Flanders Literature helps publishers and festival organisers find that one particular title or author that is the perfect fit for their list or audience. So take a good look around, we present a selection of the finest literature from Flanders. If you like what you see, please get in touch with us for further information.
This is not simply a comic book for adults – it is literature.
De Standaard
For thirty years, Adan Diss has been waiting for San Borondón, a mythical island that appears on the horizon every once in a while. He used to have his whole life ahead of him. He could have been a butcher or a doctor, but he chose to become nothing. He believes patience is all he needs to find happiness. Waiting for an Island is about you and me, about our rays of hope and our daydreams, which in the worst case can become real demons.
A powerful look into the complexities of the human heart and prejudice *****
Comic Heroes Magazine
An enjoyable, flowing and exceptionally readable graphic novel about the author’s relationship with a Togolese political refugee. The story consists of two parts, in which we see the same relationship from two different perspectives. The visual narrative is vivid and follows a rhythm that matches the story perfectly.
Linthout’s choice to leave his pencil-work bare, is a masterstroke
Blog Critics
Willy Linthout has created a powerful, groundbreaking graphic novel that grabs the reader by the throat. From the very first page, he draws us into the difficult processes that await Charles as he lurches between loneliness, grief, incomprehension and love, often losing sight of the difference between reality and fiction.
Upon its publication, ‘The Wrong Place’ set off artistic fireworks in the Flemish graphic novel scene. This comic strip is bursting with artistic ambition: Brecht Evens has introduced a new and daring style with his expressive drawings and powerful choices of colour.
Monique gains a new lust for life in her devotion to protesting against the worldwide depletion of the fish population. This good cause justifies the flight from her own problems. Until she can no longer hide behind cod and tuna. An intelligent, intense and admirable novel full of ambiguous and laconic humour.
A tremendous novel, often horrifically funny and always unsettling
Irish Times
‘The Guard’ is set largely in the underground car park of a luxurious block of flats. Two guards, are never relieved. Terrin tells a strongly allegorical story of 21st century society. ‘The Guard’ is not only an enthralling psychological novel, but also encompasses oppressiveness, emotion and sensuality.
The story is about eight boys and girls who view the worlds of school and adulthood as empty. Free and secluded, they dispel tedium with uninhibited sexual games, continually shifting their limits. When one of them dies as a consequence, even this fails to move them.
Grief, caring, love, despair – the whole panorama impresses with its light tone.
Deutscher Jugendliteraturpreis jury
As fifteen-year-old Jonas is eradicating all traces of his mother’s restless night, he discovers that she has committed suicide. He barely reacts at all, deciding to concentrate on the events of the day. With great verve, Jan De Leeuw succeeds in creating a sense of alienation, a concept that lies at the root of this cross-over novel. He pairs metafiction with seriousness and slapstick with sadness, all with flair.
Are we experiencing the dying throes of psychotherapy? Is Freud finished for good? Following a line of reasoning as subtle as it is logically necessary, Paul Verhaeghe shows how psychotherapy and the psychiatric profession have lost ground due to the combined effect of pseudo-scientific psychology and the corruptive influence of the pharmaceutical industry.
An extraordinary novel, told in words and sentences of the finest crystal
De Standaard
In the enlightened 18th century, Leon is abandoned and taken in by an uncaring foster mother. Méline, the daughter of the family, takes pity on the tough little boy and makes his hard life bearable. When she commits suicide, Leon knows there is only one thing he can do: live.
A richly documented novel written in a sensual style
De Standaard
Papinette, a curious servant girl in sixteenth-century Antwerp, has no father but many mothers, because all the other servants boss her around. Kristien Dieltiens interweaves the moving, yet disturbing story of Papinette with the history of Antwerp and the rich artistic tradition that has developed in this Flemish city.
'The Dog Eaters' describes the plight of ordinary citizens during WWI, as seen through the eyes of Victor, the epileptic 17-year-old son of a notary. With its mythical atmosphere and almost unbearable tension, this is an unforgettable novel for readers of all ages.
A revelation. Reading a story like this makes you happy
Corriere della Sera
Robin, young and ambitious, takes a tour of all the capital cities of Europe on behalf of his world-weary employer, looking for new marketing strategies for promotional gifts. In ‘Great European Novel’ – a tongue-in-cheek reference to ‘The Great American Novel’ – Koen Peeters has found the perfect form for a book about Europe and the European idea that lies behind it.
Russia’s Fortune. A Journey to the Loneliest People on Earth
An impressive collection of travelogues
Geert Mak
When Johan De Boose packs his bags, readers know they are in for a treat. Russia’s Fortune takes him to the heart of his first love. Given that De Boose is both a romantic and a sceptic, he manages to find a perfect balance between unconditional enthusiasm and sober observation. De Boose never flinches from asking questions about himself either. Could his passion for Russia have anything to do with a predilection for tragedy and suffering?
The Sons of the Sun’ is an anthology of his seven published poetry collections, each of which has an internationally-inspired theme as its foundation. Paul Claes’ poems conjure up meaning using the alchemy of words, blend in Shakespearian sonnets, showcase rhyming sound poetry alongside pastiches, visual poetry and epigrams, and so on.
