BOOK REVIEW | NAAMLOOS BY PEPIJN LANEN

Title: Naamloos
Author: Pepijn Lanen
Published: 2016
Language: Dutch
Pages: 254
Rating: 4/5

In 'Naamloos' we follow a month in the life of a man who can not remember who he is. We read about his confusing time, in a battle against addictions and fear, and a fight against himself. 


Pepijn Lanen is in the Netherlands very famous for his work as artist in the band 'De Jeugd van Tegenwoordig'. When I saw he had a book coming out I was very curious about it. I was excited to see what he had to offer - Dutch literature wise. 

This book surprised me very pleasantly. Pepijn is just as inventive, witty and original in this book as in the songs he writes. The writing style is easy to follow, and the short chapters keep it fast paced, even though the writing sometimes got a little monotone. 

I would really like to see this book gets translated, so that non-Dutch reading countries can see what a Dutch writer like Pepijn has to offer to our modern literature. 

This book is available to listen for free on Spotify (in Dutch). 

BOOK REVIEW | VECTOR BY SIMON DE WAAL

Title: Vector
Author: Simon de Waal
First published: 2016
Language: Dutch
Pages: 96
Rating: 4/5

At the end of the Cold War a deadly virus dissapears in a mysterious way. Twenty-five years later, in Amsterdam, a man called Alex, son of a runaway Russian scientist, get's confronted with the dark past of his dementing father. When his brother al of sudden apears in the picture, a well-kept secret surfaces. His father though, doesn't have any memories left of his past. Does he even have a brother? And what is 'his brother' searching for?

This is a Dutch thriller short-story that I got as a gift while buying an other book during 'De week van het spannende boek', the week of Dutch thrillers. When I read the back I was really interested in this story. It sounded very interesting, because it is very short I decided to read this when I was in the mood for something short and easy.

'Vector' was quite a good story. The prologue was exciting, the characters were cool and I really liked the setting of it, both in Russia and Amsterdam. I read some mixed reviews on Goodreads, most people think this book was too rushed, I disagree. I think these people forget that this is a short story that is meant to be short and sweet, and that is just what this is.

It was refreshing to read in Dutch. 

BOOK REVIEW | ER IST WIEDER DA BY TIMUR VERMES

Title: Daar is hij weer (Er ist wieder da)
Author: Timur Vermes
First published: 2012
Language: Dutch (translated from German)
Pages: 320
Rating: 3/5

It's summer 2011 and Hitler awakens on a abandoned field in Berlin, Germany. There is no war, no party and no Eva. Hitler walks through this version of Berlin, which for him is unknown. Soon people begin to recognize him, as a imitator, finding him very funny. Hitler starts to be a happening, he goes viral on YouTube, and people begin to listen. But Hitler has another programme with even greater ambition – to set the country he finds a shambles back to rights.

I borrowed this book from my father, someone who likes to read books about World War II and most things involving it. When I decided to read it, I asked him what he thought about it and he thought it was quite a disappointing read.

I also did not like it as much as I hoped. I expected that Hitler, waking up in 2011, would discover social media. I really thought that he was going to use the internet to make himself 'big' again. This did not happen.

The characters were also quite week in my opinion. Especially Hitler, he was very obedient and sometimes he tried to be mean, but in my eyes he was just a softy.

Although the story was really original, the story wasn't executed the way I wish it had been.