Erosion
Helle, an internationally successful artist, is devastated when Alma, her closest childhood friend, unexpectedly cuts off all contact. The hows and whys remain unclear. What follows is an all-consuming grief over the loss of the friendship, which no words can seem to express. Helle withdraws to one of the German Wadden Sea islands, where, amid the silence and ruggedness of nature, she tries to understand what has been lost. As she wanders across beaches and mudflats, she turns her thoughts to Alma and reconstructs their intense friendship: from their first meeting as children to the deep bond that was life-defining for many years.
On the advice of her elderly hostess, Helle goes in search of amber each day, in an attempt to hold on to something of the past in a landscape subject to erosion. At the same time, she remembers the wonderful feeling that came with having a best friend, cautiously forms new friendships with some of the locals, and seeks out new forms of connection.
‘Erosion’ is a remarkable book because Haerens manages not only to put into words the elusive nature of the love that is friendship, but also to make it tangible ****De Standaard
In a lyrical, sensory style, Astrid Haerens explores the complex boundaries between friendship, love and loss. ‘Erosion’ is a poignant novel about a crumbling friendship, loneliness and our relationship with nature.
A celebration of language. Her language is sensory, shaped by rhythm, sound and feeling.****NRC
Haerens weaves in symbolism subtly, almost between the lines, like a glimmer of hope fluttering byDe Lage Landen
In her novel, Astrid Haerens puts into words a feeling for which there seems to be a lack of words.Literair Nederland
