NRC

"A clever and supple writer, also in short form. In less than a hundred pages Lize Spit manages to create a gripping, timely and moving image of her protagonist. "

Het Nieuwsblad

"Lize Spit’s novel about a friendship between two boys that comes under pressure due to circumstances beyond their control is written in an accessible and moving manner. This is a literary gem that shows the power of literature at its finest."

de Volkskrant

"Thrilling, touching, engaged, literary but accessible, and with a tension span that is tightly stretched over ninety pages. If thís doesn’t get you to read, then just quit trying."

Trouw

"Lize Spit’s (young) heroes, in search of connection, go far beyond their limits, which leads to horrific drama. She’s a master at building tension. Before she has one word written down, she already knows exactly where she wants the story to go, and she lets you know that right from the first paragraph."

Friesch Dagblad

"This novel displays strikingly how the little things – a remark, a new piece of information, the presence of a third party – can influence a friendship. Is also reveals how two-sided life is in the most heartbreaking manner. One person’s loss is a gain for the other, a hero’s act can go wrong. "

Het Nieuwsblad

"Careful and compelling. "

De Tijd

"Lize Spit set the bar high for herself and has cleared it with her great literary prowess and versatility."

Trouw

"Spit uses her refined narrative techniques to mercilessly confront the reader with the novel’s paradoxical and terrifying self-fulfilling prophecy. Unforgiving. Meticulous and accurate."

Bruzz

"In a style that is merciless and dark, but carried by a deep personal element, psychological insight and astute observations, Spit examines the relationship between Simon and Leo. Spit guides the reader’s experience with her carefully administered doses of narrative development. A monumental and compelling novel. Lize Spit has given us a literary light for dark days."

Friesch Dagblad

"In her signature sparkling style, Spit manages to convey a level of emotional depth that is not often found in literature. This surprising debutante has grown into a grand author."

Het Nieuwsblad (interview)

"Let’s just pin a medal on her for ‘Best writer in Flanders', because that’s what Lize Spit is."

Jellie Brouwer, Radio 1 Kunststof

"*I'm not here* is another crazy good book."

NRC Handelsblad

"Spit is a master of structure, of referring back and forth across her book, even regarding details such as the statue that appears whole, broken, glued back together and broken again throughout the book, but not in logical order. This novel takes a lot of patience, in the best of ways. Spit spreads her information, her clues and titbits, in a refined manner. Spit grabs you by the throat. It really is impossible to put this book down."

AD

"A psychological page-turner."

Noordhollands Dagblad

"The melt is quirky, raw and captivates from the first to the last page. As a reader, you feel the inescapable threat of something horrible approaching. Spit nails her readers to their seats, unable to read on, but just as unable to look away. Anyone who can write this way, is a great talent."

Het Parool

"With *The melting*, Lize Spit has written an unparalleled debut. The novel is tightly composed: the present and the past move towards each other and meet in the merciless plot. Stylistically and compositionally, this debut is so well put together that you can unleash a shower of superlatives on it. One thing is certain: Spit is way ahead of other debutants."

Bruzz

"One of the most voluminous, but also one of the most beautiful and grimmest debuts in many years. Composed in an extremely patient and refined way. Anyone who would fear that Spit is nothing more than a hype should really just read her book."

de Volkskrant

"Lize Spit avoids being dramatic. This enhances the intensity of the tragedy in the melting. Eva describes the events with an open mind. It is a classic story about the childhood in small Belgian village. *The melting* is akin to Hugo Claus and Dimitri Verhulst."

Trouw

"Her style and theme reminds me of Ian McEwan. Her writing career had a grand start. In 478 pages Lize Spit guides her main protagonist with steady hand, in sensory and picturesque prose to her gallows. She does so lovingly and with compassion for her characters, but also with eery calm. Maddening from time to time. She is merciless, tough as nails and a tad sadistic. Both to the reader and to Eva."

HUMO

"Spit describes the story of an unhappy childhood painfully slow, like a car crash in slow motion. And it is impossible to look away. (...) After the melting you are left with a sour taste, even though Spit uses humor and nostalgia to make dark matter digestible. She shows us that you can both warm yourself and burn yourself to the brightly lit glow that are our deepest memories."

Het Nieuwsblad

"The melting is a rich novel. The themes jostle with each other, friendship, betrayal, the beginning of sexuality, and how family ties can oppress you to the point that they literally hurt. The book is nearly 500 pages long, but none of them are tiresome. The writing is remarkably clear, the story is thrilling, funny at times, but frightening and touching at the end. Lize Spit isn’t shying away from adventurous writing, and the novel she has written firmly places her among one of Belgian literary talents."

de Morgen

"If you liked Gerbrand Bakker’s *The twin*, you will love the melting. It is a whopping 480 pages long, but you will easily read through it, like a warm knife slides through butter. Lize Spit writes in fluent and fine language and builds her story beautifully."

Focus Knack

"We haven’t read a debut this extraordinary in years."

de Standaard

"Spit writes with ease and grabs you by the throat. The melting sizzles, the author wrote a debut you would wish for all authors. Familiar, surprising, imaginative and merciless."