A review by jasnguyen
Beartown by Fredrik Backman

dark emotional sad 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

3.5

I quite enjoyed the book. Backman is skillful in crafting a complex narrative where the main characters' fates are intricately intertwined, allowing a single event to set off a chain reaction of consequences that drive the story forward. He also often employs the foreshadowing technique to create suspense, "A storm is brewing." I particularly enjoyed the glimpses into each character's life, which are interwoven throughout the book. Backman adeptly switches between different viewpoints, demonstrating a remarkable talent for doing so. However, at times, the repeated focus on Peter and Kira's stories felt somewhat excessive, and some of the paragraphs began to feel repetitive.

I believe that Beartown was written with a potential film / TV adaptation in mind. The book's highly visual and dramatic scenes feel tailor-made for the screen. While it doesn't detract from the book's overall quality, reading Beartown can feel like watching a movie or a TV show, rather than immersing oneself in a written work.
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