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The Tulip Eaters
In a riveting exploration of the power the past wields over the present, critically acclaimed author Antoinette van Heugten writes the story of a woman whose child's life hangs in the balance, forcing her to confront the roots of her family's troubled history in the dark days of World War II…
It's the stuff of nightmares: Nora de Jong returns home from work one ordinary day to find her mother has been murdered. Her infant daughter is missing. And the only clue is the body of an unknown man on the living-room floor, clutching a Luger in his cold, dead hand.
Frantic to find Rose, Nora puts aside her grief and frustration to start her own search. But the contents of a locked metal box she finds in her parents' attic leave her with as many questions as answers—and suggest the killer was not a stranger. Saving her daughter means delving deeper into her family's darkest history, leading Nora half a world away to Amsterdam, where her own unsettled past and memories of painful heartbreak rush back to haunt her.
As Nora feverishly pieces together the truth from an old family diary, she's drawn back to a city under Nazi occupation, where her mother's alliances may have long ago sealed her own–and Rose's—fate.
It's the stuff of nightmares: Nora de Jong returns home from work one ordinary day to find her mother has been murdered. Her infant daughter is missing. And the only clue is the body of an unknown man on the living-room floor, clutching a Luger in his cold, dead hand.
Frantic to find Rose, Nora puts aside her grief and frustration to start her own search. But the contents of a locked metal box she finds in her parents' attic leave her with as many questions as answers—and suggest the killer was not a stranger. Saving her daughter means delving deeper into her family's darkest history, leading Nora half a world away to Amsterdam, where her own unsettled past and memories of painful heartbreak rush back to haunt her.
As Nora feverishly pieces together the truth from an old family diary, she's drawn back to a city under Nazi occupation, where her mother's alliances may have long ago sealed her own–and Rose's—fate.
368 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2013
70 people are currently reading
1902 people want to read
About the author
Antoinette van Heugten
6 books132 followersA former international trial lawyer, van Heugten spent 15 years practicing all over the world, primarily in Scandinavia, Germany and the Netherlands, as well as in Houston, her hometown. She’s a graduate of the University of Texas in Austin, Texas, where she earned her undergraduate and law degrees.
The Tulip Eaters is van Heugten’s second novel. Her debut novel, Saving Max (MIRA Books, October 2010), was a USA Today bestseller, translated into six languages and received much critical acclaim. Inspired by her real-life experience as the mother of two autistic children, Saving Max follows a single mother whose teenage son has Asperger’s syndrome and becomes the primary suspect in a gruesome murder case.
In her latest book, The Tulip Eaters (MIRA Books, November 2013), van Heugten follows Nora de Jong as she returns home from work to find her mother brutally murdered and infant daughter missing. The only clue is the body of a dead stranger, clutching a Luger in his hand. Launching a frantic search for her missing daughter, de Jong is forced to confront the roots of her family’s secret past in World War II, leading her to Amsterdam, where her own haunting memories flood back.
When not thinking up new ways to kill off her characters, van Heugten enjoys long hikes with her dog, gardening and traveling. She is currently working on her next novel, Finding Marianne, the sequel to Saving Max. She lives in Fredericksburg, Texas, with her husband, a former prominent oil and gas trial lawyer.
For more information, please visit www.avhbooks.com.
The Tulip Eaters is van Heugten’s second novel. Her debut novel, Saving Max (MIRA Books, October 2010), was a USA Today bestseller, translated into six languages and received much critical acclaim. Inspired by her real-life experience as the mother of two autistic children, Saving Max follows a single mother whose teenage son has Asperger’s syndrome and becomes the primary suspect in a gruesome murder case.
In her latest book, The Tulip Eaters (MIRA Books, November 2013), van Heugten follows Nora de Jong as she returns home from work to find her mother brutally murdered and infant daughter missing. The only clue is the body of a dead stranger, clutching a Luger in his hand. Launching a frantic search for her missing daughter, de Jong is forced to confront the roots of her family’s secret past in World War II, leading her to Amsterdam, where her own haunting memories flood back.
When not thinking up new ways to kill off her characters, van Heugten enjoys long hikes with her dog, gardening and traveling. She is currently working on her next novel, Finding Marianne, the sequel to Saving Max. She lives in Fredericksburg, Texas, with her husband, a former prominent oil and gas trial lawyer.
For more information, please visit www.avhbooks.com.
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February 12, 2014
They did not eat tulips, they ate the bulbs. That was my first thought seeing the pretty cover picture of The Tulip Eaters. I know, because I'm from the Netherlands, and raised on WWII literature. The subject has captured my attention my whole life. Was the title an indication of the number of inconsistencies a reader could expect in book? I told myself I shouldn't judge the book by its cover, and read on, red pen in hand.
Let me share right of the bat: The florid writing is uneven. The close third person narrative (used for the point of view of the protagonist, and three antagonists) is unrealistic. The characters especially the Jewish Isaac, Ariel, Amarisa and Dirk) are unbelievable, cartoonish, two-dimensional.
Historical facts about food distribution, concentration camps, and Nazi rules concerning Jewish and gentile citizens are mangled. The WWII timeline isn't honored, and on top of that the book's own timeline is inconsistent.
- The last round-ups of Dutch Jews happened in the late summer of 1944.
- Anne Frank and family members were deported on the last train to the east in September 1944.
- Amsterdam was liberated on the 5th of May, 1945.
- By April of 1945 there were most definitely no more deportations.
- Jews deported to Theresienstadt had to memorize their numbers, they were not tattooed on their arms.
Get my point? The above renders the plot line of the book completely lame. Yes, there were still shootings at the very end of the war, and even after May 5th the Nazis killed people in a wild shooting on the Dam Square in Amsterdam, but there were no more deportations. And Henny Rosen was not deported.
Why did I read on? To find out if things could get worse, and they did.
The book's anti-hero Ariel, the only character who undergoes change he shows remorse in the end for kidnapping his cousin's daughter, shares thoughts about his aunt Amarisa in chapter 10: "God, it wasn’t just having to tell her [about Isaac's death], a filthy rich diamond merchant, as cold and calculation in business as she was in life."
Later on in chapter 18: "… She shook her bony finger at him. 'Don't forget I know important people in this city. Judges, Cabinet ministers —they've all bought diamonds from me. All it would take is one phone call and you'd go to jail. And never see Rose again.'
"Ariel knew all she said was true. Amsterdam was the largest diamond center in the world. She had been in the trade for almost forty years and had forged relationships with people in high places."
This, gentle reader, spells conspiracy theory.
Stories about the Holocaust need to be addressed with care. Fictionalizing history, the reports of survivors and victims has long been frowned upon. And now that we do have plenty of novels about the subject to choose from, I still know a child of survivors who agonizes over the point of view she uses for her personal story. She fears an account written in third person would suggest fictionalization of the truth, which could give Holocaust deniers ammunition. This book is the equivalent of a well stocked armory.
The sad state of affairs in the publishing business is that editors these days only pay attention to typos, syntax and other grammatical mistakes. Forget developmental editing; continuity, plot line, and fact checking. This book is filled with mistakes that could easily have been corrected if someone had made the effort.
For instance: Nora spots a yellow/gold bank note in the dead man's pocket and identifies it as a 25-guilder bill —in reality that would've been red, the 50-guilders bill designed by Ootje Oxinaar shows the luminous sunflower in yellow and gold.
There may be a reason for Nora's parents to claim she was born in Houston on May 15, 1945, and that they didn't share her real birthday on May 1st in Amsterdam. Although you wonder how they got away with lying about her birth in the U.S. But to have Anneke share in a letter that she discovered she was pregnant at the end of the war? Did she suffer immediate conception and full gestation all at once?
