Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.42 AVERAGE
4.42 AVERAGE
medium-paced
In this sequel to Beartown, we return to the aftermath of what happened in the first book. We continue following some characters like Maya & her family, Ana, Benji, Amat, and Bobo, as well as meet some new ones including a new hockey coach, Elizabeth Zackell, who I wish I could channel her energy as she is essentially the opposite of my emotional self and I respected her character so much…Fredrik Backman’s writing is just one of a kind - plot aside there’s just so many insightful gems in this book - it’s guaranteed to make you feel something.
This one was easier for me to get into than the first as I already knew the characters and it jumps right back in where you left off in book one. Honestly, I hope they teach these books in school one day - it’s tough content, but portrayed in such a beautiful and raw way. Backman really just finds those tiny little moments that all humans feel and can relate to, and then exposes them in a way that is truly masterful. Just wow. Some of my favourite quotes below.
“Benji knows that grief and anger can reprogram a brain like chemicals and drugs do.”
“It’s impossible to measure love, but that doesn’t stop us coming up with new ways to try. One of the simplest is space: how much space am I prepared to give the person that you are so that you can become the person you want to become?”
“It’s hard to care about people. Exhausting, in fact, because empathy is a complicated thing. It requires us to accept that everyone else’s lives are also going on the whole time. We have no pause button for when everything gets too much for us to deal with, but then neither does anyone else”
“Anxiety. It’s such a peculiar thing. Almost everyone knows what it feels like, yet none of us can describe it.”
“It’s so easy to think that what we post online is like raising your voice in a living room when it’s actually more like shouting from the rooftops. Our fantasy world always have consequences for others peoples realities”
“Our spontaneous reactions are rarely our proudest moments. It’s said that a person’s first thought is the most honest, but that often isn’t true. It’s often just the most stupid. Why else would we have afterthoughts?”
“Death does that to us, it’s like a phone call, you always remember exactly what you should have said the moment you hang up. Now there’s just an answering machine full of memories at the other end, fragments of a voice that are getting weaker and weaker.”
“Life is a weird thing. We spend all our time trying to manage different aspects of it, yet we are still largely shaped by things that happen beyond our control.”
This one was easier for me to get into than the first as I already knew the characters and it jumps right back in where you left off in book one. Honestly, I hope they teach these books in school one day - it’s tough content, but portrayed in such a beautiful and raw way. Backman really just finds those tiny little moments that all humans feel and can relate to, and then exposes them in a way that is truly masterful. Just wow. Some of my favourite quotes below.
“Benji knows that grief and anger can reprogram a brain like chemicals and drugs do.”
“It’s impossible to measure love, but that doesn’t stop us coming up with new ways to try. One of the simplest is space: how much space am I prepared to give the person that you are so that you can become the person you want to become?”
“It’s hard to care about people. Exhausting, in fact, because empathy is a complicated thing. It requires us to accept that everyone else’s lives are also going on the whole time. We have no pause button for when everything gets too much for us to deal with, but then neither does anyone else”
“Anxiety. It’s such a peculiar thing. Almost everyone knows what it feels like, yet none of us can describe it.”
“It’s so easy to think that what we post online is like raising your voice in a living room when it’s actually more like shouting from the rooftops. Our fantasy world always have consequences for others peoples realities”
“Our spontaneous reactions are rarely our proudest moments. It’s said that a person’s first thought is the most honest, but that often isn’t true. It’s often just the most stupid. Why else would we have afterthoughts?”
“Death does that to us, it’s like a phone call, you always remember exactly what you should have said the moment you hang up. Now there’s just an answering machine full of memories at the other end, fragments of a voice that are getting weaker and weaker.”
“Life is a weird thing. We spend all our time trying to manage different aspects of it, yet we are still largely shaped by things that happen beyond our control.”
the story has an almost chanting aspect where things are repeated. not sure if i just noticed it in this book.
i love all of the characters esp benji
i love all of the characters esp benji
This is becoming a favorite series of mine. I have fallen in love with this town and these characters. I have seen people saying they couldn’t get into this because they aren’t a “sports person”, but this isn’t just a book about sports. Yes, there is a lot of hockey, but it’s about more than that. Yes, I love Fredrik Backman but he deserves every ounce of it!! He is such a talented storyteller, and a powerful writer. I was left speechless so many times during this book at how well Backman writes about how complex the human experience is. He is honest, even if its hard or dark. I love the messages he got across throughout this book, and my heart felt so much because of it. I was feeling all the emotions and all the hurt. I will read everything he writes, forever. And I can’t wait to see how this series concludes, I need this town to have some GOOD!! I wasn’t planning on finishing this today, but I just genuinely couldn’t get enough. Amazing.
Well, Backman did it again. Characters I love carried into a second book that I’m once again sad to leave! This book may be focused on hockey but really, it’s about the people. One may argue too many storylines/big issues for one year but I argue that he pulls it all together in a way that made me not want to put it down!
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Alrighty folks this one still broke me but not quite as deeply. The imagery. The foreshadowing. The betrayal. The heartbreak. The mystery. The anguish.
Highlights:
Things I think are hilarious:
Highlights:
- Elysia (sp? I audiobooked it) escaping preschool so much they have to start letting her go
- Sune starting an ice rink preschool what the fuck that’s iconic
- The Zhakel gender reveal
- Vidar telling Benji “you’re our f**”
- Leo being such a chaotic 12 year old ugh I love him
- Zhakel being soooo autistic god she’s incredible (very Temperance Brennan)
- Benji literally living out a plotline from pretty little liars????
- Very interesting dichotomy between characters Fredrik chooses to name versus identify by title (Kira’s colleague, the Spanish homeowning politician, etc)
- Fatima and Ann Kathrine’s friendship (💔)
- Amat and Bobo’s friendship (best friendship????)
- Timu and Ramona’s relationship 😭s
- Bobo filling his OWN SHOES with shaving cream after the team didn’t on day one I’m not crying you’re crying. Then everyone’s getting filled after Benji comes back
Things I think are hilarious:
- 18 year old Lyt’s nemesis being a 12 year old
- Do sports gangs actually exist? Hilarious concept
- Theo shit stirring in his own god damn comment section ugh he’s so cunty but he does piss me the fuucckkk off
- They literally do not mention a single other sport. Do kids play basketball in this town? What about soccer? Does anyone go to the games? Do they have enough kids for a team? Are there after school clubs? Because nobody seems to give a fuck about them. Hilarious concept.
This book rips out your heart, sets it in fire and lifts it up all at the same time. Beartown 1and 2 and flat out wonderful.
Fredrik does it again… no surprises here. Loved this one
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
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:
Yes
Loved it! And hated that it made me cry quite as much as it did!