JAMAL OUARIACHI
Netherlands
Jamal Ouariachi (1978) is a Dutch writer. Born in Amsterdam, in a Dutch-Moroccan family union. He studied psychology, and his main literary approach in his novels is the controversial approach through which he talks about contemporary social problems. Before he started writing books, he worked as an online therapist for many years. Today he publishes novels, articles and columns for a number of leading media. Author of one third of the Dutch literary trilogy written in response to Fifty Shades of Grey, together with Dan Herma van Vos and David Pefko.
Hunger
Translation: Eli Pujovska
"Hunger" is a novel whose story penetrates into a social criticism, parallely guided by a subtle love line. In addition to the dark background, we also see the social problems of our time. Dutch author Jamal Uariachi based the novel "Hunger" on the case of a rich man convicted of pedophilia. How could such a man fall so low? Can life be reduced to: generally bad or generally good? The main character Lazlo is a famous philanthropist, the "Dutch Bob Geldof". He has been accused of pedophilia by one of his adopted children from Ethiopia. Now he wants to write a book about his life. He asks for help from Aureli, with whom he was in a love relationship before he was arrested. Should he apologetically tell his story or explain the moment of pedophilia?
Lazlo is not portrayed as a classically impulsive pedophile, but first as a man and then as a criminal. The author tells a story about how far the extremes of hatred and nastiness in man can go.
"Hunger" is a book that walks the fine line of shocking verisimilitude and fiction. Reality doesn't have to be the only option. This is the story of the fight against the convulsive silence towards the dominant fears and attitudes in the Netherlands.
Winner of the European Union Prize for Literature in 2017.