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heim_weh'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
4.5
This book feels a lot like Ove, except darker despite the blatantly fairy tale facade. It’s so sad and funny at the same time. It’s not meant to be realistic I guess, but the heart in the story is real enough to make me love these characters.
‘Who teaches us to be normal when we’re one of a kind?’ I think Elsa would appreciate this quote from Legion. It’s a bloody good show.
Minus half a star because of how juvenile it can seem at times.
Also, please don’t feed dogs chocolate or cinnamon buns or cake mix.
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Bullying, War, Death, Animal death, and Violence
sharkqueen22'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? N/A
5.0
I recommend this book to anyone
It's such a heartwarming book about grief through a child's life
Moderate: Alcoholism, Grief, and War
eliz_sock's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Grief
Minor: Infidelity, Violence, War, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Death of parent, and Death
sea_tea_books's review against another edition
4.0
It was interesting how each character evolved, their backstories slowly unraveled in bits and pieces, through stories and fairy tales.
[Audiobook: I thoroughly enjoyed Joan Walker's narration of the audiobook. I probably would have DNF if it weren't for her storytelling.]
Graphic: Animal death, Pregnancy, Stalking, Violence, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Alcohol, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Addiction, Alcoholism, Mental illness, and Toxic relationship
Minor: War and Murder
kickitupanotch7's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Violence, and Animal death
Moderate: Cancer, Death, Alcoholism, Grief, and Pregnancy
Minor: Bullying, War, and Abandonment
fluture'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? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Bullying, and War
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Abandonment, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Blood, and Cursing
Minor: Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Kidnapping, Alcohol, Animal death, Drug use, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Stalking, and Toxic relationship
ridesthesun's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
No one's all shit, and no one's all not-shit
Graphic: Death, Grief, and Animal death
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Alcoholism, Mental illness, Bullying, Stalking, and Addiction
Minor: Cancer and War
corriejn's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.75
The last book I'd read by this author was "Beartown" and this one is wildly different, which speaks to his versatility.
Graphic: Death of parent, Bullying, Cancer, Pregnancy, Stalking, Alcoholism, Animal death, Domestic abuse, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Terminal illness, Child death, Death, Medical content, and Mental illness
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Violence, and War
Minor: Sexism, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Infidelity
hmetwade's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Alcoholism, Blood, Death, Infidelity, Animal death, Bullying, Car accident, Mental illness, War, Cancer, Cursing, Death of parent, Stalking, Terminal illness, and Pregnancy
thestorydoer's review
- 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
The book follows a 7-year-old girl Elsa, and I must say, it is impressive to have the narration feel like the lens of a child, and not have it be incredibly annoying. This girl makes sense of the world through the fairy tales which her grandmother had given her as she grew up, and it permeates as the main narrative style throughout the entire book. It turns out all the fairy tales her grandmother had told, which seem fantastical, were based on real human beings.
And that's something I love about Fredrick Backman. He portrays the elderly people with flaws which feel immensely relatable, but also quite unique to the elderly. He leaves no character untouched, as each character feels so deeply layered, it's quite hard to keep track of.
Each story has its place in the story, and it's quite a talent to pack so much story into something digestible and not overly expositional. However, I'm afraid that because there is so much stuff, it's quite difficult to keep track of it all. So many stories are so intertwined, there are some occasions where a story could come up and it takes a couple backtracks to remember exactly which story the event is a part of. That, I believe, is the only flaw in this book. It's a major flaw, but it doesn't detract completely from the rest of the story. Because at the core of it, every sub-plot is a different expression of the same story. That's why each story feels like it belongs.
Overall, an excellent and beautifully written book which has a lot to say. So much, it'll probably need a re-read in the near future. 4.25/5
Graphic: Grief, War, Stalking, and Death
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Domestic abuse, and Child abuse