Tuesday, April 13, 2021

THE TWIN


The Twin, Gerbrand Bakker, Archipelago Books, 2009, 343 pp (originally published by Cossee, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 2006; translated from The Dutch by David Colmer.)

The Twin won the 2010 IMPAC Dublin Literary Award. I have had it on my shelf of unread Archipelago translated books for eleven years, never suspecting that it is an almost perfect novel. Sometimes books find me at just the right time though.

The eponymous twin is Helmer, a late middle aged man who lost his twin brother at age 18. They were as close as twins often are but their father favored the other boy. Henk had been engaged to be married, he had intended to carry on there at the family farm. Helmer had been at university but was obliged to return home and take over his brother's duties. 

The novel opens as Helmer is moving his aged father to an upstairs bedroom. His mother has been dead for a decade. As Helmer moves through his DIY renovation of the first floor, through his daily routine of farm drudgery, it becomes clear that he has pretty well lost himself through the years he was forced to be Henk. He could have said no, I'm going back to university, but he did not. 

The story of a man looking back on his life has been one I have read in many novels and memoirs. Rarely have I read it done so well. Perhaps that has something to do with the setting, of dikes and rivers and lakes and marshy ground, all rendered with exceptional skill. 

Also, and most wonderful, is how Gerbrand Bakker packed so much life, loss, beauty and wry humor into his pages. By the end I felt I had known Helmer, his family and neighbors, the years as they passed, as well as if I had been there with them. Though the novel is a painting in words about loneliness as a chronic condition, I did not close the book feeling sad, depressed or sorry about anything.

I did want to get on a plane and go to The Netherlands. No other book I have read set in that country has given me that urge.

28 comments:

  1. I know what you mean about books finding you. I've had a few books sitting on my shelves for a decade or more that I loved when I finally got around to them - though I'm not 100% sure I'd have liked them half as much on purchase.

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    1. Exactly! That is why I periodically go through my many, many shelves and piles and eReaders to see if anything jumps out at me.

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  2. truly evocative writing is still pretty rare... glad you found one...

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    1. What a lovely, perceptive comment. Thank you.

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  3. This sounds really interesting. I first had to think about another Dutch book I read ages ago, The Twins by Tessa de Loo where two identical female twins go two completely different ways in WWII, and there are similarities but this one looks very interesting, as well. I will have to either see that I get it the next time I can travel to the Netherlands or get my son to send it to me. ;)

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    1. I think you would love this book!

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    2. I think so, too. Thanks, Judy.

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  4. I've never heard of this writer. There are probably many, many excellent writers in the world that we never hear about. How fortunate that you found this one.

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    1. Archipelago Books is a wonderful source for such writers. I have found every book I get from them to be excellent.

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  5. Thanks for this review, Judy! I'm putting this on my TBR to read as a buddyread SOON! I'm so curious right now.

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    1. I look forward to learning how you like it!

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  6. Helmer had such a hard (fictional!) life...

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  7. This book sounds utterly amazing! The Netherlands is a place that isn't really talked about much but it's one of the places I have a tie to. So it's fascinating to me.

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    1. I hope you get to read it, especially since you have ties there.

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  8. I have gained a new appreciation for translated works over the years. I haven't read this book or anything from this imprint to my knowledge. My go to for translated works have been mostly Europa Editions and books from Other Press. So happy thi was a good experience for you.

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    1. The sources you mention for translated lit are also great. I use those too from time to time. I happen to have a subscription with Archipelago. It is $15 a month and has proven to be well worth it. I get approximately one book a month and have not read one that I didn't like.

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  9. I've never heard of Gerbrand Bakker before. I'm glad you finally read a book sitting around on your bookshelf for 11 years... Good for you! I still have quite a few of books sitting around waiting to be read.

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    1. I have been visiting those neglected shelves lately!

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    2. Don't worry, I lived in the Netherlands for twenty years and had never heard of him. He must be popular, just not that popular that he is in all the bookshops.

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  10. There's many books on my shelves for 11 years, sigh. Glad you got to this one. One of a twin would be tough. Hooray for the Netherlands.

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    1. It was exceptionally great to visit The Netherlands.

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  11. Thank you so much for sharing. ❤️

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  12. Wow, this sounds like I should read this!

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    1. I hope you get to and that you like it too!

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