‘With her precise style, Janke Reitsma draws you into the story at full speed. A story about people who fall between the cracks, but are inescapably connected.’ Anne Büdgen, writer and poet
‘Nothing Escapes Us is a strong and compelling debut.’ Barazow
‘A psychologically interesting work that is both tragic and poignant, but also enchanting and loving. We have found a great writing talent in Janke Reitsma.’ Hebban
Fifteen-year-old Koen and his parents live a quiet and isolated life just outside a village on the Dutch Northern sea shore.
Everything seems all right until Koen’s mother unexpectedly falls pregnant again and stops taking her much-needed medication. When Koen’s baby sister is born with a serious chromosomal abnormality and a short life expectancy, his mother’s mental state deteriorates rapidly. His father is not willing or able to cope with the situation, so Koen has no choice but to step in. He decides to take the baby to the place he considers paradise on earth, a place she should see at least once in her short life.
Nothing Escapes Us is both haunting and liberating. It’s a beautifully written story about a dysfunctional but loving family, against the backdrop of the deceivingly stunning Wadden Sea. A story that poses questions about life and death.
- For readers of Marieke Lucas Rijneveld, Jaap Robben and Gerbrand Bakker
- A remarkable debut novel about a dysfunctional family and the power of unconditional love
- An engrossing and well-written dual-timeline narrative with a heart-wrenching ending