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A Dutchman discovers Flanders

The Belgian Marriage

Marc Reugebrink

Max Herder is getting married to Isabelle Fabry. A Dutchman marrying a Fleming. A Dutchman who, to the great hilarity of the Flemings around him, keeps saying he can’t stand Dutch people. That’s why Max embraces far more in Isabelle than just the girl she is. Max wants to be a Fleming amongst Flemings and say goodbye forever to his turbulent amorous past.

But achieving that dream seems more difficult than expected. Max has exaggerated expectations of undying love. In the country where he has sought refuge, everything is threatening to fall apart. While all the signs around him point to a split, his wedding day is approaching fast.

A great sense of style and humour
De Reactor

The book is about the vicissitudes of love and infatuation, the ups and downs of a relationship, the obstacles, the pitfalls and the contingencies in the emotional quest of the couple and their circle of friends. But far more, ‘The Belgian Marriage’ is a novel about identity, differences, being foreign and wanting to belong. By expanding Max and Isabelle’s tale into a social story, Reugebrink has, above all, written a subtle, intelligent account of modern Flanders.

Reugebrink describes the madness of love with glorious elegance
Cutting Edge