Tom Hanks performs the unabridged audiobook of The Dutch House, and as with most celebrity performances, it makes it a lot harder to get lost in the story, because one is always noticing “this is Tom Hanks reading.” Clearly the fact that this is a “Read with Jenna” choice and the book is a best seller goes hand-in-hand with choosing a celebrity to perform the audiobook. The performance itself is good — Hanks has proven talent not just at acting but in vocal performances for animated movies. But performing an audiobook is a skill unto itself, and there are many better performers. Listening to Hanks, one also thinks of Woody from Toy Story, and maybe Forrest Gump. There are times when he goes a bit too broad, although that’s mainly because as listeners we know his tones so well. Another lesser-known performer could be just as dramatic and get away with it.

The plot has been set out in detail in many other reviews. The novel is set over a long period, by Danny Conroy, telling the reader about his father, his mother and step mother, his sister, his wife, and his children, in a suburb north of Philadelphia. Danny grows up in a wealthy family living in a big house. But his life is not easy because his mother leaves home when he is young, and he is angry with her for decades after. Things get worse when his father remarries, and worse still after other plot turns. Danny survives and eventually thrives. There is a surprising plot development and he reflects on his life.

Over the course of the nearly 10 hours with Danny in the audiobook, (352 pages in the hardcover), we come to know Danny well. He is a practical man who is able to learn the lessons that life has for him. He manages to nurture relationships with those close to him and he shows deep love, despite his early rejection by his mother. The fundamental question of the book is whether his anger at his mother is worth sustaining. Directly related to this, is it such a terrible thing for a woman to leave her children in a secure home and pursue a different life? It seems that we do not judge fathers who do this so harshly, and that suggests there is a double standard for women.

Of course, that is a point that could be made in a few sentences, or a short story. Placing it into a full length novel enriches the deliberation over the question, and shows us how difficult it is for Danny to face it. There are also many other themes in the book, and we see how they are all interwoven. We see him go through many of life’s troubles, and he copes with dignity and enterprise, even showing humor. He is an extremely likable character, (especially in the performance by Hanks), and his anger at his mother is entirely understandable — it does not undermine his likability.

Patchett is a skilled writer whose sentences flow easily and whose dialog is very natural, so listening to the book is a pleasant and relaxing experience. The years go by quickly, with the action slowing down for major events. There’s also some flitting backward and forward in time, so readers are given glimpses of the future before the story goes over it fully. The weight of events as they unfold is heavy, and the emotions of the characters are clear. It is ultimately an uplifting story and it deserves its popularity.

© 2019 Christian Perring

Christian Perring teaches in NYC.