Moeyaert is at his most interesting when he allows himself to be driven by subject matter. It is then that he knows best how to disarm and move his readers in a fresh and elegant way
Cutting Edge
In ‘Poems for Happy People’, happiness and love are inseparably linked. Love (in all its forms) emanates from every page. Young readers discover a love of reading for the first time, the lighthouse loves seeing people around its town, and the sea loves washing ashore (because, after every low tide, it always changes its mind and returns).
Literature of wonderment. For children. And for those few adults who are still capable of wonder.
De Groene Amsterdammer
In winter everybody hopes spring will arrive soon. Squirrel is counting down to his final beechnut, Elephant would like to push winter away, while Owl is writing a letter… Nothing seems to help. Until suddenly spring arrives and everybody starts visiting everybody else.
Adventures that are very recognizable for anybody who has gone through babyhood
Forbidden Planet International
This comic book series is a contemporary, humorous stop-comic about a young couple and their girl twins. The neurotic father, quick-witted mother and two pig-headed children live in a pink bunker and drive a pink tank. But apart from their eccentric residence and means of transport, they lead a perfectly ‘normal’ life. At least they try.
Joseph Pearce asks relevant and nuanced questions about the Jewish identity.
Het Nieuwsblad
Starting with a Jewish man requesting euthanasia in Belgium in 2008, Pearce traces the history of a Jewish family back to Poland at the beginning of the nineteenth century. Each chapter presents timeless conflicts between father and son. Do we stay or go, integrate or retain our own identity, cling to faith or enter the big, wide world? And how do we respond to persecution?
In the early twentieth century, Jean-Baptist Van Hooylandt travels from fair to fair with his collection of living human curiosities. The most astonishing piece in his collection is a ‘derodyme’: female Siamese twins, who unfortunately die in dramatic circumstances in 1912.
‘Pitbull’ is a chilling psychological thriller with a strong streak of horror. With a keen eye for detail, Deflo sketches a razor-sharp portrait of a tormented psychopath’s obsessions. Not suitable for sensitive readers.
A small boy compiles a mythical portrait of his grandfather: he is the father of the wood, of the village, even the whole country. But sometimes the roles are reversed. On such occasions the little boy waits until it’s his turn to be the comforting ‘little dad’ to his mournful grandpa-without-grandma.
Old Helena looks back on her youth, the loves she has known, her marriage and the distressing time she experienced in World War I. The topic and style make ‘While the Gods Were Sleeping’ in all respects an exceptional literary experience.
Buelens has written a brilliant and accessible book about the hyperbole of the Great War.
De Volkskrant
In' Europe, oh Europe!' Buelens describes how Europe was shooting itself to pieces while desperately seeking a new identity. It is a book about the destructive and healing power of the word, a chunk of lively cultural history and a meditation on nationalism and international cooperation.
Journalism, only better than that; the literature of reality
Liberation
They walk from market to market, sleeping in huts and schools, but gradually the power of the colonel starts to decline and the guide becomes increasingly insecure. The ancient landscape brings back powerful memories of Joris’ childhood village.
The clear prose offers a broad readership a reassuring perspective on a confusing time.
De Standaard
These turbulent times represent an enormous challenge to all of us, the world over. New questions that lack clear answers are making many people feel insecure. But fear is a poor counsellor.
Majestic. A book like this is written once a decade at most.
Dagblad van het Noorden
1943. In rich and vivid language, Els Beerten maps out the hopes, dreams and desires of four friends, deftly capturing the blurring of the boundaries between good and evil, black and white. A moving and subtle portrayal of the darkest pages of our history. All of the characters follow their instincts and act in good faith. But what happens when the course you have chosen turns out to be the wrong one?
Its wording is exceptionally meticulous and subtle. A work of art
Knack
In a fragmentary way Stefan Hertmans explores and evokes the consciousness of Jelina, a forty-year old author. Promises for the future have failed to deliver, any hope of finding happiness has shrunk. Will she choose her family in the end?
'Linus' is a book that demands to be reread, for the story as well as the abundance of unique illustrations.
Het Laatste Nieuws
Linus lives with his mourning mother, who wanders around the house like a ghost. He has nobody to play with. Everywhere he goes, he draws signs pointing to his house, but nobody ever comes to visit. Until he writes a letter to his late brother Boris. One day, he turns up on the doorstep.
Lively and engaging... On Black Sisters’ Street is a pleasure to read: fast-paced, lucidly structured and colourful.
Times Literary Supplement
‘On Black Sisters Street’ tells the haunting story of four very different women who have left their African homeland for the riches of Europe—and who are thrown together by bad luck and big dreams into a sisterhood that will change their lives.
Fantastic. Evens' linework is wonderful... but his coloring is even better.
Time.com
‘Night Animals’ contains two dreamlike, wordless stories that transform everyday experiences into fantastic journeys to strange new worlds. Brecht Evens surprises with stories and images in which he continually seems to extend the limits of his capabilities.
You never tire of the generously inviting three-dimensional world of Tom Schamp.
