You don't have to submit a lengthy bibliography to be applauded enthusiastically by the broad press. That honour fell to Lize Spit.
In 1988, a gifted writer was born in Viersel, in the Kempen. She would represent the literary voice of her generation 26 years later, when her debut, Het Smelt ('The Melting', 2016), garnered an avalanche of praise. In 2005, she moved to Brussels, where she obtained a master's degree in screen-writing at the Royal Institute for Theatre, Cinema and Sound (RITCS). She has published short stories and poetry in a number of Dutch-language literary and cultural magazines, namely Tirade, Het Liegend Konijn, De Gids and Das Magazin. In 2013, her participation in Write Now! stood out. This annual writing competition for young people aged between 15 and 24 aims to offer a stage and a stepping stone to publishers. Lize Spit won both the jury and the audience award. In 2015, she took part in the project 10 op de Schaal van Dichter (10 on the Poetry Scale), in which ten poets released a CD of poetry together. Finally, it should be noted that she gives scenario courses, is a guest lecturer at the LUCA School of Arts in Brussels, provides texts for the new language learning method The Language Gang and supports young writers and filmmakers.
But what a stunning entrance into literature with Het Smelt! A surprising, fascinating and gripping story with a merciless apotheosis about teenage conspiracies, with which Lize Spit immediately earning herself a place in the ranks of the literary greats. Language, style, composition, everything is perfect and points to a rare talent. From the first to the last of the 480 pages, the reader will not be able to put it down.
The plot. Eva, in her late twenties, returns to her hometown thirteen years after a hot summer that got completely out of hand, to take revenge for what happened to her as a child. She grew up with the two only children from her year of birth, two boys. When puberty arrived, the hormones drove a wedge between them and Eva. They came up with a cruel game that the girl had to play. But now the roles are reversed and she determines the plans. It won't go unnoticed.
In the meantime, we are several reprints and hundreds of thousands of copies further in Dutch. Het Smelt also appeared in Catalan, German, French (Débâcle, 2018), English, Italian and Spanish, with the same rave reviews.
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