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Graphic: Sexual assault
Minor: Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Suicide, Death of parent
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Classism
Moderate: Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Ableism, Animal death, Cancer, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Gun violence, Hate crime, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Islamophobia, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria
Graphic: Alcoholism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual harassment
Moderate: Animal death, Classism
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Homophobia, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Classism
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Grief
Minor: Animal death, Blood, Death of parent
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Sexual harassment
Moderate: Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Animal death, Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Blood
Graphic: Bullying, Rape
Minor: Animal death, Child death, Drug use, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Transphobia, Blood, Vomit, Grief
Turns out you can become immersed in a hockey game, and then a club, without actually really caring about hockey. Or games. And although this book seems to be about hockey, it made me sob halfway through already and then there was so much time left to just become very angry. Because of all the things you know people will say, and you see people say those things, and you still can't get over how stupid they are. But then there are also people who make the analyses and say the things you want and need to hear and even though the people that are supposed to listen to it won't, it does make you remember that they are the ones wiser and stronger than everyone else.
Culture is a recurring theme and Backman skilfully builds a story that reflects the ways in which culture and community grow and shape each other; and especially what happens if a flawed culture is protected by the community in which it is embedded, by which it keeps being nourished.
Above all, this story is about community: not just about club members finding each other in a sport, but about all the smaller bonds that exist. Because if you've shared a small town with the same people for generations, a big part of who you are is how you relate to others. So we learn about parents, children, siblings, coaches, crushes, friends, colleagues, idols and rivals. You will feel parents hurting because their child is in pain, the power of a friendship between fifteen year olds, and the loneliness of those who have lost the things most valuable to them so they can no longer bother to become a part of anything else anymore.
I loved the story and many of its characters so much that I don't even blame the author that much for very obviously manipulating my expectations and feelings. Not even for the fact that he succeeded.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Child death, Drug use, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Grief
Moderate: Animal death, Body shaming, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Homophobia, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit
Graphic: Bullying, Child death, Homophobia, Rape, Sexual assault, Grief
Moderate: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Blood
Minor: Animal death