The reviews of this book are raving, so I had high expectations. It is hard to write a review, though, because I think it has ups and downs.
The title refers to the topic of a conversation the protagonist family has while on a drive to the grandparents. There are three sons (Gerson, Kees and Klaas), their dad and a little dog. Mom left the family a few years ago. They discuss the color of the blossoms of the numerous peartrees in the area when they get into a car accident. After that, Gerson, the youngest son, is blind and the story describes how he himself and the family deal with that.
I was drawn into this family from page one. Although it is such a short novel, I felt close to the three brothers instantly, and I ached and cried with them. The language is very simple and very poignant, it feels like these young teenagers are really telling you their story. The characterization is very good, and the inclusion of the dog as a real character, relevant to the family dynamic, makes it very lively and realistic.
On the other hand, I am bothered by the way blindness is depicted in the text. Gerson is shown as nothing but a victim, his life not really worth living anymore. He is sad and angry, but nobody really tries to help him. There are no social services, no therapists, no welfare carers, no teachers. The family is completely left alone. After three months, one of the brothers carves a stick for the boy - that is about the first helping tool he gets.
His suicide in the end of the novel is depicted as almost inevitable, and I find that very problematic.
Even considering that this book is two decades old, I think - or hope! - that this is not realistic and that the situation would be different in real life. I also feel that the depiction of blindness like this is rather ableist and that it would be better to read an own voices-book about this topic. I will chew on this for quite some time! ( )

Dieses dünne Buch ist wunderbar leise geschrieben, doch es enthält eine wuchtige Geschichte, die mich sicher lange nicht loslassen wird.
Ein Vater und seine drei Söhne leben ohne die Mutter zusammen. Die beiden älteren Jungen Klaas und Kees sind Zwillinge. Der Junge Gerson wird bei einem Autounfall schwer verletzt und erblindet.
Die Personen bis hin zum Hund Daan sind hervorragend gezeichnet und trotz der wenigen Seiten ist man als Leser Teil dieser scheinbar idyllischen und doch so traurigen Familie. ( )

Prachtig boek over een familie dat door een ongeluk geconfronteerd word met de dood en blindheid. Hoe zij hierin staan, hoe zij er mee omgaan. Verteld door verschillende personages in het boek : de vader, de tweeling broers waarvan een blink is geworden ende hond.
Heel mooi. ( )

Een zéér mooi, ontroerend boek ( )