Reviews with content warning for Child death - Beartown

Reviews tagging 'Child death'

Beartown by Fredrik Backman

414 reviews

jorithomp's review against another edition

4.5

emotional reflective 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: Yes

Content Warnings

rachsilcock's review against another edition

4.0

emotional tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Content Warnings

namsmommy09's review against another edition

4.5

This was just an amazing book. It tells the story of how one incident changes an entire community. Puts in the spotlight the way that "star" athletes are treated when it comes to allegations of sexual abuse. Just a heartbreaking, real feeling story of a small town, torn apart by an accusation, no one quite knows how to handle it.

Content Warnings

sastork's review against another edition

4.25

challenging emotional funny hopeful sad tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Content Warnings

shadykatee's review against another edition

5.0

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Loveable characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

sad, beautiful, tragic all throughout. how did everything that happened manage to devastate me even as it would switch from one side to another. i feel bad for almost every single person in this town. i want better for them.

Content Warnings

marych3t's review against another edition

4.25

challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

Content Warnings

fastforward's review against another edition

5.0

dark emotional funny 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: Yes

Content Warnings

kendal_reads's review against another edition

3.75

emotional hopeful sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content Warnings

acebookwyrm's review against another edition

4.0

emotional hopeful mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

I love the first sentence of this book. The way it spoils something that doesn’t happen till the end but also tells you nothing with how carefully selected the words are. “A TEENAGER picked up a double-barrel shotgun…put the gun to SOMEONE ELSE’S forehead, and pulled the trigger.” No gender disclosed for either, no age given to the person shot. Not even a clarification for if that person was Actually shot! Throughout the book, Backman drops several references related to gunshots, killing, and shooting someone as a comparison or metaphor. It even begins with “Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang.”

Backman is fantastic at writing complex characters, particularly women, with full lives. The part in Ch 44 where Kevin's mom talks to Benji, then Maya, is one of the best scenes in the book.

Content Warnings

clairebartholomew549's review against another edition

4.0

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Several years ago I read Anxious People and found it almost unbearably moving. Ever since, I've heard people talk about Beartown, but I kept putting off reading it. I finally got around to reading it, and woof, what another almost unbearably touching book. This book covers hard content, but it's more about how people react to tragedy, how a community copes with violence and change, and the insidious and relentless nature of rape culture. It's obvious Backman has deep sympathy for each of his characters, even the ones perpetrating horrible acts and saying awful things, and he is so adept at charting a person's inner life that you find yourself at least somewhat understanding even the people in the narrative that you hate. Beartown is so vividly realized, and even though I'm not much of a hockey person, Backman makes you believe in the players and the town. This was an essential read, and I'll definitely be reading the rest of the series.

Content Warnings

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