I Think We've Been Here Before

by Krause Suzy

Marlen and Hilda Jorgensen’s family has received two significant pieces of one, Marlen has been diagnosed with a terminal illness. Two, a cosmic blast is set to render humanity extinct within a matter of months. It seems the coming Christmas on their Saskatchewan farm will be their last.

Preparing for the inevitable, they navigate the time they have left together. Marlen and Hilda have channeled their energy into improbably prophetic works of art. Hilda’s elderly father receives a longed-for visitor from his past, her sister refuses to believe the world is ending, and her teenaged nephew is missing. All the while, her daughter struggles to find her way home from Berlin with the help of an oddly familiar stranger. For everyone, there’s an unsettling feeling that this unprecedented reality is something they remember.

Genres: Fiction, Canada

Kindle Edition

Published November 1, 2024

Reviews

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book! The story is bizarre but beautiful. It’s set in my home province and the cover was designed by a friend, which made it extra special. It’s a book about the world ending, but I found it hopeful and imaginative.

[Renee Coghill · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can’t think of anything else I’ve read that is like this book. Charming, quirky, touching, and captivating! Krause has such a unique voice and I look forward to seeing what she has up her sleeve next.

[Alexandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is quite possibly the best book I've read all year. I laughed. I cried. The premise is bleak — the world is ending. But somehow, the story is hopeful.

I appreciated the diverse perspectives presented while the entire world is facing its impending doom. There is a dying man who wouldn't have made it much longer in life anyway, and his wife who is having a hard time imagining life without him. Their 20-year-old daughter is in a foreign country, finally carving her own path — she doesn't even know her dad is ill. And there are others who are grappling with their collective fate, each in their own way.

I grew up in a small town in rural Saskatchewan, so I could relate to the mannerisms and family dynamics of the characters. Some of the mundane actions they carry out faced with the end of the world might not make sense to people who didn't grow up in a small town, but they made sense to me.

[Ilona · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this for a book club, and, given the subject, did not expect to enjoy it. It sounded like it would be interesting, and thought-provoking, certainly good fodder for stimulating book club conversation, but to actually enjoy it? Wasn't expecting that! Nor did I expect that there would be laugh-out-loud moments.

Such an intelligent, thoughtful, compassionate exploration of people responding to an impossible situation!

I LOVED this book.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good and surprisingly funny!

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book and its characters. It’s a fill your heart kind of story full of the beauty and hard of being human. It has one of the best opening chapters I’ve read in a while.

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little bizarre and beautifully written, you’ll wonder what exactly is happening and possibly enjoy it more if you don’t wonder too hard.

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was not the genres that I enjoy but it was recommended so I thought I would read it.
Very interesting theory! Great characters and story line!
Happy reading 📖 📚🫖🐈