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mbrogs2024'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
3.75
Moderate: Death, Suicidal thoughts, Cancer, Medical content, Bullying, Suicide attempt, Body shaming, Cursing, Death of parent, Grief, Terminal illness, and Pregnancy
Minor: Violence and Homophobia
katlinstirling_reads'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? N/A
4.0
Pick at Bookclub
Graphic: Death of parent, Car accident, Cursing, Cancer, Fire/Fire injury, Suicidal thoughts, Pregnancy, Suicide attempt, Animal cruelty, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Self harm, Terminal illness, Medical content, Miscarriage, Child death, Chronic illness, and Death
froggoz13's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Suicide attempt and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Death, Death of parent, and Car accident
Minor: Homophobia, Violence, Fatphobia, Xenophobia, and Domestic abuse
purpleseals'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: Suicide attempt, Medical trauma, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Child death, Grief, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Animal death, Death of parent, Excrement, Death, and Cursing
geminisoul'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
5.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Blood, Cancer, Car accident, Child death, Grief, Infertility, Miscarriage, Dementia, Fire/Fire injury, Suicidal thoughts, Death, Death of parent, Suicide attempt, and Terminal illness
aj9moon'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
Graphic: Death of parent, Suicide, and Animal cruelty
Minor: Homophobia
shellsbookclub'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? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Suicide attempt and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Death, Miscarriage, Death of parent, Dementia, Car accident, Child death, and Grief
allydee's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Pregnancy, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Death, Terminal illness, Miscarriage, Homophobia, Fatphobia, Chronic illness, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Forced institutionalization, Death of parent, Car accident, Cancer, and Body shaming
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: Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Death, and Grief
Minor: Fatphobia, Dementia, Fire/Fire injury, Infertility, Xenophobia, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Miscarriage, Racism, Ableism, Animal cruelty, Car accident, Cancer, Chronic illness, Terminal illness, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
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, Domestic abuse, Cancer, Drug use, Terminal illness, Outing, Pregnancy, Homophobia, and Miscarriage