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What We Both Know
For readers of My Dark Vanessa, a mesmerizing, disturbing, and thoroughly compelling novel about one woman's role in preserving--or destroying--her famous father's legacy.
In front of me are hundreds of pages of work. Already I feel it leaving me. He will obliterate what is there, replace it, deny I ever wrote a word. But, he cannot take the words I write on my own.
Hillary Greene's father, once a celebrated author and public figure, is now losing his memory and, with it, his ability to write. As her father's primary caretaker, each day begins with two eggs, boiled and Charlie Rose or some other host on the iPad screen. Her father compulsively watches himself in old interviews, memorizing his own speech, trying to hang on to who he was.
An aspiring author herself, Hillary impulsively agrees to ghost-write his final work--a memoir spanning his career--and release it in his name. Diving deep into her father's past, and in turn her own, a horrifying truth begins to piece itself together.
With full control over her father's memoir, Hillary is faced with a stark choice: reveal her father as a monster or preserve his legacy as a respected literary figure. But she wonders what writing the truth will do to her and if it will damage her own prospects for a career. Whichever option she chooses, Hillary has to deal with the significant pain writing the memoir has re-surfaced--specifically, how the truth about her father adds to her grief over the death of her enigmatic sister, Pauline. For the first time in her life, Hillary holds the power.
Set in the wake of the #MeToo and Time's Up movements, What We Both Know is a visceral, intimate, and complex novel about confronting the personal and professional consequences--and potentially devastating fallout--of revealing the truth about a famous man.
In front of me are hundreds of pages of work. Already I feel it leaving me. He will obliterate what is there, replace it, deny I ever wrote a word. But, he cannot take the words I write on my own.
Hillary Greene's father, once a celebrated author and public figure, is now losing his memory and, with it, his ability to write. As her father's primary caretaker, each day begins with two eggs, boiled and Charlie Rose or some other host on the iPad screen. Her father compulsively watches himself in old interviews, memorizing his own speech, trying to hang on to who he was.
An aspiring author herself, Hillary impulsively agrees to ghost-write his final work--a memoir spanning his career--and release it in his name. Diving deep into her father's past, and in turn her own, a horrifying truth begins to piece itself together.
With full control over her father's memoir, Hillary is faced with a stark choice: reveal her father as a monster or preserve his legacy as a respected literary figure. But she wonders what writing the truth will do to her and if it will damage her own prospects for a career. Whichever option she chooses, Hillary has to deal with the significant pain writing the memoir has re-surfaced--specifically, how the truth about her father adds to her grief over the death of her enigmatic sister, Pauline. For the first time in her life, Hillary holds the power.
Set in the wake of the #MeToo and Time's Up movements, What We Both Know is a visceral, intimate, and complex novel about confronting the personal and professional consequences--and potentially devastating fallout--of revealing the truth about a famous man.
248 pages, Paperback
First published May 3, 2022
10 people are currently reading
1353 people want to read
About the author
Fawn Parker
11 books94 followersFawn Parker is a novelist and poet from Toronto. Her novel What We Both Know (M&S 2022) was nominated for the Giller Prize and her recent novel Hi, It's Me (M&S 2024) was a finalist for the Writer's Trust Atwood Gibson Prize and the Governor General's Literary Award. Fawn is the Poet Laureate of Fredericton New Brunswick.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 137 reviews
April 22, 2022
With her father’s health condition deteriorating, Hillary Greene recently moved in to help care for him. During his career, he was a celebrated author. Now, with the help of his daughter, he wants to write a memoir documenting his life.
However, since her father’s memory is declining, Hillary is the one writing the memoir. While he watches his old interviews and writes disjointed notes, Hillary intimates to the publisher that it is solely her father’s work.
The more she writes and delves into her memories, the more she learns about the heinous truth of her father’s past. On top of everything, Hillary is still grieving the recent passing of her sister Pauline.
With all these thoughts churning, Hillary must decide whether to reveal her father for the revolting man he is or preserve the last of his reputation.
This novel shares similar themes with My Dark Vanessa, but I'd say this is the more literary version. The writing style is easy to read, but it is also very distant and, at times, disturbing.
There's this overarching sense of gloominess and uneasiness throughout the book. I was expecting a big reveal, but it never came.
I wonder if I missed something too. Hillary constantly calls her father baby, both in her own narrative and when speaking to him. I am fairly sure his name is Marcus, but the baby thing threw me off every time. Maybe calling him baby made it easier for her to disassociate his present and past selves. In any case, it was strange.
