The unapologetic insight into the life of 10-year-old Dutch girl Jas unsettles readers from the first chapter of The Discomfort of Evening. Originally written in Dutch, translator Michele Hutchison does a great job in maintaining the raw tone of the author’s voice. The novel meanders into the explorations of a pre-pubescent reverie that is often disturbing and always bewildering. Be forewarned, the book could leave a bitter aftertaste in the mouth.

Marieke Lucas Rijneveld’s writing is unadulterated in how it explains the trials and tribulations of Jas’ family after a brother’s death, as the family comes to terms with their grief. As the restless narrator, Jas manages to plunge readers with a revolting yet honest immersion about one’s own sexuality, morality and existence. The novel touches upon sensitive emotions and human reaction to death, grief, sex, and violence. The details and the adjectives used aggravate the atmosphere and add to the intensity of the thoughts expressed by this young author. The translator, Hutchison, retains the grim environment of Jas’ world and its many characters.