Kingston University Reading Group

To take part in our July reading group session, please contact Karen on K.Lipsedge@Kingston.ac.uk!

Written as both a sequel to the best-seller ‘The Miniaturist’ and a stand-alone novel, ‘The House of Fortune’ centres on Thea Brandt, who is on the edge of adulthood; eager to embrace her future while also having to deal with her family's decline. Living in a once-grand house, Thea's father Otto and Aunt Nella struggle to keep the family afloat, selling off their possessions just to survive. Thea finds solace and love in Walter, a set-painter at her favourite theatre. However, her eighteenth birthday, which also marks the anniversary of her mother Marin's death, brings long-buried family secrets to the surface, threatening to overwhelm her.

Aunt Nella is determined to save the family from their dire financial crisis by securing a wealthy husband for Thea. An invitation to Amsterdam's most exclusive ball seems like the perfect opportunity to change their fortunes. Nella's hopes are high as she looks forward to a prosperous future through an advantageous marriage for Thea. But the ball introduces unexpected new characters into their lives, promising potential new beginnings, yet leaving their fates uncertain. Among these swirling possibilities, Nella senses the eerie return of the miniaturist, whose mysterious figurines once revealed hidden truths about their family.

We aim to:

· Offer a platform for all staff and students to raise and engage on equality, diversity, and inclusion issues.

· Facilitate discussion on challenging subjects and encourage new perspectives.

· Foster collaboration across the whole of the University as well as with the wider community.

*The skills you develop by taking part in this activity can be used to build your Kingston Award reflections on Career Zone.  Find out more by watching  our Kingston Award video, visiting our Kingston Award webpages or getting in touch kingstonaward@kingston.ac.uk