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micaelamariem's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I’ve always been a fan of the sentimental so this book struck a chord with me. It evokes all the feelings, from laughter to tears. While the book is about a bank robbery gone wrong, it’s really about the people involved in this hostage scene and about people in general. Looking into each person’s mind and heart, Backman makes a point on how messy life is and how idiotic we all can be, and calls us as readers to have empathy for our fellow humans.
I also enjoyed the drama of it all, though. For two thirds of the book I really wasn’t sure who the bank robber was and if they’d catch them or what was going to happen. I liked the plot twists told through a nonlinear timeline that kept me reading beyond the sentimental parts and the idiotic humorous parts.
Overall, a fantastic beautiful read and a reminder that we’re all going through something, but it gets a little better if we have each other’s backs.
Graphic: Addiction, Death, Death of parent, Suicide, Alcohol, Suicidal thoughts, Confinement, Infidelity, Classism, Blood, and Pregnancy
scmiller's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Alcohol, Death, Death of parent, Classism, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide
Moderate: Pregnancy and Alcoholism
Minor: Drug use, Addiction, Terminal illness, Chronic illness, Dementia, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Lesbophobia, Homophobia, Physical abuse, and Racism
haileyhardcover's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Death, and Grief
Moderate: Drug use, Drug abuse, Addiction, Classism, and Pregnancy
Minor: Blood, Panic attacks/disorders, Cancer, Alcohol, Dementia, Death of parent, and Sexism
juicelessjamie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Minor: Classism, Death of parent, and Suicide
fantaiil's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I love his words, his characters and how he makes me cry while talking about humans and their inability of saying, what they want to say.
This book is about love, despair, kids, dumb choices, pizza, love, marriage, kids and their parents, money, capitalism, love and a bridge. It's about the connection between people and the irrational things we do, when we feel emotions that are to big to describe.
Backman is a magician. A magician of words and sentences and making one feel and cry and laugh and feel once again.
I wish, I could buy this book a thousand times and gift it to everyone I know.
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, Panic attacks/disorders, and Mental illness
Moderate: Death, Kidnapping, Self harm, Murder, Blood, Violence, Grief, Addiction, and Abandonment
Minor: Homophobia, Toxic relationship, Lesbophobia, Alcohol, Classism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Toxic friendship, and Gun violence
chasingpages1's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Grief, Death, Confinement, Suicide attempt, Gun violence, Death of parent, Alcohol, Suicide, Kidnapping, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Mental illness, Pregnancy, Panic attacks/disorders, and Bullying
Minor: Alcoholism, Classism, Dementia, Gaslighting, Drug abuse, Infidelity, Drug use, Addiction, and Blood
aliyachaudhry's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Mental illness, Alcohol, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, Death of parent, Grief, Gun violence, Blood, Classism, Kidnapping, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, Suicidal thoughts, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Lesbophobia and Addiction
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders and Xenophobia
kato_dg's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Alcohol, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Grief, Pregnancy, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Drug abuse, Drug use, Terminal illness, Classism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Blood, Domestic abuse, Violence, Death of parent, and Mental illness
sierrabowers's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I would compare this book to “Normal People” but more funny. Still depressing though.
Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Cancer, Suicidal thoughts, Gun violence, Addiction, Alcohol, Drug use, Suicide attempt, Abandonment, Blood, Classism, Pregnancy, Mental illness, and Suicide
minskiwho's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Suicide
Moderate: Addiction, Classism, Grief, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, and Mental illness
Minor: Infidelity, Domestic abuse, and Excrement