Bonita Avenue by Peter Buwalda
published by De Bezige Bij
Pages 544
Siem Sigerius is a beloved, brilliant professor of mathematics with a promising future in politics. His family—including a loving wife, two gorgeous, intelligent stepdaughters and a successful future son-in-law—and carefully appointed home in the bucolic countryside complete the portrait of a comfortable, morally upright household. But there are elements of Siem's past that threaten to upend the peace and stability that he has achieved, and when he stumbles upon a deception that’s painfully close to home, things begin to fall apart. A cataclysmic explosion in a fireworks factory, the advent of internet pornography, and the reappearances of a discarded, dangerous son all play a terrible role in the spectacular fragmentation of the Sigerius clan.
What i thought
If I did not have to read this for school I would never have read it anyway. But I'm really glad that I have actually read it. Before I get into the review I wanted to mention that I have read it in Dutch, so I have no clue about the language that is used in the English translation and I will base my review around the Dutch book.
I didn't know what I was expecting from this book, but it was nothing near what this book actually was about. I didn't expect it to be so vulgar and explicit. One thing that was absolutely amazing about this book was the writing. Peter Buwalda's writing is really intriguing, interesting and different from other writers I have read. I enjoyed this book as much as I hated this book. So let me explain...
The main event in this book is the fireworks catastrophe in Enschede in the year 2000. After this has taken place, everything starts going down hill for family Sigerius. Siem Sigerius discovers the porn site of his eldest stepdaughter Joni, leading up to his death in the same year. His curiosity and self-hatred has taken the better hand over him.
There are three characters in this book, whom all get an evenly divided part. Joni and Aaron look back from the future to the past ( the year 2000) and explain what has happened in that year. Whereas Siem Sigerius tells about his life sofar and eventually ends with his dead. He obviously can't look back upon the past, since he has died in 2000.
//Spoiler alert, this part of the review can contain spoilery thought and will take up two paragraphs//
One this I absolutely couldn't get my head around was the fact that Peter Buwalda could actually think of such a vulgair and explicit story. The way it was written and the way all the chapters lead up to the grand finale was absolutely stunning. But what really shocked me was Siem Sigerius. First of all, he didn't regconise his stepdaughter one the pornphoto's in the first place and once he discovers the secrets. He decides to take a look at Aaron's house, examining all the little hooks and crannies. He eventually ends up in the attic, finding all the panties and stilettos his stepdaughter has been wearing on the photos. For some sick reason he decides to put on one of his daughter's panties. Who would do such a thing!
And then there is the scene that takes place at the house of family Sigerius. Tineke and Janis have left for their winter holiday in France, leaving the whole house of Siem alone. He had to finish his work before he went to France. But, the day before he had to leave, his biological son Wilbert breaks into his house to kill Siem Sigerius. Siem isn't the weak, old father Wilbert had expected him to be. Siem tackles him and deliberately breaks his arm. Wilbert flees from the house. The next day Siem finds his son laying in the backyard, freezed to death by the snow. Now, I have no idea how to handle this situation, but what Siem did was absolutely sick. He decides to chop up his son, to drive to France, drop a bag filled with the chopped up son and - because he can't handle the situation, I suppose- he kills himself in a boat that is actually from his stepdaughter Joni and her boyfriend Aaron. What?
//Spoiler part is done ^^//
I have mixed feelings about this book. I did really like it, but some parts were to vulgar and explicit for my liking. I would recommend it, if you are really interested in reading literature from all around the world. However I don't think that this is Holland's best literature.
Have you read this book,
what did you think of it?
xx Zoë.
