I wasn't sure whether I would enjoy this book, after requesting an ARC from Net Galley - a story about a boy from his younger days to his coming of age, it's not particularly the type of story I would usually choose.

But I enjoyed it. Andrev has quite a chaotic childhood, with seven father figures coming and going from his life - his real father only appears in the final few pages. Living in Sweden, Andrev moves from home to home, as his mother starts and finishes relationships at speed. Money is always tight, and many of the relationships are abusive and controlling, causing Andrev's mother to move on.

7 chapters, 7 father figures. It's written in a stream-of-consciousness way, going from one subject or situation straight into a different one in the next sentence. This can take you by surprise at the start, but it gives the impression that you are listening to the author talk, rambling on, and dipping in and out of stories, as we are all wont to do when talking.

Sad and heartbreaking, yet warm and funny in equal parts.

“Once upon a time, I had seven dads in seven years. This is the story of those years.”

Bloody Awful in Different Ways tells the story of a young boy named Andrev, who grows up surrounded by various father figures. This narrative captures vivid snapshots of Andrev’s childhood, portraying a free-spirited mother who “accidentally” attracts different men, along with Andrev’s journey of self-discovery.

The novel is divided into seven chapters, each named after one of Andrev’s father figures, using the names he creates for them: The Plant Magician, The Artist, The Thief, The Priest, The Murderer, The Canoeist, and The Indian.

Many of the men his mother becomes involved with are controlling or abusive. Despite the serious themes explored in the book, Waldon’s wit and childlike positivity shine through, balancing the sadness with humour. Andrev is curious and observant, and I enjoyed reading his insights about the world.

Some parts of the book are genuinely funny, showcasing Waldon’s talent as a writer. The translation is excellent; I often forgot I was reading a translated novel because the humour came through so clearly. “When it comes to hate, I’m still on my L-plates, but I’m starting to get really good at it.”

“A few dads ago, that would have puzzled me, but now it’s beginning to dawn on me that dads are like the weather and growing pains. You don’t choose when they start or end. Not even moms have any immediate influence over their presence—they just arrive, and you have to dress appropriately or grit your teeth. They always pass.”

Waldon masterfully balances the sadness of his home life with humour. I believe many people would enjoy this book; it’s a gem of a read and one I would recommend.

Bloody Awful in Different Ways is out now. Thank you to @netgalley and @penguinfigtree for my early review copy!

“I still don’t know how dads begin and end, but if this is a dad, then I reckon he’s just begun.”

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This one’s a strange mix in the best way. Seven-year-old Andrev finds out his dad isn’t his dad, and suddenly it’s seven years, seven different father figures. The voice feels real—sharp, awkward, and sometimes heartbreakingly innocent. Some parts wander a bit, but there’s always something that pulls you back, whether it’s a gut-punch moment or a laugh you didn’t see coming. It’s messy, human, and worth the ride.

'I don't know how dads begin and end, but I'll soon come to realize that the boundaries of the family are loose and that dads can percolate in and out in just a short time'.

This is a memoir of having seven dads in seven years. The notion sounds as farcical as it does tragic. Growing up in a chaotic household, with his mother and sometimes half siblings, Adrev tries to make sense of family, the men in his life, as well as his ever-changing circumstances. It's a coming of age, articulated in a sardonic tone that often belies the author's tumultuous experiences. 'It turns to summer and with it comes a new dad...A few dads ago, that would have puzzled me, but now it's beginning to dawn on me that dads are like the weather and growing pains. You don't choose when they start or end'.

A very unique and well written memoir. Each chapter covers a new, aptly nicknamed, father: Plant Magician, Priest, Thief, Canoeist (to name a few) and highlighted with a few key points of their time together, articulated in the same droll tone.

Although you often don't know whether to laugh or cry at the author's predicaments, I can see why it was an award winner.

'One day I'll write about this in a book, at which point I'll marvel at which images the brain chooses to retain and which it dispenses with'.

Sadly had to DNF this one as I read an ARC on kindle and it seemed to jump round all over the place and sadly didn’t make sense. Not sure if that was due to it not being a physical copy or the style of the book.

Bloody Awful in Different Ways is the emotional, self-biographical story of Andrev - a boy questioning his identity who has 7 fathers in 7 years.

A coming of age story that captures well the sheer wonder and awkardness of childhood and teenage years. First love (or lust), friendships, intimate relationships, messy family dynamics and questions on masculinity. A story of missing fathers, brief fathers, mean fathers and even the fathers we choose.

I found parts of Andrev's story deeply sad and others incredibly funny. I was cringing one moment and enjoying heartwarming moments in the next.

While the writing was reminiscent of some of my favourite Swedish authors, I felt the pacing would lull at some sections where I wanted the story to move faster. I would recommend if you enjoy emotionally charged family dynamic stories.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin UK for the opportunity to read this arc.

