Editor’s Note
Dear Reader,
What does it mean to be disobedient? What do acts of disobedience propose, unsettle, reveal, make possible? With this Autumn 2025 issue of RevUU we invite you to think alongside our contributing authors about the different forms disobedience can take.
The Merriam Webster Dictionary defines disobedience as “refusing or neglecting to obey,” while the Oxford English Dictionary rather confusingly proclaims disobedience as an act of “withhold(ing) obedience”, without defining obedience. But when exposed in raw practice, put boldly into action, what are the mechanisms of disobedient acts, and which can count as such in the first place?
For us, disobedience means to disagree with what is imposed upon us and to act in opposition, to protest in language, action or thought, to resist, to expose, to confront, to withdraw and, with each act, to propose a new kind of rhythm to the world. In this moment, we want to invite you to look toward disobedience as, above all, necessary.
In this issue, the authors review 19 largely different literary texts, among them: contemporary Russian auto-fiction, a hot and new runaway werewolf horror, debut political fiction, freaky murder mystery, as well as a collection of interviews with long forgotten Dutch authors, a viral TikTok romantasy, and Ocean Vuong’s highly anticipated second novel. Each addresses varied forms of defiance and struggle.
We have divided the essays into five different sections, guiding you through different stages of disobedience. In Refusal, we investigate the significance of sustaining cultural tradition in the midst of major political change (Bleeker), questions of personal responsibility in global issues (Kwiecińska), and how to write a fairy tale as a form of modern protest (Stol & Tijsseling).
In Speaking Up, we raise our voices towards the importance of writing trans experiences with reliance on more than just imagination (Pilon), the fierce struggle to present oneself honestly and courageously to the world (Goemans), no longer falling for men (Kubacka), and the validity and resonance of everyday life (Van Bottenburg).
Confrontation covers ecological collapse and booming wealth inequality (Ruitenberg), language as a site of currency and control (Matute), life in the Dutch Bible Belt (Bouwman), as well as the meeting of fears and fathers (Noshie).
In Turning Back Time, we take a look back at constructing oneself anew, away from the remembered (Burger), reading dystopian prequels (Franciosa), ringing the doors of the forgotten (van Dorp), and solving one’s own murder (Hogetoorn).
Finally, we invite you to Break Free, from the constraints of trauma (Van Dongen), narcissistic conmen (Van den Hooven), the narrative “I” (gintonik) – towards a world where we all flow together (Pan).
We want to thank all our editors, the design team and the publicity team for the hard work that went into shaping this edition. We want to thank all of them as authors as well, for their thoughtful criticism, their intriguing array of novels and for drawing their own portraits. We are also grateful to Dr. Mia You for offering guidance whenever and wherever needed.
We are proud to present to you the Autumn edition of RevUU 2025!
We wish you lots of reading pleasure.
Love,
Ksenia Kwiecińska & Febe Tijsseling
RevUU 