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4.51 AVERAGE
4.51 AVERAGE
Fredrick Backman is an automatic read for me. I’ve never encountered an author who weaves so much into his stories. No detail is unimportant and he manages a butterfly effect that feels so masterful. I knew I would read this book but also knew he would break my heart as each book has in a way. I both love and hate this town and it’s culture but I’ve grown so attached to the characters through Backman’s character development. He brings humanity to even the perceived worst of them.
I think he knew the impact of the bombshell he was to drop and had little hints leading up as i tried to figure out the ending, but I was still not ready to have my heart completed destroyed by the death of a beloved character at the end. I sobbed as if I found out a family member died. I pleaded for a redo. I’ve only ever found myself to have such strong emotions for characters in Backman’s books and TJ Klune’s.
Thank you for these characters.
I think he knew the impact of the bombshell he was to drop and had little hints leading up as i tried to figure out the ending, but I was still not ready to have my heart completed destroyed by the death of a beloved character at the end. I sobbed as if I found out a family member died. I pleaded for a redo. I’ve only ever found myself to have such strong emotions for characters in Backman’s books and TJ Klune’s.
Thank you for these characters.
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
I couldn't ask for a better ending to a series . I cried and cried, I am going to miss Beartown.
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Characters - 5. Somehow so in depth despite being in 3rd person omniscient
Atmosphere - 5. Forest towns in Northern Sweden
Writing Style - 5. So many highlights
Plot - 5. Using the stories of many different people to weave together the story of the entire town was amazing
Intrigue - 5. I cried
Logic - 5. Things made logical sense, even the horrible things
Enjoyment - 5. I can definitely see myself rereading this whole series
Meaning - 5. I needed to read this slowly so I could have time to digest it and its themes.
I have some words for Fredrik and how he made me cry.
Atmosphere - 5. Forest towns in Northern Sweden
Writing Style - 5. So many highlights
Plot - 5. Using the stories of many different people to weave together the story of the entire town was amazing
Intrigue - 5. I cried
Logic - 5. Things made logical sense, even the horrible things
Enjoyment - 5. I can definitely see myself rereading this whole series
Meaning - 5. I needed to read this slowly so I could have time to digest it and its themes.
I have some words for Fredrik and how he made me cry.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Car accident, Murder, Toxic friendship, Classism
dark
emotional
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:
Yes
I liked this more than Us Against You, so at least there's that.
It is quite long but I would say it didn't feel like a slog to me. I had criticised Us Against You for over explaining what happened in the previous book too much, and this fell into a similar trend, although it was in general less noticeable/annoying.
I do also think the foreshadowing got a bit old.Benji's death hit me hard, but I think it would have hit me harder had I not been expecting it since the start of the book.
All that being said, I loved the direction the story took, and as always, Backman gives us amazing, complex, loveable characters.
It is quite long but I would say it didn't feel like a slog to me. I had criticised Us Against You for over explaining what happened in the previous book too much, and this fell into a similar trend, although it was in general less noticeable/annoying.
I do also think the foreshadowing got a bit old.
All that being said, I loved the direction the story took, and as always, Backman gives us amazing, complex, loveable characters.
adventurous
challenging
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:
Complicated
challenging
emotional
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
This one was definitely a bit slower and more of a slog BUT heartbreaking nonetheless. It’s beautiful the way all these characters and storylines weave and come together
emotional
inspiring
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
Backman has done it again. The third and final installment in the Beartown series was a satisfying wrap-up that alternately led me to mourn and to celebrate the best and the worst in us all. Listening to this on audio was like returning to a place I've once lived and hearing about what happened to all the residents who used to be my neighbors and friends.
I still count _Us Against You_ as my favorite of the three, but _The Winners_ comes in as a strong runner-up.
Backman has a gift of giving us characters and stories that tune our heart's ears into the soul of what it is to be human, not with judgement, but with a mixture of mournful acceptance and hopeful awe at what each and every one of us is capable of in our best and worst moments.
Bravo and thank you, Mr. Backman.
I still count _Us Against You_ as my favorite of the three, but _The Winners_ comes in as a strong runner-up.
Backman has a gift of giving us characters and stories that tune our heart's ears into the soul of what it is to be human, not with judgement, but with a mixture of mournful acceptance and hopeful awe at what each and every one of us is capable of in our best and worst moments.
Bravo and thank you, Mr. Backman.
Whoa, this was kind of intense. He does great things mixing feelings of darkness with hope.