chef: node attributes returning nil

chef:attributes > node[:test2] = {"name" => "value"}
 => {"name"=>"value"}
chef:attributes > node[:test2].class
  => Chef::Node::Attribute
chef:attributes > node[:test_value2] = node[:test2]
 => #<Chef::Node::Attribute @current_automatic=nil, @default={...}, @set_unless_value_present=false, @current_override=nil, @auto_vivifiy_on_read=false, @automatic={...}, @override={...}, @current_default=nil, @has_been_read=false, @current_nesting_level=[:test2], @normal={...}, @current_normal={"name"=>"value"}, @set_type=nil>
chef:attributes > node[:test_value2].inspect
 => "#<Chef::Node::Attribute @current_automatic=nil, @default={...}, @set_unless_value_present=false, @current_override=nil, @auto_vivifiy_on_read=false, @automatic={...}, @override={...}, @current_default=nil, @has_been_read=false, @current_nesting_level=[:test_value2], @normal={...}, @current_normal=#<Chef::Node::Attribute @current_automatic=nil, @default={...}, @set_unless_value_present=false, @current_override=nil, @auto_vivifiy_on_read=false, @automatic={...}, @override={...}, @current_default=nil, @has_been_read=false, @current_nesting_level=[:test2], @normal={...}, @current_normal={\"name\"=>\"value\"}, @set_type=nil>, @set_type=nil>"
chef:attributes > node[:test_value2]['name']
 => "value"
chef:attributes > node[:test_value2]['name']
 => nil
chef:attributes > node[:test_value2].inspect
  => "#<Chef::Node::Attribute @current_automatic=nil, @default={...}, @set_unless_value_present=false, @current_override=nil, @auto_vivifiy_on_read=false, @automatic={...}, @override={...}, @current_default=nil, @has_been_read=false, @current_nesting_level=[:test_value2], @normal={...}, @current_normal=#<Chef::Node::Attribute @current_automatic=nil, @default={...}, @set_unless_value_present=false, @current_override=nil, @auto_vivifiy_on_read=false, @automatic={...}, @override={...}, @current_default=nil, @has_been_read=true, @current_nesting_level=[:test2, \"name\", \"name\"], @normal={...}, @current_normal={\"name\"=>\"value\"}, @set_type=nil>, @set_type=nil>"