For readers who like to follow the footsteps of a characters in a book: there's no tram from Schiphol to Amsterdam, and there's no nunnery on the isle of Schiermonnikoog.
There are plenty more notes where the above came from, but this is how far I want to go with this report. Each time I tell someone about this book I say "The Onion Readers", probably because I nearly cried in frustration, and because the message contained within the thriller/romance novel bookends stinks.
Reading the book was no pleasure. As far as I'm concerned, considering the way the author depicts Holocaust survivors, one star is too much.
Let me share right of the bat: The florid writing is uneven. The close third person narrative (used for the point of view of the protagonist, and three antagonists) is unrealistic. The characters especially the Jewish Isaac, Ariel, Amarisa and Dirk) are unbelievable, cartoonish, two-dimensional.
Historical facts about food distribution, concentration camps, and Nazi rules concerning Jewish and gentile citizens are mangled. The WWII timeline isn't honored, and on top of that the book's own timeline is inconsistent.
- The last round-ups of Dutch Jews happened in the late summer of 1944.
- Anne Frank and family members were deported on the last train to the east in September 1944.
- Amsterdam was liberated on the 5th of May, 1945.
- By April of 1945 there were most definitely no more deportations.
- Jews deported to Theresienstadt had to memorize their numbers, they were not tattooed on their arms.
Get my point? The above renders the plot line of the book completely lame. Yes, there were still shootings at the very end of the war, and even after May 5th the Nazis killed people in a wild shooting on the Dam Square in Amsterdam, but there were no more deportations. And Henny Rosen was not deported.
Why did I read on? To find out if things could get worse, and they did.
The book's anti-hero Ariel, the only character who undergoes change he shows remorse in the end for kidnapping his cousin's daughter, shares thoughts about his aunt Amarisa in chapter 10: "God, it wasn’t just having to tell her [about Isaac's death], a filthy rich diamond merchant, as cold and calculation in business as she was in life."
Later on in chapter 18: "… She shook her bony finger at him. 'Don't forget I know important people in this city. Judges, Cabinet ministers —they've all bought diamonds from me. All it would take is one phone call and you'd go to jail. And never see Rose again.'
"Ariel knew all she said was true. Amsterdam was the largest diamond center in the world. She had been in the trade for almost forty years and had forged relationships with people in high places."
This, gentle reader, spells conspiracy theory.
Stories about the Holocaust need to be addressed with care. Fictionalizing history, the reports of survivors and victims has long been frowned upon. And now that we do have plenty of novels about the subject to choose from, I still know a child of survivors who agonizes over the point of view she uses for her personal story. She fears an account written in third person would suggest fictionalization of the truth, which could give Holocaust deniers ammunition. This book is the equivalent of a well stocked armory.
The sad state of affairs in the publishing business is that editors these days only pay attention to typos, syntax and other grammatical mistakes. Forget developmental editing; continuity, plot line, and fact checking. This book is filled with mistakes that could easily have been corrected if someone had made the effort.
For instance: Nora spots a yellow/gold bank note in the dead man's pocket and identifies it as a 25-guilder bill —in reality that would've been red, the 50-guilders bill designed by Ootje Oxinaar shows the luminous sunflower in yellow and gold.
There may be a reason for Nora's parents to claim she was born in Houston on May 15, 1945, and that they didn't share her real birthday on May 1st in Amsterdam. Although you wonder how they got away with lying about her birth in the U.S. But to have Anneke share in a letter that she discovered she was pregnant at the end of the war? Did she suffer immediate conception and full gestation all at once?
For readers who like to follow the footsteps of a characters in a book: there's no tram from Schiphol to Amsterdam, and there's no nunnery on the isle of Schiermonnikoog.
There are plenty more notes where the above came from, but this is how far I want to go with this report. Each time I tell someone about this book I say "The Onion Readers", probably because I nearly cried in frustration, and because the message contained within the thriller/romance novel bookends stinks.
Reading the book was no pleasure. As far as I'm concerned, considering the way the author depicts Holocaust survivors, one star is too much.
December 3, 2021
The Tulip Eaters has the potential to be an excellent book but there are too many inconsistencies, too many overlooked details and too many unbelievable and convenient circumstances to really claim that this book is any better than average. Always a fan of novels involving WWII the blurb for The Tulip Eaters was irresistible. Nora de Jong returns home to find her mother has been murdered, her 6-month old daughter has been kidnapped and a strange man lies dead on her living room floor with a gun in his hand. To solve the mystery of the murder and kidnapping Nora is forced to travel to Amsterdam and dig up old family secrets from a haunted past. Readers are privy to the details of the murder and kidnapping in the beginning of the book so it’s hardly a mystery. The story is ok but I was left feeling rather disappointed overall.
The book opens with Nora returning home to discover the grisly scene. I can’t find the words to describe exactly why the grief didn’t resonate with me but the whole chapter fell flat. I felt annoyed by the constant descriptions of how much Nora loved to hold her baby, nurse her baby, smell her baby, look at her baby that I just wanted to get it over with and get into the true story. The sentences were short and clipped in places and the flow was awkwardly disjointed. The story itself was set up well and I was anxious to find out who would have wanted to kill a 60-year old woman and kidnap a 6-month old baby. I was willing to overlook the clipped writing for the sake of the story but when chapter two picks up and immediately provides the details of the crime I struggled to find any motivation to continue reading. Van Heugten explains the details, the who, what, where, when and why of the murder and the kidnapping, leaving no real mystery to be solved. The only reason to continue reading beyond this point in the story is to see Nora figure it out.
The real problem with this novel is the lack of realism. The behavior of the characters seemed very surreal and a lot of the plot was just too convenient. When the police arrived after Nora’s phone call their interactions and behaviors as well as how they handled the crime scene didn’t feel authentic. The explanation of the second man, the kidnapper, was simply absurd. Everything was awkward - how he figured out where the killer went, how he happened to arrive at the perfect location at the perfect time, how he behaved after the event. The novel as a whole was too convenient. The characters all just happened to have the perfect profession, arrive at the perfect time, do the perfect thing and fall into the perfect circumstances. It was too contrived.
I enjoyed the historical aspects of the story. World War II history is fascinating and I appreciated that van Heugten broke away from Germany and involved the history of Amsterdam and the Dutch involvement in the war and the Nazi party. It was a unique perspective and the most enjoyable part of the story. I wish the historical details would have been more deeply entwined in the story. I would have liked to have seen the history and the mystery revealed slowly throughout the entire novel instead of thrown at the reader in the very beginning. It stripped away the need to read beyond the first 60 pages which resulted in the book being a disappointment instead of the thrilling historical fiction it could have (and should have) been.
The book opens with Nora returning home to discover the grisly scene. I can’t find the words to describe exactly why the grief didn’t resonate with me but the whole chapter fell flat. I felt annoyed by the constant descriptions of how much Nora loved to hold her baby, nurse her baby, smell her baby, look at her baby that I just wanted to get it over with and get into the true story. The sentences were short and clipped in places and the flow was awkwardly disjointed. The story itself was set up well and I was anxious to find out who would have wanted to kill a 60-year old woman and kidnap a 6-month old baby. I was willing to overlook the clipped writing for the sake of the story but when chapter two picks up and immediately provides the details of the crime I struggled to find any motivation to continue reading. Van Heugten explains the details, the who, what, where, when and why of the murder and the kidnapping, leaving no real mystery to be solved. The only reason to continue reading beyond this point in the story is to see Nora figure it out.
