‘One of the most impressive of new European writers, for both page and screen.’
– John Boyne, Irish Times
'An impressive debut' – Liam Bishop, Times Literary Supplement
‘This novel is poetic and tinged with melancholy. In spare, well-chosen language, Tijssens and his translator, Michele Hutchison, evoke vividly imagined scenes that linger in the mind and leave the reader with an all-pervading sense of loss' – #RivetingReviews
‘A modern masterpiece. . . Bursts with sensuality & deep emotion . . . The feelings are timeless, & portrayed in evocative, pared-back style.’ - The Telegraph
“Tijssens skilfully colours a love story that swells with both longing and torment … its searing poignancy brings to mind Elizabeth Smart’s ‘By Grand Central Station I Sat Down and Wept’ - The Crack Magazine
‘In his debut novel, [Tijssens] explores the duality - the push-me-pull-me hesitancy between child and adult, between who we wish to be seen as and what we are desperate to hide - beautifully.’ - Marie Claire
‘Succinct and understated writing, deeply human and full of suppressed anguish.’ - Feeling
A riveting literary debut by the internationally acclaimed screenwriter of the film Close
For fans of Ocean Vuong, Douglas Stuart and Édouard Lois
Winner of the Prix du Roman Gay – Special Jury Mention
Shortlisted for The Bronze Owl
On Marie Claire’s “best books of January/February 2025”
Guest at Feria International del Libro 2023, Guadalajara
Guest at Leipziger Buchmesse 2024
In the course of only 24 hours, an unnamed protagonist returns to the bleak Flemish seaside village of his youth. He has come to collect the last possessions of his mother, who recently passed away. While in the village he has to face the memories of his abusive mother and the loss of his first love.
In cinematic scenes, Angelo Tijssens depicts the pain and longing of a life spent searching. Tijssens’ language remains understated and direct. With his carefully chosen sensory descriptions, he enables us to imagine what’s often left unsaid. The Edges is a semi-autobiographical and deeply human debut.
‘In time it will become familiar, that chalky taste at the back of your mouth. You will move house at least nine times. Everything you own right now, you will lose. Everything that seems valuable will disappear. You will gradually lose sight of some things, others you will flog to buy food or cigarettes, and others still you will burn, give away or leave behind. You want to cry out but you can’t because there’s a hand around your throat.’