A review by hetauuu
Everything I Don't Remember by Jonas Hassen Khemiri

4.0

My reading slump is finally over! Thank you Heaven and thank you Jonas Hassen Khemiri.

A smash-hit in its native Sweden, winning the August Prize for Best novel of 2015, Everything I Don't Remember is the heart-wrenching story of Samuel. Told from the perspectives of multiple people who knew the now-deceased youngster, who died in a tragic car crash, this book pieces together a puzzle of unreliable narration and beautiful, simple prose.

Samuel has died, and nobody knows whether it was suicide or an accident. An unnamed author becomes fascinated by his story and sets out to meet and talk to several people, tracing Samuel's life down to his last day. Multiple people take on this: Vandad, his best friend, Laide, his ex-girlfriend, Panther, his childhood friend and first love, as well as neighbors, workers from Samuel's grandmother's care home, etc. They all have a different view on Samuel, and this plays a central part in the narrative structure of the story. Nobody knows what went on in Samuel's head, but all of the people who knew him had an opinion of him, a mental image of what he was like. Since he is not here to speak for himself anymore, his story relies on the memories and opinions of others.

Jonas Hassen Khemiri certainly can write, and I see the merit in this book. The POV switches constantly, as well as the place of the timeline, every narrator telling a different story - yet this book is extremely easy to follow. The plot sucks you in, and that is the strong point of it all, as the characters can feel a little distant at times. I truly loved Vandad, Samuel's best friend, and could feel the longing in his voice. The ending of this book, tying into that, really stung my heart. Laide is our second big narrator, and her voice just annoyed me - possessive, dismissive, patronising towards Samuel. It contrasted well against Vandad's voice especially towards the end, another example of Hassen Khemiri's brilliant writing.

Everything I Don't Remember is a beautiful story. I will certainly remember it, and remember Samuel, for a long time. Jonas Hassen Khemiri has put himself on my Authors I need to read more from-list.