Demolishing clichés

For Anne Provoost, writing is a traditional and cerebral occupation. With the devotion, precision and passion of a medieval cathedral builder, she constructs slow and attentive, solid stories. Her breakthrough novel Mijn tante is een grindewal (My Aunt Is a Pilot Whale, 1990) deals with the theme of incest. A young girl recognises her own situation in the beaching of a group of whales on the coast of Cape Cod. A heavy subject, contained in an ingeniously conceived plot. The much-lauded and award-winning Vallen (Falling, 1994) is no picnic either. The narrator, 15-year-old Lucas, recounts the story of a summer vacation in a fictitious French village. This book exposes nationalism, fundamentalism and racial intolerance and shows that clear thinking is essential when making decisions and choosing points of view. Provoost sees through and demolishes the rhetoric and clichés of the far right, who sometimes sound plausible and convincing because of their clever use of misleading logic. The book warns about ignorance of what has happened in the past.

Willy van Doorselaer made his debut in 1991 with Ik heet Kasper (My Name Is Kasper), an arresting and original youth book which struck a new chord. De wraak van de marmerkweker (The Revenge of the Marble Grower, 1996) is a new book by this careful and circumspect writer who is skilled at combining suspense, emotion and humour with a minimum of narrative elements to make a well-considered whole.

Anton Quintana has very much his own voice. His novels are mostly concerned with life and survival, growth and the search for one’s own identity. The award-winning Het boek van Bod Pa (The Book of Bod Pa,1995) describes in a detailed, epic narrative style the development of Perregrin, a rather awkward boy. Bod Pa, a blind, crippled and unpredictable shaman, is brought in to cure the boy and his diseased leg. Quintana creates remarkable literature: compelling storytelling in the oral tradition.

Veronica Hazelhoff’s intriguing novels for teenagers display an immense empathy. In a careful narrative style and balanced compositions, she depicts worlds that are both oppressive and liberating, and populated by recognisable characters. De bijenkoningin (The Queen Bee, 1992), Veren (Feathers, 1994) and De sneeuwstorm (The Blizzard, 1995) are full of atmosphere and captivatingly written.