2025 Reading Challenge discussion

This thread is to discuss What I Know About You by Éric Chacour.

Pages: 224 pages

Length: 1 month (November)

Participants: Lorraine, Valerie

Everyone reads at their own pace during a Buddy Read. Because participants can be at different parts of the book at different times, it is extremely important to mark spoilers so that the book is not ruined for someone who is not as far along as others!!!

Mark spoilers by placing {spoiler} before the text and {/spoiler} after the text but use the < and > instead of the { and }.

Hi Lorraine, planning to start this one at the end of next week, around the first November. Does that work for you?

That would be perfect! I look forward to it. We are hearing a lot about this book here. Very good things.

Wow! I just finished Part 1, Toi (You), and I’m blown away. I can’t believe this is the author’s first book! The language is so easy to follow, and the characters really come alive. I didn’t notice any of the rough edges you often find in a debut novel. (view spoiler)[ At first, I wasn’t sure who the narrator was, but eventually, it became clear that it was someone we’d learn more about later. When I finally met the narrator at the end of Part 1, it was a complete shock—I’m surprised I didn’t see it coming! I’m totally hooked and will probably read the rest in one sitting because I need to know what happens next… (hide spoiler)]

I’m about halfway through part 1. He’s certainly a very assured writer considering it’s his debut. His prose is quite sparse and precise, almost without emotion, which seems to reflect well the rather disconnected relationship that Tarek has towards his life. I’ll read your spoiler when I finish this part.

Valerie wrote: "I’m about halfway through part 1. He’s certainly a very assured writer considering it’s his debut. His prose is quite sparse and precise, almost without emotion, which seems to reflect well the rat..."
I like your comment about his prose almost being without emotion. Quite true. Interesting that even with that I was having lots of feelings towards Tarek.

The way it’s written makes it seem that Tarek is observing his life rather than actually living it. Very skilfully done.

Well wow indeed! I hadn’t intended to finish part 1 tonight but I couldn’t stop reading. What a change of pace, and so I definitely didn’t see either of the twists at the end of this part coming. Very impressed and can’t wait to find out where this is going next.

Lorraine wrote: "Wow! I just finished Part 1, Toi (You), and I’m blown away. I can’t believe this is the author’s first book! The language is so easy to follow, and the characters really come alive. I didn’t notice..."
I thought the narrator was Tarek talking about himself so it was even more of a shock to me! I suspect it won’t take me long to finish this book either, although I’m out with friends tomorrow evening (one of my reading circles - we will be eating pan de muerto, drinking hot chocolate and discussing Circe so probably take me longer than you (ha ha),

Finished. A really wonderful book, I was worried the second part wouldn’t be as gripping but it was even though in a different way. I really liked the fact that the meeting at the end was left hanging so we are left with Rafik’s recreation of his father without knowing if or how that meeting might have altered the version we are given. And it is left to our imagination what happens next which in this case works well. A great suggestion, Lorraine, let’s hope he has more than one book in him!

One of my friends met Eric Chacour at a book signing, where he shared that he envisioned his book to have a musical quality and be structured like the Shakespearian tragedy Romeo and Juliet. While I’m not sure I fully sensed this aspect, I agree with you—the book is truly wonderful.

I love everything about this book, even the ending. As you mentioned, we’re left with questions about the future of this relationship, which adds depth to the story. I was especially impressed by Rafik's maturity—when he learns about his father's homosexuality, he doesn’t dwell on it but focuses on understanding who his father is as a person. This approach creates a powerful story about love in a country where homosexuality is oppressed. By choosing not to center on that struggle, the author lets the story speak purely about love and connection.

A few weeks ago, La Presse, a provincial newspaper, published a list of what authors and book critics consider the 25 classic Québécois books. Eric Chacour was among the twenty-five, as was Dominique Fortier. I’ll check the list to see which titles have been translated into English or Spanish and send it your way. Let’s see if we can find another gem!

More information: Éric Chacour, who works in the banking industry, is the author of Ce que je sais de toi, published in January 2023. The book has garnered several literary awards, including the Femina des Lycéens and the 2024 Prix des Libraires de France.

The writer admits that this first book took him at least 15 years to write, and he is uncertain when he’ll publish a second one.