Hey Princess

Like Simon Gärdenfors’ 120 Days of Simon, Jonsson’s American debut is a youthful autobiography focused on sex and drugs and rock ’n’ roll; well, OK, sex against a backdrop of the other two. Named after a 1990s Swedish indie hit, it records Jonsson’s randy early twenties, from February ’93 to June ’99—that is, from the middle of college to the world of full-time work. When he hasn’t got a girl, he’s miserable; when he does, he’s only fleetingly happy. He hooks up quick; not much dating (as opposed to flirting/hitting-on) before scoring for him, though he does accept just sleeping together as relatively lengthy prelude/foreplay. Clubs and indie festivals are his stalking grounds, though meeting the next lady is usually accomplished through friends. Although he can seem depraved, especially as drawn in the brutal-but-cute style he practices, which resembles those of such American women cartoonists as Lynda Barry, Jonsson’s no worse than most of his mates, better than some. His is an oddly refreshing story of raffish youth, pretty thoroughly amusing. --Ray Olson