You Will Love What You Have Killed

Kevin Lambert’s debut novel presents a surreal narrative set in Chicoutimi, Quebec, where the boundary between life and death dissolves. The story follows several young victims of arbitrary violence and senseless murder who return to their school after being killed. These characters explore their sexualities and monitor the sins of adults while plotting apocalyptic retribution. The text weaves together distinct perspectives, including Faldistoire, whose grandfather believes he is a ghost, and Sylvie, whose mother summons storm clouds for witch’s justice. Sebastien’s father hides dark designs behind a respectable facade, while Croustine receives slippers made from his dead family dog. Lambert, described as one of the most celebrated and controversial writers from Quebec in recent memory, uses these elements to critique the adult world. The novel draws on gothic and supernatural traditions, featuring small graves dug under the eyes of toads in a cemetery. This work suits readers who appreciate darkly comic, surreal fiction that challenges conventional morality. It may not appeal to those seeking straightforward realism or gentle narratives. The narrative structure shifts between these young victims as they move through their undead existence, targeting grown-up sins with vengeance. Lambert’s writing style blends horror with satire, creating a unique atmosphere where tragedy and absurdity coexist. The book examines themes of violence, justice, and the supernatural through the eyes of those who have died unjustly.