Gaea Schoeters (b. 1976) is a Belgian novelist, librettist and screenwriter. Her books are characterised by a broad geographical and cultural scope: for instance, the plot of her debut work Girls, Muslims and Motorcycles (Meisjes, Moslims en Motoren, 2008) is based on the author’s seven-month motorcycle journeys through Central Asia and the Middle East. Schoeters’ best-known work is arguably her 2020 novel Trophy (Trophäe), which received a special mention at the European Union Prize for Literature and offers an unflinching look at trophy hunting. The protagonist, tellingly named Hunter White, travels to Africa to hunt a black rhinoceros. As is well known, the species is on the brink of extinction, with around 3,000 specimens remaining in the wild – a fact that does not deter a trophy hunter; on the contrary, the rarer the animal, the more valuable it is. Yet, as in any gripping and at the same time realistic story, things do not go the protagonist’s way perfectly. As a librettist, Schoeters has received Europe-wide acclaim through her collaboration with composer Annelies Van Parys.
Gaea Schoeters
