The Details

I didn’t expect to be pulled in this way. I didn’t expect a fever dream of memories, stitched together with prose so sharp and intimate it feels like flipping through a stranger’s diary - only to realize, with a jolt, that it could be mine.The Details by Ia Genberg is a novel that doesn’t just tell a story, it invites you into the quiet corridors of memory, where the past is never truly past.It unfolds like a conversation with yourself on a sleepless night.As the protagonist traces the contours of her past, her loves, her losses, I found myself doing the same. The friendships that left scars, the relationships flickered, faded, but never truly vanished. The book beautifully and intimately portrays , how often we carry people within us, tucked away in forgotten corners, only for them to resurface in an unexpected scent, a song, a passing thought.The writing is haunting but precise. It doesn’t shout for attention, but it grips you all the same. It seeps in, just like the memories it conjures. The book doesn’t just tell a story - it turns the lens on you, making you the one being read.

Reading The Details, shortlisted for the International Booker Prize 2024, felt like stepping into a quiet, contemplative space where the weight of memory and connection just wraps around you. It’s one of those quietly compelling reads that sneaks up on you, catching you off guard with its depth. On the surface, it seems like not much is happening—a woman bedridden with a fever, drifting through memories of four people who shaped her life. No big plot twists, no action. Just vibes and introspection. And somehow, it works!This isn’t a traditional story with a clear plot—it’s more of a moody, compelling character study, a slice of life told through introspective reflections. And that, to me, was both intriguing and oddly comforting.Each character—Johanna, Niki, Alejandro, and her mother—felt so vivid. They’re not just names on the page but the lenses through which we see the narrator’s life unfold. It really made me think about how much of who we are is just bits and pieces of the people we’ve loved, fought with, or lost. The book dives deep into themes of love, friendship, and even mental illness, all while posing that haunting question: Who’s the real subject here—the one being remembered or the one doing the remembering?Genberg’s writing is beautiful, almost crystalline. Her prose pushes you to slow down. It’s a short read, but it’s packed with introspection. The non-linear structure, the way the narrative shifts between past and present, creates this feeling of being caught in a fever dream, which mirrors the narrator’s state perfectly. It’s not just a story—it’s an experience.I was hooked at first, underlining passages, nodding along as the narrator sifted through her past. But I have to admit, the pacing felt a bit uneven, and by the time I reached the final chapter, the momentum had dipped, missing that emotional punch from the start.Still, this is the kind of book that lingers. It’s a quiet novel, sure, but it’s also deeply resonant. It’s moody, and really makes you think about the people who’ve left marks on your life, for better or worse. Sometimes, you just need a reminder that it’s the little things, the everyday moments, that truly shape us.

Excellent

The book print doesn’t seem genuine can tell that it isn’t an originally published copy.

Things I liked about this book:🩷I believe that Life is not a plot; it's in the details, so I loved this book.🩷there is no dearth of details in this book.🩷While all the information we may commit to memory and recount to others or reminiscence ourselves is often surface level, the details are deeply personal impressions on our hearts and souls. Quoting from the book," Getting attached, to me they were like tattoos, everything and every detail present and intact, everyone I’d loved and liked was still with me."🩷As a reader I was immediately immersed in the protagonist's life story with the very first line. The story is based in Sweden. There is a collage of life presented which includes passionate love, romance, nostalgia, remembrances, relationships, friendships, 'ships' which can't be defined or tagged at all and attachments to people, places and things.A 🩷favourite excerpt from the book, "That’s all there is to the self, or the so-called ‘self’: traces of the people we rub up against. I loved Johanna’s words and gestures and let them become part of me, intentionally or not. I suppose that is at the core of every relationship, and the reason that in some sense no relationship ever ends."🩷I found much of the writing relatable.🩷Highlighted many profound thoughts worthy of further introspection.🩷The vocabulary is good. Learnt new words.🩷There is a beautiful translator's note.However a trigger warning does apply, there is mention of self-harm, incest and rape.🩷I am interested in fiction, contemporary fiction and a novella rich with relationships, so this was right up my alley.🩷"Some books stay in your bones long after their titles and details have slipped from memory."This is one such book for me.