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A review by yuna
A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
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
4.0
Sad but heartwarming, or is heartwarming but sad? A little of a rough start for me because Ove's grumpy old man-ness, while sort of played for laughs, is rife with every -ist and -ism you can think of. He's super intolerant. A customer service-facing job's worst nightmare.
Throughout the course of the story you learn why/how he is the way he is, and a lot of it is wonderful. I really liked the structure of this book and how the backstory unfolds with the present. His relationship with Sonja is so tender and lovely, and the slow creation of a found family in the present is great. Translation work was very good--it read very fluidly.
Throughout the course of the story you learn why/how he is the way he is, and a lot of it is wonderful. I really liked the structure of this book and how the backstory unfolds with the present. His relationship with Sonja is so tender and lovely, and the slow creation of a found family in the present is great. Translation work was very good--it read very fluidly.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide attempt
Moderate: Grief, Homophobia, Fatphobia, Miscarriage, Xenophobia, and Death of parent
Minor: Animal cruelty and Animal death
A few CW notes: so much suicidal ideation in this book. Homophobia, xenophobia (that Ove only sort of softens on. He grows to be more understanding/accepting in a lot of ways, but there's a layer of ingrained xenophobia he never truly gets over), and both overt and casual fatphobia. Minor animal cruelty.