Three years ago, after winning the International Booker Prize and releasing a string of acclaimed works, author Lucas Rijneveld vanished from the literary scene. The pressure of success had become immense, and a planned novel was abruptly pulled. Now, he has returned with a new poetry collection, Als zee uit hond (As Sea from Dog), and a candid story of personal transformation.
In a recent interview, Rijneveld detailed his deliberate retreat from public life, a period he used to explore a world beyond writing and to begin his medical transition with testosterone therapy. This journey, he explains, was about rediscovering himself away from the persona of the celebrated author.
From Literary Star to Local Gardener
Seeking anonymity, Rijneveld took on a series of jobs far removed from the literary world. He tried his hand at being a bicycle mechanic and worked in a postcard shop, but found his writer's brain was always active. He found a sense of peace, however, working as a gardener in Utrecht and Bilthoven.
"Over the last few years, it was nice that wherever I went, I was just Lucas. I found that so refreshing," he shared. His clients, unaware they had one of the Netherlands' most lauded contemporary writers weeding their gardens, were simply happy with his work, offering him coffee and cookies. This simple, tangible validation was a world away from the pressures of literary prizes and deadlines.
A Second Puberty and a New Voice
A significant part of Rijneveld's time away was dedicated to his gender transition. He describes starting testosterone as going through a "second puberty," a process that reshaped not only his body but also his perspective and his creative process.
"My voice is lower, I have beard growth, but I'm also getting different interests and a different ability to concentrate," he noted. The hospital had warned him not to make any major decisions at the start of the treatment. Laughing, he recalls, "The first thing I did was stop writing, give up my house, and go abroad."
This transformation has directly influenced his writing. He feels he has become more direct, his language less a "storm of images" and more focused. "I still have the comparisons, but it's less of a piling on of words. I write shorter sentences," he explained. "I think it has a certain power."
Returning to the Stage
With the release of Als zee uit hond, Rijneveld is stepping back into the spotlight, beginning with a performance at the Nacht van de Poëzie in Utrecht. He admits to feeling vulnerable about this return, especially as his voice and appearance have changed. He is consciously shedding the "harness" of the suits he used to wear at performances, choosing to appear more as himself.
He is aware that his openness about being trans may attract negative reactions, particularly in the current social climate. "There is so much hatred in this world against trans people, against homosexuals, against people who are a little different," he said. "It's actually nonsense if I don't speak out... Why shouldn't I be honest?"
For Rijneveld, this return is not just about a new book. It's about standing on stage, for the first time, entirely as himself. As Lucas.
Read the Full Interview
This is a summary of a comprehensive interview by Laura de Jong for de Volkskrant. It delves deeper into Rijneveld's childhood, his relationship with faith, his literary friendships, and the specific poems in his new collection. The full text (in Dutch), you can read on de Volkskrant website
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