A review by dreamsoftomes
The Trio by Johanna Hedman

emotional reflective relaxing medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

It's one of those where before I even finish it I was looking forward to the next time I would read it. The ending genuinely surprised me, I nearly restarted the book over again to try and understand it, understand them more. Their dynamics where so incredibly interesting, it's very character forward in the sense that we spend the length of this novel exploring their inner selves, and their rapport between each other. Reminds me a bit of Everything I never told you by Celeste Ng. The miscommunication trope is very strong in this so if you don't enjoy that beware. I am still very surprised that we don't get chapters from August's perspective, to quote Hugo himself : 

My inability to see the whole of August increasingly felt like a betrayal."

 **spoilers ahead**
I read this expecting a certain structure to the narrative :
First we meet present day Hugo and Frances, only alluding to Thora and August, who are in a way phantoms in Hugo's life. Then we go to the past and explore the relationship that existed in this trio, and how it unraveled. Throughout all of this, I was truly expecting to go back to the future we started in and find some kind of closure for Hugo, and for Frances, who in her way came to learn more about August through Hugo. This is why the ending surprised me, but I appreciate it so much because it makes just so much sense in the context of this story, anything different would be a bit too comic book-y. In the sense that, there is no closure for Hugo, nor is there for any of them.
 
Sometimes, friendships end, and distance places people who were once so close, oceans away.. From strangers to friends, and strangers again. So much of this was relatable in a gut wrenching way, little moments of a thought or things said I could'nt help but gasp at. It was lyrical, just beautifully done.