I did find the story compelling, hence the three stars, but I was expecting more.
If you enjoy slow, literary, slice-of-life books where not much happens, then this is the book for you.
CW: SA (off-page), animal harm (disturbing).
Thank you to McClelland & Stewart for providing an arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
https://booksandwheels.com
However, since her father’s memory is declining, Hillary is the one writing the memoir. While he watches his old interviews and writes disjointed notes, Hillary intimates to the publisher that it is solely her father’s work.
The more she writes and delves into her memories, the more she learns about the heinous truth of her father’s past. On top of everything, Hillary is still grieving the recent passing of her sister Pauline.
With all these thoughts churning, Hillary must decide whether to reveal her father for the revolting man he is or preserve the last of his reputation.
This novel shares similar themes with My Dark Vanessa, but I'd say this is the more literary version. The writing style is easy to read, but it is also very distant and, at times, disturbing.
There's this overarching sense of gloominess and uneasiness throughout the book. I was expecting a big reveal, but it never came.
I wonder if I missed something too. Hillary constantly calls her father baby, both in her own narrative and when speaking to him. I am fairly sure his name is Marcus, but the baby thing threw me off every time. Maybe calling him baby made it easier for her to disassociate his present and past selves. In any case, it was strange.
I did find the story compelling, hence the three stars, but I was expecting more.
If you enjoy slow, literary, slice-of-life books where not much happens, then this is the book for you.
CW: SA (off-page), animal harm (disturbing).
Thank you to McClelland & Stewart for providing an arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
https://booksandwheels.com
September 11, 2022
Every now and then I read a book and then I think 'What the heck did I just read?'. What We Both Know is one of those books. My brain felt like what's depicted on the cover - mind blown!
Hillary Greene is supposed to be ghostwriting her father's memoir. He's a well-respected (in literary circles anyway) author who goes by the name Baby and, unknown to others, he's beginning to suffer from memory loss. This book is mostly Hillary's reminiscences about her childhood, her sister Pauline and Hillary's own writing career. It seemed to me that very little writing of any kind went on.
There's quite a story in this book and there's also a lot that's unsaid but hinted at; it's up to the reader to read between the lines. It's written in a stream of consciousness style and probably won't appeal to everyone. There are places where the type is very odd, the first letter in a sentence will be lower case followed by one or two upper case letters and sometimes the upper case doesn't appear until the second or third word in the sentence. I'm not sure if we're supposed to go away with the feeling that Hillary isn't a very expert keyboarder or what the reason is. Since this is an ARC perhaps it's corrected in the published version? UPDATE: I noticed that you can "Look Inside" the book on amazon and now realize that the words consisting of lower and upper case letters in the ARC are all in small caps in the published version. Mystery solved!
I'm surprised at the number of reviews that comment on the fact that Hillary's father is referred to as Baby throughout the book when it's explained as plain as day early on in the book how the name came about. If you think of it as a nickname, much like "Junior", rather than a term of endearment it isn't quite so creepy.
The publisher's blurb touts that this will appeal to fans of 'My Dark Vanessa' but I really can't see much similarity. Even so, there are triggers to do with real and implied child abuse as well as animal harm and even a dream sequence featuring bestiality.
My thanks to McClelland & Stewart via Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this novel. All opinions expressed are my own.
Hillary Greene is supposed to be ghostwriting her father's memoir. He's a well-respected (in literary circles anyway) author who goes by the name Baby and, unknown to others, he's beginning to suffer from memory loss. This book is mostly Hillary's reminiscences about her childhood, her sister Pauline and Hillary's own writing career. It seemed to me that very little writing of any kind went on.
There's quite a story in this book and there's also a lot that's unsaid but hinted at; it's up to the reader to read between the lines. It's written in a stream of consciousness style and probably won't appeal to everyone. There are places where the type is very odd, the first letter in a sentence will be lower case followed by one or two upper case letters and sometimes the upper case doesn't appear until the second or third word in the sentence. I'm not sure if we're supposed to go away with the feeling that Hillary isn't a very expert keyboarder or what the reason is. Since this is an ARC perhaps it's corrected in the published version? UPDATE: I noticed that you can "Look Inside" the book on amazon and now realize that the words consisting of lower and upper case letters in the ARC are all in small caps in the published version. Mystery solved!
