Reviews with content warning for Sexual harassment - Beartown

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Beartown by Fredrik Backman

81 reviews

telsreadingjournal's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

There are not enough words to describe how much I love this book! It was both heart wrenching and heart warming. All the characters are relatable in some kind of way. Fredrik Backman's writing style was new for me, but I absolutely loved it. The beginning was slow but once it picked up I couldn't put it down.

Would highly recommend!

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sarahmichelle30's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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sofiacristinaa's review against another edition

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emotional reflective tense slow-paced

3.5

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aprilyvonne's review against another edition

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dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“Beartown” by Fredrik Backman was an emotional and gut-wrenching read. It’s also an important one when it comes down to the themes it reveals. I still feel emotionally exhausted after reading it. I plan to finish the series eventually; I’m just not sure how quickly I can jump into the next one yet.

“Beartown” might at first glance seem to merely be a hockey story, but it’s so much more than that. It’s about human nature and all the ugliness that it entails such as toxic masculinity, rape culture, discrimination, homophobia, domestic violence, alcoholism, poverty, classism, etc. Yet, somehow, the novel also offers glimpses of love, joy, happiness, pride, friendship, family, community, and standing up for what’s right. That’s what helped me continue reading. I was angry enough I needed answers, but I was anxious the entire time. If it weren’t for those heartwarming moments, I don’t know if I could’ve read it as easily.

Thankfully there are a lot of characters that made the book work, and I’ll carry a special place for Maya, Ana, Amat, and Benji especially when I think back. The tragic elements of the plot was difficult and readers should check with the triggers before pursuing it.

Overall, I’m glad I read the novel and Backman remains one of my favourite authors. I just need a happier book to read next to help repair my poor heart. ♥️📚

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syracia's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
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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annabelle42688's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective fast-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

5.0

A heartbreaking story.

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rileyharrell's review against another edition

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adventurous dark medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

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sjanke2's review against another edition

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dark emotional sad tense 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

4.0

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youcancallmefi's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

I knew I was going to love this book despite having mixed reactions and ratings for the two previous Backman’s I read. I was promised a gut wrenching, heavy read with the whimsical writing that is a brand of the author and it really was all of that and more.

I am so happy to have picked this up on a cold rainy day in November as I think this added so much to the reading experience. I really don’t want to dwell on explaining the plot – likewise with 𝚃𝚘𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚛𝚘𝚠 𝚡 𝟹, doesn’t really matter if you’re not into games or this case, sports/hockey.

I am not exaggerating when I say want to read this book again and again and have my heart stomped in the cold snow of a forest in Sweden on a torturous loop. At the same time, I want to read the sequel, I want to prolong the feelings I still have after finishing ʙᴇᴀʀᴛᴏᴡɴ.

The prologue of this has to be the most gripping one that I have ever read. I am not sure how to explain the feelings that came rushing out of me whilst reading such a succinct but powerful paragraph. You know straight away something horrible happened from the star, so the atmosphere is charged and sinister through out the whole book but the ride…. oh, the ride.

Despite so many characters, they are so well fleshed out and three dimensional, and all of their collective voices contribute to the plot without drowning it or making it shallow. They are also from different age gaps and I am so at awe how the author has a grip on understanding humanity and all it’s complexities and how distinct their voices are here.

I adored the pacing of this, which I think it’s the first time you will hear me saying this. I felt very much as I was whilst reading ᴀ ʟɪᴛᴛʟᴇ ʟɪғᴇ - that aching but sweet pain of a slow pace that often makes you pause to come out for air. And then you reach to that epilogue, that astonishing powerful epilogue, jumping from character to character so masterfully done, without being confusing.

Through this, I felt immerse in the surroundings like I was at the hockey rink, in the police station, in the woods, drowned in the blankets of my room. Being from a small town myself, I could relate to the collective hysteria when something happens, the judgement but also the uplifting side of a community itself.

I can’t really be objective whilst reviewing this as it was so emotional and due to the heaviness of the subjects that it approaches. I felt often sad, hopeful, sometimes happy, lost but always moved.

This will always be the book I would love to have written myself.

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yulecogs's review against another edition

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emotional sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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