Boekenpauw jury
Schamp evokes a colourful and many sided universe, full of fascinating and dazzling details. With his well-chosen, beautifully filled out pictures Schamp presents a surprising, individual take on the creation story.
On Rosie’s tenth birthday, almost a year ago, her sister Pia gave her a notebook containing ten self-written verses and a mysterious task in the form of a riddle. Shortly after this Pia died. To keep Pia’s memory alive, Rosie sketches a series of astonishing portraits of her sister. ‘A Riddle for Rosie’ is one of those rare picture books in which a high quality text is accompanied by illustrations that themselves can be read as works of art.
A wonderful and believable portrait of the period, through the medium of an intelligently constructed crime story.
De Morgen
The inhabitants of Paris are enthralled by a series of horrific murders that makes them forget the realities of the Franco-Prussian War: on each of the bodies, lines are found from The Flowers of Evil, the controversial collection of poems by the recently deceased poet Charles Baudelaire. Someone has taken it upon themselves to take revenge on the poet’s enemies. ‘Baudelaire’s Revenge’ is a literary thriller that brings to life a tumultuous period in French history in a masterly and evocative way.
Marc Reugebrink has written a beautiful and important book.
De Groene Amsterdammer
This book covers the aftermath of ’68, coupling the sexual revolution to its political counterpart. A serious yet entertaining rendering of recent history, evoked with great precision.
Karel van de Woestijne is perhaps the most important post-symbolist poet to have written in the Dutch language. Van de Woestijne’s collected work consists of almost one thousand pages of poetry and an equal amount of prose, a significant portion being dedicated to epic poetry and essays on the visual arts and literature.
Beautifully articulated and full of unexpected twists and turns
De Telegraaf
‘Greener Grass’ is a collection of stories in which a succession of people step into the limelight, all of whose lives contain substantial hidden realms. With their emotional isolation and longing for affection, the characters arouse sympathy and compassion, even if their self-control ends in a violent outburst.
Hallgerd is born in the frozen North, a land of wolves and snow – and of kings who vie for power. One night, she loses everything she holds dear. After that night Hallgerd has only one thing on her mind: revenge. A brutal and gripping story of revenge, lust and love in the time of the Vikings.
A poetic trip and an aesthetic shock that makes your jaw drop
Knack
As the title suggests, this book has a very meditative, dreamlike quality. At the beginning of the book, the story seems to consist of short, individual anecdotes. As you read on, it becomes clear that, in spite of the unexpected twists and turns, everything forms a coherent whole in which the ideas flow together seamlessly.
Masterful. Brilliantly evokes an important historical period
De Leeswelp
‘We Two Boys’begins in 1910 when the Flemish family De Belder is getting ready for their new future in the promised land, the United States of America. Eventually it is only the young Adrian, however, who makes it all the way to New York. Aline Sax sketches a lively and convincing portrait of New York City.
The novel presents a Moroccan outlook on the differences between Moroccans in Morocco and those who have emigrated; between their own values and Western values; between tradition and the modern ways of thinking that men find so hard to deal with.
Lamrabet creates above all a subtle and convincing portrait of a fascinating woman, who, standing firmly by her decisions, must pay the social and intellectual price.
Dolores grows up as a dwarf, in 15th century Biar in Spain. When she is five she realises she is different to other people. But she refuses to reconcile herself to limitations and glosses over her handicap with a generous dose of humour.
A book that seems to have been written with a video camera on the shoulder
L'Express
Lieve Joris has written a lot about the African Congo. In The Rebels’ Hour, she chose the genre of faction to let the reader experience the complexity of human tragedy in what is called the African First World War.
As you read the stories you sometimes have the feeling that you are looking in a mirror.
Rifraf
A graphic novel that reacts to the here and now and is set in our modern multicultural society with all its pros and cons. 'Over to You' is also inextricably linked with Antwerp, the city where the Comic book artist and the scriptwriter have lived all their lives.
Louise is nostalgic for the time when she was a real creepy girl. And she longs for Rotboy, with whom she used to do scary things. Now she’s all by herself and life is boring. Louise decides to go to the Shivver Woods, the best place for creepy adventures. There she bumps into Rotboy.
With this extraordinarily successful book, Terrin confirms what gradually should become official: he and no one else is the most intriguing author of his generation.
De Tijd
‘The Bee Eaters’ combines a refined style with a great deal of depth of content, eeriness with the identifiable, the everyday with what is concealed behind the facade. Terrin is not only inspired by the work of Camus but also by, for example, Franz Kafka and Willem Frederik Hermans.
Flair, intelligence, and humour are abundantly present in his book.
Het Parool
Gram is a devotee of cool intelligence who likes to regard people as machines rather than as creatures with a unique personality and psychology. However, he cannot function as a machine himself. But then he becomes a prey to the thing he had always repudiated: emotions.
Two sisters, Hannah and Kim, were left by their mother under dramatic circumstances twelve years ago. Confronted with both professional and romantic issues, the two sisters decide to rethink their lives and leave for Australia. There they start on a suicidally inspired journey, in the course of which they are able to locate their mother, who is living with a group of Aboriginal women.
