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sophie1_xox's review against another edition
funny
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Summary
Witty characters, cracking humour, intriguing plot - this is a book you don't want to miss! The characters are unique, impactful, relatable, and fascinating. The plot was captivating, intriguing and provided enough support to really allow the characters to flourish. A bit of a slower pace of book but listening to the audio really allowed me to slow down myself and stop trying to guess everything that was happening at every second.
Characters
These characters were absolutely wonderful! The distinction in the accents from the narrator was brilliant and really helped to sell the personality. I felt like I knew them just from hearing the words "How's Trix?". Backman did an excellent job distinguishing them all and, to an extent, presenting them as caricatures whilst still providing them with aspects that made them super relatable. There is not one person in this book that you will not be able to make a single connection with.
My personal fave was Zara. Her bluntness and how she twists her conversations with her therapist around were just genius! Spent lots of time laughing out loud with this book.
Plot
My favourite part of this whole book was how interconnected all the characters were. The links between the man on the bridge and the police officer, Zara, and Zara's therapist. The way they all shared bits of each other. The fact that the bank robber was a woman! That one was super interesting because I still felt sympathy when I has assumed it was a man which, in most cases, women committing crimes feel like they gain more sympathy than men. I felt that the entire book was wonderfully well written with brilliant comedic lines that I am definitely going to use in my day-to-day life. Specifically, that wonderful quote: "If the grass is greener on the other side, it's probably full of shit". Don't know if Backman came up with that or just adapted it but I haven't heard it before and adore it!
My only downside with this book was that it tended to be a bit on the slow side and once the plot had resolved, my interest tended to tail off a little bit.
Overall
This is definitely a book that I wouldn't recommend to everyone. The focus on the characters and their relationships was perfect for me, however if you go into it expecting intrigue and suspense, that's not what you'll get. The characters bounced off each other brilliantly and the excellent one liners reminded me a lot of Pratchett. The subtle morals were brilliant in helping the book not feel preachy whilst also leaving you feeling satisfied and happy at the end. Wonderful book - 4.5 stars from me.
Witty characters, cracking humour, intriguing plot - this is a book you don't want to miss! The characters are unique, impactful, relatable, and fascinating. The plot was captivating, intriguing and provided enough support to really allow the characters to flourish. A bit of a slower pace of book but listening to the audio really allowed me to slow down myself and stop trying to guess everything that was happening at every second.
Characters
These characters were absolutely wonderful! The distinction in the accents from the narrator was brilliant and really helped to sell the personality. I felt like I knew them just from hearing the words "How's Trix?". Backman did an excellent job distinguishing them all and, to an extent, presenting them as caricatures whilst still providing them with aspects that made them super relatable. There is not one person in this book that you will not be able to make a single connection with.
My personal fave was Zara. Her bluntness and how she twists her conversations with her therapist around were just genius! Spent lots of time laughing out loud with this book.
Plot
My favourite part of this whole book was
My only downside with this book was that it tended to be a bit on the slow side and once the plot had resolved, my interest tended to tail off a little bit.
Overall
This is definitely a book that I wouldn't recommend to everyone. The focus on the characters and their relationships was perfect for me, however if you go into it expecting intrigue and suspense, that's not what you'll get. The characters bounced off each other brilliantly and the excellent one liners reminded me a lot of Pratchett. The subtle morals were brilliant in helping the book not feel preachy whilst also leaving you feeling satisfied and happy at the end. Wonderful book - 4.5 stars from me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Mental illness, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Gun violence
Minor: Vomit and Pregnancy
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