What We Both Know: A Novel Paperback – May 3, 2022

Pitched as a book for fans of My Dark Vanessa so, I was sold on that. I was approved for an e-ARC of this book and I rated it 3.5 stars.It definitely has some of the same themes as My Dark Vanessa, but rather than dual timelines piecing a characters experience and trauma together… this one is just a stream of conciousness from a woman who isn’t even sure if what she remembers is true or whether it was something she dreamed up.Our main character, Hilary, steps in to help her famous author father write his final piece of work - a memoir of his life. In doing this, Hillary unlocks a number memories about her childhood, her sister and their relationship with their father. She just can’t decide whether or not to reveal those memories and ruin her fathers reputation. She also can’t talk to him about them…because he is slowly slipping away from himself due to Alzheimer’s.I appreciate that the author carefully approached these dark, tough topics and how some people deal with their trauma without needing to dwell too long on the details of what caused the trauma.This next note is just a personal bias, but I really love that it was set in Toronto and the regions surrounding. The author spoke of parts in the city that I know and even the Big Apple off the 401 towards to Kingston, which I’ve been to with my own family a number of times. I always like something different from NYC … which seems to be a lot of the books I read.It was a quick read and I really felt immersed in Hilary’s day to day, even if at times she seemed to sway in and out of reality and could appreciate that she was torn on how to tell her fathers story without Incriminating him or… maybe that’s exactly what she wants to do.I rated this one a 3.5. For context, since we’re comparing, My Dark Vanessa was a 5⭐️ read for me. A lot of very similar themes, but I struggled with the delivery and lack of clarity with how it ended.Would I recommend it?Sure. If you this kind of story telling.Would I read it again?Probably not. Unless another reader pointed out something I might’ve missed that could change how I read it.

A book I found difficult to get into, but I liked the topic of a daughter writing her fathers memoir, and publishing it in his name. She is torn between writing what he says he remembers, and her own memory, she knows the truth could be devastating for him and wonders what it would do for her own career. It reminded me of how often two close people can remember events very differently. The writing style is different and to me does not flow easily. But all in all a good read. I give it 3.1/2 stars..

Had me at "The kitchen is full of feeling." This story of a writer grappling with her own memories relative to her famous author-father's gut wrenching history is beautifully executed. 100% clear why it was longlisted for the 2022 Giller Prize.