I'm surprised at the number of reviews that comment on the fact that Hillary's father is referred to as Baby throughout the book when it's explained as plain as day early on in the book how the name came about. If you think of it as a nickname, much like "Junior", rather than a term of endearment it isn't quite so creepy.
The publisher's blurb touts that this will appeal to fans of 'My Dark Vanessa' but I really can't see much similarity. Even so, there are triggers to do with real and implied child abuse as well as animal harm and even a dream sequence featuring bestiality.
My thanks to McClelland & Stewart via Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this novel. All opinions expressed are my own.
April 30, 2022
Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: May 3, 2022
Hillary Greene’s father is a respected author and public figure, known throughout the literary world. Now he is struggling with memory loss, and trying to keep it a secret from his fans, his publisher and the writing community at large. Hillary, an aspiring writer herself, decides to help her father keep his secret, screening phone calls and fielding interviews in her father’s stead, even agreeing to help him pen his memoir. But as his memory continues to steadily decline, taking his ability to write along with it, Hillary must assume the responsibility of writing her father’s memoir herself. But what side of the story does she present- the story her father has told to his adoring fans for years? That of a loving father and husband? Or does she portray her father as only his close family knows him, and by doing so, reveal his truth but sever her relationship with her father forever?
“What We Both Know” is the dark and disturbing new novel from author Fawn Parker. Dark family secrets, and whether or not to reveal them to the world, lie in the hands of a bitter and neglected daughter, torn between the love of her family and the truth.
This story has been compared to “My Dark Vanessa”, in regards to its subject matter, but that, in my opinion, is where the similarities stop. The writing has a very strange style and format (intentional, however still very distracting) and it made the novel difficult to read. Punctuation and grammar were intentionally done incorrectly, and the storyline jumped back and forth with no specific distinction.
Hillary is a likable enough character, and as her family’s dark secrets reveal themselves, the reader can’t help but empathize with her. The novel centres on Hillary and her taut relationship with her father, referred to in the novel as “Baby” (which is uncomfortable and disconcerting in its own right). There are a few other characters that make an appearance (such as Hillary’s estranged mother, and an adult female who appears to be either Baby’s past love interest or Hillary’s current one?) but they simply serve as background.
This novel had a lot of promise, and Parker appears to have the talent, but the writing style, meant to be “hip” and “creative” was challenging. The plot did not flow well, and Parker did not really provide any solid conclusions to any of the plot lines (I was never a fan of “Choose Your Own Adventure” novels. I do not want to make up my own ending with my own assumptions). However, this novel will definitely appeal to readers who are braver than I and are willing to take the chance with a strange writing style.
Expected publication date: May 3, 2022
Hillary Greene’s father is a respected author and public figure, known throughout the literary world. Now he is struggling with memory loss, and trying to keep it a secret from his fans, his publisher and the writing community at large. Hillary, an aspiring writer herself, decides to help her father keep his secret, screening phone calls and fielding interviews in her father’s stead, even agreeing to help him pen his memoir. But as his memory continues to steadily decline, taking his ability to write along with it, Hillary must assume the responsibility of writing her father’s memoir herself. But what side of the story does she present- the story her father has told to his adoring fans for years? That of a loving father and husband? Or does she portray her father as only his close family knows him, and by doing so, reveal his truth but sever her relationship with her father forever?
“What We Both Know” is the dark and disturbing new novel from author Fawn Parker. Dark family secrets, and whether or not to reveal them to the world, lie in the hands of a bitter and neglected daughter, torn between the love of her family and the truth.
This story has been compared to “My Dark Vanessa”, in regards to its subject matter, but that, in my opinion, is where the similarities stop. The writing has a very strange style and format (intentional, however still very distracting) and it made the novel difficult to read. Punctuation and grammar were intentionally done incorrectly, and the storyline jumped back and forth with no specific distinction.
Hillary is a likable enough character, and as her family’s dark secrets reveal themselves, the reader can’t help but empathize with her. The novel centres on Hillary and her taut relationship with her father, referred to in the novel as “Baby” (which is uncomfortable and disconcerting in its own right). There are a few other characters that make an appearance (such as Hillary’s estranged mother, and an adult female who appears to be either Baby’s past love interest or Hillary’s current one?) but they simply serve as background.
This novel had a lot of promise, and Parker appears to have the talent, but the writing style, meant to be “hip” and “creative” was challenging. The plot did not flow well, and Parker did not really provide any solid conclusions to any of the plot lines (I was never a fan of “Choose Your Own Adventure” novels. I do not want to make up my own ending with my own assumptions). However, this novel will definitely appeal to readers who are braver than I and are willing to take the chance with a strange writing style.
