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dolores_ferrero 's review for:
Beartown
by Fredrik Backman
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
tense
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:
Yes
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Where: Beartown, Sweden
When: Current/contemporary
Thoughts/Reflections: It’s no secret that Fredrik Backman is one of my favorite authors. This may be my favorite of his books. And the hardest to read. A town, a community so wrapped up in a youth sports team that it loses grasp on right and wrong, but can ultimately differentiate between good and evil. Backman masters real, multidimensional characters, all of them relatable despite (or perhaps because of) their flaws. And he keeps it delightfully unpredictable through the final sentence. I loved this, and I can’t wait to see where he goes with parts two and three of the trilogy.
My favorite words:
“Hate can be a deeply stimulating emotion. The world becomes much easier to understand and much less terrifying if you divide everything and everyone into friends and enemies, we and they, good and evil. The easiest way to unite a group isn't through love, because love is hard. It makes demands. Hate is simple.”
“It doesn't take long to persuade each other to stop seeing a person as a person. And when enough people are quiet for long enough, a handful of voices can give the impression that everyone is screaming.”
“Big secrets turn us into small men.”
“Sometimes life doesn't let you choose your battles. Just the company you keep.”
“This town doesn't always know the difference between right and wrong, I'll admit that. But we know the difference between good and evil.”
“but there are a few things that are so good that they manage to shine through the crap. The people, most of all. As tough as the forest, as hard as the ice.”
“Big secrets make small men of us, especially when we're the men others have to keep secrets from.”
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Violence