The real problem with this novel is the lack of realism. The behavior of the characters seemed very surreal and a lot of the plot was just too convenient. When the police arrived after Nora’s phone call their interactions and behaviors as well as how they handled the crime scene didn’t feel authentic. The explanation of the second man, the kidnapper, was simply absurd. Everything was awkward - how he figured out where the killer went, how he happened to arrive at the perfect location at the perfect time, how he behaved after the event. The novel as a whole was too convenient. The characters all just happened to have the perfect profession, arrive at the perfect time, do the perfect thing and fall into the perfect circumstances. It was too contrived.
I enjoyed the historical aspects of the story. World War II history is fascinating and I appreciated that van Heugten broke away from Germany and involved the history of Amsterdam and the Dutch involvement in the war and the Nazi party. It was a unique perspective and the most enjoyable part of the story. I wish the historical details would have been more deeply entwined in the story. I would have liked to have seen the history and the mystery revealed slowly throughout the entire novel instead of thrown at the reader in the very beginning. It stripped away the need to read beyond the first 60 pages which resulted in the book being a disappointment instead of the thrilling historical fiction it could have (and should have) been.
May 15, 2018
Setting: Past WW II & Present Day
Re-Read 3 Stars this time..
Nora dejong returns home from work one day to find that her entire life is over.
Her mother has been brutally murdered, a strange man is also dead on the floor and her six month old daughter Rose is missing.
When the police and the FBI turn up with no leads, Nora takes matters into her own hands herself to try and find out what happened to her mother and why and where Rose went.
Leading Nora to unravel threads that trace back to her mothers's homeland and events nearly four decades in the past.
With a mystery spanning two countries and two time periods (which was nicely done) this is a story of a mother's desperation and tragedy of the German occupation during World War II.
I really enjoyed this story and the Heroine's determination, but I do have a few quibbles that brought it down to a 3 1/2.
Throughout the story, Nora receives the benefit of help or connections that often to me were too coincidental to be believable, and the villains were somewhat one note.
But Nora's grief and dogged persistence made up for it and will have the reader tearing through the book to find out how it all ends in both time periods.
Re-Read 3 Stars this time..
Nora dejong returns home from work one day to find that her entire life is over.
Her mother has been brutally murdered, a strange man is also dead on the floor and her six month old daughter Rose is missing.
When the police and the FBI turn up with no leads, Nora takes matters into her own hands herself to try and find out what happened to her mother and why and where Rose went.
Leading Nora to unravel threads that trace back to her mothers's homeland and events nearly four decades in the past.
With a mystery spanning two countries and two time periods (which was nicely done) this is a story of a mother's desperation and tragedy of the German occupation during World War II.
I really enjoyed this story and the Heroine's determination, but I do have a few quibbles that brought it down to a 3 1/2.
Throughout the story, Nora receives the benefit of help or connections that often to me were too coincidental to be believable, and the villains were somewhat one note.
But Nora's grief and dogged persistence made up for it and will have the reader tearing through the book to find out how it all ends in both time periods.
December 14, 2013
The Tulip Eaters took off fast and instantly drew me in, but by page 50 I was told everything: who killed Anneke and why, who the dead man is, who took Rose….and just like that the climax is over with 300 more pages to go. We spend the rest of the book watching Nora searching for information we already know. And, the writing is at about a sophomore level.
Some of the characters in the novel are just caricatures and one who might actually develop into an interesting character, i.e.; Lt. Richards of the Dallas Police Department, the author uses for a while and then just drops. It is disheartening to have a character you are beginning to like just disappear only to be left with the odd balance of the cast, many with unusual odors that the author feels the need to describe.
The suffering of the Dutch under Nazi rule was a horrible fact but the Tulip Eaters really doesn't report very much on those days of suffering and death which makes for a
mis-title. By using World War II Holland as a location, it seems to trivialize it in this mediocre novel.
Some of the characters in the novel are just caricatures and one who might actually develop into an interesting character, i.e.; Lt. Richards of the Dallas Police Department, the author uses for a while and then just drops. It is disheartening to have a character you are beginning to like just disappear only to be left with the odd balance of the cast, many with unusual odors that the author feels the need to describe.
The suffering of the Dutch under Nazi rule was a horrible fact but the Tulip Eaters really doesn't report very much on those days of suffering and death which makes for a
mis-title. By using World War II Holland as a location, it seems to trivialize it in this mediocre novel.
June 11, 2018
Wow - this book is such a cluster I don't even know where to begin. I forgot my Kindle on a recent trip, so I picked this up to while away the time on my train ride to NYC. I think being trapped on a crowded train is the only thing that made me keep reading.
So, where to start? Well, the truly sad thing about The Tulip Eaters is that it actually does have promise. Set in the 1980s, it gets off to a truly jarring start as the heroine, Nora de Jong, comes home from work to find her mother and a strange man both murdered in the house and her infant daughter missing. Not surprisingly, Nora is completely beside herself. As she searches for clues, it becomes apparent that the crime has its roots in events that took place during WWII, when Nora's parents still lived in the Netherlands. The historical angle of this story was the one thing that held my interest throughout the novel. Too bad it was poorly developed and lost in a sea of bad plotting.
Well, now that I've told you the positive side of this book, I'm sure you want to know what was wrong with it. And there's plenty on that score. For starters, Nora is quite possibly the most maddening heroine I've read in ages. She has a daughter but didn't bother to inform the child's father of her existence because she didn't want to have to deal with the man being in her life after she broke things off with him. As she goes about trying to find her daughter, she takes her clues and goes running off to the Netherlands without much of a plan. Luckily for her, hysterics and stumbling into random coincidental happenings seem to work very well for solving international kidnapping cases. I haven't had the same type of experience in my own law practice but I guess I just don't live in the right sort of fictitious world.
In addition to the frustrating journey of the heroine, the villains in this tale are pretty open and obvious so there's just not a lot of suspense there. The author also makes the mistake of taking a terrible event in history and exploring it with little nuance whatsoever. People were harmed during the war and treated in unspeakable ways by the Nazis? Well, guess who's going to turn eeeevilll.
Throw in a half-hearted romance and shoddy police work on the kidnapping, and you've got quite a mess. The ending was just the icing on the cake. I won't give it away, but let's just say that the author tries to get all Jodi Picoult on us and instead of giving a logical resolution, throws in a curveball that seems designed to make readers ponder Big Moral Questions. Or if you're like me, you just wonder what is up with the heroine making yet another boneheaded decision.
In case you can't tell, this is not a book I'd recommend reading. Not at all.
So, where to start? Well, the truly sad thing about The Tulip Eaters is that it actually does have promise. Set in the 1980s, it gets off to a truly jarring start as the heroine, Nora de Jong, comes home from work to find her mother and a strange man both murdered in the house and her infant daughter missing. Not surprisingly, Nora is completely beside herself. As she searches for clues, it becomes apparent that the crime has its roots in events that took place during WWII, when Nora's parents still lived in the Netherlands. The historical angle of this story was the one thing that held my interest throughout the novel. Too bad it was poorly developed and lost in a sea of bad plotting.
Well, now that I've told you the positive side of this book, I'm sure you want to know what was wrong with it. And there's plenty on that score. For starters, Nora is quite possibly the most maddening heroine I've read in ages. She has a daughter but didn't bother to inform the child's father of her existence because she didn't want to have to deal with the man being in her life after she broke things off with him. As she goes about trying to find her daughter, she takes her clues and goes running off to the Netherlands without much of a plan. Luckily for her, hysterics and stumbling into random coincidental happenings seem to work very well for solving international kidnapping cases. I haven't had the same type of experience in my own law practice but I guess I just don't live in the right sort of fictitious world.
In addition to the frustrating journey of the heroine, the villains in this tale are pretty open and obvious so there's just not a lot of suspense there. The author also makes the mistake of taking a terrible event in history and exploring it with little nuance whatsoever. People were harmed during the war and treated in unspeakable ways by the Nazis? Well, guess who's going to turn eeeevilll.
