Overview

On the eve of the Second World War a public attorney, devastated because his Jewish lover has fled without him, runs over a young girl. He is torn by grief at the loss of his girlfriend and guilt about the accident - which is shrouded in a mystery that he attempts to unravel while the world around him collapses. In the meantime, he is watched over by a guardian angel, who whispers him warnings, and by a devil, who does the same... A Guardian Angel Recalls is a thrilling and provocative war novel, from one of the greatest Dutch authors of the twentieth century.

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9781782276289

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Reviews

'Interweaves a bitter, occasionally darkly comic moral fable with an unforgettable account of the Nazi invasion of the Netherlands... This should establish Hermans as a modern Dostoyevsky' - Publishers Weekly, starred review 'A sly but scorching Dutch masterpiece' - Kirkus (starred review) 'Praise for Hermans' novels' - .. 'A shocking Dutch classic... remarkable... It takes an hour or two to read, but An Untouched House is the kind of book that stays with you for ever' - Guardian 'Hermans is one of the most important European authors of the second half of the twentieth century' - Cees Nooteboom

'Interweaves a bitter, occasionally darkly comic moral fable with an unforgettable account of the Nazi invasion of the Netherlands... This should establish Hermans as a modern Dostoyevsky' - Publishers Weekly, starred review 'A sly but scorching Dutch masterpiece' - Kirkus (starred review) 'Praise for Hermans' novels' - .. 'A shocking Dutch classic... remarkable... It takes an hour or two to read, but An Untouched House is the kind of book that stays with you for ever' - Guardian 'Hermans is one of the most important European authors of the second half of the twentieth century' - Cees Nooteboom 'I decided to politely read five pages. Next thing I knew, I was a hundred pages in. The novel, newly translated by David Colmer, is set in the first days of Hitler's invasion of Holland. The main character, speeding in his car to help a Jewish refugee flee the country, hits and kills a little girl and hides her body. The ensuing story is part thriller, part family novel, part metaphysical investigation, and also, unexpectedly, part comedy. I've since learnt that Hermans is considered one of the great Dutch writers of the 20th century. A Guardian Angel Recalls (Pushkin Press) will give you an idea why.' - Jonathan Franzen

Author Information

Willem Frederik Hermans (1921-1995) was one of the most prolific and versatile Dutch authors of the twentieth century. In 1977 he received the Dutch Literature Prize - the most prestigious literary prize in the Netherlands. He is considered one of the three most important authors in the Netherlands in the postwar period, along with Harry Mulisch and Gerard Reve. Hermans' An Untouched House was published by Pushkin Press in 2016 to rave reviews. The Darkroom of Damocles and Beyond Sleep are also available from Pushkin Press.

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