Inspired by true events, the novel pulls back the veil on the experiences of countless women between the 1950s and 1980s who were forced to give up their children born out of wedlock. The result is an impressive story about buried female trauma, caused by society, organized religion and the dominant social mores.
Jaap himself about Afterlight: "This novel stems from a poem I once wrote for deceased, unbaptized children who were taken from childbirth between 1950 and 1980 and buried secretly, nameless in unconsecrated ground. That poem was placed on a bench at a monument in Nijmegen. At the unveiling, dozens of women came who had experienced this and had never spoken about it, not even with their own husbands, even if it was their joint child."
Takes place in Nijmegen, a once strictly catholic city. The municipality of Nijmegen gives writing assignments to authors, and who granted Robben access to the archives. Features the dilapidated, now lost old Lower Town, the Sint Annastraat, the Houtlaan and the nursing home on the Driehuizerweg. Robben shares from the archives: "Somewhere I even read the advice for women to put a plank in their bed so that their husband could not climb on them."
A novel about oppression, disapproval and rejection in society, disguised under the cloak of religion.
More than 30,000 copies sold in Dutch
Third novel we are publishing by Jaap Robben. Summer Brother was longlisted for the International Man Booker prize, reviewed by the NYT and praised by Hilary Mantel and Elizabeth Strout. Jaap toured the US extensively twice, and is beloved by festival organizers and booksellers.
Rights sold to
German - DuMont Verlag (Birgit Erdmann) (2023)
English - World Editions (David Doherty) (2024)
French - Editions Gallmeister (Guillaume Deneufbourg) (2024)
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