Reviews tagging 'Grief'

Us Against You by Fredrik Backman

63 reviews

smallsurvivor's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Cancer, Hate crime, Homophobia, and Grief

thrakaboom's review against another edition

challenging emotional fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

While not as good as Beartown or some of Backman's other works, Us Against You is a stronger novel than the vast majority I've read in the past year. If you want something about emotion, and life, and the human experience you'll find it in the town in the woods that loves hockey.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Death, Homophobia, and Grief

Moderate: Alcoholism, Drug use, Sexual assault, and Death of parent

plumquin's review against another edition

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Death, Homophobia, Violence, Grief, Car accident, and Outing

Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Cancer, Rape, and Alcohol

shannanigans92's review against another edition

emotional hopeful 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? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Child death, Death, Homophobia, Rape, Violence, Grief, Car accident, and Outing

calicot's review against another edition

slow-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Homophobia, Rape, Car accident, Lesbophobia, and Outing

Moderate: Death, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Violence, Grief, and Death of parent

Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

ladev12's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape and Violence

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Death, Hate crime, Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Grief, Car accident, and Death of parent

ivana's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Child death, Cursing, Homophobia, Rape, Violence, Blood, Grief, Car accident, and Death of parent

oliverlang's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Rape, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, and Grief

emakay's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny tense slow-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Homophobia, Mental illness, Self harm, Violence, Vomit, and Grief

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Drug use, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, and Blood

znvisser's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Reading this directly after Beartown  #1, I once again flew through the pages and enjoyed the story. Simply because I was still immersed in Beartown and its citizens. However, this book didn't hit me as hard as the first part, and I think that's because this sequel shifted much of its focus from characters to plot.

In Beartown #1, a lot of time was taken to construct the characters and their relationships on and off the ice, both when everything is still 'normal' and when it no longer is. This time, that space is given to smaller incidents, whereby the characters are treated as plot devices instead of feeling humans. Previously we had already learned that hockey can't be without politics, and now we were shown more of the politics instead of the training and matches. Consequently, I couldn't get the picture clear of how all the players formed a team on the ice, and how they could still achieve without their best players even showing up at training or during the games. It was treated as if it didn't really matter to the story, while us readers had previously been taught to know better than that.

While we still joined some our favourite characters - Kira, Benji, Amat, Ramona - they felt more distant than they did before. New characters were introduced, attempting to offer an alternative, but we never get as close to them either. So when all incidents pile up and collide towards the end, I didn't feel as invested as I did before: it granted some tears but I was nowhere close to the sobbing that was caused by #1. 

Nevertheless, I was involved in the story and curious what would happen next, because the first book made me care enough already and Backman is just a very skilled writer. I just hope that the next sequel coming up brings more of what made me fall in love with Beartown in the first place. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Homophobia, Suicide, Violence, Blood, and Grief

Moderate: Vomit

Minor: Rape