Mikael lives with his parents on an island somewhere between Scotland and Norway. One day Mikael's father saves him from drowning in the ocean, but is himself thrown against the rocks by a wave and disappears under water. In shock and unable to speak, Mikael blocks out the memory of what took place, silently joining his mother in the search for his missing father. As Mikael's mother realizes her husband has drowned the relationship between her and Mikael transforms, she slowly starts to unravel, forcing the son to replace his father in every possible way.
"You Have Me to Love is an intense and dramatic novel filled with meticulous use of detail and a forensic psychological accuracy. Its power comes from the fierce energy of the narrative structure, the way of handling silence and pain, and the ability to confront the darkest areas of experience with clear-eyed sympathy and care. Jaap Robben handles delicate, dangerous material with subtlety and sym
Colm Tóibín, author of House of Names and Brooklyn
"What a beautiful writer Robben is! I read the novel and was completely seduced-raw and harrowing and very moving. Robben is a powerful writer and reminds me very much of Per Petterson."
Aifric Campbell, author of On the Floor
"In this tremendous book, Jaap Robben explores isolation, guilt, mother- and childhood, in the most unexpected way. Robben's crystal clear sentences combined with his deep gaze into the flipsides of human behaviour - and love - makes this an unforgettable read. Run to the bookstores, people."
