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adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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
The Winners is a high speed emotional roller coaster ride that wraps up the whole of the Bear Town saga. I laughed, cried, gasped, and was on the edge of my seat throughout the entire book.
As with the first two books, Backman does a fantastic job of creating space in a world you can easily slide right into. You feel their pain, celebrate their victory, and feel like you’re right in the midst of the Beartown and Hed drama. I wish there was a fourth book because I’m not quite ready to say goodbye to the Beartown gang.
As with the first two books, Backman does a fantastic job of creating space in a world you can easily slide right into. You feel their pain, celebrate their victory, and feel like you’re right in the midst of the Beartown and Hed drama. I wish there was a fourth book because I’m not quite ready to say goodbye to the Beartown gang.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Death, Rape
Minor: Animal cruelty, Suicide
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I loved this series, and this is a fine ending, but it definitely felt like this book was about 200 pages too long. This book repeats many of the plot lines and themes of the first two books, and although the way Backman describes characters and their motivations will always be interesting and intriguing, I felt a little run down by this last installment.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body shaming, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Homophobia, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Car accident, Murder, Pregnancy, Classism
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-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:
Yes
I love Fredrik Backman’s other work and the first Beartown novel, so I really wanted to like this too, but man did it drag for most of the book. This was the closest I have ever come to walking away from a book - and it took me months to finish already - but I am glad I pushed through in the end. That said, I have mixed feelings about it. He writes beautifully and gets straight through to your heart, but the story just wasn’t there for me this time. 2 stars for nearly didn’t finish. Add a star back because I did and his writing style is still something I love to read.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
So sad and hard for me to read. I liked the first two books and this was a good finish to the series, but I didn't need more devastation.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence
emotional
hopeful
sad
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:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Grief, Religious bigotry
Moderate: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body shaming, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Stalking, Sexual harassment
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Beartown has always been one of my favorite fictional towns to visit.
I will say, I had a harder time with Winners versus the first two books in the Beartown series. Fredrik Bachman has so many deep, powerful, and thought-provoking messages to relay; however, sometimes it can feel like these deeper messages bog down the story and slow the development of plot. The ending, despite the length of the book, felt like a rush - as if most of the book was asking the reader to contemplate these deeper messages that the plot had to all be thrown in at once at the end. The ending was foreshadowed throughout, almost like you knew the ending before it happened, but it took about 600 pages to get there. Overall, I was not entranced by the storyline.
All this to say, I still love the Beartown series. I always leave these books with a feeling of understanding and appreciation of community. The good, the bad, and the ugly in us and within our communities. Nothing is ever black and white, and I appreciate that recognition in this fictional town and within their relationships. As is said frequently by Lev - good people can do very bad things, and bad people can do very good things.
A question Frederik Backman always takes us back to: why don’t we believe and support our women victims? It’s a real issue in today’s society, and I appreciate a male voice recognizing and questioning it.
SPOILERS. My favorite addition to this final book was the introduction of Hannah and Johnny. I found them to be far more relatable than most characters and both sweet and heartwarming to read about - a couple very much in love, with wildly important and time consuming careers testing which often test the balance of their family.
SPOILERS. Another addition I both appreciated and hated was Bang, Sune’s dog. As an avid animal lover, I felt every word about the love a person can have for a pet. Sune puts it best - was he my dog, or was I really his human? The animal abuse and death of Bang had me also hating this chapter - nothing gets to me more.
SPOILERS. The evolution of Matteo was both terrifying and fascinating. Well done by Fredrik Backman for creating an “enemy” that made the reader, at least sort of, understand how he got to a place of doing something so horrifying and to get you questioning the role that everyone played in shaping the events that led to the horrible gun violence ending the series.
I will say, I had a harder time with Winners versus the first two books in the Beartown series. Fredrik Bachman has so many deep, powerful, and thought-provoking messages to relay; however, sometimes it can feel like these deeper messages bog down the story and slow the development of plot. The ending, despite the length of the book, felt like a rush - as if most of the book was asking the reader to contemplate these deeper messages that the plot had to all be thrown in at once at the end. The ending was foreshadowed throughout, almost like you knew the ending before it happened, but it took about 600 pages to get there. Overall, I was not entranced by the storyline.
All this to say, I still love the Beartown series. I always leave these books with a feeling of understanding and appreciation of community. The good, the bad, and the ugly in us and within our communities. Nothing is ever black and white, and I appreciate that recognition in this fictional town and within their relationships. As is said frequently by Lev - good people can do very bad things, and bad people can do very good things.
A question Frederik Backman always takes us back to: why don’t we believe and support our women victims? It’s a real issue in today’s society, and I appreciate a male voice recognizing and questioning it.
SPOILERS. My favorite addition to this final book was the introduction of Hannah and Johnny. I found them to be far more relatable than most characters and both sweet and heartwarming to read about - a couple very much in love, with wildly important and time consuming careers testing which often test the balance of their family.
