Libris Literary Prize for Arthur Japin

Een schitterend gebrek (In Lucia’s Eyes), a novel by Arthur Japin about Casanova’s first love, has been awarded the Libris Literary Prize 2004. The enthusiastic jury report praised Japin for his audacity in taking Casanova as his main character in a novel.

From the juryrapport:

The personal memoirs of Giacomo Casanova de Seingalt are still regarded as a work of genius. Arthur Japin has had the nerve to accept the challenge of comparison and the result is simply brilliant. (…) The complex structure of the novel demonstrates the extent to which Japin has mastered the writer’s trade, right down to the finest details. He knows how to dose the elements of his story line in an expert manner, releasing clues one by one, thus creating an exciting narrative that seizes the reader and sweeps him / her to the surprising denouement. Only when the book has been finished is it possible to grasp the total picture. Een schitterend gebrek is striking in its clear, associative style, fluent dialogues, and a great capacity to evoke images of a historical era. Arthur Japin has written a rich and stylish novel, with a plot that is both refined and mysterious. Een schitterend gebrek is capable of becoming a major public success, while simultaneously appealing to the literary gourmet. This all makes the novel a modern classic and a highpoint in Dutch literature.

• More info: www.libris.nl

Published: May 24, 2004 award