Throw in a half-hearted romance and shoddy police work on the kidnapping, and you've got quite a mess. The ending was just the icing on the cake. I won't give it away, but let's just say that the author tries to get all Jodi Picoult on us and instead of giving a logical resolution, throws in a curveball that seems designed to make readers ponder Big Moral Questions. Or if you're like me, you just wonder what is up with the heroine making yet another boneheaded decision.
In case you can't tell, this is not a book I'd recommend reading. Not at all.
October 23, 2015
The novel begins in 1980 in Houston, Texas. Nora de Jong returns home to discover that her mother Anneke has been murdered and her daughter Rose has been kidnapped. An unknown man also lies dead. Dissatisfied with the pace of the investigation, Nora sets out to find her daughter. Soon she is in Amsterdam investigating her parents’ activities during WWII in The Netherlands since those activities seem to be connected to the murder and kidnapping.
My husband spent his teen years in The Netherlands and part of his family still lives there so I am always attracted to books with a Dutch setting. The novel’s historical information about the Nazi occupation of that country is certainly interesting and matches my mother-in-law’s descriptions of life in that period. Unfortunately, besides the historical aspect, I found little to like about the book.
The major problem is the lack of realism in the behaviour of the characters. For example, the police who arrive on the crime scene at the beginning are totally unprofessional. It is highly unlikely that police would allow Nora and a friend to be present during the examination of the crime scene or that they would not check a body for identification. The police believe that the dead man was Anneke’s killer but then make statements like, “if the killer wore gloves”? They don’t know if he did? One policeman says, “It appears that there was a struggle and movement on the staircase . . . and other footprints in the entryway and dining room.” What would indicate movement had occurred on the stairs? Footprints are found inside the house? The lead police investigator offers to help Nora hire a private detective, adding they “Used him before.” The police are in favour of a ransom being paid should it be demanded?
The police are not the only ones who behave unrealistically. Ariel manages to follow his father from Amsterdam to Houston and arrive just in time to witness a crucial event. Though he had never been to Houston, he has no difficulty navigating around the city and “drove as fast as he could toward the airport”? Though wounded by a gunshot and bleeding, he is able to escape authorities when he disembarks from a ferry – an escape that is never described.
There are several such gaps, as if the author could not figure out how to get a character out of a bind or have him/her learn something significant and so chose to leave events unexplained. One character says, “- and I have no idea how” and another says, “I never knew how he did it.” Twice, Nora’s hotel room number is divulged for the sake of expedience.
Characters have very convenient professions. Ariel works in immigration at the airport and coincidentally is the one who admits Nora into The Netherlands. (Do American passports include street and city addresses on them?) Nico, Nora’s love interest, just happens to be the director of a facility which houses documents from WWII and so can assist her in her investigation. Nora herself is a pediatric surgeon and apparently an exceptionally gifted one since she speculates how “oncologists dealt with death of their patients.” Nonetheless, she is fired from her job because she takes too much time to deal with the death of her mother and the kidnapping of her daughter? Nora’s grandfather was “a respected physician” but he was also “adept at ferreting out hiding places because he was so familiar with the city’s buildings”?
There are other gaps of logic. Henny, a WWII survivor, supposedly lost her husband, though there is no reference to her ever having married. Henny speaks of the Nazis taking “everyone in my family except me,” but the reader soon realizes a brother and sister of hers also survived. One of the villains overhears a conversation between Nora and Nico and then tells his boss that Nico’s surname is Meijer, even though Nico’s surname is never mentioned in that conversation. A character turns “down a narrow, dark alley” where she is attacked and her attacker “dragg[ed] her quickly into an alley.” The kidnapper changes Rose’s name to Jacoba but continues to call her Rose? A daughter argued “with [her father] constantly about his hatred of the Jews” but then he never questioned her joining the NSB which collaborated with the Nazis occupying The Netherlands?
Dialogue is unrealistic. One friend would not say to another, “I didn’t see you two that often, you know. I was busy working on my thesis on the effect of European economics on the Netherlands . . .” when the thesis topic has no relevance. Two Dutch people agree on a payment: “she’d given him the two grand up front.” Is that guilders or American dollars? And would anyone actually describe a couple as “Lovers such as the world has never seen – before or since”?
It was disappointing that there are so many problems with this novel. The lack of realism is impossible to overlook. The book needs much editing including a change of the title which really does not indicate the true content.
Note: I received an ARC of the book from the publisher via NetGalley.
Please check out my reader's blog (http://schatjesshelves.blogspot.ca/) and follow me on Twitter (@DCYakabuski).
My husband spent his teen years in The Netherlands and part of his family still lives there so I am always attracted to books with a Dutch setting. The novel’s historical information about the Nazi occupation of that country is certainly interesting and matches my mother-in-law’s descriptions of life in that period. Unfortunately, besides the historical aspect, I found little to like about the book.
The major problem is the lack of realism in the behaviour of the characters. For example, the police who arrive on the crime scene at the beginning are totally unprofessional. It is highly unlikely that police would allow Nora and a friend to be present during the examination of the crime scene or that they would not check a body for identification. The police believe that the dead man was Anneke’s killer but then make statements like, “if the killer wore gloves”? They don’t know if he did? One policeman says, “It appears that there was a struggle and movement on the staircase . . . and other footprints in the entryway and dining room.” What would indicate movement had occurred on the stairs? Footprints are found inside the house? The lead police investigator offers to help Nora hire a private detective, adding they “Used him before.” The police are in favour of a ransom being paid should it be demanded?
The police are not the only ones who behave unrealistically. Ariel manages to follow his father from Amsterdam to Houston and arrive just in time to witness a crucial event. Though he had never been to Houston, he has no difficulty navigating around the city and “drove as fast as he could toward the airport”? Though wounded by a gunshot and bleeding, he is able to escape authorities when he disembarks from a ferry – an escape that is never described.
There are several such gaps, as if the author could not figure out how to get a character out of a bind or have him/her learn something significant and so chose to leave events unexplained. One character says, “- and I have no idea how” and another says, “I never knew how he did it.” Twice, Nora’s hotel room number is divulged for the sake of expedience.
Characters have very convenient professions. Ariel works in immigration at the airport and coincidentally is the one who admits Nora into The Netherlands. (Do American passports include street and city addresses on them?) Nico, Nora’s love interest, just happens to be the director of a facility which houses documents from WWII and so can assist her in her investigation. Nora herself is a pediatric surgeon and apparently an exceptionally gifted one since she speculates how “oncologists dealt with death of their patients.” Nonetheless, she is fired from her job because she takes too much time to deal with the death of her mother and the kidnapping of her daughter? Nora’s grandfather was “a respected physician” but he was also “adept at ferreting out hiding places because he was so familiar with the city’s buildings”?
There are other gaps of logic. Henny, a WWII survivor, supposedly lost her husband, though there is no reference to her ever having married. Henny speaks of the Nazis taking “everyone in my family except me,” but the reader soon realizes a brother and sister of hers also survived. One of the villains overhears a conversation between Nora and Nico and then tells his boss that Nico’s surname is Meijer, even though Nico’s surname is never mentioned in that conversation. A character turns “down a narrow, dark alley” where she is attacked and her attacker “dragg[ed] her quickly into an alley.” The kidnapper changes Rose’s name to Jacoba but continues to call her Rose? A daughter argued “with [her father] constantly about his hatred of the Jews” but then he never questioned her joining the NSB which collaborated with the Nazis occupying The Netherlands?
Dialogue is unrealistic. One friend would not say to another, “I didn’t see you two that often, you know. I was busy working on my thesis on the effect of European economics on the Netherlands . . .” when the thesis topic has no relevance. Two Dutch people agree on a payment: “she’d given him the two grand up front.” Is that guilders or American dollars? And would anyone actually describe a couple as “Lovers such as the world has never seen – before or since”?