SPOILERS. Another addition I both appreciated and hated was Bang, Sune’s dog. As an avid animal lover, I felt every word about the love a person can have for a pet. Sune puts it best - was he my dog, or was I really his human? The animal abuse and death of Bang had me also hating this chapter - nothing gets to me more.
SPOILERS. The evolution of Matteo was both terrifying and fascinating. Well done by Fredrik Backman for creating an “enemy” that made the reader, at least sort of, understand how he got to a place of doing something so horrifying and to get you questioning the role that everyone played in shaping the events that led to the horrible gun violence ending the series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Death, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Stalking, Murder, Classism
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Really enjoyed this book and being back in the Beartown world again. I feel that all the characters were well written and the towns had such personality and the small town ties to hockey above all else were very realistic. The only reason I didn't give five stars is that I felt it could have been shorter.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mass/school shootings
Moderate: Homophobia, Sexual violence, Violence
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Medical content
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The saga of Beartown comes to a tragic and triumphant close.
“This hurts too much to touch with words.”
I knew from the first page of The Winners that it was going to wreck me. I was not prepared.
It took me over a month to read this book partially because work has been crazy and I haven’t had much time to read, but also because I was dreading the end of Beartown, saying goodbye to this town, these characters - especially one in particular. It was rough, but what a beautiful ride. Backman is my favorite for a reason.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Medical trauma, Murder, Alcohol, Sexual harassment
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, Outing, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
It's hockey season once again in Beartown, and tensions are high between rival clubs Beartown and Hed as one club faces closure, and the other unrivalled success despite both sides sharing the same amount of passion and grit fir their teams. As a storm rolls into town, someone will be dead and by the time the A-Teams play in a week's time, another tragedy will take place and more young lives lost.
The final book of Beartown and this one did no disappoint - it was full of all the emotional angst and torture I would expect from Fredrik Backman who has skillfully crafted a town and its neighbour to life so well, I felt like I was part if it all. The characters in this book are so sad, happy, lovely and tortured all at the same time - every single one of them is going through something whether they be at the end of their long lives like Ramona and Sune, the middle like Hannah, Kira and Peter or at the beginning like Maya and Ana.
We see events from Book One which revolved around Kevin and Maya come back into focus as we learn about another girl who wasn't as 'lucky' as Maya and a brother who was left alone to be tortured about what happened to his sister. Backman shows what makes a hero and what doesn't - in acts of true bravery such as forfeiting a life for others, and other small ones like paving the way for others behind, admitting when you're wrong and swallowing down long-held grudges for the happiness of your children.
I thought I'd might have been 'emotionally manipulated' out by the end of this book as we all know what's about to happen - we have been told constantly what's going to happen since the start of book one yet when it did happen I was still devastated. And seeing the pieces of everyone left behind, and the shadow that was left, the friend they always felt walk beside them but could never see UGH!
I really loved this trilogy - so expertly crafted and you can tell the author put everything he had into this and all the characters. I'm not sure I'll ever be emotionally ready to read the books again but I do know I'm not ready to say goodbye for good.
The final book of Beartown and this one did no disappoint - it was full of all the emotional angst and torture I would expect from Fredrik Backman who has skillfully crafted a town and its neighbour to life so well, I felt like I was part if it all. The characters in this book are so sad, happy, lovely and tortured all at the same time - every single one of them is going through something whether they be at the end of their long lives like Ramona and Sune, the middle like Hannah, Kira and Peter or at the beginning like Maya and Ana.
We see events from Book One which revolved around Kevin and Maya come back into focus as we learn about another girl who wasn't as 'lucky' as Maya and a brother who was left alone to be tortured about what happened to his sister. Backman shows what makes a hero and what doesn't - in acts of true bravery such as forfeiting a life for others, and other small ones like paving the way for others behind, admitting when you're wrong and swallowing down long-held grudges for the happiness of your children.
I thought I'd might have been 'emotionally manipulated' out by the end of this book as we all know what's about to happen - we have been told constantly what's going to happen since the start of book one yet when it did happen I was still devastated. And seeing the pieces of everyone left behind, and the shadow that was left, the friend they always felt walk beside them but could never see UGH!
I really loved this trilogy - so expertly crafted and you can tell the author put everything he had into this and all the characters. I'm not sure I'll ever be emotionally ready to read the books again but I do know I'm not ready to say goodbye for good.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gun violence, Violence
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Drug abuse, Rape, Sexual assault
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
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
I have no words right now. This book is amazing. It’s the perfect ending to the story of Beartown, as much as I did not want that story to end.
It’s delightful. It’s painful. It’s so very very human. It took my heart and stomped on it and gently pieced it back together.
I rate all the books I read too high and I don’t have the patience to fix that. So just know that this one is one of the best I’ve ever read, even if my rating doesn’t reflect that.
It’s delightful. It’s painful. It’s so very very human. It took my heart and stomped on it and gently pieced it back together.
I rate all the books I read too high and I don’t have the patience to fix that. So just know that this one is one of the best I’ve ever read, even if my rating doesn’t reflect that.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body shaming, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Homophobia, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail