Contemporary Dutch novel (1998) translated into English.

From Publishers Weekly
Dorrestein's first novel to be translated into English is a riveting psychological thriller that rates comparison with Shirley Jackson's classic, We Have Always Lived in the Castle*).
Like Jackson, Dorrestein excels at describing how an eccentric family - in this case, the van Bemmels of The Hague**) - is tormented and finally destroyed by the growing madness of one of its members. Their existence seems idyllic, until a fifth child, Ida, is born, and Margje begins acting strangely. Ida suffers from mysterious, recurrent injuries, and the children's father refuses to see the obvious. Narrator Ellen, the third child, is a sharp, book-smart 13-year-old, who realizes something is wrong, but can do nothing but fly into hysterical rages. Twenty-five years later, Ellen finds herself back in her childhood home, alone, separated from her husband and expecting a baby. Dorrestein's exquisitely calibrated narrative becomes mesmerizing as Ellen struggles to comprehend how one day her whole family could just be wiped out and how she could have survived.

*) I have not read the book by Shirley Jackson, but from the reviews, I think it seems more a gothic/horror novel (a genre I don't like!) than "A Heart of Stone" is!
**) well, I think this is a little error :-) This should have been Haarlem!

About the author

Renate Dorrestein (1954) has been one of the Netherlands’ most successful writers for a few decades now. She debuted in 1983 with Buitenstaanders (Outsiders), after which she steadily built up a body of works that includes more than twenty novels. A Heart of Stones was published in 1998 and has since been translated into many language:
Et hjerte av stein (Norway), Um Coracao de Pedra (Portugal), Un coeur de Pierre (France), Album de familia (Spain/Catalan), Album de familia (Spain)
Seki no hato (Japan), Et hjerte af sten (Denmark),Album di familia (Italy), Hjarta av sten (Sweden), A heart of stone (US), A heart of stone (England)
Ein Herz von Stein (Germany), Kivisydan (Finland)


"Please, please read this book! You're in for a treat. This is a book to recommend to your friends, to lend, to share, to commend..."
Isabel Allende

"A riveting psychological thriller. A Heart of Stone is a natural for Hollywood's attention, too. The book should win Dorrestein name-recognition in the English-speaking world."
Publishers Weekly

'Beautifully written, with a dry sense of humour that offsets the darkness of its subject.'
The Times

---

10 March:
I just finished reading and I must say I'm bowled over by this breathtaking, touching story. So much so, that I can't find the right words to write a review as yet. Let's say it left me speechless! My best read so far this year.

I would like to send this out as a ring. The usual rules will apply (see my profile). This Penguin paperback copy is the American-English translation, about 250 pages (including interview and readers guide), weight: less than 200 grams.

That would be my third ring/ray of a translated Dutch novel. This time a more contemporary one than the others, that were classics from the 1940s/50s. Also a different genre, as one was historical fiction and the other one holocaust related non-fiction. BTW: I have not read it in Dutch, can't say if it's a good translation!

The genre of this cleverly and skilfully composed novel is hard to describe! You could call it:
Coming-of-age, Gothic (but not horror!), women's lit. There certainly is suspense, but I would not call it a thriller or mystery. It also has elements of Greek tragedies. You could even say, that "true-crime" would be applicable! In an interview, published in the book, the author tells that the idea for the story was born after a "wave" of similar tragic family dramas that occured in Holland during 1997. I remember the newspapers were full of them, to such an extend, that the media were asked, not to report them in headlines or a "sensational" way, for fear that the phenomena (could not really call them crimes) were being copied.

---

Please:

• make a journal entry when the book arrives
• try to read it within a month
• PM the next on the list to ask for his/her address
• make a new journal entry when finished, to let us know what you think of the book
• wrap it up well and send it on (mention the date in JE or make a release note)
• PM me in case of any problems/unforeseen delay. (please don't skip anyone without letting me know first!)

Please sign my Guestmap if you joined this ring

shippinglist:
The final order has been juggled between geography, date of request, shipping limitations and personal wishes (not too high on the list etc.) Late additions may be added if preferences allow.

chich France=> anywhere
Icila France=>anywhere
Tarna Finland=>anywhere (surface mail outside EU)
aava Finland=> EU
LindyLouMac Italy=>Europe only
TriggerfishScotland UK=>prefers EU shipping, INT if needed
Twynnie UK=anywhere
AceofHearts - Canada=>anywhere
istop4books USA=>anywhere
RrrcaronUSA=>anywhere
readingtrix South Africa =>anywhere
moonblue South Africa => anywhere
vuurhoutjie SA
.............(picked up by me in person)
samulli Germany=>anywhere (surface mail) late addition.<= 30/3 it's here COMPLETED

RELEASE NOTES:

Bookring started! May it have a smooth and safe journey. Enjoy!

Book received today, thanks a lot bestfriends! Thanks for the lovely postcard too -I think we need to have a conversation about cheese though;)

I was expecting three or four more rings today but this one is the only one that made it to my mailbox, which means I'll start reading it tonight:)

Wow, what a riveting read! Like you bestfriends this book left me totally speechless. After I finished reading it I felt like I’d been punched in the stomach! What a powerful and poignant story! Reading this book is definitely an experience and it’s hard to put it in words or write a review about it. There are definitely the elements of a Greek tragedy here and the book reminded me a lot of Medea by Euripides, which I studied back in college. I love the way the book is written and how the horror of it all is slowly unveiled. I’d advise future participants to read the author’s interview at the end of the book; it’s very interesting and gives much insight into the story. Definitely my best read so far this year.

Thanks so much for starting this ring bestfriends and for giving me the opportunity to read a Dutch author for the first time!

I already have icila’s address but have PMed her so that she can reconfirm it. I’ll make a new journal entry as soon as I send her the book.

---------
This is letter D for my ABC Challenge 2007.

Book sent to icila today, enjoy!

I got it yesterday morning. Thanks a lot bestfriends and chich !

Thank you bestfriends for letting me reading this book so powerful. It gives matter to think about.

If you havr other Renate Dorrestein's novel, don't hesitate to share . ;)

PMing Tarna.

It seems the address I gave Icila was lacking the postal code. It was my mistake, I'm sorry. Luckily the book found its way to Tampere, anyway, arriving today. Merci, Icila! And thank you for the delicious postcard Fruits d'été. It's good someone reminds me of the beauty of your language plus the fact that I really should start learning it again.
I've read the journal entries you all have made and I must say I'm really interested in this book. Besides, I don't know much—if anything—about Dutch literature. Reading this book will be exciting too.
I'm glad it's only 250 pages. I have a big pile of books to read asap. Still, I try not to hold on to A heart of Stone for too long!

What an appalling story this is! And yet so realistic, unfortunately. But by the way Renate Dorrestein tells it, surfing between past and present, she convinces her readers that everything will be more or less OK in the end; she manages to give some hope. Besides, her language—words and sentences—are so beautiful that you can really enjoy reading A Heart of Stone. Still, she does not let you forget even for a second that there is a true tragedy involved.
There is a lot to think about in this book. For instance, Dorrestein shows how a perfectly normal, happy family may change into totally dysfunctional one. She tells us about a child’s loyalty and helplessness, and she tells us how difficult it is even for an adult to see that someone is feeling bad, really bad. And how difficult it is to take action even if you see what’s happening. She talks about survivor’s guilt, coming to terms with bad experiences, learning to forgive oneself, and learning to forgive others, too. She talks about almost everything.
There are many themes, levels, and symbols in A Heart of Stone. The reader’s guide in the end of the book discusses some of them. I just wish I had fewer books to read for the moment and therefore more time to use with this text. I’d really like to reflect on it thoroughly. I guess I just have to get a copy of my own and reread it, very slowly this time.
I definitely want to read also other novels by Renate Dorrestein.

The English translation is great. And so is the cover photo. Well, there’s nothing special in the photo itself but the coloring is exceptional. I was wondering about that when I first saw the book. The background looks like it’s painted. And it almost is: the photo is hand tinted by Jonathan Barkat. What a great job he did!

If I was in the habit of grading books, I’d give it 9—10 points out of 10. But since I don’t normally do it, I won’t give any grades this time either.

Thank you, bestfriends, for sharing this wonderful, wonderful novel with us!

I’ll mail the book to aava this week.
Edit May 30. aava has just moved (thanks for telling me that, bestfriends!) and I've got her new addy now. Left the book in mail box, aava should get it by tomorrow or the day after that. Hope you'll enjoy both the book and your new home, aava!

