Claire Polders (1976) is a Dutch writer and philosopher. She lives in Paris.

Her first novel ‘Infallible’ has been published in February 2005. She has written articles and short stories for a variety of magazines and her second novel ‘The disappearance of Eva Zomers’ has been published in October 2006.

Underneath you will find summaries and press quotes for each novel.

For more information in English and for questions concerning film and translation rights, please contact her agent:

Alice Toledo.
TEL: 020 - 622 68 73
FAX: 020 - 627 67 20
EMAIL: agency@toledo-cm.nl

 


photo: Amanda Laurent

 

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.

 

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)

 

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