Description
THE EDGES
Book Summary
The Edges is the debut novel by the screenwriter of Close, Angelo Tijssens, a story about love and the fear of not being loved. With precise, semi-autobiographical prose, the work recounts a young man's reunion with his first love on the Belgian coast. This meeting stirs up memories of a childhood and adolescence marked by maternal violence, doubts, and insecurities. An intense and moving read for those seeking an honest exploration of memory, desire, and vulnerability.
What is it about?
On the Belgian coast, a landscape of half-finished buildings and abandoned lots serves as the backdrop for a young man's return to his hometown. There, he meets the man who was his first love, with whom he discovered sex. The intensity of the reunion triggers a wave of memories: childhood and adolescence, doubts and insecurities, and the lingering scars of the violence inflicted by a mother who has just passed away. The novel moves between the child marked by fear, the teenager discovering his impulses, and the adult who no longer dares to ask for love, offering an intimate and heartbreaking portrait of identity formation and the imprint of the past.
Main Themes
- Love and the fear of not being loved as forces that shape adult life.
- Traumatic memory and the impact of domestic violence in childhood.
- The discovery of sexuality and queer identity in a hostile environment.
- The reunion with a first love and the revision of the past from the present.
- Vulnerability and the difficulty of asking for love after a life marked by fear.
Who is it recommended for?
This novel is recommended for readers interested in high-quality contemporary literature, especially those seeking autofiction and semi-autobiographical stories. It is ideal for those who appreciate the psychological and emotional exploration of complex characters, and for fans of authors like Ocean Vuong or Douglas Stuart. It will also be of interest to those who have seen the film Close and want to get to know the screenwriter's work.
What this book offers
- An honest and uncompromising look at childhood wounds and their influence on adult life.
- Literary prose of great precision, combining emotional intensity with narrative restraint.
- A deep exploration of love, desire, and vulnerability from a male and queer perspective.
- The opportunity to delve into the creative universe of one of the most awarded screenwriters in recent European cinema.
Technical Specifications
- Author: Tijssens, Angelo
- Publisher: Dos Bigotes
- Language: Spanish
- Topic: Modern and contemporary fiction
- Collection: Dos Bigotes
- Binding: Paperback
- Publication date: November 2023
- Number of pages: 112
- Weight: 300 g
Editorial Assessment
The Edges is a debut novel that surprises with its literary maturity and its ability to condense an immense emotional charge into just 112 pages. Angelo Tijssens demonstrates the same narrative talent he exhibited as the screenwriter of Close, offering a work that, without artifice, manages to connect with the reader through precise and evocative prose. Its main value lies in the honesty with which it approaches universal themes such as love, fear, and memory, making it a highly recommended read for those looking for an intense and meaningful literary experience.