“Hans van den Broek, the narrator of Joseph O'Neill's rich, beautifully written novel, finds his life and his marriage breaking down in post-9/11 New York City. When Hans is drawn into the world of league cricket games, he begins a friendship with Chuck Ramkissoon, a Trinidadian expat and a somewhat delusional self-promoter and part-time gangster -- that helps carry him through the dark times. The pure voice of Hans rolls along so smoothly and precisely that, in the end, it is difficult to imagine Hans not at your side.”

“In a wonderful understated tone, Netherland tells the story of how Hans, a Dutch banker in New York, tries to cope in the city after his wife and son flee to the UK in the wake of 9/11. Unmoored, but still generous at heart, he is brought back to a sense of his life and choices thanks to the colorful characters of New York City and its vibrant cricket community.”