This one took me awhile to get into, but in the end I was captivated and compelled to keep reading. The main character, Nella, grows and changes in completely believable ways from a new teenage bride to a mature woman who has seen and suffered much. The details of 17th century Amsterdam are startlingly real and I credit the author for putting me in that place so completely without falling into the usual trap of, dear Reader, look at how much research I have done. Hugely impressive.