This is the story of a fifteen-year-old girl (Minka) who was sent to Amsterdam to care for the dying wife of an older, wealthy man, Sander DeVries. Within days of the wife, Minka is married to Sanders and sailing to Argentina.Their son, Zef, is kidnapped when he is very young. Minka is devastated. Also, circumstances require Sander to immigrate to New York at once. Minka stays in Argentian to wait the arrival of their new baby, then follow Sanders to America, and abandoning her search for Zef.This story is about love, betrayal, and redemption. It portrays the struggle of a young girl as she moved from being a girl to a woman. It crosses three continents and shows Minka's struggle as deals with the fate life has given her.A pleasant read from a first time novelist. I liked the book well enough, but it didn't quite live up to my expectations. The summary leads leads one to expect this great saga, and this story is not a saga. The main characters, yes, visit three different continents, but I wouldn't say that they are in each of the continents for any great period of time, and the stories told in each place are not complicated or developed enough to in any way suggest a "saga". In Amsterdam we're talking a number of weeks. In Argentina a year, and similarly a year in New York. The ending wraps up the story by looking forward six years. How could anyone suggest this as a saga? I was expecting years, decades, families, life experiences, complications, etc.This wasn't a bad book. It wasn't boring. The story was wrapped up at the end. I rather liked the main character Minke, as well as a secondary character Cassian. But the story was rather simple, as were the characters. The manner is which Minke "searches" for her son is completely unrealistic (I'm trying to not give anything away here). My general feeling is that the last quarter of the book was rushed and not as well developed as the rest of the book. As a sidenote, the summary for this book is not entirely accurate (i.e. in the story, Minke's husband has to flee Amsterdam when opium is banned, not Argentina, and to hint that the story includes a huge journey to find Minke's son and justice for the kidnapping is a bit of a misnomer).If you're looking for a rather "light" novel from this time period and this storyline appeals to you, then go ahead and read the book. But if you read a REAL saga, read something like "The Invisible Bridge" or any of Edward Rutherfurd's books instead.
What do You think about Bruid Van Argentinië (2012)?
Very pleasant and easy to read. Did not change my life but did not waste my time.
—2ojosverdes
In Nederlands : Bruid van Argentinie. Goed boek.
—krishna
