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booksbyleen's review
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- 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
shura187's review
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.0
Not sure how to describe it my feelings. Even though it explores pretty heavy themes it was definitely a good book, the style of writing played a major part in this.
hannahthomnoble's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
meaghanjohns's review against another edition
4.0
"Anything that grows closely enough to what it loves will eventually share the same roots. "
4.5 stars. One of Fredrik Backman's strengths is his ability to write a wide spectrum of characters with deep empathy and understanding. He humanizes each and every character - the heroes, the villains, and those who fall somewhere in the middle. This is a particularly useful skill to have with a novel like Beartown, where the cast of characters within the small town is spread far and wide.
I won't say any more about the plot other than emphasizing that while at the outset this novel appears to be "about hockey", it's about so much more. It's about sports culture (the good, the ugly, and the very, very bad), but it's also about people and community and gender and family and courage and love and fear and all the ways, big and small, in which we hurt each other and try to make amends.
While this novel took me a little longer than I would have liked to get into it, I soon moved from a walk to a jog and then finally an ignore-everything-else-and-stay-up-til-3am run to the finish line. By the end of it, Backman found his way onto the list of my very favourite authors.
4.5 stars. One of Fredrik Backman's strengths is his ability to write a wide spectrum of characters with deep empathy and understanding. He humanizes each and every character - the heroes, the villains, and those who fall somewhere in the middle. This is a particularly useful skill to have with a novel like Beartown, where the cast of characters within the small town is spread far and wide.
I won't say any more about the plot other than emphasizing that while at the outset this novel appears to be "about hockey", it's about so much more. It's about sports culture (the good, the ugly, and the very, very bad), but it's also about people and community and gender and family and courage and love and fear and all the ways, big and small, in which we hurt each other and try to make amends.
While this novel took me a little longer than I would have liked to get into it, I soon moved from a walk to a jog and then finally an ignore-everything-else-and-stay-up-til-3am run to the finish line. By the end of it, Backman found his way onto the list of my very favourite authors.
kdickerson38's review against another edition
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
Powerful and thought-provoking; an emotional roller coaster; heavy but important topics and themes (SA, morality, toxic masculinity, loyalty, ambition, small town communities, and family/friendship values); great character development- I
fell in love with so many of them; obsessed with Backman's writing style and storytelling, as always; was totally engrossed in this story.
This one (like many from this author) will stay with me.
Favorite Quote: "If you are honest, people may deceive you. Be honest anyway. If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfishness. Be kind anyway. All the good you do today will be forgotten by others tomorrow. Do good anyway."
btniitz's review
challenging
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
timelapse's review
medium-paced
- 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