Read
April 26, 2025DNF @ 18%. Not for me.
Not connecting to the melancholy writing.
Not connecting to the melancholy writing.
April 22, 2022
I don't understand all the confusion around the protagonist calling her father "Baby"—it's explained in the first forty pages!
April 22, 2022
I recommend it
January 27, 2025
DNF at 30%
I seem to be on a roll with picking books that sound amazing but then the writing goes nowhere. Case and point with this book. I could not understand where this story was going or what the characters were about. It was directionless rambling. Next!
I seem to be on a roll with picking books that sound amazing but then the writing goes nowhere. Case and point with this book. I could not understand where this story was going or what the characters were about. It was directionless rambling. Next!
May 17, 2022
Upsetting content! Solid book though. I’m losing my mind at some Goodreads reviews being like “why is the dad called Baby” when it’s blunt subtext but also like, distinctly explained in-universe why his nickname is Baby. Anyway, Baby’s a bummer of a person (obviously) but the narrator Hillary is also just so self-effacing and woeful in the beginning, that it’s like, girl, I know life sucks but you gotta get your shit together. But as the novel continues, her feelings on her own inadequacy and how she puts these thoughts together in her inner monologue make it very clear that her paranoia and self-doubt all stem from her father. The heavy subject matter makes for a challenging read and I had to take some breaks from it. It’s hard to spend so much time in this woman’s head but it does make the fleeting moments of comfort and triumph feel more powerful. The author is a Twitter mutual (still not 100% on that terminology but I think I’m using it correctly) and I'm spending less and less time on Twitter these days, but Parker is authentic and funny on there. So I guess I expected this to be a little bit funnier and while some parts made me chuckle it’s overall a pretty bleak affair. But I do wonder too if I were to ask her, she would say, “what are you talking about, I think the book is hilarious”. I could be wrong about that and I don’t want to put words in anyone’s mouth but I get the sense that there’s a giddy undertone behind the bleakness. At the very least her authentic voice endures, both in an online space and in her writing.
May 13, 2022
Thank you, Netgalley, for the arc!
It’s a no from me. (I did appreciate the Canadian aspects of it).
I was intrigued by the My Dark Vanessa premise, unnerved by most negative reviews on Netgalley and Goodreads. Given those, I wanted to give this book a fair shot but it didn’t have much going for it. I almost DNF’d but ended up just skimming through it.
I was detached from the protagonist with no real clue what was going on because the writing style felt vague and boring. I nearly fell asleep while flipping through the pages. I was about halfway wondering what the plot of the book was because it felt like nothing was happening.
The term “baby,” has never been a favourite of mine in a nickname sense and now I’m truly bothered by it (especially since she uses it for her dad, for some reason. I would’ve picked a different name because it was odd to read). Also, I don’t know if this was intentional or if it was because it was an ARC, but a lot of words were written in alternating case letters like “lAst night i sAw my mother.”
It’s a no from me. (I did appreciate the Canadian aspects of it).
I was intrigued by the My Dark Vanessa premise, unnerved by most negative reviews on Netgalley and Goodreads. Given those, I wanted to give this book a fair shot but it didn’t have much going for it. I almost DNF’d but ended up just skimming through it.
I was detached from the protagonist with no real clue what was going on because the writing style felt vague and boring. I nearly fell asleep while flipping through the pages. I was about halfway wondering what the plot of the book was because it felt like nothing was happening.
The term “baby,” has never been a favourite of mine in a nickname sense and now I’m truly bothered by it (especially since she uses it for her dad, for some reason. I would’ve picked a different name because it was odd to read). Also, I don’t know if this was intentional or if it was because it was an ARC, but a lot of words were written in alternating case letters like “lAst night i sAw my mother.”
September 13, 2022
If you like character-driven novels, you’ll like this one!
For me it was slightly slow, and the writing style took a while to get into (literary and stilted at times), and if you’re looking for something that gives you My Dark Vanessa Vibes, this is not it!
I did like the imagery, and getting into the psyche of Hillary, the main character, at times. I don’t think this will be my favourite from this author, but I am excited to see what Fawn Parker publishes next!
For me it was slightly slow, and the writing style took a while to get into (literary and stilted at times), and if you’re looking for something that gives you My Dark Vanessa Vibes, this is not it!