Childhood spent with a free spirited mother who has bad taste in men. Seven fathers in seven years, they come and go.

Bloody awful in different ways is a masterclass of tackling somewhat difficult material with humour and brevity.

Chronicling 7 years of his life, the trials and tribulations of a boy going through regular upheaval and handling the changes with almost stoic calm at times.

We meet 7 of his dads, starting with The Plant Magician, and we later find out this is not his actual biological dad, just one he’s borrowing temporarily.

It gets quite dark at times, but Andrev has a real skill for handling this material, and as someone who went some of the same stuff at around the same age, I can say with certainty that it feels very true to life and, despite what’s happening on the page, keeps you engaged and begs you to read on.

I think this book will stay with me for a long time. It was really well written and I loved the writers writing style. This book was both heart wrenching, emotive and darkly funny and I couldn't put it down.

Equally touching and witty, Bloody Awful in Different Ways is the story of a boy learning about life, love and men.
Andrev has an authentic voice and adorably tells how he perceives the experience of seven fathers. Faters?
The prose is stylistic, the plot, a bit lacking, and the overall feeling, 3.5 stars.

Bloody Awful In Different Ways - actually bloody brilliant in different ways.

I was hooked from the opening when it's Christmas day in 1983 and following an explosive row, 7 year old Andrev finds out his father is not actually his father.

What follows is the chronicles of a boy who has 7 fathers in 7 years, who learns that men appear and a new dad is on the scene again "I never see how it starts - all of a sudden he's just there."

It worms its way into your heart "I still think I'd like to have a dad, and preferably my own" and its difficult to put down. I loved the prose and nothing is lost in translation. Vivid and punchy and witty and just so real.

I highly recommend this chaotic and furiously funny, darkly tragic, yet heartfelt and hopeful novel, that reads like a true story.

I'll be thinking about Andrev for a long time.

5 stars and nothing less for this little gem!

Wow, what a read! Although his childhood is hardly straightforward, this is anything but a misery memoir. Andrev Walden writes beautifully about growing up in Sweden with a variety of men as father figures, and it’s a hugely readable and often very funny account interspersed with some real shocks. Walden manages to portray everything very much through a child’s eyes and you can really feel his emotions when he talks of his experiences, both light and heavy, with family and friends. The pacing and language are superb and I raced through it. Highly recommended.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy in return for an honest review.

Bloody Awful in Different Ways by Andrev Walden is a sharp and strangely tender novel, told through dry, witty humour - even when it touches on heavier themes. I loved the brevity of the chapters and the clever tone throughout, which made it easy to read in short bursts. That said, I personally didn’t connect with it as deeply as I hoped to. It felt more like observing from a distance than being fully pulled in. Still, it’s unique, well-written, and definitely worth a your time.

Funny, sad, slightly confusing.....
I felt a lot of reading this.
You can only imagine how our young narrator felt living it.
It's one of those books not quite like anything you've (probably) read before.

Sometimes you read a book and think, "That was good." Then the next day, you pick up another one and realise, if that one was good, this is absolutely brilliant. Bloody Awful in Different Ways is one of those books. What a debut.

There is humour woven through the serious moments. The dark and difficult is softened by the unmistakable, honest lens of a child’s worldview. It’s simple, but sharp. A truly powerful coming-of-age story. The language is a joy. The characters spring to life through their nicknames. You can almost hear one speaking in the next room, see another moving through the kitchen, and in some moments, you can absolutely relate to how one dad is replaced by the next.

Through a child’s eyes, Walden captures an upbringing full of awkward, bittersweet, and sometimes hilarious moments. Some scenes will make you laugh out loud, others leave a quiet weight in your stomach. But the distance created by the child’s perspective keeps it from becoming too heavy. Instead, there’s a certain innocence, a stripped-back, charming view of the world.

I loved that every new father figure got a nickname. There is so much reading joy when a story is this raw, open, and still light in tone. In the end, it reads almost like a love letter to mothers. The writing is spot-on, no sentence feels wasted. A story about the everyday, told in a way that makes it anything but. Originally written in Swedish by a Swedish author, and I have to say: add this to your TBR now!

This unusual tale follows the domestic adventures of 7 year old Andrev, whose "Christmas present" in 1983 is to discover that man whom he thought was his father is not actually his biological father.

Not only does the boy hear this revelation shared by his mother with a degree of equanimity, he displays surprising maturity with respect to the succession of fathers who follow in the next few years, entering and departing the lives of the boy and his mother with some speed - yet with each of them leaving an impact (not always positive...)

A small book with a big theme, this book tells the story of one boy, while bringing alive an era. Worth reading, it gets 3.5 stars.