Kristien Hemmerechts

Odette is de meest gehate vrouw van België. Ze zit in de gevangenis voor medeplichtigheid aan een ophefmakend zedenmisdrijf. Ze werd meegesleept door M; haar man en de vader van haar drie kinderen. Nooit heeft ze hem tegengehouden, ze deed alles wat hij haar opdroeg. Of bijna alles. Binnenkort komt ze vrij en gaat ze naar een klooster. Om te werken. Als ze niet werkt zal ze bidden. Wie is deze vrouw? Speelbal of gewetenloos monster? (Goodreads)

A book that kept me captivated despite the shifting and going back & forth between the characters and the flashbacks the book was filled with.
It was also a bit a dirty book, full of references to smells, ability to smell, different opinions on what smell stinks, poo. But I kept reading because I was curious about Margot.
When she would finally appear as main character instead of her parents for example.
I did not really get to know her in the few pages that really were hers, know, so the end show more was unexpected and strange. show less

Herman de Coninck was one of Belgium's most popular poets. 'Taal zonder mij' is written by [a:Kristien Hemmerechts|183391|Kristien Hemmerechts|http://www.goodreads.com/assets/nophoto/nophoto-F-50x66-2a9d702c2a0f483c9f7dd119cc28a9a7.jpg], also a writer in her own respect, but, more significant for this book, Herman's widow.

I have always had a soft spot for de Coninck's poetry. It's heartfelt, simple, ingenious and, as we learn from this short book, highly autobiographical. Hemmerechts paints show more a sincere portrait of her late husband, a quiet, but paradoxical man. A man who lost his own wife at a young age. A man who tried to cope with the desire 'to be' and 'to have'. Besides providing some autobiographical information, 'Taal zonder mij' also provides some interesting insights in de Coninck's poetry.

It goes without saying that this book is, therefore, recommended if you're a de Coninck fan. It remains supplementary reading however - I doubt Hemmerechts wanted to write anything more. Herman de Coninck's poetry remains, and while the man might have left this world, his influence surely hasn't. show less

The framework of this novel by the Flemish author
Kristien Hemmerechts consists of the people running and living in a hotel. Unfortunately, nothing interesting really happens, and the characters by themselves are not intriguing enough to carry the story along.