Reviews tagging 'Mass/school shootings'

The Winners by Fredrik Backman

70 reviews

mmccombs's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

3.0

So this book was basically exactly the same as the other two, so I should have loved it, but mostly I felt over it by the time I was only halfway through. It had the usual good writing, good characters, and bonkers domino effect of a plot, but this one felt especially over-the-top, repetitive, and long. Every bad thing that hadn’t already happened in the first two books happened in this one, and it wasn’t exactly compelling. When I finished Us Against You, I was like “ah ha! These towns have finally remembered the power of hockey and friendship!” And then this book was like, “hm, no, let’s make it much worse but in a way that doesn’t feel as natural as it did before!” There were quite a few bits where I was hit with a feeling of Deja-vu, where it seemed I was reading the same exact scene/inner character thought I had earlier in the book. I just couldn’t stay as interested and the drama was just too much, so for that reason the simpler, more down-to-earth (if still cheesy) character work I loved so much in the first two books felt a bit lost.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Murder, Mass/school shootings, Animal death, Death, and Grief

Moderate: Fatphobia, Child death, and Racism

saatkinson's review

emotional sad

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence and Mass/school shootings

Minor: Homophobia and Rape

specklethecrow's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

I cried so hard and want to erase this from my mind just to reread it again

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Rape, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Animal death, Bullying, Cursing, and Mass/school shootings

Minor: Suicide

aprsch's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

• 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

5.0

The final book in the Beartown trilogy, The Winners continues the story of the team and the town. Backman's style of writing is clearly his own, and brings the characters so beautifully to life. I felt for these characters as if they were people in my own life. I smiled and cried over their experiences. Backman did a fantastic job of wrapping things up in a way that felt complete - there were no cliffhangers or loose ends. I felt satisfied that I was given everything I needed to know, even if some of the things I was given were hard to receive. These books have become new favourites that I will encourage everyone I know to read, and I can't wait to read more of Backman's other books.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Rape, and Homophobia

Moderate: Alcoholism, Murder, and Mass/school shootings

segreene111's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring sad medium-paced

• 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

4.5

Was this book as good as the first two? No. Did it still wreck me completely and gut me from the inside out. Absolutely.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence, Rape, Animal death, and Mass/school shootings

fireflyhollow's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Murder, Suicide, Xenophobia, Gun violence, Sexual assault, Miscarriage, Sexual violence, Mass/school shootings, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Drug abuse, and Rape

Moderate: Alcoholism, Alcohol, and Animal death

emalillah's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Death of parent, Blood, Grief, Cancer, Gun violence, Violence, Terminal illness, Outing, Drug abuse, Addiction, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, Racism, Mass/school shootings, Homophobia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Murder, Mental illness, Suicide, Hate crime, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Car accident, Animal death, Panic attacks/disorders, Death, Chronic illness, Alcoholism, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Drug use, Child death, and Bullying

felicityjoy's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Mass/school shootings, Sexual assault, Death, and Animal death

tatih's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring medium-paced

• 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

5.0

Backman manages to capture the beautiful, terrifying complexity of the human experience in every book he writes. The Beartown saga is a must read, and these folks and this town will stay with me for years to come.

*it takes me so long to finish his books because I savor them. I never want them to end, but am always so satisfied when they do.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mass/school shootings

rewo's review

adventurous dark emotional inspiring reflective 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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Sexual violence, Mass/school shootings, Grief, Rape, Violence, Sexual assault, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, Murder, Gun violence, Emotional abuse, and Drug use