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elise0405's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
And I think it’s important to say that the writing stile is … something… something that some readers will love and some readers will find theatrical/overdramatic and insufferable. I like Fredrik Backmans writing stile a lot but I understand that its not everyones cup of tea… and If this ist the first book of this author you consider and you wanna find out if his writing style is something for you, then this is NOT the best book to start with .
You probably will have to push though the first fifth of the book, and there are other books in which you can get a proper sense of his writing a lot quicker. If you like those, its worth coming back to this one and waddle your way through the first sixteen chapters.
I almost gave up in those first chapters because the characters (especially the real estate agent and London) seemed so incredibly flat and cartoonish… I wanted to scream and slap London across the face.
But I am so glad I didn’t.
It got better and I grew really fond of most of the characters.
You get a first impression of many different characters that all seem weird or eccentric and then bit by bit learn about their background and what causes them to act like they do now, their traumas and storys layer by layer (like an onion) until their actions (kinda) make sense. This is very typical for Fredrik Backman and I really enjoy his characters and how beautiful he captures the way we all try our best and still fuck up and hurt people.
Graphic: Mental illness
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Gun violence
Minor: Alcoholism
grace_lynn08's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Suicide, and Homophobia
Minor: Emotional abuse
kitausu'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
4.0
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Suicide
Moderate: Alcoholism and Emotional abuse
radfordmanor'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? It's complicated
4.25
Moderate: Addiction, Child abuse, Grief, Suicide, Alcoholism, Child death, Emotional abuse, Suicide attempt, Bullying, Death, Death of parent, Murder, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic relationship
onemamareads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Gun violence and Kidnapping
anotherreadingnook'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
5.0
I think that this is the kind of book that comes to you at the right time. If you feel some sort of anxiety at the moment, it could feel cathartic to read about Backman's colorful characters go through their own fears throughout life, have doubt with how deserving they are of their place in the world and those around them, and watch them be comforted and affirmed by others who feel the same. It's safisfying to see them work through their own will to stop paying attention to their fears to the point of never wanting to feel anything, in order to reach out to those who feel like they have no choice but to jump.
I laughed (aloud) as much as I cried while reading this. The premise is just NUTS and the dialogue so effective in its comedic delivery. If the scenes here were scenes in a TV show I would have paused every now and then just to laugh.
Though there are some parts that might be predictable, personally I still had some jaw-drop moments at some of the reveals. I'm amazed at how a ridiculous hostage drama was narrated throughout the book that you don't quite understand how the whole thing happened until the end. I liked how it all ended up tying together.
Graphic: Suicide, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, and Grief
Moderate: Bullying, Death, and Emotional abuse
dana_kuku'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
4.75
Graphic: Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Toxic relationship, and Death of parent
Minor: Addiction, Blood, Bullying, Cancer, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Drug abuse, Grief, Gun violence, Homophobia, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Self harm, Sexism, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, and Death of parent