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challenging
emotional
hopeful
sad
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Grief
challenging
dark
emotional
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:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Alcohol
Moderate: Gun violence, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Drug use, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Pregnancy
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
This book starts a bit slow and there are a lot of characters to keep track of, but stick with it because the buildup is essential to the story. I cried so many times reading this, and as a mom the theme of being unable to protect our kids was especially difficult, but the characters are so well written and believable in their complexity.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Child death, Homophobia, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Violence
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Heartbreaking and galvanizing. I wanted to climb into this fictional town and shake sense into so many characters. Bachman handles a large cast with such ease I don't even realize I'm becoming invested in their stories until suddenly I am. I wanted to know what happened to everyone, even the people I disliked. I kept forgetting Beartown didn't exist because Bachman rendered it and it's inhabitants so clearly. It unfortunately helped that reactions and responses to violence against women were all too real and contemporary. I don't know what the sequels will be like or if my heart can take anymore heavy emotional discourse, but I may just have to read them anyway.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts
challenging
emotional
funny
inspiring
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
This book was one of the best books ive ever read. When I finished this book, I felt like I grew up in beartown. The characters became old friends, people I felt like I grew up with.
This book is the perfact expolration of community, humanity, good versus evil, right versus wrong.It is written extremely well, going between gentle and poetic, to gut punching and raw.
I will never forget this book.
This book is the perfact expolration of community, humanity, good versus evil, right versus wrong.It is written extremely well, going between gentle and poetic, to gut punching and raw.
I will never forget this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape
Moderate: Addiction, Bullying, Child abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Abandonment, Alcohol
Minor: Homophobia
dark
emotional
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
Graphic: Rape, Sexism, Violence
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-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
Graphic: Rape, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, Violence, Xenophobia
dark
emotional
sad
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Homophobia, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Classism
dark
emotional
reflective
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
Where do I start with this book...?
First off: it is amazing.
The author has a talent for introducing characters as (un)likeable and then completely turns it around at some point. I changed my opinion on almost every character in thus book and I loved the way Backman achieved that.
The topics were hard, but true. I could relate to so many things in this book. It is just the truth, it happens every day and some people have to open their eyes to that. I cried a lot but at some point I just couldn't anymore and I was just so disappointed, angry and speechless.
Needless to say I would recommend this book all the time and think it is a beautifully written work of art that talks about so many important topics.
First off: it is amazing.
The author has a talent for introducing characters as (un)likeable and then completely turns it around at some point. I changed my opinion on almost every character in thus book and I loved the way Backman achieved that.
The topics were hard, but true. I could relate to so many things in this book. It is just the truth, it happens every day and some people have to open their eyes to that. I cried a lot but at some point I just couldn't anymore and I was just so disappointed, angry and speechless.
Needless to say I would recommend this book all the time and think it is a beautifully written work of art that talks about so many important topics.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Rape
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
My first book by Backman and it won’t be my last!
Beartown drew me in. I could picture myself in the small town and feel the chill in the air. I really enjoyed how well-written the setting was. There was also a very large cast of characters - the hockey team, the staff of the hockey club and the board/sponsors, plus other people in the town.
But this town is all about hockey and honestly seems to be putting all their eggs in that basket: they plan to win big, bring in more sponsors, build a hockey academy that everyone will want to send their talented hockey players to, then they’ll need a shopping mall and other attractions and it will bring new jobs to this struggling small town, etc. Quite a bit of pressure on these 17-year-old boys.
Because there are so many characters, and the narrative jumps around often (multiple different perspectives within each chapter), I did have a little difficulty keeping everyone straight initially since I was listening on audiobook. I probably could have used a reference sheet or something.
What I cannot emphasize enough is the emotional rollercoaster this story put me on. I didn’t read the synopsis, content/trigger warnings, or any reviews before heading into this one. I’m a huge mood reader and just thought it seemed like a good winter book! It was but I would also caution anyone that may be sensitive to certain topics to take a look at the trigger/content warnings at the end of this review and take them into consideration. This book broke my heart, made me angry and frustrated, and I cried multiple times. Some characters disappointed me, while others pleasantly surprised me. Despite how many characters there are, Backman did an amazing job giving us insight to each character - their background, family dynamics, fears, heartaches, and what motivates them.
This book is a story about a hockey town. But it’s about a lot more than hockey. It’s about toxic masculinity, peer pressure, rape culture, entitlement, patriarchy/misogyny, dehumanization (mostly of women), the danger of silence, and power imbalances. How the whole town becomes complicit in a culture that is so toxic and has everyone thinking backwards about a terrible assault, blaming and slandering the victim, and making the perpetrator a victim himself.
I did appreciate the ending and will continue on with the series to see where things go from here!
“Culture is as much about what we encourage as what we actually permit. Most people don't do what we tell them to. They do what we let them get away with.”
TW/CW ⚠️: rape/sexual assault, victim blaming, suicide (happened in past, mentioned), suicidal ideation, child loss, homophobia, locker room talk including misogynistic and homophobic comments, guns.
Beartown drew me in. I could picture myself in the small town and feel the chill in the air. I really enjoyed how well-written the setting was. There was also a very large cast of characters - the hockey team, the staff of the hockey club and the board/sponsors, plus other people in the town.
But this town is all about hockey and honestly seems to be putting all their eggs in that basket: they plan to win big, bring in more sponsors, build a hockey academy that everyone will want to send their talented hockey players to, then they’ll need a shopping mall and other attractions and it will bring new jobs to this struggling small town, etc. Quite a bit of pressure on these 17-year-old boys.
Because there are so many characters, and the narrative jumps around often (multiple different perspectives within each chapter), I did have a little difficulty keeping everyone straight initially since I was listening on audiobook. I probably could have used a reference sheet or something.
What I cannot emphasize enough is the emotional rollercoaster this story put me on. I didn’t read the synopsis, content/trigger warnings, or any reviews before heading into this one. I’m a huge mood reader and just thought it seemed like a good winter book! It was but I would also caution anyone that may be sensitive to certain topics to take a look at the trigger/content warnings at the end of this review and take them into consideration. This book broke my heart, made me angry and frustrated, and I cried multiple times. Some characters disappointed me, while others pleasantly surprised me. Despite how many characters there are, Backman did an amazing job giving us insight to each character - their background, family dynamics, fears, heartaches, and what motivates them.
This book is a story about a hockey town. But it’s about a lot more than hockey. It’s about toxic masculinity, peer pressure, rape culture, entitlement, patriarchy/misogyny, dehumanization (mostly of women), the danger of silence, and power imbalances. How the whole town becomes complicit in a culture that is so toxic and has everyone thinking backwards about a terrible assault, blaming and slandering the victim, and making the perpetrator a victim himself.
I did appreciate the ending and will continue on with the series to see where things go from here!
“Culture is as much about what we encourage as what we actually permit. Most people don't do what we tell them to. They do what we let them get away with.”
TW/CW ⚠️: rape/sexual assault, victim blaming, suicide (happened in past, mentioned), suicidal ideation, child loss, homophobia, locker room talk including misogynistic and homophobic comments, guns.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Drug use, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Alcohol
Moderate: Gun violence, Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Xenophobia, Classism
Minor: Child death, Fatphobia, Sexism, Suicide, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Injury/Injury detail