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7.99k reviews for:
My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry - Target Club Pick
Fredrik Backman, Fredrik Backman
4.12 AVERAGE
7.99k reviews for:
My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry - Target Club Pick
Fredrik Backman, Fredrik Backman
4.12 AVERAGE
It took me three starts on this one! And then I loved it--got lost in it. Hooray for Backman and a great translator!
This is the most heart felt, real life interpretation mixed with a child's fairy tale point of view. I laughed and I most definitely cried like I haven't in forever. Elsa captivated my heart and soul. She made me feel her every hurt, frustrated, anger and sorrow moment. You go on an extraordinary journey that will leave you looking at the world in a a new way.
It can't be a complete year without a Fredrik Backman book. It took a while for me to finish this one, and there are reasons.
First of all, I was close to DNFing this book at so many points. The thought of doing that to Backman was eating me up. This book was difficult for me to get into at first because it started feeling like a children's book and the characters were just coming left, right and center. The fact that I'm used to realism was another factor. But I kept going and the story started grabbing my attention.
First of all, I was close to DNFing this book at so many points. The thought of doing that to Backman was eating me up. This book was difficult for me to get into at first because it started feeling like a children's book and the characters were just coming left, right and center. The fact that I'm used to realism was another factor. But I kept going and the story started grabbing my attention.
Having a grandmother is like having an army. This is a grandchild’s ultimate privilege: knowing that someone is on your side, always, whatever the details. Even when you are wrong. Especially then, in fact.
In his constant amazing style of writing, Fredrik Backman takes us through the life of almost 8-year-old Elsa, who goes on an adventure trying to deliver letters to people at her grandma's request. We get to see how various characters have been affected by Elsa's grandmother in the past secrets which Elsa wasn't aware of. I didn't know this was the prequel to Britt-Marie Was Here, and I was surprised to find out she was once a ‘terrible’ person.
The mightiest power of death is not that it can make people die, but that it can make the people left behind want to stop living...
AHHHHHHHHHH.
where does a person start? (the beginning?)
so, the concept? heartwarming. emotions? definitely there. plot? so-so. writing? so-so. characters? 12858392/10.
I didn't much care for the story less than halfway through. but i needed to know if mum got a letter. so i kept reading. and i kept reading. and i felt like i dragged myself through the book to only have a few moments where i really felt something. the last100 pages i was absolutely dreading picking it back up again because i just didn't care anymore
and then.... 70 pages left.
and a character i was determined to hate got a redemption arc.
a mother without any children got a hold one.
an uptight character revealed why they are who they are.
situations i didn't expect took a turn for the worse.
people who previously were turning elsa aside started reaching out to her.
we learned about the others, and their stories, and their relevance to granny's and each other's lives.
people admitted their mistakes, overcame their fears, and forgave each other.
I didn't really like the book. I don't think I'd recommend it. But the ending made the entire book worth it.
I cannot wait to read Britt-Marie's novel.
where does a person start? (the beginning?)
so, the concept? heartwarming. emotions? definitely there. plot? so-so. writing? so-so. characters? 12858392/10.
I didn't much care for the story less than halfway through. but i needed to know if mum got a letter. so i kept reading. and i kept reading. and i felt like i dragged myself through the book to only have a few moments where i really felt something. the last100 pages i was absolutely dreading picking it back up again because i just didn't care anymore
and then.... 70 pages left.
and a character i was determined to hate got a redemption arc.
a mother without any children got a hold one.
an uptight character revealed why they are who they are.
situations i didn't expect took a turn for the worse.
people who previously were turning elsa aside started reaching out to her.
we learned about the others, and their stories, and their relevance to granny's and each other's lives.
people admitted their mistakes, overcame their fears, and forgave each other.
I didn't really like the book. I don't think I'd recommend it. But the ending made the entire book worth it.
I cannot wait to read Britt-Marie's novel.
Good, but not Beartown or Ove good. Also, the translation of this book was rough and that made the reading feel choppy.
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
I picked this up randomly at an airport bookstore and I'm glad I did it because I really enjoyed this book and found it incredibly heart-warming. You kind of know what it's going to be like the entire time, but it doesn't make it any less enjoyable and there's still plenty of surprises. My only real complain is Elsa's age. She really shouldn't be seven... I get that the story wouldn't really make sense if she was any older (unless she was super immature) but it just doesn't feel right and it's more annoying than funny. I can think of a few ways the author could've reconciled an older Elsa with the plot of the story but can also see why he wouldn't... Still, an incredibly lovely story and after watching the movie based on "A Man Called Ove" I think I might probably read more of Fredrik Backman...
adventurous
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
medium-paced