Tulip Fever

Tulip Fever by Deborah Moggach
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The best part of this book was its cover! It is beautiful but the story is not. The reference to tulipomania is hardly touched up although the onion eating scene was perfect. Found this difficult and plodding for the first half. Not until the deception of pregnancy did the writing pick up. The atmosphere was moody, dark--like ill lit rooms filled with heavy wood furniture. Even the art studio and painting scenes were dark and moody. The author kept stressing the illusionary aspect of life and so the story seemed dream-like. Other than Cornelis, the old man married to a unfaithful young wife, and Maria, the unfortunate young maid, I found the characters unlikeable and their selfishness intolerable. Jan did not deserve his success but if Cornelis found happiness with his native girl that is a happy ending. Maria's love story and its ending was far more satisfying than the relationship between Sophia and Jan.

Twenty plus years ago this was a best seller, didn't miss much by taking so long to get around to it.

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