The book arrived today, thank you Tarna and of course Bestfriends for organizing this ring. I'm so glad it's nearly weekend and I get to start reading the book...

This really is a heartbreaking book. I finished it yesterday and I kept having flashbacks of it during the day. It's tender,warm,funny and so sad that I almost couldn't bare to read it, but I had to... It's been a while a book touched me like this one did.

Thanks ever so much bestfriends (yes,it did mention Hoofddorp and Haarlem's lovely Grote markt!) and all of you lovely people for letting me participate in this.I already have LindyLouMac's address and I'll mail the book by the end of this week.

P. S I loved the cover!

---------
edit 6.6.2007: Mailed the book this morning.

Arrived yesterday, thanks aava and bestfriends. I have read everyones reviews and it looks like this is going to be an emotional read. Looking forward to starting it but I have a couple of titles ahead of it, so it will not be this week.

A devastatingly sad story. Postpartum Psychosis or Postnatal Depression was still unrecognised as a condtion requiring help and diagnosis when Ellen the narrator was a little girl. Had it been recognised the Van Bemmels a seemingly normal happy family would not have become envolved in such tragedy. It is not till Ellen is an adult attending lectures as a trainee medic that she finally realises what was at the heart of her dysfunctional family. The story is narrated by Ellen as she swaps from past to present throughout the novel, until she is finally able to come to terms with the tragic experiences of her childhood.
Well worth reading, including all the authors notes at the end of the book.

Update:28/06/07:This should have been in the post by now, but I am having trouble getting hold of next reader! Problems due entirely to PM'S to me not arriving!!

RELEASE NOTES:

En route to Scotland.

Arrived today, thanks LindyLouMac. Will read this within next two weeks.

Very thought-provoking, absorbing and, at times, painful read. Very well constructed book, which just keeps you turning the pages!
Thank you for sharing this bestfriends! This is another example of a book I would not have discovered without the bookcrossing community.

Posted today to Twynnie.

This arrived today, thank you bestfriends for sharing and triggerfish for passing it on! i have a couple of other rings to read first but I will get to it soon, I'm looking forward to it.

This book it beautifully written but also painfully sad. The real tragedy to me is that the family seemed so loving before Margje's problems started, and so much was lost because of an illness which could have been treated if it had been recognised. It's a story that really made me think and I'm very grateful to bestfriends for sharing this as it's not something I would normally have had a chance to read.

I'll PM AceofHearts now to pass this on.

Edited to say: AceofHearts is on holiday until August 9th according to her profile, so I won't be able to pass this on until she gets back

Sorry it has taken me so long to pass this on! My life is a bit hectic right now and it's been sitting in an envelope for the last two weeks waiting for me to print a label for it...

It is now packaged and ready to go on its way to AceofHearts (by airmail) tomorrow.

received in the mail today. Can't wait to start

Ellen Van Bemmel is a normal 13 year old when she experiences a devastating personal tragedy. Twenty five years later she tells her story as she gets ready to birth her own child.

Dorrestein has Ellen narrate the story switching between the past and present. Ellen is the third of 4 soon to be 5 children in what seems like an idyllic family. Frits and Marje are Ellen's concerned,involved and busy parents. What ensues borders on a Greek tragedy.

Dorrestein very cleverly 'spins out' the story slowly. One feels the pain and terror. Ellen must learn to forgive herself and her parents. She must go past her heartbreak and get rid of her ghosts.

Included at the end of the book is an interview with the author which was very informative and detailed.

I loved this story and will look forward to more translations of Dorrestein's books.

mailed today

This one just came in safe and sound. I have one ahead of it, but it should go quite quickly. Thanks bestfriends for organizing this bookring! I've glanced at all the reviews below and can't wait to get it started!

Sorry for the interuption, but I figured this is the quickest way to contact the readers of this ring all at once.

Some time ago I bought another novel by Renate Dorrestein, translated into English, because everybody was so enthousiastic about "A Heart of Stone".
Unfortunately it's not half as good, or at least that's what I thought. I sent it to chich to "test read" it, thinking it could be me. She came to more or less the same conclusion, even rated it a bit lower than I did.

