Andrev Walden’s debut, a darkly humorous coming-of-age story, has become a bestseller in Sweden and won the August prize, the country’s most prestigious literary award. The novel follows the author’s childhood and teenage years, during which his mother had seven boyfriends in seven years, each one more disappointing and often violent than the last.
The narrative is structured around each “dad”, named for their dominant trait in young Andrev’s eyes: the Plant Magician, the Thief, the Murderer, the Artist, among others. Billed as a novel but heavily autobiographical, the book blurs the line between fiction and memoir. The narrator warns that if anything sounds made up, it is true, while inventions are hidden in mundane details like the colour of a cushion.
Walden’s metafictional interjections add charm rather than irritation. His understated humour shines through, as when Andrev marvels at the number of cousins in his relatives’ house, comparing it to an Advent calendar. Yet beneath the wit lies a bleak core: the men are selfish, violent, and cruel. One chilling moment describes a friend of Andrev’s mother who was attacked with a hammer by her ex-boyfriend, treated with a childish offhandness that makes it all the more disturbing.
The Plant Magician looms largest among the dads, while others blur together. However, the book is ultimately about Andrev and his resilient mother. Walden avoids easy narrative hooks, trusting instead to his precise and beguiling prose. Though momentum wanes in the final third, the writing remains sharp enough to carry the reader through.
