion of the book.

Have started to read it again because I couldn't put it down the first time and read it so quickly. The author describes the infancy of tulip profiteering in the golden age of Dutch artists. Story line begins somewhat predictable but wedged in between are beautifully written pictures of Amsterdam and its colorful people and then the deception begins. The characters are easy to fault or fall in love and the ending is superb. Looking forward to the movie.

This is a well-told multi-faceted story about passions, art, human misery and what takes our lives beyond the constraints of our existences. Contextualised within the frenzy period of the tulip fever in Amsterdam, the story grips the reader with its turns of events and makes you think about the sense of our lives.

Un excellent livre. Livraison rapide.

I had no idea what to expect and what a surprise. Insight into the 1600s and art. The story pulls you in. What an ending

It is an amazing story that takes you to the rich history of Holland and its paintings. You imagine the lives of the painters and the streets of Amsterdam at that time.This is a must read.

この時期（正確には1636-37年）に影響を与えた画家の他にエピグラフのおかげで詩人の名前がネットの検索語句に。同時に絵画鑑賞。コンパクトなオランダ芸術百科辞典みたいになってしまった。そして基本的な植物関係の単語とバブル、1％オランダ語。なんかこの一冊で十分な気分。ページ数の割には空白も多く　一場面が短い。洋書を試したい人向け、という他にお薦めの理由は　同等のオランダ語の作品を知らないからと　年表を楽しめるから。映画では街の様子や取引所の様子が見られる。人によっては大げさすぎる演出や表現が気に入らないという批判があり　これもありがたく思っている。