The Darkness That Divides Us
"Just a remarkable book. Haunting characters, amazing voice, propulsive plot. I hope we see a lot more from Dorrestein. Count me among her fans."--Karen Joy Fowler, author of The Jane Austen Book Club
"Dorrestein knows how to chill her readers with tragedy and then melt their hearts with forgiveness." --Susan Vreeland on A Heart of Stone
Lucy is the most popular girl in the local elementary school of an idyllic Dutch housing estate. When a bizarre crime rocks her world and sends her mother to prison, Lucy is turned into an outcast and her childhood becomes an ordeal of constant, vicious bullying. After her mother's release, Lucy's family decides to escape and make a clean start on a rugged Scottish island. But even here, in this remote corner of the world, Lucy's past holds a firm grip on her. Told in the alternating voices of the bullies and Lucy, this darkly atmospheric and emotionally gripping story is part family drama and part mystery.
Renate Dorrestein (1954-2018) was an internationally bestselling author who occupies a unique position within Dutch literature. An extraordinary storyteller, known for her unsentimental depiction of children and their flawed families, Dorrestein's wicked humor offsets the darkness of her subjects. Her novels have been made into films and translated into fifteen languages.
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RENATE DORRESTEIN (1954-2018) is an internationally best-selling author who occupies a unique position within Dutch literature. An extraordinary storyteller, known for her unsentimental depiction of children and their flawed families, Dorrestein's wicked humor offsets the darkness of her subjects. Her novels have been made into films and translated into 15 languages.
HESTER VELMANS was born in Amsterdam, but lived in five different countries while growing up, before finally settling in western Massachusetts. She is the author of the popular children's books Isabel of the Whales and Jessaloup's Song. The recipient of an NEA Translation Fellowship in 2014, she was previously awarded the Vondel Prize for her translation of Renate Dorrestein's A Heart of Stone. Her most recent novel, Slipper, was published in April 2018.
"Frighteningly clever. The haunting landscapes Dorrestein creates are as real as they are darkly fantastical." --Kirkus Reviews
"Just a remarkable book. Haunting characters, amazing voice, propulsive plot. I hope we see a lot more from Dorrestein. Count me among her fans" --KAREN JOY FOWLER "A stunning mixture of many genres. The criminal story provides popular, psychological, folkloric, parodic, and psychological hints of secret codes to solve the murder case" --American Book Review "An interesting study in how we intuitively know things aren't right and how we cope with the lies and subsequent trauma; we are not so much in control of events, as we like to think we are"--The Bookseller "The plot holds tightly together, tempting the reader further to uncover the secrets hidden in later pages. Highly recommended" --Dutch News "What particularly appeals--and where her strength lies--is the drive that Dorrestein gives her characters. Their survival spirit and courage are unlimited, and their loneliness is therefore all the more tangible" --De Volkskrant "A stunning mix of many genres" --American Book Review "A beautifully written family drama, with a hint of mystery--the writing is darkly atmospheric with an intense construction that works well and hooks you right in" --Liz Loves Books "A complex and unusual story that, whilst heart-rending, is never sentimental. Thought-provoking and engaging: a recommended read" --Never Imitate
