The Seventh Sister’s Finest-Promoting Ebook in 2021, Lucinda Riley Dominates Bestseller Record With Fifteen Titles | Tradition

# Lucinda Riley’s Literary Empire: How The Seventh Sister Conquered Dutch Bookshelves in 2021 In the ever-evolving landscape of literary achievements, Lucinda Riley has remarkably established herself as the undisputed queen of Dutch bestsellers for the fourth consecutive year, a reign that shows no signs of abating as readers continue to fall under her storytelling spell. The celebrated author, whose exploration of universal questions like identity, origins, and life’s purpose has captivated millions, placed an impressive fifteen different titles on the prestigious CPNB Top 100 list – a testament to her exceptionally broad appeal and literary prowess that few contemporary authors can match. By collaborating with themes that resonate deeply across cultural boundaries, Riley has created a literary phenomenon that’s particularly noteworthy in the Netherlands, where The Seventh Sister alone sold a staggering 300,000 copies during 2021. Over the past decade, her Seven Sisters collection has transformed the publishing landscape, selling more than three million copies across the Netherlands and Belgium, with an additional 1.5 million copies of her standalone works finding their way into the hands of eager readers. This is no small feat in a country where book buying has reached its highest point in ten years, with 43 million books purchased – a heartening 5% increase from the previous year. Charlie Mackesy’s illustrated masterpiece “The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse, ” thoughtfully translated by Arthur Japin, secured the second position on the bestseller pantheon with 234,000 copies sold, making it 2021’s most beloved children’s book. Think of it as a literary comfort food that nourishes the soul while delighting readers of all ages – its success represents our collective hunger for wisdom wrapped in simplicity during uncertain times. For medium-sized publishers, the success story of debut author Lale Gül offers a particularly inspiring narrative, as her novel “I’m Going to Live” sold an incredible 207,000 copies to claim the third spot and become the highest-selling original Dutch book of the year. The Dutch literary landscape, however, continues to face a challenging reality – with Dutch-language titles accounting for only 46 of the entire Top 100, reflecting the increasingly global nature of reading preferences that simultaneously enriches and threatens local literary traditions. In public libraries across the Netherlands, Rutger Bregman’s optimistic examination of human nature, “Most People Are Good, ” maintained its position as the most borrowed book for the second consecutive year, with library patrons checking it out approximately 35,000 times. The reading choices of Dutch library users reveal a sophisticated appetite for both thought-provoking non-fiction and literary fiction, with Roxane van Iperen’s “The Hooge Nest” and Marieke Lucas Rijneveld’s “The Night Is An Irritation” completing the top three most borrowed titles. While the Dutch book market showed encouraging signs of growth with children’s books and non-fiction experiencing notably improved sales figures, physical bookstores struggled to capitalize on this trend, facing a concerning 7% decline in overall sales. This dichotomy between market growth and bookstore challenges presents a particularly complex picture of an industry in transition – Dutch-language book turnover increased by 6% with sales growing by 1%, but physical retailers continue to lose ground in an increasingly digital marketplace. The market for non-Dutch books, especially English-language titles, expanded significantly with an exceptionally robust 28% increase in sales and 23% growth in turnover – highlighting the growing intersection between global publishing and local reading habits. CPNB Director Eveline Aendekerk, while acknowledging these impressive growth figures, expressed serious concerns about the declining market share of physical bookstores and the decreasing percentage of originally Dutch-language books, noting that these trends could potentially undermine the Netherlands’ rich literary and cultural ecosystem if left unchecked. Dutch libraries, despite lending approximately 38 million physical books and audiobooks, experienced a 10% decrease from the previous year – the second consecutive annual decline attributed directly to pandemic restrictions that limited physical access and changed borrowing behaviors. This shift mirrors broader societal transformations in how we consume literature, with digital alternatives increasingly complementing traditional borrowing patterns while creating new challenges for institutions built around physical media. The literary landscape painted by the CPNB Top 100 reveals not just Lucinda Riley’s dominance but also the diverse tastes of Dutch readers embracing works ranging from philosophical picture books to unflinching memoirs. As fans eagerly anticipate the eighth and final installment of Riley’s Seven Sisters series, “The Secrets of the Boarding School, ” scheduled for Dutch release in April, they’re particularly curious about how Riley’s son – who has taken up the mantle after his mother’s passing – will resolve the mysterious storyline surrounding the enigmatic character Pa Salt. For cultural observers worldwide, the Dutch reading market serves as a fascinating microcosm of global publishing trends – where international blockbusters coexist with local literary treasures, where physical books maintain their beloved status despite digital alternatives, and where authors like Lucinda Riley can create literary universes that transcend borders while exploring the most fundamental questions of human existence. As we look toward future reading trends, this Netherlands snapshot offers both reassurance and caution – books remain incredibly relevant, but the ecosystem supporting them continues to evolve in ways that will undoubtedly reshape how stories reach their audiences in the coming years.