It was disappointing that there are so many problems with this novel. The lack of realism is impossible to overlook. The book needs much editing including a change of the title which really does not indicate the true content.
Note: I received an ARC of the book from the publisher via NetGalley.
Please check out my reader's blog (http://schatjesshelves.blogspot.ca/) and follow me on Twitter (@DCYakabuski).
August 12, 2016
I passed this book on a shelf at the library and picked it up because the name sounded familiar. I had heard about it somewhere. Turns out that what I'd heard about it may have been that it's not very good.
The storyline is terribly thought out, deliberately convoluted, and repeatedly contradictory. For example, does this paragraph make any sense?
So she says that everything was the same, and then in the next sentence she's describing how different everything is (it's only two years, by the way, but they've completely remodeled this building), so different that it drives home to her how long it's been since she was last there. That's not only poor writing, it's terrible editing. Who allowed this to go to print?
In another scene, Ariel refuses to let his wife call the police and simply, easily, set things straight because, he says, "if you call the police, I'll definitely go to jail!" The next thing he says, however, is that he is going to find a way to set things straight; "I don't care what happens to me anymore. It's gone too far" (p. 285). SO THEN JUST CALL THE FREAKING POLICE AND END THIS TERRIBLE BOOK ALREADY!
Also, this may be the most ridiculously melodramatic sentence in the history of writing: "Surely you haven't forgotten how very rich I am," [Amarisa] hissed(p. 146).
"Surely you haven't forgotten how very rich I am"? Seriously? Not even a James Bond villain would ever say anything so ridiculous.
Oh and then. AND THEN. **Spoiler Alert** (Although just go ahead and keep reading. The book is terrible anyway.)
This book is just so very, very bad.
And the thing is, the setting and the historical background have so much potential, but then the author just mucks it up with a terrible, implausible and inconsistent plot. Why do authors feel the need to do this? Why can't they just take an amazing story and TELL IT without adding in a bunch of nonsense? Is it to make it more interesting? The story she DIDN'T tell, that of the tulip eaters, the "gray people" of Holland who were torn between their lives and their consciences during the Nazi occupation, was more than enough to carry this book and a dozen others. But instead she had to insert flighty mothers, evil avenging Jews, and cardboard romances. It would be like Steven Spielberg throwing a couple UFOs and sparkling vampires into the story of Schindler's List.
The storyline is terribly thought out, deliberately convoluted, and repeatedly contradictory. For example, does this paragraph make any sense?
"Everything was the same: the dark, intricately carved balustrade that led upstairs to the offices of the war experts; the thick red carpet on the stairs--as if for royalty. The faded antique rugs she remembered were gone. Harsh gray linoleum had replaced the rutilant hardwoods she had so admired. The high ceilings with their carved crown moldings seemed incongruous with the cold white walls and modern furnishings. Nora found it unsettling. It drove home how long it had been since her life with Nico" (p. 153)
So she says that everything was the same, and then in the next sentence she's describing how different everything is (it's only two years, by the way, but they've completely remodeled this building), so different that it drives home to her how long it's been since she was last there. That's not only poor writing, it's terrible editing. Who allowed this to go to print?
In another scene, Ariel refuses to let his wife call the police and simply, easily, set things straight because, he says, "if you call the police, I'll definitely go to jail!" The next thing he says, however, is that he is going to find a way to set things straight; "I don't care what happens to me anymore. It's gone too far" (p. 285). SO THEN JUST CALL THE FREAKING POLICE AND END THIS TERRIBLE BOOK ALREADY!
Also, this may be the most ridiculously melodramatic sentence in the history of writing: "Surely you haven't forgotten how very rich I am," [Amarisa] hissed(p. 146).
"Surely you haven't forgotten how very rich I am"? Seriously? Not even a James Bond villain would ever say anything so ridiculous.
Oh and then. AND THEN. **Spoiler Alert** (Although just go ahead and keep reading. The book is terrible anyway.)
This book is just so very, very bad.
And the thing is, the setting and the historical background have so much potential, but then the author just mucks it up with a terrible, implausible and inconsistent plot. Why do authors feel the need to do this? Why can't they just take an amazing story and TELL IT without adding in a bunch of nonsense? Is it to make it more interesting? The story she DIDN'T tell, that of the tulip eaters, the "gray people" of Holland who were torn between their lives and their consciences during the Nazi occupation, was more than enough to carry this book and a dozen others. But instead she had to insert flighty mothers, evil avenging Jews, and cardboard romances. It would be like Steven Spielberg throwing a couple UFOs and sparkling vampires into the story of Schindler's List.
December 9, 2013
Did I enjoy this book: Yes.
My first reaction to this book was that it has a very strange title. I couldn’t imagine what the story was about. But apparently in 1944, a Nazi embargo forced Dutch families into near starvation. Famished families ground tulip pulp into a watery porridge and ate them to survive. Who knew?
So how does all this fit into a murder/kidnap mystery in Houston, Texas? Very nicely actually. Nora de Jong returns home from work to find her mother murdered and her daughter kidnapped. Her search for her mother’s killer and daughter’s kidnapper leads her into one of the darkest times in European history. van Heughten manages to intertwine a modern day American crime story into her main character’s Dutch history in a way that hasn’t been told before.
Nothing about this novel follows “the formula.” If you read mysteries a lot you probably know exactly what I’m talking about. From the odd title to the new twist on the WWII angle, van Heughten takes what could be a very tired, overused subject matter and turns it into something exciting, interesting, and unexpected.
The Tulip Eaters isn’t just action, crime-solving, and drama. This book packs one heck of an emotional wallop. The relationships between characters are carefully and powerfully developed. She even figures out a way to throw a love story in there. This book has it all.
Would I recommend it: Yes. Fans of history, whodunits, and even love stories will enjoy this book.
Will I read it again: The book is a little long, but it’s not out of the question.
As reviewed by Belinda at Every Free Chance Book Reviews.
(I received a copy of this book for review purposes.)
http://everyfreechance.com/2013/12/re...
My first reaction to this book was that it has a very strange title. I couldn’t imagine what the story was about. But apparently in 1944, a Nazi embargo forced Dutch families into near starvation. Famished families ground tulip pulp into a watery porridge and ate them to survive. Who knew?
So how does all this fit into a murder/kidnap mystery in Houston, Texas? Very nicely actually. Nora de Jong returns home from work to find her mother murdered and her daughter kidnapped. Her search for her mother’s killer and daughter’s kidnapper leads her into one of the darkest times in European history. van Heughten manages to intertwine a modern day American crime story into her main character’s Dutch history in a way that hasn’t been told before.
Nothing about this novel follows “the formula.” If you read mysteries a lot you probably know exactly what I’m talking about. From the odd title to the new twist on the WWII angle, van Heughten takes what could be a very tired, overused subject matter and turns it into something exciting, interesting, and unexpected.
The Tulip Eaters isn’t just action, crime-solving, and drama. This book packs one heck of an emotional wallop. The relationships between characters are carefully and powerfully developed. She even figures out a way to throw a love story in there. This book has it all.
Would I recommend it: Yes. Fans of history, whodunits, and even love stories will enjoy this book.
Will I read it again: The book is a little long, but it’s not out of the question.
As reviewed by Belinda at Every Free Chance Book Reviews.
(I received a copy of this book for review purposes.)
http://everyfreechance.com/2013/12/re...
