The Dutch House by Ann Patchett is beautifully written. The narrator is one of two extremely close siblings who spend a few years at the grand house their father bought to surprise their mother. Danny and Maeve live a privileged but lonely life until a wicked stepmother shows up and promptly exiles them from the house. Danny is close to Maeve, who protects him fiercely, perhaps a bit too much. This is a story of a family over five decades who can’t let go of the past, even when it circles and comes back. It's a well-crafted character study with lots of wry humor. Not a lot always happens but it is a gripping read.