Veronica Hazelhoff
Bezoek van Mister P
A poignant novel about illness, friendship and finding your place in life
Pain is never far away for Jo-Jo. Mister P is the name he gives to his pain, the uninvited visitor who torments his limbs and joints. Jo-Jo loves playing football, but if Mister P has anything to do with it, he’ll soon have to give up his position in goal. His body is going on strike more and more often.
In parallel with Jo-Jo’s battle with his illness, there’s a second storyline, about Jo-Jo’s friend Lena, an asylum seeker who doesn’t know if she’ll be allowed to stay in the Netherlands.
Hazelhoff intertwines their stories in an effective and emotionally captivating way, and their friendship and their interactions with those around them draw the reader into their lives.
In this book, Veronica Hazelhoff writes frankly about a boy with rheumatism, a disease from which the writer herself also suffered. Visit from Mister P (2006) was her final book, written as her own condition was becoming increasingly unbearable.
Hazelhoff tackles serious themes, skilfully employing suspense and humour to keep the story appealing and entertaining. Her voice remains strong and relevant, and her writing makes it easy to identify with these young protagonists who are finding their way through tough challenges.
