This is, on the face of it, a story of love and marriage in 17th century Amsterdam, between a young, country girl and an older, rich merchant.

Johannes gifts Nella a cabinet-sized replica of their home, and this gradually gets filled with uncannily precise miniatures of their own possession and other facets of their life.

There is tragedy, magic and intrigue throughout this book, following Nella and Johannes relationship, and also the relationships of others around them.

The description of 17th century Amsterdam as a place and a society also rings true, adding to the depth and convolutions of the story.

This was a great introduction to historical fiction for me, and has opened doors to another genre that I had missed out on.