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Synopsis
of The Disappearance of Eva Zomers
Marga,
a young biographer, moves into a painter’s loft in Paris to finish
her book concerning the mysterious disappearance of the legendary Eva
Zomers. There she encounters Lucien, an old and difficult painter. Marga
relieves Lucien of his solitude and in exchange, he introduces her into
a magical world of art and truth; an unlikely but intense friendship develops.
Within a year, Lucien passes away, leaving Marga his atelier where she
discovers hundreds of paintings of a couple from a small village in Italy.
Clues unfold which lead her to Italy and to the very same couple in the
strange paintings. Her journey and the teachings of Lucien, uncover a
fantastic secret within Marga which solves the mystery of the disappearance
and re-appearance of Eva Zomers.
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The
Disappearance of Eva Zomers in the press:
“In her first novel, Claire Polders was still searching
for the right balance between what she wanted to convey of her thoughts
& struggles and what is a novel-worthy story. In her second novel
she clearly shows that she has storytelling abilities which she combines
in an – for the young generation of Dutch writers – exceptional
way with philosophical wisdom and a talent for depicting characters.
So go and read this! This story in which the lives of the young
Marga, working in Paris on what is to be her first biography, and the
old Lucien, painter and cynic, come together in an intriguing manner.”
(Maartje Laterveer, ELLE, October 2006)
"A mysterious and beautifully constructed coming-of-age novel about
writing, friendship, imagination & reality."
(Mieske van Eck, Brabants Dagblad, november 2006)
“She wrote a novel that keeps me thinking.”
(Kees ’t Hart, De Groene Amsterdammer, november
2006)
“Fascinating content […] a beautiful story […] a worthwhile
read.”
(Magriet van der Linden, BLVD, december 2006)
Claire
Polders was also mentioned in the BLVD of February as one of the top
100 most promising women of The Netherlands.
"This
second novel is as ambitious as her first. [...] A well constructed complicated
plot with different perspectives, times and places. The story remains
easy to follow due to Polders’ flowing style and it’s full
of tension, quests and riddles. Love, inspiration and the power of imagination
are the important themes in this captivating novel.
(NBD|Biblion, januari 2007)
"Claire
Polders has obviously paid a lot of attention to the structure of her
novel which is ingeniously plotted. [..] This writer knows how to draw
your attention and how to keep you interested. She is erudite, knows her
history and contemplates about Art in all its facets. […] It’s
a pleasure to read the work of a writer who loves to put her readers under
a spell.”
(V De Raeymaeker, www.vrijzinnighumanisme.be, november 2006)
“Once
again an ambitious novel, once again the urge to ask philosophical questions
and once again she is not embarrassed to show she has knowledge of Camus
and other existentialists.”
(Wim Vogel, Leidsch Dagblad, november 2006)
“Polders
has planned her idea thoroughly: she quotes from the work of a fictitious
author, designs a website to suggest the author’s real existence
and refers to the fake writers literary production in the bibliography
in the back of the book. No coincidence, because the imagination is one
of the novel’s main themes […]”
(Edith Koenders, De Volkskrant, januari 2007)
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Synopsis
of Infallible
What
happens when the strong bonds of friendship and ambition, unravel into
illusions and lies?
Such
is the story of 24 year old Amber Braam, a keen and curious girl from
Amsterdam, filled with open-eyed expectations and on her way to meet her
new lover in Paris. After a disappointing rendez-vous, she finds herself
alone and confused wandering the rainy streets of Montparnasse. |
She seeks refuge in a bar and encounters the fascinating persona of Cleo,
a beautiful Dutch woman living in Paris and working for a publishing house.
A powerful force pulls them together and Cleo takes Amber under her wing.
A strong friendship develops and soon they become inseparable; Cleo the
infallible, Amber the insecure.
Bored with her life in Paris, Cleo is up for a new adventure. She decides
to tackle the most challenging city she can think of: New York. Amber
is eager to follow her new companion anywhere she may lead. Together they
set off for America and at first, everything goes incredibly well for
them. Cleo’s charms are magical as she prevails over every obstacle
the city has in store for them. Their friendship deepens with every day
and Cleo encourages Amber to pursue her childhood dream of becoming a
photographer.
While Amber’s dreams are being realized, they are also undermined.
Slowly she unmasks her friend and mentor to be a master of deception.
Everything that Cleo has claimed to be is a lie, based on a virtual identity
she created on the internet. To make matters worse, Amber then uncovers
the final shocking secret behind their success.
Even though Cleo has lied, she swears the only true thing in her life
is her friendship with Amber. Unable to trust her anymore, Amber escapes
back to Amsterdam and immerses herself in the one thing she has left:
photography. She begins a courageous attempt at a new life, but Amber
is lost without the charm of Cleo’s lies which made everything possible.
She begins to twist the truth like her mentor for personal and professional
gain. How can she condemn lying when it has brought such positive things?
Amber begins to regret ever leaving Cleo and is ashamed of her self-righteous
judgement.
She races to find Cleo and reunite their lives, but Amber is too late.
During her absence, Cleo’s life has fallen apart due to one last
tragic lie. In a strange twist of fate, Amber realizes that it was only
her unconditional love which made Cleo infallible.
Infallible
is the fascinating story of two women lost in an intense and mysterious
friendship. It is a novel that demands the question: what is identity
in a world where truth has lost its absolute value and life and fiction
are no longer distinguishable?
Infallible
in the press: a selection of QUOTES
“Infallible
is an admirable achievement. Claire Polders’ first novel is an intriguing,
serious and ambitious work… everything a great debut is supposed
to be!”
- Wim Vogel, Leidsch & Haarlems Dagblad, February
19th 2005
“Infallible
captures the heart and mind! A stirring story with a philosophical edge.
A very strong debut. I would be astonished if Claire Polders disappears
into oblivion.”
- René Quist, Metro, March 5th 2005
“Polders
surely doesn’t lack talent. Her fashionable début is a story
for all times.”
- Jaap Goedegebuure, four important regional newspapers,
February and March 2005
“Once
I picked up Infallible I couldn’t put
it down. I read it in one breath. Why was it so enthralling? Two incredible
main characters-both mysterious, yet with a strange familiarity.”
- Henk Pröpper, director of the Foundation for the
Production and Translation of Dutch Literature, and former director of
the Institut Néerlandais in Paris. (Opening speech at the presentation
of Infallible on February 3rd 2005 in Athenaeum Bookstore, Amsterdam.)
“Infallible
is an extraordinary novel. It’s captivating style and fast moving
plot are well constructed.”
- Wytske Visser, online magazine 8weekly.nl, February
2005
“Polders’
style is fluid and light; no long drawn sentences, no far-fetched metaphors,
but a direct language where images clearly take shape. At the hand of
Polders, this story cannot be told enough!”
- Nienke Beeking, Folia, march 4th 2005
“Polders
knows how to kidnap the reader’s attention!”
- J.A.M. van den Broek, Biblion, March 2005
“Infallible
is surely no ordinary novel. It’s philosophical maze possesses a
depth which makes it stunning. I recommend this book to everyone.”
- Linda van der Wel, cultural website boekboek.nl, March
2005
“Friends
and The City? Not exactly. Infallible is also
an intelligent novel about morphing identities and people who are not
what they think or pretend to be.”
- Oene Kummer, SP!TS, February 25th 2005
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