Lucas Rijneveld

Lucas Rijneveld (formerly Marieke Lucas Rijneveld; born 20 April 1991) is a Dutch writer. Rijneveld won the 2020 International Booker Prize together with his translator Michele Hutchison for his debut novel The Discomfort of Evening. Rijneveld was the first Dutch author to win the prize and the first non-binary person to do so.

Life

Rijneveld grew up in a Reformed protestant family on a farm in North Brabant, Netherlands. Rijneveld has said that his debut novel, translated into English as The Discomfort of Evening, is inspired partly by the death of his brother when the author was three.

Rijneveld is said to have developed an interest in writing in primary school after reading J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, which he borrowed from the local library. Because in Reformed circles references to magic are considered taboo, Rijneveld copied out the whole book onto his computer so he could re-read it upon returning the novel.

His name as a child was only Marieke, and he previously published under the name Marieke Lucas. having previously used they/them pronouns, and zij/haar (she/her) in Dutch.

Rijneveld said Jan Wolkers, who also grew up in a Reformed environment, is his idol. He made his national and international breakthrough with his debut novel, The Discomfort of Evening, whose English translation received positive reviews and won the International Booker Prize in 2020. A second book of poetry followed in 2019 and a second novel, Mijn lieve gunsteling, in 2020.

In 2021, Rijneveld was selected by American poet Amanda Gorman to translate her work into Dutch. Rijneveld initially accepted the commission, but later withdrew after Dutch journalist and cultural activist Janice Deul criticised the publisher for commissioning a white translator for the work of a black poet.

Works

Poetry collections Kalfsvlies, 2015 (English: Calf's caul, excerpts from which were translated into English by Sarah Timmer Harvey and shortlisted for Asymptote magazine's "Close Approximations" translation contest in 2017). Fantoommerrie, 2019 (English: Phantom Mare) Komijnsplitsers, 2022 (English: Hairsplitters, quibblers (literally: cumin splitters))

Novels De avond is ongemak (2018). The Discomfort of Evening, translated by Michele Hutchison (Faber & Faber) . Mijn lieve gunsteling (2020). My Heavenly Favourite, trans. Michele Hutchison (2024)

Essays Het warmtefort, 2022 (CPNB Book Week) (English: The warmth fortress)

Awards Kalfsvlies, awarded the C. Buddingh’ Prize for best Dutch-language poetry debut in 2015. De avond is ongemak, awarded the ANV Debutantenprijs, the prize for best debut novel in Dutch, in 2019. Co-winner, with translator Michele Hutchison, of the 2020 International Booker Prize for The Discomfort of Evening. fiction and non-fiction category, 2022 Co-winner, with translator Michele Hutchison, of the 2024 James Tait Black Memorial Prize for My Heavenly Favourite. My Heavenly Favourite, longlisted, International Dublin Literary Award, 2025