I did like the imagery, and getting into the psyche of Hillary, the main character, at times. I don’t think this will be my favourite from this author, but I am excited to see what Fawn Parker publishes next!
Read
May 3, 2022Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada and Netgalley for the eARC
This was recommended for people who loved My Dark Vanessa, and although I can see the similar themes, I feel like this comparison did this book a disservice. Didn't care for the writing or the characters even though the premise intrigued me from the start. Characters felt really flat and made if difficult for me to reach for this book. I ended up DNF'ing around half way.
This was recommended for people who loved My Dark Vanessa, and although I can see the similar themes, I feel like this comparison did this book a disservice. Didn't care for the writing or the characters even though the premise intrigued me from the start. Characters felt really flat and made if difficult for me to reach for this book. I ended up DNF'ing around half way.
April 22, 2022
This novel is fire!
I'm consumed, distracted and captivated. This author knows her craft and has created, to me, a literary model of perfection.
If I may compare writing style, I would contrast to Margaret Atwood, Elizabeth Strout, Marilynne Robinson. If you approach this book with the anticipation that it is similar with titles, such as My Dark Vanessa, as is headlined, you may be disillusioned. The style of this author's writing is on another level than that of others and may not be appreciated by fans of those of similar material. Whether this was created in 30 days or 30 years, it is just perfect in entirety. How will I go on and find another, of which the standard has been set so high.
Many, many thanks to the fabulous Canadian Author, Fawn Parker; the publisher and NetGalley for this striking read! Fantastic!
I'm consumed, distracted and captivated. This author knows her craft and has created, to me, a literary model of perfection.
If I may compare writing style, I would contrast to Margaret Atwood, Elizabeth Strout, Marilynne Robinson. If you approach this book with the anticipation that it is similar with titles, such as My Dark Vanessa, as is headlined, you may be disillusioned. The style of this author's writing is on another level than that of others and may not be appreciated by fans of those of similar material. Whether this was created in 30 days or 30 years, it is just perfect in entirety. How will I go on and find another, of which the standard has been set so high.
Many, many thanks to the fabulous Canadian Author, Fawn Parker; the publisher and NetGalley for this striking read! Fantastic!
June 26, 2022
It reminded me of the time I went to creative writing school and it came out that some of the profs were scummy men
July 22, 2022
A famous dad and a daughter who knows his secrets. She's trying to hide her father's tumble in to memory loss because she wants to write one more story. She wants to reveal who he really is. Because she's suffering a horrible loss, one that she blames him for and wants everyone to know. She wants to burn it all.
However, it's hard to get that from any of the story. It's written almost stream-of-consciousness fashion, which I don't enjoy. The MC is drowning, bouncing from one moment to the next trying to detangle her childhood and trying to understand it all. I could see what the story was trying to tell me but I just couldn't get pulled in or care enough
and the moment with the dog was absolutely awful.
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
However, it's hard to get that from any of the story. It's written almost stream-of-consciousness fashion, which I don't enjoy. The MC is drowning, bouncing from one moment to the next trying to detangle her childhood and trying to understand it all. I could see what the story was trying to tell me but I just couldn't get pulled in or care enough
and the moment with the dog was absolutely awful.
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
April 15, 2022
Very compelling. Complex, layered, dark and looming. The writing style is so singular. It deals with issues of narrative, perception, and truth with so much thought. The ending had my heart pounding. What an excellent book.
July 21, 2022
I loved pretty much everything about this book. I’m a big fan of Parker’s prose and play with ‘reality’. WWBK very effectively illustrates the absurdity of attachment to men who have spent a lifetime hurting people, and the near impossibility of severing such an attachment when all you have is the slipperiness of your own memories. It also explores the tragedy of something we might call the Canadian Literary Scene™️ and it’s bizarre pillars.
I’m not sure why other reviewers are unclear about who Baby Davidson is, I thought the background behind the father’s name, and why Hillary chooses to use it, were both clear and compelling.
I haven’t read My Dark Vanessa, but I thought about this book as a kind of inversion of Coetzee’s Disgrace.
Happy reading!
I’m not sure why other reviewers are unclear about who Baby Davidson is, I thought the background behind the father’s name, and why Hillary chooses to use it, were both clear and compelling.
I haven’t read My Dark Vanessa, but I thought about this book as a kind of inversion of Coetzee’s Disgrace.
Happy reading!
