Reviews with content warning for Sexism - Beartown

Reviews tagging 'Sexism'

Beartown by Fredrik Backman

289 reviews

jprex's review against another edition

5.0

challenging emotional reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Content Warnings

melissa_b_67's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense 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: Yes

Content Warnings

kananineko's review against another edition

5.0

dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective 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: Yes

Content Warnings

aguavivas's review against another edition

5.0

dark emotional inspiring reflective sad 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

3rd read

everytime i reread beartown, it just feels like i was punched in the face. Constantly.
i don't know how backman does it, but the way he understands and transcribe the woman experience in society and especially the feelings that come with being a woman in a community rooted in misogyny is absolutely insane.

benjamin ovich you are still my favorite human being ever and i wish the world was easier on you. maya and amat are always gonna be my best friends and seeing bobo before his development hits me, i love them so much😞

Content Warnings

ohhellograce's review against another edition

5.0

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content Warnings

astridjohanne's review against another edition

4.0

emotional medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

Content Warnings

carolynbruce's review against another edition

3.5

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

It took a while for me to get really interested, but once the first match begins, I was drawn into the story. I liked the narration style, constantly shifting to focus on different characters. One particular moment in the first act—a tasteless joke made in a locker room—told me everything I needed to know about the big reveal (the incident) halfway through the story, and tipped me off on the rest of the book. While the story was compelling, I was constantly taken out of it by the dialogue. So many lines were too…scripted. They didn’t speak like real people, too polished and sage and poetic. That style works beautifully for in Backman’s prose describing the town, but it felt unrealistic and stilted in the dialogue. The ending also felt a little too corny—not everyone has a happy ending, but they all have grand, symbolic moments or conversations that wrap up their story in a kind of clumsy bow. The flowery writing style didn’t help matters here.

Content Warnings

gillianalice's review against another edition

4.75

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense 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

I have...so many thoughts. This was an uncomfortable book in so many ways, from reading the details of Maya's rape to the awful yet expected consequences of her reporting Kevin to the police. Backman handled the entire situation so well. He could have easily glossed over it or reveled in it as so many authors are wont to do, but instead he presented it as simple truth. This is what happens when someone beloved commits an atrocity. Everyone just assumes he didn't do it, because even the idea that he might have is too much to bear. It's easier to assume that girl is lying.

Final thoughts:

Ramona is the best.

Maggan Lit can go jump off a cliff.

Benji is the goodest boy and it breaks my heart that he dies apparently.

Content Warnings