Reviews with content warning for Sexism - Beartown

Reviews tagging 'Sexism'

Beartown by Fredrik Backman

211 reviews

sisulake18's review against another edition

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challenging funny hopeful sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

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twistykris's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

"What an uncomfortable, terrible source of shame it is for the world that the victim is so often the one left with the most empathy for others."

What an absolutely heartbreaking read. This book is about hockey, but it's also about people and how they react to terrible events that shape their town. So many moments left me with a deep ache in my heart. Both for the terrible event itself, but also for the way the town (children, and adult men and women) reacts. It's all too familiar as a woman growing up in this world; we are the victims, and yet we are to blame.

"She already knew that the world is a cruel place for a girl. Her parents couldn't imagine that this could happen, but Maya simply hasn't expected it to happen to her."

'Fucking men ! YOU'RE the problem! Religion doesn't fight, guns don't kill, and you need to be very fucking clear that hockey has never raped anyone! But do you know who do ? Fight and kill and rape? [...] MEN ! It's always fucking men!"

Like some, I found the beginning to be rather slow. There was a lot of character establishment and exposition of the town politics and overall setting the scene, but future readers: do not be put off by it. It's important information and besides, it's beautifully written. Backman does a fantastic job of telling a story using repetition, foreshadowing, and switching POVs, to show each character's story leading up to and following the tragic event.

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thequack's review against another edition

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challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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deargloria's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

4.25

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jenmcreads's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

This book feels like a quiet scream, and it will certainly be sticking with me for a while. I think that Fredrik Backman's third-person omniscient narration which jumps from person to person regularly was uniquely well suited to this exploration of not just one incident of rape but of rape culture and the way the entire town is complicit in the difficulties the victim faces seeking justice. The characters in this felt very real, and Backman did an excellent job shading their conflicting motivations and morals. It is rare to find such a large cast each so individually compelling. I listened to the audiobook which I found to be excellently narrated. I look forward to the rest of the trilogy.

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