July 25, 2022
Incredible book. Had me saying—with tears streaming my down cheeks—“wow fuck” and “oh shit” over and over again… a distinctly devastating take on bourgeois family values, memory, and the evil banality of The Business and its men.
December 13, 2022
Hillary Greene has always lived under the shadow of her father. The important and serious novelist Baby Greene. Herself a flailing author, for how do you pursue writing when your father looms so large in public consciousness?
When Baby's memory starts to fade faster and faster, Hillary has to move in to care for him, a power shift that he shockingly easily allows. A secret that they keep from everyone but his closest companions. When she finds his journals she has an idea. She can write his memoir. Under the guise of his own pen.. She can show the world a side to Baby that only his family experienced.
As she struggles through daily tasks to keep Baby occupied, to keep publishers at bay, she starts to write and unravel the series of events that lead to her sister, Pauline's death. To figure out if her father is to blame.
There is a lot implied and not really shown in this novel. I think comparing it to My Dark Vanessa is a disservice. We definitely are reading about power dynamics, and potential abuse, but we never quite get the answers that Hillary or we need to get closure.
It's much more successful when you consider it in the vein of a novel like Devil House by John Darnielle. Where we are implying the malevolent nature of non-fiction. The lies that get pushed as fact, and the narrative voice as truth teller. The limitations of documentation. The loss of perspective. The holes in memory. The way we implicitly show our bias in our interpretation of history.
As someone who has a number of older members of my family dealing with memory loss, I found the most powerful moments to be the day to day with a loved one who is feeling life slip away from them.
I really struggled with the violence against animals that really came out of nowhere. I struggled to sympathize with Hillary after that moment.
I also don't know why Toronto stories always have a protagonist who likes to hold their piss in, but it seems like an in-joke I don't really get.
Thank you to NetGalley and McLelland and Stewart for an ARC of this title.
When Baby's memory starts to fade faster and faster, Hillary has to move in to care for him, a power shift that he shockingly easily allows. A secret that they keep from everyone but his closest companions. When she finds his journals she has an idea. She can write his memoir. Under the guise of his own pen.. She can show the world a side to Baby that only his family experienced.
As she struggles through daily tasks to keep Baby occupied, to keep publishers at bay, she starts to write and unravel the series of events that lead to her sister, Pauline's death. To figure out if her father is to blame.
There is a lot implied and not really shown in this novel. I think comparing it to My Dark Vanessa is a disservice. We definitely are reading about power dynamics, and potential abuse, but we never quite get the answers that Hillary or we need to get closure.
It's much more successful when you consider it in the vein of a novel like Devil House by John Darnielle. Where we are implying the malevolent nature of non-fiction. The lies that get pushed as fact, and the narrative voice as truth teller. The limitations of documentation. The loss of perspective. The holes in memory. The way we implicitly show our bias in our interpretation of history.
As someone who has a number of older members of my family dealing with memory loss, I found the most powerful moments to be the day to day with a loved one who is feeling life slip away from them.
I really struggled with the violence against animals that really came out of nowhere. I struggled to sympathize with Hillary after that moment.
I also don't know why Toronto stories always have a protagonist who likes to hold their piss in, but it seems like an in-joke I don't really get.
Thank you to NetGalley and McLelland and Stewart for an ARC of this title.
April 29, 2022
What We Both Know follows Hillary Greene, the daughter of the famed Canadian writer Baby Davidson, encharged with writing his memoir as his mind deteriorates from Alzheimers. Coping with the loss of her sister to suicide and dealing with her ailing father while trying to parse his life together, Hillary is faced with the traumatic flooding of memories and feelings of growing up with a father like Baby, and the impact he had on Hillary's sense of self, her perception of her family and her sister Pauline's existence in the middle of it all.
