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In the Studio: Jessie Burton: Writing The Miniaturist

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Jessie Burton - Writing The Miniaturist

06/12/2022 GMT

Jessie Burton: Writing The Miniaturist

BBC World Service - In the Studio, Jessie Burton: Writing The Miniaturist

The journey of a novel, from a doll's house in Amsterdam to a global bestseller

The journey of a novel, from a doll's house in Amsterdam to a global bestseller.

In 2009, Jessie Burton visited the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, where she saw something that went on to transform her life. Petronella Oortman's doll's house became the inspiration for Jessie's debut novel, The Miniaturist, which was published five years later and went on to become an international bestseller. Eight years on from this success, as its sequel is published, Jessie takes Vic James back to the days when she began writing it. A time when she was doing office jobs by day, whilst trying to build a career as an actor by night. She reveals how seeing that doll's house sparked a story that explores feminism, racism and homophobia, in the form of a thriller intricately laced with a bit of magic. And she discusses the development of the key characters within - not least Petronella Oortman, whose doll's house it was.

Presenter: Vic James
Producer: Rebecca Armstrong for the BBC World Service

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