Borrowed Memories

Finalist for the 2020 Guernica Prize for Fiction.

In the midst of the Arab Spring's upheaval, Borrowed Memories unravels a tale of shifting identities and the profound impact of memory. Meet Ivan Pyefinch, a freelance translator seeking solace in the Thousand Islands as he tends to his aging parents, Horace and Aida. Horace, a former World War II pilot, fights to reclaim his driver's license, while Aida grapples with the relentless advance of Alzheimer's. Their borrowed time is both a burden and a gift, and Ivan is determined to make the most of it.

Enter Mia Hakim, an immigrant filmmaker from Quebec with a penchant for other people's memories and an unyielding quest for her Sephardic roots. When she seeks Ivan's help in translating her scenario for a research trip to Tunisia, the collision of their worlds becomes inevitable. As Mia unexpectedly arrives at the Pyefinch home on the eve of Remembrance Day, a family health crisis sets in motion a profound narrative that explores the intricacies of love, loss, and the perennial search for identity.

Praised by the Guernica jury as "an evocative and nuanced story," Borrowed Memories immerses readers in Ivan's poignant journey. His ambivalence and longing, caught between the echoes of his parents and the enigmatic Mia, create a captivating internal odyssey.