Reviews with content warning for Misogyny - Kleine Stadt der großen Träume

I really do think the published description of this book does not do it justice in the slightest and that it is misleading. If I had been aware that a detailed rape would be the main conflict of this whole slow-paced novel, I would not have wanted to read it.

I cannot say that it is badly written, which is part of why I gave it two stars as opposed to one, but I also have no idea what the point of this book was. Backman's ability to bounce between characters while also making them real in some ways should be recognized at the very least.

With that said though, I could not care about most of the characters, and even though they felt like they could be real people, everything they gave to me felt like it was being filtered through Backman as the author, to the point of it feeling ingenuine. I also really hated the Facebook-status-like altruisms that seemed to follow every emotional or important scene. Honestly, in some ways, it felt like I was being talked down to, as if I couldn't just take what was being given to me and understand it.

Overall though, it seemed like a lot of nothing and too much of a rape story I have heard too often, and one that seemed to have no discourse in the text about it other than the same feminist notions I hear all the time. The book is fine, read it if you'd like, but I would not recommend it.

If you are going to make me read a detailed rape scene, make it worth it.

Content Warnings

lizziaha's review against another edition

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Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.75

Goosebumps, chills, tears. I cannot express how much this book got under my skin. It took me a little bit to get into it—I wasn’t sure I was going to like it—but before I knew it, I was deeply invested in this town and these characters. I was never quite sure what they were going to do—characters I trusted made choices that hurt me and characters I hated made choices that I was rooting for. And some characters I just hated and some characters I just loved (one of those hockey boys in particular has my whole entire heart and then some). The reading experience is really immersive. I felt like I was somewhere in that town, in the forest. And Backman has a way of writing that takes such complex topics and puts them into really simple words. It’s sort of a detour from what I usually love but there’s just something about the way that he uses repetition is just so compelling and powerful.

I also really like the way that, even though it’s the first in a series, it can also stand on its own. Even though I want to stay with these characters and see what happens next, it felt complete.

Content Warnings

baileyana's review against another edition

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emotional 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? Yes

5.0

LOVED.

Content Warnings

livbeveridge's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

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jess_clow's review against another edition

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emotional 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? Yes

5.0

This book makes me think of the one quote from Daniel Sloss: “when one in ten men are shit and the other nine do nothing, they might as well not fucking be there.”

Benji and Amat were probably my favourite characters and both of their character arcs in the book absolutely broke me. And Kevin??? When he was trying to rewrite the story IN HIS OWN HEAD and then fully believed it when he told David was soul crushing. At the end of this I'm still not sure Kevin really believes he's done anything wrong. The ending scene with Maya and Kevin I was honestly so convinced she was gonna kill him. But honestly, all the characters were so well rounded and this is gonna sound crazy but the character arc of Kevin's mum was what sold me on this book. And don't even get me started on Ramona.

I am very interested to see where the rest of the trilogy goes though; Beartown feels like a complete story and I’m wondering what the subsequent books will do to add to this world. That said, give me the sequel right now or I might perish.

Content Warnings

nataliahl's review against another edition

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challenging emotional medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Content Warnings

smallqueendom's review against another edition

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dark reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.25

This book took me by surprise by how much I enjoyed it. The writing was captivating, I couldn’t put it down. Even though this is a “sports book” there were so many heartfelt and gut wrenching moments- maybe that’s what sports is and I am separated it from lack of involvement? The ending was very satisfying as a reader though I wouldn’t say it’s HEA. Looking to continue the series in the future. Content warnings *child death*

Content Warnings

beerxper's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.0

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