Mariska van Aalst

Mariska van Aalst is a Dutch author, known for her powerful narratives about human resilience and strength in the face of adversity. Her novels center around her protagonists’ personal struggles, diving into the depths of trauma and its ongoing impacts, making her stories both heart-wrenching and inspiring.

The daughter of a nurse and a police officer, van Aalst grew up in a small town near Rotterdam. She developed a strong interest in literature and writing early on, and was soon filling notebooks with her stories. After finishing high school, she enrolled in a novel writing course at the Rotterdamse Hoge School, where she met her mentor, Herman Fransel, who encouraged and inspired her to pursue a career as a writer. In 2012, van Aalst published her first novel, My Little Cat and the Moon, which was subsequently translated into eight languages.

Van Aalst’s writing style and narrative elements have been described as both poignant and inspirational. Her protagonists often have to overcome traumatic experiences like violence, abuse, or the death of a loved one. At the same time, they also explore joy, relationships, and compassion. In her novels, van Aalst advocates for mental health awareness and awareness of diversity, including topics such as gender, sexuality, and ethnicity.

Van Aalst’s break-out novel, Into the River, was published in 2015 and has since been translated into 20 different languages. The novel follows Max, a teenage boy who has to cope with the loss of his father and the secrets his family hides from him. Despite its heart-wrenching plot, the narrative also includes speeches about hoping for a better future and believing in yourself. This theme of hope is a major aspect of all of van Aalst’s novels.

Van Aalst is also a winner of the Dutch Readers Choice Literature Award and the New Voices Literary Award. Her latest novel, Heart of Sea, explores a different topic than her prior work. The protagonist, a teenage girl named Selma, has to cope with her family’s long history of abuse and addiction as she struggles to overcome her own demons. As in all her stories, van Aalst shows that trauma can be overcome and strength can be found in the toughest circumstances.

Overall, Mariska van Aalst is an impactful and inspiring author, whose work explores the depths of human resilience and the potential for growth even in the most difficult situations. Her characters are ever-learning and experience positive growth along their journey, leaving readers with an empowering and uplifting message.