Reviews tagging 'Domestic abuse'

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

110 reviews

lumorise's review

emotional hopeful 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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Miscarriage, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Forced institutionalization, Dementia, Car accident, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent

Moderate: Body shaming, Cancer, Car accident, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Domestic abuse and Homophobia

anspringel's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-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

4.0

I had to force myself to continue reading till 50% of the book because I couldn’t see where the plot was going and Ove’s character was too radical and fictional in my opinion and the emotional connections between different characters seemed unreasonable and confusing.
So I’d say the first half is slowe-paced and the second half is fast-paced
I decided to put the book aside but it only lasted a day since I got worried what will become of the cat and to be fair the dullness of first-half made me curious about the second half of the book (cuz there must be something that has made it so popular) 
And it was worth it (But ngl I didn’t drop tears as some other reviews I read)
I really enjoyed the writing style. Many users pointed out the fat-phobia of the narrator, but the narrator is also speaking of Ove’s POV and express his emotions and attitude, which is angry and fastidious towards everything. Also having an Iranian woman (Parvaneh) between characters was so exciting and representing! The second half of the book is like the last 15 minutes of an emotional movie where everyone gathers and happily ever after (It really does depend on your definition of happily ever after tho!) 
In general: I do recommend this book (unless you’re looking for something exciting and easy-read) but won’t overhype it cuz you might also find it hard to reach the half and find the connection of characters not so easy to digest

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Miscarriage, Grief, and Car accident

Minor: Cancer, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, and Homophobia

victoriousbookworm's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny reflective medium-paced

• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Ableism and Cancer

Minor: Domestic abuse and Homophobia

spootilious's review against another edition

dark emotional funny 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

4.0

 

I finished this book hours ago and I haven’t really been sure what to say about it. 

 

I am happy to be reading a book originally written in another language again, knowing there really aren’t enough in my reading circles, or advertised, now days. I’ve missed their feel, their cadence. There is something comforting about knowing that someone’s story is being shared with you even if you couldn’t hold a conversation…. Something heartwarming about knowing that no matter the barrier we all experience things similar, especially remorse, grief, and sorrow. 

 

A started A Man Called Ove only one week after someone very dear to me and my family passed away. Someone who I could not help but make parallels to. Going into the novel, I knew nothing of what it was about, only that it came highly recommended. Looking back at it now, I can certainly understand why. 

 

I won’t lie and say that the book was as good as everyone told me it would be. The start was very sluggish, and the cadence took some getting use to. Nothing really happened throughout the book, its more of a slice of life of a man trying to find his place in life after his wife paces. 

 

It was depressing… and moving… funny… and heartbreaking. 

 

Overall, it was delightful, and I am very glad I had a chance to experience it at such a time in my (and my family’s) life to really appreciate how our very own Ove had changed our lives.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Terminal illness, Dementia, and Car accident

Minor: Animal cruelty and Cancer

madeleineelr's review against another edition

emotional funny reflective 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Miscarriage

Minor: Ableism, Domestic abuse, and Homophobia

zerkleoflife's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted 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? Yes

4.0

BEAUTIFUL story! And it was told really well. It tugged the heart strings in ways I didn’t imagine. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Miscarriage, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Domestic abuse

julia207's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Miscarriage

Minor: Domestic abuse and Homophobia

abbystevenson's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Cancer, Child death, Homophobia, Miscarriage, Grief, Car accident, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Domestic abuse

nancydavis's review against another edition

emotional inspiring 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Miscarriage, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, and Terminal illness

Minor: Body shaming

tiemzahra'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? Yes

5.0

Can a book be dark and touching but at the same time hilarious and light-hearted? Yes, and it is A Man Called Ove. My third Fredrik Backman, and the charm is still there. Ove was a bad-tempered old man, and in his neighbourhood, he was known as a bitter neighbour. One day a chatty young couple and their family moved next door and somehow managed to be involved with Ove’s life.

Ove reminds me a lot of Sheldon Cooper. He had an unchanged principle, had strict routines, intolerable most of the time. Backman’s characters I’ve read so far were flawed this way, but somehow I developed soft spot for each one of them. The same I did with Ove. Behind his grumpiness, lied a hidden story. 

I love and pitied Ove intensely. For the harshness he conveyed on the surface, he's very caring, especially towards

his late wife. I have predicted before it's revealed that the wife was already gone, and that's the whole reason why he was trying to commit suicide. His only colour in life has gone. I applauded he's still trying to live though, still helping people in his own way. I cried when he finally died.

Of an old man in a modern world, of an old man who lost his colour in life. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Grief, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Miscarriage, Forced institutionalization, Dementia, and Pregnancy

Minor: Body shaming, Cancer, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Sexism, and Terminal illness