The jury, consisting of David Doherty, Claire Lowdon and Susan Massotty, is full of praise for Gehrman’s remarkable achievement: ‘Running the gamut from broad comedy to brittle vulnerability, Gehrman instantly establishes a gutsy, assured voice that effortlessly matches the pace and punch of Lakmaker’s bold, highly idiosyncratic narrative of self-discovery. The humour is often ebullient but never strained: Gehrman delivers laugh-out-loud lines with crisp comic timing, yet hits the mark just as effectively when handling the novel’s darker undercurrents and raw, intimate moments, which she does with disarming directness and haunting clarity. In short, an extraordinary feat of balance, finesse and emotional range – one that Gehrman pulls off in style.’
The Vondel Translation Prize is a triennial award of € 5.000 for the best English translation of a full-length Dutch-language work of literary merit and general interest. The prize will be awarded in London on 12 February 2025. Kristen Gehrman originally from the US, teaches writing and translation at VU Amsterdam.