January 3, 2015
Well I see the reviews are split on this book, and frankly I'm surprised. I mean it's a novel so yeah there were some shocking character actions, (however even Ariel like many second generation Shoah survivors have repercussions that affected his personality and his life moreso than many bc his father was SOOO bitter and obsessed and unlike many survivors who don't talk much of that time he did nothing BUT obsess on and retell his version of events to his only child and this whole family was deeply affected of course and so very bitter not even just to the actual Nazis but to those friends they think turned on them ) and I gather according to other reviewers more familiar with the history of the Dutch that there are some historical inaccuracies but I don't feel they affected the story.
I read with interest from page one (and I have had trouble finding books to keep my interest let alone grab me at page one and not let go lately ) and finished quickly. Regarding errors I did feel the editing could've been more perfect but really all I noticed was a passage I'd seen picked apart in another review (which I don't think was meant to be contradictory but probably couldvd been better with the words "AT FIRST it seemed" added to the beginning (a part about how nothing was changed and it brought back memories and a few sentences later there are a couple of new things noticed after all; ) and in one part tho I was up reading super late I believe Nora meant Abrham when she refers to her grandfather and so she meant her father. Or maybe in the light of day if I check she'll have been talking about ROSE's grandfather.
I know there are some very picky reviewers that include minute details n pick things apart so that these things are mentioned didn't shock me but the anger and bitterness with which they are imparted really floored me. The author includes a lot of details about traveling in the areas in the book incl in remote areas and since the choice was made to fill us in on who did what early on I felt like letting us be part of the travels and be privy to some of the diary entries was a good thing. I was so glad that Nico ended up a support for Nora who despite finding new family was really so alone.
The only thing I'm not SURE about is Nora's decision at the end re Amaris's and Ariels punishment bc family or not (not to mention the lack of treating her as such, )but bc what's to stop them from doing this again would be my concern.
Nevertheless I enjoyed the read and found it fairly fast paced and very informative. this is the second book by this author I've read and liked. I'll take some poetic license and originality in an engaging story over perfect historical accuracy in a fictional novel any day.
I read with interest from page one (and I have had trouble finding books to keep my interest let alone grab me at page one and not let go lately ) and finished quickly. Regarding errors I did feel the editing could've been more perfect but really all I noticed was a passage I'd seen picked apart in another review (which I don't think was meant to be contradictory but probably couldvd been better with the words "AT FIRST it seemed" added to the beginning (a part about how nothing was changed and it brought back memories and a few sentences later there are a couple of new things noticed after all; ) and in one part tho I was up reading super late I believe Nora meant Abrham when she refers to her grandfather and so she meant her father. Or maybe in the light of day if I check she'll have been talking about ROSE's grandfather.
I know there are some very picky reviewers that include minute details n pick things apart so that these things are mentioned didn't shock me but the anger and bitterness with which they are imparted really floored me. The author includes a lot of details about traveling in the areas in the book incl in remote areas and since the choice was made to fill us in on who did what early on I felt like letting us be part of the travels and be privy to some of the diary entries was a good thing. I was so glad that Nico ended up a support for Nora who despite finding new family was really so alone.
The only thing I'm not SURE about is Nora's decision at the end re Amaris's and Ariels punishment bc family or not (not to mention the lack of treating her as such, )but bc what's to stop them from doing this again would be my concern.
Nevertheless I enjoyed the read and found it fairly fast paced and very informative. this is the second book by this author I've read and liked. I'll take some poetic license and originality in an engaging story over perfect historical accuracy in a fictional novel any day.
October 21, 2013
Nora de Jong's mother is murdered and her baby is kidnapped in the opening pages of this book. Nora becomes impatient with the progress made by the police in solving the crimes and she takes on the investigation herself. In doing so, she learns of some information about her parents that leads her to Amsterdam where she uncovers her family history during the search for her kidnapped daughter and for the identity of her mother's killer.
The background for the story includes information about the German occupation of Amsterdam during World War II. The topic of how the war impacted the Dutch people is of some interest. The plot also has some potential as a good read. However, the characters are not well developed. And I, unfortunately, found the writing style to be somewhat simplistic and some of the scenes to be a little contrived. If you can read the book with a less critical viewpoint than me, you may enjoy reading about Nora' s plight in the book The Tulip Eaters. (ARC)
The background for the story includes information about the German occupation of Amsterdam during World War II. The topic of how the war impacted the Dutch people is of some interest. The plot also has some potential as a good read. However, the characters are not well developed. And I, unfortunately, found the writing style to be somewhat simplistic and some of the scenes to be a little contrived. If you can read the book with a less critical viewpoint than me, you may enjoy reading about Nora' s plight in the book The Tulip Eaters. (ARC)
February 26, 2014
Nora de Jong returns home to find her mother murdered and her baby missing. Frustrated with the lack of developments from the police department Nora decides to find her baby on her own. In doing so she discovers family secrets that change everything she thinks she knows.
I loved Those that Save Us by Jenna Bloom and Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay and was really hoping for a similar read with a World War II theme. Unfortunately, this book fell far short and I struggled to get through it.
My main issue with the novel was the writing, I found it to be very juvenile and it did not convey the emotion or depth the novel should have had.
Immediately, in the first chapter when Nora discovered her deceased mother the writing threw me off. Passages like, "Nora tried to push the gray lumps back into her mother's skull. They felt like buttery worms and smelled like spoiled eggs." were unnecessary and unrealistic. Often times through out the novel the author became very descriptive but it did nothing to convey emotion or depth in a character, it seemed like she was trying to hard.
In other instances the dialogue between characters and inner dialogue was forced and very simplistic or stereotypical.
Nora de Jong was not a fully fleshed out character. She never seemed to be grieving or the distraught mother of a missing child. She was certainly frantic and very focused on her research of her family secrets but she seemed too focused on that. Her reaction to finding her dead mother and eventually her missing baby was odd and once the investigator came it got even worse. Nora and her friend were allowed to remain in the home and meander through the crime scene repeatedly, eventually having tea in the kitchen while the investigation continued. I found this highly unlikely. Later, when the detective comes back for a follow up, he and Nora have coffee in the living room where the mother died, a blue blanket thrown over the blood and brains on the carpet. Again, who would stay in a home after that "awful day" as it was often referred to.
When Nora went to Amsterdam to search for the kidnapper she became even more unbelievable as a mother of a missing child, focused on her research and family secrets and eventually her former lover. At one point she is sipping wine in a bar thinking about how relaxed she is, totally unrealistic.
Then there is Nico, he former lover and as it turns out the child's father. Conveniently, he is the director of the historical society Nora needs to do her research at. She left Nico after he refused to move to the U.S. with her where she had a neuro surgery fellowship and soon after arriving in Houston she found out she was pregnant and decided to not reveal this to Nico. He has since remarried but that doesn't stop the feelings between the two and neither does her confession of a shared child. I found their relationship to be very shallow and Nico unbelievable as a father denied his baby.
The supporting characters Amarissa, Ariel and Dirk were very one dimensional and stereotypical as well and did little to improve the story, I really hated Amarissa not just because she was a horrible person but also because she was a very very cliche character.
The premise of this book was very interesting, the title interesting and the preface got my hopes up, the actual story disappointed. I would like to give this story idea to other authors and see how differently it could have played out, to see it reach its potential.
I received a copy of this novel from Net Galley in exchange for a fair review
I loved Those that Save Us by Jenna Bloom and Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay and was really hoping for a similar read with a World War II theme. Unfortunately, this book fell far short and I struggled to get through it.
My main issue with the novel was the writing, I found it to be very juvenile and it did not convey the emotion or depth the novel should have had.
Immediately, in the first chapter when Nora discovered her deceased mother the writing threw me off. Passages like, "Nora tried to push the gray lumps back into her mother's skull. They felt like buttery worms and smelled like spoiled eggs." were unnecessary and unrealistic. Often times through out the novel the author became very descriptive but it did nothing to convey emotion or depth in a character, it seemed like she was trying to hard.
