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challenging
emotional
funny
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Bullying, Car accident, Alcohol
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
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:
Yes
Not as good as Beartown, but a damn good book. God, I love th these characters so damn, much, as I love the way they make me laugh, shout, shed a tear or full-on ugly cry.
Damn you, Backman.
And now I don't know what to do. Do I go on to The Winners and finish this trilogy, or read something else, just to not make it end?
Damn you, Backman.
And now I don't know what to do. Do I go on to The Winners and finish this trilogy, or read something else, just to not make it end?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Violence
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Car accident, Suicide attempt
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
All of my beloved characters suffered. My thoughts in no specific order:
- Benji! I love him with my entire heart and soul, can we please just let him be happy?
I'm going to ignore all foreshadowing for the future and pretend that he lives happily ever after . -
Vidar deserved a chance! Things had just started turning around for him😠- Maya slowly gets the pieces of her life together again.
I was so happy when she got that letter. -
Ana wtf??? I'm still so angry she did that but then she suffered so much too - Throughout the book, I kept hoping Kira would choose herself, she has sacrificed so much over the years, she deserves better. (Peter just pissed me off)
- I thought I couldn't hate anyone as much as Kevin but William Lyt and his mother came close.
- Elizabeth is an absolute icon. As well as Ramona
- From last book's ending, I'd thought we'd see more of Alicia but we barely did, maybe in the next one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Violence, Outing
Moderate: Bullying, Death, Misogyny
emotional
sad
tense
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:
No
The way Fredrik Blackman writes is a comfort to me. It wraps you up in warm arms while also breaking your heart at the same time. I am putting off reading The Winners partially because I’ve heard how sad it is but also because I don’t want to end my journey through the world and say goodbye to these characters. I think this series should be a required reading for everyone.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Sexual assault, Violence
emotional
reflective
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:
Yes
Reading a Backman novel is like watching a talented weaver. He takes his time and shows you each unique, fragile, colorful thread and then proceeds to demonstrate how each thread is intricately connected to all the others. By the end of the book, you pull away to clearly see the exquisite masterpiece that is Beartown.
It is art what Backman does (and his translator, too). He manages to bring to life small town dynamics, sports culture and themes such as identity, belonging and community in a way that no one else does.
It is art what Backman does (and his translator, too). He manages to bring to life small town dynamics, sports culture and themes such as identity, belonging and community in a way that no one else does.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Bullying, Death, Homophobia, Misogyny, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Grief, Death of parent
Minor: Car accident
emotional
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Hate crime, Homophobia, Violence
Minor: Child death, Death, Grief, Death of parent
challenging
dark
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
Not sure if it’s the writing style or the translation but I find it very difficult to follow this book and how it jumps character to character. There are so many characters it’s hard to keep track but if I get past all that and too the story it’s a good one
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Car accident
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Rape
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
sad
tense
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:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child death, Death, Homophobia, Rape, Violence, Blood, Grief, Car accident, Lesbophobia, Outing, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Vomit, Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Drug abuse, Drug use, Panic attacks/disorders, Excrement
emotional
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
Backman has this really interesting way of writing where the towns become characters. This was a hard read but a really good one. CW for the sheer volume of homophobic slurs.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Violence
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Death, Homophobia, Violence, Grief, Car accident