A review by christopherlucas
What I Know About You by Éric Chacour

4.0

I’m always wary of Sad Gay Novels because growing up gay was hard enough and the dreary accounts are often stuffed with trauma-bait and exploitative suffering. I’m so pleased to say this isn’t one of those: it’s warm, tender, subtle, and sweet. It doesn’t feel like it’s fighting heavily to grab hold of my emotional levers; it performs its magic delicately with small and precise language. It even manages to hide a few dramatic reveals along the path for some extra spice (cardamom?) along the way.

“Je me souviens. That's Quebec's motto. I asked a colleague what it meant once. He just shrugged. I don't think anyone here even remembers what they're supposed to remember. Maybe that's for the best in the end.”