The Discomfort of Evening, by Marieke Lucas Rijneveld


Booker Prize:  Winner International Booker 2020 

Plot Time and Place: Present day Netherlands

Opening sentence:  "I was ten and stopped taking off my coat."

Plot summary:  It is narrated by ten-year-old Jas, a girl who lives with her religious family on a dairy farm in the Netherlands. Jas is grieving the death of her brother, who died in an accident. His death drives further instability in the family and deteriorates Jas' mental health. 

Review:  It´s strange to say you liked a book when it is so full of disturbing scenes and imagery. But I liked it. The writing is beautiful, the descriptions very imaginative, and it was interesting to see how different people deal with grief, and the dynamic between siblings. The author is also very good at writing in the first person as a child, it really feels like a child's voice and thoughts.

Rating: 4/5

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