Earlier in the year, I experimented with different book recommendation websites – you can read my exploits here. My favourite was Which Book, and I had great fun playing with the different sliders to determine what sort of book would match my mood. The results aren’t the usual fare, and they include a lot of translated fiction. I definitely recommend having a go.
I don’t remember which sliders I used to get the result of Madame Verona Comes Down the Hill (2006) by Dimitri Verhulst, though I’m pretty sure ‘short’ was among them. This novella is only 145 pages and there’s with a big font. Definitely up my street! I think it might also be the first Dutch novel I’ve ever read – with thanks to the translator, David Comer. [A commenter has told me that it’s actually translated from Flemish – be more precise, publisher!]
Madame Verona lives in an isolated house on top of a hill, on the outskirts of a small village. ‘As far as anyone knew, it had always been inhabited by outsiders, people from elsewhere, who came here with a romantic view of isolation and paid for it later with large chunks of their mind.’ But there is no sense that Madame V has particularly suffered from her isolation, even though her husband has been dead for more than twenty years. She has the gift of dogs loving her, as the first chapter dwells upon. They have been a constant, and a dog is accompanying her as she comes down the hill.
In terms of plot in the ‘present day’ section of the novella, the title pretty much sums it up. Snow is thick on the ground, and Madame Verona has slowly made her way down the steep hill. And she knows that she won’t make it back to the top. She is too old and too tired. She has, in essence, come down the hill to die.
We flit to and from this present day, but the novella is really a mixture of memories and reflections – sometimes clearly Madame Verona’s thoughts, and sometimes a broader and more philosophical narrator’s voice. These aspects go together well. We see the specifics of the village and of Madame Verona’s marriage – and we hear more general considerations of time and community and particularly age. Here’s a rather lovely passage I noted down:
Silence is often more intense after its return. When a tree accepts its defeat, creaks and capsizes, all life flies up and off. There’s crowing and cawing, branches crack, it rains feathers and down, rabbits flee to their underground shelters. All things considered, the titan’s contact with the actual ground is quiet; people generally expect it to be louder. It’s mainly the rest of the forest that kicks up a fuss and makes a racket. And once the creatures have assessed the damage, silence comes back. Eyes and leaves turn to the light that has never shone so brightly here. A place has come free, the struggle can begin, because the space will be occupied, by something or someone. It’s like that for trees, it’s like that for people.
I might have appreciated a little more about Madame Verona in the present day, because it is a bit sparse there, but this is a very enjoyable little book. It has aspects of melancholy, but Verhulst’s thoughtful exploration of little facets of life mean it doesn’t feel bleak – helped by the beautiful descriptions of the landscape. There is a lovely tone to it that comes through the translation. That translation can be a little clunky (‘She wasn’t brave enough to go downstairs herself. And what if she did, and found herself eye to eye with a person of bad will, how would that lead to a better outcome?’) but that is the exception rather than the rule.
Thanks, Which Book, my first read based on your recommendations certainly went well!
I love Whichbook, although it has made my TBR list expand exponentially! I’m glad you’ve had success with it. This book sounds fascinating; I’ll have to try and get my hands on a copy.
It’s all very tempting, isn’t it?
This has been on my radar for a while, recommended to me due to my appreciation of novellas. Great to hear you enjoyed it, I must get round to reading it.
I’ve never tried Which Book, I’ll give it a try. Hopefully it will recommend books already in the TBR pile!
I’d never heard of it before Which Book told me about it, but it seems to have a good rep!
I hadn’t hear if Which Book but I’ll certainly have a look. I’m glad you enjoyed the book. I actually got it on my piles. Danielle reviewed it ages ago.
Yes, do take a look, it’s so fun! And thanks for tip about Danielle – I’ll have to have a search for her thoughts.
Oooh, interesting. I may have to try Which Book (not that I *need* any more recommendations at the moment! :D )
I fully intended not to buy any of the recommendations I got… and here we are…
This sounds like the kind of quiet, contemplative story that really hits the spot sometime. My library has only one book available from Dimitri Verhulst, however. It is called The Misfortunates, but is only 199 pages, so maybe I’ll try that first!
I didn’t even think to look up what else he’d done – hope The Misfortunates is a good’un
I’d like to add that Dimitri Verhulst is Flemish (Belgian), not Dutch.
The publisher lied to me in the book! Thanks for the clarification.
but flemish equals dutch, with an accent and some regional touches, so no error from the publisher. have a good day!
I read this when it was first published a lovely book. I also read The Latecomer, which is about an old man pretending to have Alzheimers to get away from his wife (here) It was inevitably more comic, but had interesting things to say too. The Misfortunates is on my shelf – I might seek it out now you’ve reminded me.
Oh that sounds like a really interesting premise, Annabel.