One can only admire Helinski’s ironic subtlety, which is based more on classic writers like Gogol than on any modern trends. And on his own talent for comic absurdity. An allegory? A fairy tale? A dystopia? Whatever it is, Helinski is a born storyteller. — NRC Handelsblad

The Waffle Factory is about the world of today. About people like Wilders and Trump who use smart rhetoric to ignite dormant dissatisfaction and create new dissatisfaction. Moreover, because of its parable format, the book has a timeless character. —NRC

A fascinating, mysterious book. Helinski’s specific writing style – using short simple sentences and telling everything in the present tense – makes The Waffle Factory a universal story that leaves a lasting impression. — Knack

The Waffle Factory is a perfectly crafted story about people who discover their right to dissatisfaction. […] Witty and wry, topical and timeless: this is a tale that nags away at you for a long time – like the pain in your mouth after a tooth has been extracted. —Niña Weijers

Bizarre how easily people can be manipulated and what group behavior does to them. The writing of The Waffle Factory is completely unique and very visual. A very original and impetuous book! Recommended! — Margreet de Haan, Bookstore Spui

This is a book to read in one sitting on a rainy afternoon. — Lieke Marsman

The Waffle Factory is a remarkable and extremely smoothly written book – in no way does it fit the kind of prose that somewhat novice Dutch authors write nowadays. — Revisor

RECOMMEND! Sober, funny, spot-on and original. — Janna Navis, Bookstore Dominicanen

A beautiful, transparent narrative that exposes deep layers of human action with its seemingly simple theme. — Ronnie Terpstra, Bookstore Van der Velde

A powerful and highly original novel about leading and being misled

The workers at the waffle factory have been living to the rhythm of their waffle machines for years. Until one day Arka Narovski appears, a tall and charismatic ex-soldier. Not long after his arrival, the workers lay down their tools. A protest ensues. But against whom or what exactly, and why?

The Waffle Factory is a timeless novel about how easy it is to mislead the masses, but also about the desire to be misled.

Strong points

• The long-awaited new novel following Helinski’s successful Bloemkool uit Tsjernobyl (Cauliflower from Chernobyl)
• An allegorical and urgent novel about the way groups work
• For readers of Jose Saramago and Ernest van der Kwast
• Received a great deal of attention in the national media
• Bloemkool uit Tsjernobyl was nominated for the ANV Debut Prize

About Cauliflower from Chernobyl:

“A magnificent portrait of an impossible father, a literary character who is one in a million. A powerful debut.”— Arjen Fortuin, NRC Handelsblad

“A heart-warming debut, full of rich details and observations, and free from clichés.” – De Volkskrant