However, should any of you want to try it anyway, let me know and I will start another ring or ray. Just PM me.
Here's a link: Without Mercy - Renate Dorrestein

---

October update:
No one was interested in a ring/ray sofar.
for now the book will be sent to aava in Finland who has is on her wishlist.

Oh dear. I am the one dissenter of all those who read this, but I have to say I just didn't like it. I found it disturbing but unresolved, I found it difficult to understand the adult Ellen and would have liked to have a longer narrative on her young adult life instead of the few glimpses that Dorrestein gave us. At times I just could not connect to the father and other siblings in the story either. The story was chilling and very suspenseful, but just fell a bit short for me.
Have PMd rrrcaron and will be sending out this week! Thanks bestfriends for organizing this!

Mailed out to rrrcaron on Thursday, October 4, via media mail.

I received this in the mail the other day. I will get to it as soon as I can.
Ruth

I sent this book on to the next reader last week. My keyboard pooped the bed and I haven't been able to journal or respond to pm's. I'm up and running again, and just wanted to let you guys know the book is traveling.
Ruth

Jippee!! the book arrived today. I have been a bit concerned that it might turn up while I was away but the camping was not so much fun with all the mud and rain, so we came home early.
I have been looking forward to reading this novel for a while and will send it on soon. Thanks bestfriends for sharing your book with us and to Rrrcaron for sending it on to me from afar in the USA!

I found this novel to be a dark and chilling story! It took me a while to really get into it but once I did I could not put it down. I too, enjoy a story written from the child's point of view. I was amazed at the perception, intelligence and strength of young Ellen. Thank goodness we live in an age where work can be done and medication is available for these kind of medical problems! Do the average person take this kind of illness more serious now than a few years ago, I wonder? What I learnt from this novel is how important it is to be more sensitive and more helpful to new moms in my community. The end of the story does not leave one without hope.
The conversation with the author, Renate Dorrestein, in which she answers all questions with honesty and integrity (in the back of the book) made such an impression on me. A heart of stone is well worth a read!

I am sending this book to Moonblue in Grahamstown (as requested by bestfriends) who will then send it to Samulli in Germany. I canot wait to see what you thought of this unusual novel Moonblue.

Thanks readingtrix and bestfriends. This arrived today and I hope to get to it soon. It looks like an amazing book and I love to meet new authors.

Edited to add:
I passed it on to the next person without making a journal entry. Oops!.

I found the book sad and moving. In fact I cried a lot while reading it. The worst was knowing quite early on what was going to happen, but not knowing when or how. I stayed up far too late to read it through in one go because I could not put it down. And then reread it slower over the next few days to absorb it all.

A moving and powerful book, which I am very glad to have been able to read. It will take a detour to vuurhoutjie and then I will pass it back to bestfriends while she is in South Africa.

moonblue, if you need more time to read it, let me know. If done, could you please PM me before you send it to Germany?!

I found especially the way the story of Ellen's childhood in the house with her siblings is presented wonderful. At some point I thought no, in no way do I find it believable that the father would also have collaborated in this. The mother's condition is one thing but if the father was that unstable, well, then the whole family could not have had this rambling companionable something magical and yet ordinary as well. I can't quite continue this sentence without bringing the plot into it, so I won't. The only thing I found really disconcerting/confusing was the chapter headings. Which are completely misleading. Given a story that starts with a big family and a history (set in different times) I assumed that the chapter headings gave an indication of who is narrating, or at least who is the focus, what time and place that part of the chapter is set in. But no - Fritz college years autoum 1956 or 1957 does not mean that at all. Ellen is narrating from Lijster street in the early 70s. utterly confusing. chapter headings only mean sometime there might be a paragraph on that, as if it was a reminder to the author to include at least that in this chapter and then she forgot to take them out again. They're not even those riddling keywords, because there is just too much else besides them in each chapter.

to continue in the ring via moonblue

Back from vuurhoutjie. I will hopefully be meeting up with bestfriends and then will pass the book back to her.

The book was handed over in person by moonblue during our meet-up in Grahamstown on the 19th. I will send it to Germany when back in Europe.

RELEASE NOTES:

to samulli
Enjoy!

Thanks, bestfriends! I'm very glad your suitcase turned up again (not only because I will finally get to read this book now). ;-)
I'll start on it right away.