In other instances the dialogue between characters and inner dialogue was forced and very simplistic or stereotypical.
Nora de Jong was not a fully fleshed out character. She never seemed to be grieving or the distraught mother of a missing child. She was certainly frantic and very focused on her research of her family secrets but she seemed too focused on that. Her reaction to finding her dead mother and eventually her missing baby was odd and once the investigator came it got even worse. Nora and her friend were allowed to remain in the home and meander through the crime scene repeatedly, eventually having tea in the kitchen while the investigation continued. I found this highly unlikely. Later, when the detective comes back for a follow up, he and Nora have coffee in the living room where the mother died, a blue blanket thrown over the blood and brains on the carpet. Again, who would stay in a home after that "awful day" as it was often referred to.
When Nora went to Amsterdam to search for the kidnapper she became even more unbelievable as a mother of a missing child, focused on her research and family secrets and eventually her former lover. At one point she is sipping wine in a bar thinking about how relaxed she is, totally unrealistic.
Then there is Nico, he former lover and as it turns out the child's father. Conveniently, he is the director of the historical society Nora needs to do her research at. She left Nico after he refused to move to the U.S. with her where she had a neuro surgery fellowship and soon after arriving in Houston she found out she was pregnant and decided to not reveal this to Nico. He has since remarried but that doesn't stop the feelings between the two and neither does her confession of a shared child. I found their relationship to be very shallow and Nico unbelievable as a father denied his baby.
The supporting characters Amarissa, Ariel and Dirk were very one dimensional and stereotypical as well and did little to improve the story, I really hated Amarissa not just because she was a horrible person but also because she was a very very cliche character.
The premise of this book was very interesting, the title interesting and the preface got my hopes up, the actual story disappointed. I would like to give this story idea to other authors and see how differently it could have played out, to see it reach its potential.
I received a copy of this novel from Net Galley in exchange for a fair review
October 20, 2013
2.5 Parts of this book were very interesting, but again I liked the past story better than the present one. That is always the danger, in my opinion, when an author chooses this type of plot structure. It seems to be very difficult to make both stories equal, at least in all the novels I have read of this nature, one always won over the other. That said, I learned about a time I knew little about in a country that is not generally written about extensively. The writing was okay, was hoping it would be much stronger as I read this author's first novel Saving Maxand thought the writing in that one was better. Anyway I did love reading about the Dutch occupation, but for me the rest was just okay.
October 31, 2013
I won this book on a First Reads Give-A-Way. It sounded very intriguing to me. The beginning was gripping, but as I read the story became unbelievable to me. Especially the character Ariel. However, part of me wanted to keep reading to see what would happen, but I did not like all the profane language in the book. I like stories that are compelling without the four letter nasty words,so I stopped reading. I wish there was a way to rate books as clean reads.
October 26, 2013
In 1980, in Houston, Texas, Nora, a pediatric surgeon who is a single mother, returns home to find her own mother, Anneke, murdered, with her hair brutally cut from her head, and her daughter Rose, 6 months old, missing. On the floor of her living room is a dead man she has never seen before with a German Luger only a few feet from his hand. Nora has no idea who might want to kill her kind and gentle mother, and furthermore, knows no reason why anyone would take her child. So begins the hunt to find out information which will keep the reader guessing until the very last page! Although, at times, it may defy belief and seem contrived, with an ending that is kind of unrealistic, it is, nevertheless, an exciting and romantic mystery. It is an engaging read that will entertain the reader on a beach or a terrace, on a plane or a train, or at any time, for that matter, when the reader simply wants to relax.
After Nora calls 911, a file is opened, but the inquiry proceeds too slowly for her. She has her own theories about what might have happened and where the search for her mother’s murderer and her daughter’s kidnapper should begin. When there are no ransom calls and there is no progress in the investigation, she decides to take matters into her own hands and following clues she finds almost by accident, she rushes off to the Netherlands, her mother and father’s place of birth. The condition of her mom’s body and the gun left behind, led her to believe that she was killed in the manner of a collaborator during World War II, so she begins to search for any evidence about her mother’s life, during that time period.
Her former lover, Nico, is in charge of the building where the war records are kept. They are strictly controlled and access is limited. Because he is, coincidentally, out of town when she arrives, her task is made more difficult. Although it is decades later, the war records and diaries, in Amsterdam, have not been digitized or cross catalogued. The search for information is painstaking and slow. Nora commits fraud, bends the rules and breaks the rules, in order to find out whatever she can about her mother and father’s past. Eventually, Nico returns. He is now married, but when he makes a shocking discovery about Nora and her daughter, Rose, he joins in her quest to find her, helping and protecting Nora in this endeavor, whenever possible.
Nora discovers relatives she never knew existed and a past that she could never even imagine. She gets caught up in a diabolical scheme and her own life is in danger. What she eventually learns makes her question her own mother’s behavior, her past and her honesty. The lust for revenge, gross misunderstandings, grudges and intense anger gone awry, exacerbated by the nightmare memories of the war and the camps, have caused bitterness to fester for past crimes perceived as real, which may or may not have, in fact, occurred as remembered but have led to disastrous consequences.
The book raises questions for the reader. If you were there during WWII, what do you think you would have done? Would you have tried to protect those in need? Would you have turned a blind eye, in order to protect yourself and your own family or would you have risked your own and their lives to help others who were desperate?
After Nora calls 911, a file is opened, but the inquiry proceeds too slowly for her. She has her own theories about what might have happened and where the search for her mother’s murderer and her daughter’s kidnapper should begin. When there are no ransom calls and there is no progress in the investigation, she decides to take matters into her own hands and following clues she finds almost by accident, she rushes off to the Netherlands, her mother and father’s place of birth. The condition of her mom’s body and the gun left behind, led her to believe that she was killed in the manner of a collaborator during World War II, so she begins to search for any evidence about her mother’s life, during that time period.
Her former lover, Nico, is in charge of the building where the war records are kept. They are strictly controlled and access is limited. Because he is, coincidentally, out of town when she arrives, her task is made more difficult. Although it is decades later, the war records and diaries, in Amsterdam, have not been digitized or cross catalogued. The search for information is painstaking and slow. Nora commits fraud, bends the rules and breaks the rules, in order to find out whatever she can about her mother and father’s past. Eventually, Nico returns. He is now married, but when he makes a shocking discovery about Nora and her daughter, Rose, he joins in her quest to find her, helping and protecting Nora in this endeavor, whenever possible.
Nora discovers relatives she never knew existed and a past that she could never even imagine. She gets caught up in a diabolical scheme and her own life is in danger. What she eventually learns makes her question her own mother’s behavior, her past and her honesty. The lust for revenge, gross misunderstandings, grudges and intense anger gone awry, exacerbated by the nightmare memories of the war and the camps, have caused bitterness to fester for past crimes perceived as real, which may or may not have, in fact, occurred as remembered but have led to disastrous consequences.
The book raises questions for the reader. If you were there during WWII, what do you think you would have done? Would you have tried to protect those in need? Would you have turned a blind eye, in order to protect yourself and your own family or would you have risked your own and their lives to help others who were desperate?
