The Dutch classic, A Foolish Virgin is a story about a young girl, Gittel, growing up in the jewish community of Antwerp in the late twenties and early thirties. Her parents lead a cat-and-dog life. Her father ‘was a sjlemiel and he knew it’, and doesn’t succeed in business. 

Every time her mother has had enough, she leaves for Antwerp with her daughter to stay with family for a few weeks. Gittel is able to surrender completely to her passion for the piano since nobody is really paying any attention to her in the colourful family, which is much more of a home for her mother than her husband.

At the house of a befriended family of bankers, Gittel is allowed to rehearse on the Steinway and learns her first lessons in life. Her infinite trust in her older friend Lucie is violated. Simons describes the vulnerable relationship between two girls in the middle of the lively Jewish community in Antwerp in an unparalleled manner. In Berlin, where Gittel’s father tries to obtain a fortune in a trice, the initial illusion of wealth after the Wall Street Crash of 1929 is soon over. Who, wonders Gittel, can be trusted in this world of impostors

Ida Simons has a light, often humoristic way of telling the story of the naïve Gittel. She empathizes with a girl looking for a safe place in an uncertain time and a chaotic world.

Comparisons to Jane Austen, John Williams’ Stoner, Anne Frank, John Cheever, Franz Kafka and Willem Elsschot

‘Such a wonderful novel! A pinnacle in Dutch literature. Don’t hesitate, buy it immediately.’ – Maarten ‘t Hart

‘Dutch pianist Ido Rosenheimer survived concentration camp Theresienstadt and wrote the brilliant novel A Foolish Virgin as Ida Simons. Wrongly forgotten over time, now rediscovered. A sophisticated style you wouldn’t expect from a debut. A magnificent novel.’ – de Volkskrant *****

‘An extraordinary novel. Musical prose. Ida Simons shows she is a self-conscious writer in this sensitive yet unsentimental novel. It is incomprehensible that this book hasn’t been read for many years. There’s no need to read another novel for the time being.’ – NRC Handelsblad *****

‘Found: the Dutch Stoner. A debut between Franz Kafka and John Cheever. A must-read book.’ – De Standaard *****

‘Cossee Publishers scores with a subtle and humoristic version of the story of the life of Ida Simons. It’s not hard to see why the critics (in the 1960’s and now) loved this novel. The story about the young girl Gittel and her Jewish surroundings are portrayed by Ida Simons with humor and an ironic distance. A Foolish Virgin is inhabited by a motley collection of Jewish characters. Publisher Eva Cossée found this book in her parent’s bookcase, perhaps there’s more to be found there?’ – 8weekly.nl *****

‘The Jane Austen of 1920’s Antwerp. The success of Ida Simons is mainly due to the quality of the novel. A Foolish Virgin is still charming after half a century since it was written. The language is fresh, humoristic and sober.’ – Trouw

‘This is the Dutch equivalent of Stoner. The novel is remarkably timeless. The language is light and simple, sometimes even poetic and Ida Simons is especially strong in her understatement, which yields a friendly and sometimes biting humor. The novel reminds me of 18th Century British literature.’ – De Morgen

‘After the excitement of E.L. James has died down and everybody has read Stoner we are waiting for a new bestseller. 2014 is the year of A Foolish Virgin. This rediscovered novel from 1959 from the Dutch-Flemish Ida Simons is this summer’s Stoner. Beautiful and recognizable.’ – Algemeen Dagblad

‘Ida Simons writes lightly, fluently and nonchalant with a hidden meaning that slowly dawns on you. I think I’ll just read the book for a second time.’ – Den Haag Centraal

‘Nothing by positive reviews when it was published in 1959 and rightfully so.’ – Noordhollands Dagblad

‘A Foolish Virgin deserves a great audience.’ – Christelijk Weekblad

‘Gittel reminds us of Anne Frank.’ – Nederlands Dagblad

‘I reshuffled the planning of the reviews. I thought: this has to be in our newspaper as soon, big and enthusiastic as possible. This truly is something that everyone should read as soon as possible.’ – NRC Handelsblad

‘Sometimes a rediscovered novel is a true eye-opener. From the very start of the novel you know that you’re reading a very good book.’ – Wim Brands

‘A Foolish Virgin is written with amazing skill, in a sober, ironical style, full of mockery and humor.’ – Kees Fens

‘This book has a special history in more ways than one. A very good book and rightfully hailed by all.’ – Tros Nieuwsshow

‘This could be Cossee Publishers’ Stoner, a bestseller out of left field. The first fifty pages were astounding: is this a debut?’ – Boekblad.nl

‘Simons talent is immediately evident, even though she isn’t flaunting it. A Foolish Virgin is grandiose with its modest ambitions.’ – Cobra.be ****

‘This rediscovered is well deserved. A Foolish Virgin is a great find. So read!’ – Boekenbijlage.nl

‘Simons has a lightly ironic tone and she wonderfully writes about the naivety and doubt of a twelve-year old girl from the 1920’s.’ – Tzum.info

‘Ida Simons’ humor is contagious and increases the reading pleasure of this book.’ – Post Scriptum Bookshop