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j_nell'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
5.0
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Death, Forced institutionalization, Dementia, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Medical trauma, and Car accident
shaleen64'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
4.0
If you want an easy read, that’s still emotional in all the right ways then Ove’s story is a must read.
Graphic: Suicide
Moderate: Homophobia, Miscarriage, Medical content, Car accident, and Pregnancy
Minor: Cancer, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, and Sexism
stephintoadventure'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
4.0
Moderate: Violence and Suicide attempt
Minor: Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Miscarriage, and Physical abuse
craftysnailtail's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I'm also fairly convinced that Backman has never met a cat before in their entire lives. A cat that licks steering wheels passive aggressively, happily wears socks, and calmly sits on bar stools in cafes they've never been in before was so out of left field. The rest of the book is very realistic, so the cartoon cat threw me in every scene they were in.
The use of similes to describe every single disgruntled expression this man has ever had in his life drove me mad as well, but that's clearly a personal writing style preference, so to each their own.
The overall message of the book is... nice. And I think it gives the reader a nuanced perspective of what it's like to be a senior that society seems to have given up on. But the road to get there was gritty and uncomfortable. I mean I was rooting for Ove getting what he wanted for the vast majority of the book because it felt like his right to make that decision. At least I appreciated the ending, though. I don't think it's a book I would recommend to friends, but it was different from other books I've read recently, so that made it worth it for me in the end.
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Cancer, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Infertility, Miscarriage, Racism, Terminal illness, Xenophobia, Dementia, Car accident, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Fire/Fire injury
riordanfan'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
5.0
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Grief, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Death, Fatphobia, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Ableism, Cancer, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Homophobia, Miscarriage, Terminal illness, Pregnancy, and Outing
sydblount's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Child death and Pregnancy
Minor: Domestic abuse
animaniac17's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Animal cruelty and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Body shaming, Cancer, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, and Miscarriage
gladosisreading'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
5.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Death, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Miscarriage, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Cancer and Infertility
Minor: Domestic abuse
Everything is handled in a sensitive and thoughtful way, and nothing is gratuitous.britbreeze's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Suicide attempt
Moderate: Death, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
Minor: Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Miscarriage, Dementia, and Car accident
sejw's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Suicide attempt
Minor: Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Miscarriage, and Car accident