Sold as a book for readers of My Dark Vanessa and in lieu of the #MeToo and Time's Up movements, this book was not what I was expecting. I was anticipating more of a look into Baby's life and his perverse and prosecutable actions but it really came down to being about those that stand outside these atrocities, those who have to look in on those that have done the harm and those that have been on the receiving end of it. Having this perspective and showing the budding means of information grow as Hillary goes deeper into her memories made this quite an uneasy read, leaving me asking questions about things that didn't end up being answered or receiving answers to questions I didn't even think about in the first place. As much as I didn't like not knowing the nitty gritty details of certain things, especially about who Pauline REALLY was and what happened behind closed doors, I think the nuance or lack of information suited the narrative perspective really well and helped flesh out Hillary's own character identity and development throughout her learning and writing process alongside caring for the man who slowly becomes an even bigger monster than anticipated in her eyes. Seeing the way Hillary's mind .worked to try and deal with her unassessed trauma, especially through the use of significant trauma responses and intrusive thoughts was really interesting, if not completely disturbing, to delve into. At no point was this book comfortable but it left me wanting to dissect every word choice or anecdote to contextualize and round out each scene to something that was beyond itself (my English major brain really had a field day with this one). I can't say I necessarily enjoyed this, the same way I couldn't say it about My Dark Vanessa but in equally the same way, I feel that this book will remain in my mind for a very long time and will definitely be afforded a reread in the future, merely for trying to link the pieces together and see more into the dynamic of Hillary, Pauline and Baby that was kind of too jarring the first time around. Overall, this was a highly intimate, complex and intense read but one that I will definitely recommend in the future.
Thank you NetGalley and McClelland & Stewart for this arc in exchange for an honest review!
Sold as a book for readers of My Dark Vanessa and in lieu of the #MeToo and Time's Up movements, this book was not what I was expecting. I was anticipating more of a look into Baby's life and his perverse and prosecutable actions but it really came down to being about those that stand outside these atrocities, those who have to look in on those that have done the harm and those that have been on the receiving end of it. Having this perspective and showing the budding means of information grow as Hillary goes deeper into her memories made this quite an uneasy read, leaving me asking questions about things that didn't end up being answered or receiving answers to questions I didn't even think about in the first place. As much as I didn't like not knowing the nitty gritty details of certain things, especially about who Pauline REALLY was and what happened behind closed doors, I think the nuance or lack of information suited the narrative perspective really well and helped flesh out Hillary's own character identity and development throughout her learning and writing process alongside caring for the man who slowly becomes an even bigger monster than anticipated in her eyes. Seeing the way Hillary's mind .worked to try and deal with her unassessed trauma, especially through the use of significant trauma responses and intrusive thoughts was really interesting, if not completely disturbing, to delve into. At no point was this book comfortable but it left me wanting to dissect every word choice or anecdote to contextualize and round out each scene to something that was beyond itself (my English major brain really had a field day with this one). I can't say I necessarily enjoyed this, the same way I couldn't say it about My Dark Vanessa but in equally the same way, I feel that this book will remain in my mind for a very long time and will definitely be afforded a reread in the future, merely for trying to link the pieces together and see more into the dynamic of Hillary, Pauline and Baby that was kind of too jarring the first time around. Overall, this was a highly intimate, complex and intense read but one that I will definitely recommend in the future.
Thank you NetGalley and McClelland & Stewart for this arc in exchange for an honest review!
September 13, 2022
At the beginning of this book there is a page warning readers what they will find inside the pages. To me, I felt this gave away almost everything we would be reading about, like it gave the full plot away. As well, this was a dry, somewhat dull and plodding read for me. It's the very first book I've read of the 2022 Giller Longlist so I can't really say if this is going to be Shortlist material, but if it were based on my opinion I would say it's not.
September 5, 2022
I felt the pulse in the artery of my neck reading the last pages. Parker is a word witch
November 22, 2024
If you're looking for an intense novel that focuses on a woman trying to come to terms with her feeble father's (who happens to be a famous and well respected writer) lifelong transgressions towards her elder sister and mom, have I got a book for you. Not an easy read but one that will definitely stay with you for a long time.
April 21, 2022
As someone who didn't love "Dark Vanessa", I approached Fawn Parker's "What We Both Know" very cautiously. So I was thrilled to quickly learn that other than the shared plot of abuse, the books and their writing styles are very different.
Parker's writing is unique and incredible - and really made the story that much more than I had expected. The plot is all things - It's heartbreaking, beautiful, dark, and almost inspiring. I'll certainly be checking out Parker's other works very soon!
Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for the journey "What We Both Know" took me on!
Parker's writing is unique and incredible - and really made the story that much more than I had expected. The plot is all things - It's heartbreaking, beautiful, dark, and almost inspiring. I'll certainly be checking out Parker's other works very soon!
Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for the journey "What We Both Know" took me on!
May 16, 2022
Beautifully plotted & beautifully written. (I'm sorry, I hate writing book reviews. I just liked this book. You should read it.)
May 10, 2022
I loved this book! The writing style, the author's voice, the main character, the cover, the family secrets, the emotion, the dark vibes... everything. I will be looking for more from this author and talking about it on my YouTube channel soon!
