Antiboy

“Hoogenkamp graces the cover, openly acknowledging that the book revolves around his own experiences. However, his inclusion as a character is not a mere indulgence in ego; this book transcends being a straightforward autobiography focused on presenting raw facts. Primarily, it stands as a literary achievement, skilfully and visually crafted with mature stylistic elements. Throughout the narrative, numerous sentences stand out, compelling the reader to share them aloud. . . . The exploration of gender is presented as a narrative we collectively construct, beautifully merging literature and life, each complementing and shaping the other in a harmonious blend of necessary conditions.” -- Praise for the Dutch edition of “Antiboy” * NRC *
“Hoogenkamp is most moving when he gives free rein to his verbal skills and imagination. The lyrical passages and Hoogenkamp’s eye for extraordinary details make reading this, at times painfully poignant, story a thrilling literary experience. . . . Whatever you want to call it, this story is, more than anything else, a sensitively expressed and heart-breaking plea for acceptance and love.” -- Praise for the Dutch edition of "Antiboy” * De Standaard *
“This is Rijneveld in short: an earthy and irreverent new voice, thrillingly uninhibited in style and subject matter. . . . The spaciousness of Rijneveld’s imagination comes as terror and solace. That lack of squeamishness, that frightening extremity, which, in Hutchison’s clean, calm translation, never feels showy or manipulative, gives full voice to the enormity of the children’s grief, their obscene deprivation.”- -- Praise for Michele Hutchison’s translation of “The Discomfort of Evening” * The New York Times, Parul Sehgal *
“A stirring account of gender transition. . . This will offer solace to readers wrestling with similar questions, and enlightenment to those who never have.” * Publishers Weekly *