'Verbeke has written a bold, busy, textured novel. Read it once and
you may well read it twice.'--The Irish Times
With a sharp and observational eye, Annelies Verbeke takes a funny,
imaginative, and perceptive look at the realities and absurdities of
human interactions, relationships, and everyday life.
Verbeke matches poetic prose with a cast of intriguing characters and
unexpected plot twists. Our protagonist is Alphonse, a Senegalese
immigrant who uproots his life in Brussels to become a handyman in a
rural district in Flanders. Likable and charismatic, people cannot help
but reveal their secrets, desires, and unexpected dreams to him.
In her typically astute style, Verbeke weaves a vivid and
thought-provoking tale of contemporary life, subtly touching upon timely
themes such as refugees and racism. Thirty Days is a deeply moving
story about love, outsiders, and the human need to connect, compellingly
translated from the Dutch by Liz Waters.