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miaruthdp's review against another edition
4.0
This was my first Backman novel and I can absolutely say that this will not be my last.
This one actually took me so long to finish... Not because it's bad, IT WAS BEAUTIFUL, but for me, it's just one of those books that you have to be in a certain mood for. My life was in total chaos when I started this so my attention span and my overall energy and vibe can't stay focused BUT that storytelling was just too good for me to dwell on how my life suck. YEP.
Though this book mainly revolves around Hockey, there's so much more to it than that. My understanding of hockey was non-existent but this book has weirdly made me grow an appreciation for the sport. This story was about community, family, friendship, about hopes and dreams, about truth, about justice, and about how things and life will always be going on no matter what. I am just in awe of how the author had interwoven big and important issues in our society into a story about such a traditional town with a specific sport at the forefront. It was just an inspiring and through-provoking read. Not what I was looking for when I picked it up but I was undeniably glad I came across this one.
I especially love how each character were written. There were so many characters here that at first, it confused me, but throughout the story, you'll realize how important each one of them were to build the idea of a real and relatable community. The characters were written so well and they were given such distinguishing roles that made this story just so beautiful... and true.
I know how the pacing is an important element of the storytelling here but it just made this not too easy to read for me. I love slow paced books but for this one, it was a bit of a challenge for me. Though I've only read a few books in this genre and maybe I'm just not used to it. But I think I'll get there! Since I'm planning to read more from Backman.
I have finished this last night but the ending literally warmed my heart, I can still feel it.
This one actually took me so long to finish... Not because it's bad, IT WAS BEAUTIFUL, but for me, it's just one of those books that you have to be in a certain mood for. My life was in total chaos when I started this so my attention span and my overall energy and vibe can't stay focused BUT that storytelling was just too good for me to dwell on how my life suck. YEP.
Though this book mainly revolves around Hockey, there's so much more to it than that. My understanding of hockey was non-existent but this book has weirdly made me grow an appreciation for the sport. This story was about community, family, friendship, about hopes and dreams, about truth, about justice, and about how things and life will always be going on no matter what. I am just in awe of how the author had interwoven big and important issues in our society into a story about such a traditional town with a specific sport at the forefront. It was just an inspiring and through-provoking read. Not what I was looking for when I picked it up but I was undeniably glad I came across this one.
I especially love how each character were written. There were so many characters here that at first, it confused me, but throughout the story, you'll realize how important each one of them were to build the idea of a real and relatable community. The characters were written so well and they were given such distinguishing roles that made this story just so beautiful... and true.
I know how the pacing is an important element of the storytelling here but it just made this not too easy to read for me. I love slow paced books but for this one, it was a bit of a challenge for me. Though I've only read a few books in this genre and maybe I'm just not used to it. But I think I'll get there! Since I'm planning to read more from Backman.
I have finished this last night but the ending literally warmed my heart, I can still feel it.
jmezaea's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
kremington's review against another edition
4.0
Much darker tone than Backman's other works. It started off very slow for me. There were a lot of characters to keep up with but he somehow managed to intertwine them well to tell a bit of everyone's story and explain who they were. Parts are very, very heavy but I think he did a good job at handling such intense subject matter. Well-written as always.
delicious's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
toomanydresses's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
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? It's complicated
3.0
jvmilks's review against another edition
5.0
This book needs to be required reading. Lord knows it will be in my household. I love everything I read by Bachman, and this just topped the list.
amkruger88's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
inksuinka's review against another edition
Came here after loving anxious people, and found it too gloomy for me at this point. Maybe later.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying