Vele hemels boven de zevende
Vele hemels boven de zevende / Beyond cloud nine
written by Griet op de Beeck, published by Prometheus
genre psychological novel, 272 pages
Griet op de Beeck is a very famous Belgian writer. Her novel ‘Kom hier dat ik u kus’ (So I may kiss you) was a major success and also her debut novel ‘Vele hemels boven de zevende’ (Beyond cloud nine) was very well received. Hearing so many positive responses made me curious for her work and I decided to start with her debut.
The story in short
The main character of the story is Eva, a 36-year-old strong, single, loyal and loving woman. The people surrounding Eva are mostly her family, friends and some clients from work.
Eva’s older sister Elsie is trying to escape her not-so-happy marriage by starting an affair with Casper, a friend of Eva whom she meets at the opening of his exhibition. Elsies daughter Lou is, just like Eva, very good at observing people and situations. Which makes her a sensitive and shy girl and gives her trouble making friends at high school. Jos, Eva’s father, is having a hard time hiding his alcohol addiction and keeping a secret he’s been living with for many years.
Five very different characters. All looking for love and happiness but struggling with the fear of change, fear of hurting others and fear of hurting themselves. The question is; will they have the guts to follow their hearts and make the jump. Or will they continue living their lives the way they always have.
Why you should read this book
The theme and the characters of this story are very real and recognizable; everybody knows how it feels to struggle with these questions. The unexpected ending of the story was in a way very sad but also very courageous and exactly what the story needed.
This is one of those books that you read within just a couple of hours but that will stay with you for a much longer time!
“Hoe dat precies moet, leven, daar ben ik nog niet helemaal achter,
maar ik kan redelijk goed doen alsof.” – Eva
“How to actually live life, I don’t really have a clue, but I’m pretty good at pretending that I do.” – Eva