Summer Brother
by Jaap Robben
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Pub Date 9 Feb 2021 | Archive Date 2 Feb 2021
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Description
LONGLISTED FOR THE INTERNATIONAL BOOKER PRIZE 2021
Summer Brother is an honest, tender account of brotherly love between a disabled boy and his abled brother, which will resonate with readers of Rain Man.
“Dutch author Jaap Robben’s second novel shows us the shedding of innocence. Summer Brother, translated by David Doherty, shakes out over a hot summer, during that potent lull when characters so splendidly boil, burst and bloom…Summer Brother grapples with the consequences of carelessness and the abuse of power and trust, even if the violation is unintentional…Robben is wonderful at drawing characters with just a few deliberate strokes…Like a photographer shooting a portrait, Robben captures his subjects in Summer Brother in a focused close-up.” —New York Times
Thirteen-year-old Brian lives in a trailer on a forgotten patch of land with his divorced and uncaring father. His older brother Lucien, physically and mentally disabled, has been institutionalized for years. While Lucien’s home is undergoing renovations, he is sent to live with his father and younger brother for the summer. Their detached father leaves Brian to care for Lucien’s special needs. But how do you look after someone when you don’t know what they need? How do you make the right choices when you still have so much to discover? Summer Brother is an honest, tender account of brotherly love, which will resonate with readers of Rain Man.
Advance Praise
“A writer who passes the ball with such elegance that there’s no need to hammer it home.”—De Volkskrant
“Subtle and refined.”—NRC Handelsblad
“Robben’s style is deceptively simple. You don’t have to be an adult to read Summer Brother, yet Robben’s imagery, subtle humor, and surprising plot will connect with the most literate of readers. The novel gives a moving insight into a boyhood that gives pause for reflection.”—De Standaard
“Like no other writer, Robben can empathize with the mind of a child and he imbues the reader with this open and uninhibited outlook as the story unfolds.”—Hebban
“Summer Brother is a wry and funny book about a damaged family.”—Algemeen Dagblad
“Summer Brother is a beautiful, modest novel. As he did with You Have Me to Love, Robben will once again win over a young generation of readers with this book. That in itself is praiseworthy.”—Elsevier
“His first novel, You Have Me to Love, was well-received, won prizes, and became a sales success. Summer Brother is a worthy successor and has all the ingredients to follow the same path. Robben knows how to write simply and magnificently―I kept underlining beautiful sentences in the first chapters.”—Trouw
Available Editions
| EDITION | Other Format |
| ISBN | 9781642860702 |
| PRICE | US$16.99 (USD) |
| PAGES | 288 |
Available on NetGalley
Featured Reviews
Richard B, Reviewer
<i>Summer Brother</i> is a excellent work of literary fiction about a family that lives in the margins but is elevated by the love between two brothers. Brian is a tough but sensitive and naive 13-year-old who loves his severely disabled brother. <i>Summer Brother</i>, is one of several books written by the Dutch poet, playwright, actor and children’s author, Jaap Robben.
Brian lives with his dad, Maurice, because his mom doesn’t want him. They live in a rundown trailer with two dogs and across the yard from a pair of landlords who insist this is no place for Brian to live. One day Brain and Maurice go to visit Lucien and Maurice discovers that due to renovations at the hospital there is an opportunity to make some good money by bringing Lucien home for the summer. This is obviously a foolish idea but Maurice has dollar signs in his eyes so he maneuvers his way around the rules. Once home, Lucien lives most of his day outside because they can’t get the bed into the trailer and, with the help of a neighbor, Brian becomes the primary care giver. Lucien becomes quite mobile with Brian’s help and everything looks like it will be fine until it isn’t.
Robben is excellent at character development. Brian is a tough street wise kid, and at the same time he is loving, accepting, and kind but naïve and immature. Lucien, although severely disabled, plays a major role in moving the story along. Maurice is a complete loser, but I like him better that the boys’ mom. All of the secondary characters are interesting and unique.
Although it is not a fast-moving plot, the book does an excellent job of keeping you on the edge of your seat by introducing the reader to a world of living in the margins. You feel as though Lucien is in danger all of the time, but he manages. No one takes care of Brian and yet he too manages until his naivety catches up to him. As a reader, one becomes a cheerleader for the under privileged.
For the most part, the story is heartwarming and cheerful and people get by. This is why the conclusion is a shock. It shouldn’t be a surprise, but it is, because one hopes things will end differently. It is part of why the book is excellent.
I recommend this book everyone who cheers for the underdog against all odds. This is a beautiful book. I give it a 5 on 5. I want to thank NetGalley and World Editions for providing me with a digital copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
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