A fantastic book. Not really an easy read in some parts, but more or less impossible to put down. I have read it in one day and it stayed with me for days afterwards. I can't really say I agree with the Publisher's Weekly review bestfriends posted, because for me this book is certainly not a thriller. It's more of a coming-of-age story with a very tragic twist at its core.
I think it might end up on my "Best of 2008" list as well. At the very least I am very happy that it didn't end up getting lost on the way back from South Africa. ;)

The ring has been completed now. Fourteen readers in one year! That's great. Thank you all for your journal entries and for moving the book along so smoothly.

I don't necessarily want the book back; samulli will give it a new home or send it along to a reader of her choice.

I have found a new reader for this book (hopefully she will soon turn into a new BCer as well - I'll keep badgering her in any case). She has promised me a journal entry and we'll work something out to keep the book traveling after she has read it.
So the book is on its way to Berlin now.

The book is back in my possession after my friend has read it. (She wasn't too fond of it, so didn't want to make a journal entry for fear of offending anyone.)

I will post a message in the forum to see if I can find some more readers.

It took a while, but I finally found some more readers for this little book. :)

I'll add to the list as more people get back to me:

madnad (Spain)
Popitze (Germany)
DoveiLibri (USA)
...

The book will travel to Spain tomorrow. The rest of the list will be juggled around according to shipping prefs.

Received from samulli today with many thanks:)

I read this book in one single day, which is unusual for me, but which pretty much sums up how good a book it is! I couldn't put it down and needed to know how everything ended. Loved it!! I guess there could have been a bit more to the story line at the very end but all in all, I thought it was a great book.

I'd never heard of Renate Dorrestein before but would surely like to check out her other novels.

The book will be mailed out today to Martjxox in Perugia, Italy - she has joined and Samulli was ok with that. Martjxox will send it on to Germany afterwards:)

got it today! plan to read it in a very few days so that the ring goes on!

I adored this book! I couldn't really put it down! It is shocking to read how little Ellen goes through that much... Thank you bookmaster for giving us the chance to read this beautiful touching story!

RELEASE NOTES:

book sent to popitze.

The obviously well read book book arrived in Cologne save and sound today. Thanks for sending, Martjxox!

28.07.2008
Phew, this was an enthralling read! I could hardly lay the book aside. Throughout all the book you know what befell the Van Bemmel family, but you have no clue how or why it happenend. Bit by bit you get an idea of what it all adds up to and THAT's what makes the book that thrilling. And all this is presented from a tweleve-year-old girl's point of view... I don't dare calling the book lovely - even though love is a central feature of the whole story - for the things happening are far to tragic, but I definitely will read further books of that author, she just hit the mark!

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Sent the book off to DoveiLibri, the next in line. Have fun!

(OK, that should change the print back to black!) Now, for the important thing: I REC'D THIS VERY WELL TRAVELED AND WELL DOCUMENTED BOOK TODAY! Someone lovingly covered it with clear contact paper, repairing it to a good condition. I see that I'm the last one on this ring/ray. Do I need to send it back? If not, I will take my time, as I have three books promised to others, and then make sure it continues its journey by sharing the book with others. Please let me know! Thank you so much, I have been wanting to read this book for a long time, and now I'll have the chance!

Added Later I've been notified that I'm the last one on the book ray list.

June 6, 2009: On the short list, it's being reserved for BookCrosser LuckOf who claimed it at the "Browse Our Short List RABCK" offer (Link to Forum Thread) It's rather far down the list, so it might be a while before it's read and sent off, but that's the plan!

October 29, 2009: NEXT on the TBR list! You should see this book traveling soon!

Added later! October 29, 2009: Oh! I just had to peek, didn't I? Well, instead of NEXT TO READ, this book became CURRENTLY READING in just a few sentences ... the author and translator have conspired to draw the reader in a tangled web, and once entangled, you cannot escape until the last word is read ...

October 30, 2009: This book is breaking my heart, and I thank God that he saved my children from this fate when I was sick with postpartum psychosis. I am almost afraid to read on ....

To "Luckof" in Canada, just as promised!

Rec'd this today safe and sound from Doveilibri! Thank you! Well travelled and well document -- this is going on the short list...thanks for sharing!