October 29, 2013
I really enjoyed the author's first book, Saving Max, and was excited to read this, her second novel. This is also a mystery but not in the same way as her first book. The Tulip Eaters is historical fiction involving intrigue, kidnapping and family secrets. The beginning of the book hooked me very quickly. The opening sequences are thrilling and provide the beginning to an exciting story. However, I found myself turning on and off with my enjoyment of the plot. I had pretty much figured out exactly where the plot would go from the beginning and found that I was right, though there were moments when it seemed as if something different might be happening. I also found the actions of the main characters to be just too unrealistic and over-the-top. OK, we all know someone who rushes into everything without a thought, but every. single. character? There are so many narrow escapes, trips over carpets, perfect timing, etc. that I found myself rolling my eyes way too many times. I certainly appreciated the historical aspect of the story and that was my most favourite part of the book. I did guess how the secret would come out in the end but I learned sooo much about the Netherlands during WWII, which is something I wasn't terribly knowledgeable about before. This is a part of Canada's history also as Canadian soldiers played a large part in the liberation of Holland. We also have a living remembrance of our sheltering members of the royal family during the war years, in which, Holland has continued to send Ottawa approx. 20,000 tulip bulbs every year since the end of WWII.
October 21, 2013
I got this title as a pre-read through Netgalley, and it sounded really interesting. However, I found myself uncaptured, easily able to walk away, and having no desire to continue reading. I couldn't really identify with the main character, Nora. Her reactions are not consistent with her situation. Perhaps van Heugten was attempting to capture the stress, but it came across unauthentic. The pacing was choppy, the set up was a bit hard to believe (I won't spoil it, but let's just say, the man who takes Rose didn't pan out as believable, either). All in all, the story just didn't make me care.
December 11, 2013
A friend of mine purchased this book for me. And while it always hard to pick a book for another, she did well!
I enjoyed the thrill ride of this book! I am always intrigued with the Holocaust and it seems every book I read about it (historical fiction) I learn a little bit more. This was a different spin on things as this was more about a vengeance that span thirty years! Basically a "sins of your father" sort of book. It did keep me coming back for more! And I was pretty much hooked in the first chapter...
I would recommend this book to any who like historical fiction (Dutch Nazi's) with mystery and thrill!
I enjoyed the thrill ride of this book! I am always intrigued with the Holocaust and it seems every book I read about it (historical fiction) I learn a little bit more. This was a different spin on things as this was more about a vengeance that span thirty years! Basically a "sins of your father" sort of book. It did keep me coming back for more! And I was pretty much hooked in the first chapter...
I would recommend this book to any who like historical fiction (Dutch Nazi's) with mystery and thrill!
December 28, 2013
An American woman with a Dutch background finds her life cast asunder by the murder of her mother and the kidnapping of her infant child. She is not satisfied that the local police are doing enough to find her daughter so she decides to go on a quest to retrieve the child. On the way she discovers that her mother had ties with both Nazis and Jews is occupied Holland during World War 2 and this is integral to why her mother was killed and daughter was taken. Though the book was well written I was pretty much able to guess ahead about what the various "twists and turns" would be which put a damper on it for me.
September 4, 2013
Antoinette van Heugten writes in such a way that it makes you feel like you are following a bread crumb trail through the story.... little bits of the secrets revealed at a time, luring you through the pages with suspense, a rich and compelling story, thick history and intriguing characters. I adored van Heugten's ability to suck you in, grab tight and take you on an emotional ride. She is brilliant, original and interesting. Such a great story told honestly, with integrity and truth. A must read this fall/winter and a 5 star read!
January 18, 2014
I really did not like this book. It was extremely confusing, the characters were bland and one dimensional, and it felt like a really bad soap opera. A woman comes home to find her mother murdered and her baby missing? Who did it? And why? Unsuspensefully, you will find out in a very short time, yet the book dragged on and on and on. The book supposedly took place in "Houston" yet the characters were in Amsterdam? It was hard to follow to be sure, and it was a chore to read.
July 10, 2014
Our book club chose this book for this month's discussion. If it hadn't been for that, I would not have finished reading it. It is poorly written, the characters are not well developed and their actions and dialogs are not believable. The plot is also not plausible. Our entire group felt the same way.
October 29, 2014
Oh boy, Tulip eaters was missing a lot for me. It lacked in realism for sure. But it seemed rather cheesy and so far off I had no idea what I was getting into. More then once I wanted to put the book down to stop reading but I chugged through in the hopes maybe it would be better.
December 22, 2014
Read for book club, but could not finish: the mystery is solved early on, the characters not life-like, the writing is terrible (I thought at first it was a poor translation but the author is from Texas), and nobody eats tulips!
May 2, 2015
Juvenile writing, implausible plot, showing Holocaust survivors as hatred-crazed revenge seekers. One of the most superficial novels about WWII I have ever read. Abandoning at 36%, and feeling ashamed I've gotten this far.
July 11, 2014
Book club was certainly united about this one.
February 23, 2018
The book opens with a crime and continues with mystery, suspense, and twists. I enjoyed the story but found a couple of errors. On the first page of Chapter 71 (short chapters), there is reference to the child sleeping in a bassinet; the child is 2 by then and wouldn't fit in a bassinet, nor would anyone try to fit a child that age in one. Near the end of the page 328, there is a name error -- "I think it means that Abram, Nora's lover....." Nora should be Anneke. I found at least one other typo error.
Locales are Texas and Holland, with a young mother searching for her 6-month-old baby who was kidnapped by the son of a man who had just killed her mother, the baby's grandmother. The search leads back to WW II and a little-known bit of history of how the war played out in Holland and affected families, neighbors, and friends. As with all wars, there was nothing good about it. There is only passing mention of the tulip eaters, but I suspect the title has to do with desperation -- what people may be forced to do in desperate times.
It's a good story if you enjoy mystery and suspense.
Locales are Texas and Holland, with a young mother searching for her 6-month-old baby who was kidnapped by the son of a man who had just killed her mother, the baby's grandmother. The search leads back to WW II and a little-known bit of history of how the war played out in Holland and affected families, neighbors, and friends. As with all wars, there was nothing good about it. There is only passing mention of the tulip eaters, but I suspect the title has to do with desperation -- what people may be forced to do in desperate times.
It's a good story if you enjoy mystery and suspense.
June 12, 2024
Part historical novel, part Mills and Boon, this mish-mash fails to work for me.
Nora, who has omitted to tell her ex-partner about their baby, comes home from work to find both her mother and her mother's killer dead, and the baby missing. Because this book attempts to be a serious novel about the Dutch resistance, the narrative moves to one of the perpetrators' point of view.
It is sometimes difficult to stay sympathetic to Nora as she returns to Amsterdam and her abandoned lover to look for Rose.
The author mixes airport novel material with increasingly unlikely plot turns and not enough about the real history of the Resistance.
Nora, who has omitted to tell her ex-partner about their baby, comes home from work to find both her mother and her mother's killer dead, and the baby missing. Because this book attempts to be a serious novel about the Dutch resistance, the narrative moves to one of the perpetrators' point of view.
It is sometimes difficult to stay sympathetic to Nora as she returns to Amsterdam and her abandoned lover to look for Rose.
The author mixes airport novel material with increasingly unlikely plot turns and not enough about the real history of the Resistance.
January 27, 2021
The main character comes home from work to find her mother brutally murdered and her infant daughter missing. So you are obviously wondering, what can that possibly have to do with the title of the book, The Tulip Eaters? But a suspenseful search ensues as the mother goes to Amsterdam, following the only clues she can find that could lead to her daughter. And the book title becomes clear in a story of long-sought revenge.
June 22, 2018
I liked the potential of learning some WWII history here, but that was maybe 5% of the book. Overall this is a "guy book" in my opinion, with lots of action, shooting, violence, tons of profanity. Writing is weak/awkward in spots. Some questions remained unanswered -- whatever became of the policeman we were getting to know? What's the deal with Nora's sister that we learned about but then was just dropped?
April 15, 2020
The main problem with this book is, the history isn't correct and the charaters remain very very flat.
No depth in the characters, it was already a highly unlikly story, but without the depth of characters it is just a strange story. Pity, I expected more of it
No depth in the characters, it was already a highly unlikly story, but without the depth of characters it is just a strange story. Pity, I expected more of it
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