Flyaway Friday: Books that will take you to Netherlands

Welcome to the second week on Netherlands’ edition of the Flyaway Friday! Are you ready to fly off to the Land of Tulips? We even gave you a travel guide to Netherland last week. Do not forget to check it out!

Books That Will Take You To Netherlands

You do know how we travel to a country without passport nor the hassle of the crowd, via the cheapest mode of travel – books. So this week let me talk about books that are set in Netherlands. Let us get on with it, shall we?

Historical Fiction

Girl with a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier

Netherlands books

The story is told in the first person by Griet, who is hired as a maid by the master painter Vermeer’s family in Delft. She joins the chaotic family with too many children, an oblivious wife and a husband who doesn’t care about the finance of the family. Griet has fend off the advances of a rich patron, an infatuated young man and fight off the dream of being a wife of the painter. 

What can you expect:

This fictionalized account of the story behind the famous painting also acts as a great social commentary!

Every month we travel to a country without passport nor the hassle of the crowd, via books. Let me talk about books that are set in Netherlands. Let us get on with it, shall we? #flyawayFriday #armchairtravels Click To Tweet

The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton

Netherlands books

Set in the Seventeenth Century, eighteen year old Nella arrives in Amsterdam as the wife of Johannes Brandt, who is kind but distant to her and leaves her at the mercy of her sharp tongued sister. Johannes gifts a miniature sized replica of their household and it falls upon Nella to furnish her gift with the help of a miniaturist, whose creations mirrors its real life counterparts. How does this change their lives once and for all?

What can you expect:

A suspense filled story of love and obsession that you can’t put down till the end. 

Contemporary

The Dinner By Herman Koch

Netherlands books

Two brothers and their wives meet in a fancy restaurant in Amsterdam. Behind their apparent polite small talks, they need to discuss matters of grave importance. Their sons have committed something terrible and illegal and they have to decide how it is to be handled. By the time their dinner comes to an end, their trivial facade is broken. Where does all these leave the ‘happy families’ and ‘blood is thicker than water’?

What can you expect:

A mind blowing thriller that spans over a dinner which talks about politics, mental health and other uncomfortable dinner table conversations.

The Light of Amsterdam By David Park

Netherlands books

A single mother, a middle aged couple and 50 something male all heading to Amsterdam for the weekend are united by their misery regarding a close family member. They arrive at the city hoping for a change in their lives and does the city offer them a recourse?

What can you expect:

This slow character oriented fiction explores the complexities of love and relationship.

Classics

The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank

Netherlands books

This classic book captures the poignant story of a young girl from the German occupied Amsterdam. She captures the happenings during the war, especially to the Jews in the form of diary entries between 1942-44 while hiding from the Germans in an attic. 

What can you expect:

Despite the hard times set in the book, it is surprisingly full of life and spirit making it a must read!

Netherlands books

The Fall by Albert Camus

Jean-Baptiste Clamence, a successful Parisian barrister, has come to recognize the deep-seated hypocrisy of his existence. His epigrammatic and, above all, discomforting monologue gradually saps, then undermines, the reader’s own complacency. (From Goodreads)

Let us travel to Netherlands via books like Fall, Diary of young girl, Goldfinch and more. Let us get started shall we? #flyawayFriday #armchairtravels Click To Tweet

Other honorable mentions

That is all for now, folks. I will meet you all soon with a guest blogger next week on the Netherlands edition of the Flyaway Friday. Also if you have any question for our Dutch blogger about Netherlands or their culture, do drop them in the comments.

Pin me!

Netherlands books

Let us chat

Have you read any of these books? Do you know any other book set in Netherlands that is not listed here? What are the stereotypes and facts that you have read about the country that you have heard of? Let us talk.

18 Comments

  1. Whispering Stories

    Thanks for sharing. I’ve never been but great to have so much knowledge.

    Reply
    • Gayathri

      Thank you!

      Reply
    • Gayathri

      I am glad you liked the post!

      Reply
  2. Aleen @ Lampshade Reader

    I had my eye on the Miniaturist. I enjoy that setting.

    We had to read the Diary of Anne Frank in High School and it was really heartbreaking.

    Reply
    • Gayathri

      I agree on Miniaturist with you!

      Reply
  3. lixa Santiago

    Nice list. So far only one I have read from here is The Diary of Anne Frank. I think im ready to check out the rest of the books on your list! 🙂

    Reply
    • Gayathri

      Yay I will happy if you do!

      Reply
  4. Megan | Ginger Mom and Company

    Girl with a Pearl Earring has been on my list for some time. It sounds like one I would devour 🙂 Great list!

    Reply
    • Gayathri

      It might be kinda slow though. Fair warning!

      Reply
  5. Tasha

    Nice list. I loved The Fault in Our Stars but it made me sob.

    Reply
    • Gayathri

      That book is worth crying about.

      Reply
  6. Gemma

    A great list of books. I have The Miniaturist on my TBR.
    Gemma @ Gemma’s Book Nook

    Reply
    • Gayathri

      Let me know when you get to it.

      Reply
  7. Dani @ Perspective of a Writer

    Neat list Gayathri!! This isn’t a place you’d think to read about even though I know there are murder mysteries that are really good set here. Thanks!

    Reply
  8. Shruti | This is Lit

    I’ve always wanted to visit Amsterdam—it’s my dream destination. Reading books set there is the closest I can get to it until I move off my arse and book tickets. 😂

    Reply
  9. DJ Sakata

    I still think of it as Holland – I try to correct myself before it comes out of my mouth

    Reply

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Gayathri

Gayathri

Gayathri has been reviewing books since 2010. When she is not reading books or creating online content, she works as a writer and a digital marketer. Head over to meet me!