April 19, 2022
thank you to netgalley and mcclelland & stewart for the e-arc!
this was certainly... a book. i like the premise a lot and i think the themes were very well chosen, but something about it in general just didn't work for me?? maybe it's the writing style? the complete lack of attachment to the protagonist as a result of the writing style?
i definitely see the merit in the novel but i don't know... just wasn't for me
this was certainly... a book. i like the premise a lot and i think the themes were very well chosen, but something about it in general just didn't work for me?? maybe it's the writing style? the complete lack of attachment to the protagonist as a result of the writing style?
i definitely see the merit in the novel but i don't know... just wasn't for me
May 16, 2022
A deeply disturbing, often disjointed and chaotic look at childhood traumas and how they shape adults into who they become. Family isn’t always there to protect you and when you get the chance will you protect them? Sad tale of a writer losing his memory and a daughter torn between writing her truths or his.
Thank you Netgalley for this arc
Thank you Netgalley for this arc
April 28, 2022
I'm not sure where to begin with this book, so I will start with the writing. Fawn Parker is a brilliant author. I cannot say enough about the beauty in their written word. This book discusses a lot of deep and emotional things that so many people will be able to relate to, yet Parker does so in a way where I was compelled to keep reading. The way Parker is able to establish each character's persona, I felt like these were real people, doing real things. Parker's writing is in a league of its own and is up there with the best writing I have ever had the pleasure of reading.
This book is marketed as "for fans of My Dark Vanessa" - which I really don't agree with fully, this book is so much more. I loved My Dark Vanessa, but this book, although yes, deals with sex with a minor/child, What We Both Know speaks to caring for aging parents, parental sexual abuse against a child, drunk driving, memory loss, body image, infidelity, suicide, and death. This all sounds very upsetting, yet while reading What We Both Know, the writing is absolutely beautiful where you are able to push through these topics (partly because they are discussed in "passing by" vs. in My Dark Vanessa where the sex and relationship are discussed in detail) and really get to the root of what is going on - the relationship between father and daughter, or lack thereof.
I really want to thank Penguin Random House Canada and Fawn Parker for the opportunity to read this ARC. This book moved me and captivated me. It left me thinking of it every day. I still think about the characters and how horrific the theme is, yet how stunning Parker's writing is.
This is a fantastic book that I will recommend. I also really loved that it was set in Toronto and the GTA. I love reading books that are set in my backyard.
What We Both Know has easily moved into the spot saved for my most favourite books.
This book is marketed as "for fans of My Dark Vanessa" - which I really don't agree with fully, this book is so much more. I loved My Dark Vanessa, but this book, although yes, deals with sex with a minor/child, What We Both Know speaks to caring for aging parents, parental sexual abuse against a child, drunk driving, memory loss, body image, infidelity, suicide, and death. This all sounds very upsetting, yet while reading What We Both Know, the writing is absolutely beautiful where you are able to push through these topics (partly because they are discussed in "passing by" vs. in My Dark Vanessa where the sex and relationship are discussed in detail) and really get to the root of what is going on - the relationship between father and daughter, or lack thereof.
I really want to thank Penguin Random House Canada and Fawn Parker for the opportunity to read this ARC. This book moved me and captivated me. It left me thinking of it every day. I still think about the characters and how horrific the theme is, yet how stunning Parker's writing is.
This is a fantastic book that I will recommend. I also really loved that it was set in Toronto and the GTA. I love reading books that are set in my backyard.
What We Both Know has easily moved into the spot saved for my most favourite books.
September 13, 2022
I didn't really like this. I'm not sure I can articulate precisely why. In a way the writing style seems dated to me - like Canadian fiction a couple of decades ago where everything was kind of dreamy and detached and there always had to be weird sex and incest somewhere. The main character is annoying - bumbling, insecure, indecisive - but I understand that she's entitled to be, given her past trauma. I do understand the reason for the father being called Baby, but it still icked me out and I can't make myself agree that it was a successful device. The synopsis I read made it sound like Hillary was going to make some big discovery in the course of trying to put the memoir together and then make a decision about what to do about it. None of this actually happened in the book - the knowledge seems to have always been there, and there isn't really any decision made about what to do. It was all annoyingly vague and foggy. Clearly it worked for a lot of people, just not for me. Oh, and the dogs - everything involving the dogs was off-putting, added nothing and made me sick. I am aware that much of this makes me sound prudish or strait-laced or stuffy, which I didn't think I was. Maybe I'm wrong.
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