The Unsaid

“This is a novel you will tell other people about. That you will find yourself recalling in years to come.” (Cape Times) More...

The traumatised war correspondent J.R. Deo is being held at an institute for forensic observation to assess whether he is accountable for a vicious attack on fellow journalists at a bar. Initially, he spends a lot of time writing in his cell, taking stock of horrors, past and present. He regularly meets with a psychologist with whom he agrees to share his writing. But things gradually begin to unravel. Sinister figures Deo has encountered in the past take control of his pen and begin dictating their violent confessions.Much like a dossier, The Unsaid consists of various components: Deo’s reflections on the horrors he has seen; his conversations with Eugene, his psychologist; Eugene’s reports on Deo’s behaviour; the confessions of the figures who populate Deo’s memory; and Deo’s reports on his interaction with fellow inmates. Together, these elements not only recount a fascinating story, but also question the way modern society deals with psychopathy, crime, punishment and rehabilitation.

“Funny, terrifying and full of rage, The Unsaid is a barbaric yawp from the all the cells of the world.” (The Sunday Times) More...

“The Unsaid is a powerful book in which everything makes sense, the humour is black where it has to be black and the characters are perfect in their imperfection. As forecast in the motto, De Heer breaks out of the Institute and straight into your thoughts to stay there for days.” (LitNet) More...

"For reasons I am about to disclose, De Nooy’s The Unsaid is one of 2014’s most memorable, creative works of fiction thus far, one that demands an attentive and intelligent audience.”(SlipNet) More...

“[His novels] all bear the hallmarks of a singular writing aesthetic: vivid, deeply troubled, supremely memorable characters; a sound understanding of the relationship between space, place and personal development.” (Aerodrome) More...

“The Dutch-South African novelist tells O how he is drawn to characters who are neither ‘good’ nor ‘bad,’ and narratives that work on many levels.” (Oprah Magazine) More...

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