Set in Oslo, Lovrenski’s episodic, fragmented novel follows four boys through their school days onto the streets into a life that will likely lead to an early death. It begins with Marco’s call to Ivor telling him one of the four has died. Ivor’s friendship with Marco goes back to their earliest school days when Marco had just arrived from Somalia. They’re bright boys, but by fifteen they’re carrying knives, dealing drugs and sampling the merchandise. Jonas is regularly beaten by his father while Arjan has ended up in institutional care, his drug binges frequently landing him in hospital. Four months after Marco delivers his shocking but unsurprising news, grief and remorse have led to a turning point.
Lovrenski tells the boys’ stories through Ivor, whose Croatian background he shares, delivering his narrative in brief vibrant fragments written in lower case with little punctuation and in a slang that takes some getting used to. It’s an arresting style and not an easy one but if, like me, you persevered with HBO’s The Wire, you’ll know that patience pays dividends. Ivor and Marco are like brothers, often tender with each other and protective of Jonas’s vulnerability. Ivor is twice poleaxed by grief, the death of his grandmother marking a change which leads him from misbehaviour into trouble. They’re persistently failed by a system that doesn’t understand them, repeating tired old adages and threats until, finally, delivering some plain speaking. It’s a tough but rewarding read, an intensely moving novel made more so by Lovrenski’s declaration: ‘I’ve seen them die, I’ve seen them live, but I’ve never seen their story told’. Kudos to Nichola Smalley for a fine translation which can't have been easy.

Teen addiction, difficult themes, fragmented narrative; this could have turned out terribly with all the risk present, but luckily with Lovrenski's wonderful craft and the translators' wonderful job, we have an interesting novel.
Ivor, Marco, Jonas and Arjan are only teenagers when they find themselves in world of addiction and criminality: pure chaos.
The themes and topics of migration, youth, disadvantaged backgrounds, and challenges of modern life are well told in this potpourri of a book with many layers and flavours.
It gave me glimpses and details of lives that I would otherwise know very little about.

Back in the Day is the coming of age story of two friends, Ivor and Marco. The story is told from Ivor’s perspective, and is set in Norway. He reflects on their eventful childhood and teenage years, alongside their friends Jonas and Arjan.

It’s written in what feels like a stream of consciousness, which feels very fitting, as it really encapsulates the intensity of adolescence. It’s a really compelling story, and covers some very challenging topics. But, there’s also a lot of humour throughout.

While the book is set in Norway, the writing style and slang used made it feel like it was set in the UK. I really enjoyed reading this, and I’m intrigued to read other books by this author in the future.

With thanks to NetGalley, Hamish Hamilton and Penguin for the ARC.

"how much death we gotta see before we get to live"

Oliver Lovrenski's debut novel is a coming of age story about three friends living in Oslo. At the age of thirteen they began dealing drugs and from there things escalated fast. Although one of them eventually wants to become a lawyer and settle down, their day to day life consists of addiction and crime. This story is a glimpse into how these boys navigate the challenges of growing up in the outskirts of Oslo.

This book really surprised me. I didn't read too much into what it was about just that it was a coming of age story based in Norway. There are so many ways in which this story being told is unique and impactful.

It's told in almost like a stream of consciousness which was the perfect way of experiencing each character's point of view. Their raw portrayal of trauma and addiction will stick with the reader. Although it addresses some serious themes there is a lot of humour between the pages as well.

Reading this you would think you were reading about the lives of boys living in the UK through the slang language that is used, this element is one of many that makes this story feel that much more real.

I really enjoyed reading this book, there were many memorable moments both tragic and funny. A unique read that I would definitely recommend.

#netgalley

Back in the Day is an unflinching, razor-sharp portrayal of life on the margins, told through the eyes of teenager Ivor and his tight-knit crew: Marco, Jonas, and Arjan.

Living in the heart of inner-city Oslo these boys are intelligent, but by fifteen they’re carrying knives, dealing drugs and sampling the merchandise - caught in a relentless spiral of violence, drugs, desperate choices. Their disillusionment runs bone-deep.

They’ve been failed by every adult in sight. The parents are uninterested, the police are not trusted, and child welfare is powerless. The world has turned its back—and yet, amid the wreckage, there’s love. Fierce, chaotic, and unfiltered. Love for each other, for their grandparents, for fading memories of better times, and the fragile glimmer of something more.

These lads are raging against a system that abandoned them before they ever had a shot. They’re grasping—for affection, for family, for identity, for any scrap of power they can claim in a world that offers them none.

There’s a brutal, aching honesty in this short read. Lovrenski—himself born in Norway to Croatian parents—brings an unmistakable authenticity to this debut. It bleeds with emotion and experience, blurring the line between fiction and memory.

The novel is told in a breathless, stream-of-consciousness style, veering into what feels like drug-induced delirium at times. The slang is thick, the language gritty—it took me a while to find the rhythm (or maybe I’m just showing my age!)—but once you tune in, it crackles with energy. That raw, chaotic prose perfectly mirrors the intensity and unpredictability of these boys’ lives.

Back in the Day isn’t an easy read, nor should it be. It’s a gut punch. Savage, soulful, and unafraid to dwell in the darkest corners of adolescence. And yet, somehow, it still manages to glimmer with humanity and hope.

Back in the Day is due for publication April 17th. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.