A review by lifeofchrstnlvly
Beartown by Fredrik Backman

dark emotional reflective sad medium-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

5.0

How you choose to act is up to you. It always has been.

First of all, 🖕 Maggan & William and 🤍 Ramona & Bobo.

She's been left standing in the snow like a bare tree trunk without any bark, unprotected now that he's no longer here.

Backman's writing always amazes me. He never fails to leave me in awe of how he can perfectly capture humans, especially their emotions. He always slaps you with the truth, not because you need it, but because it's his nature to tell the truth. It doesn't matter if you'll be hit with the harsh reality. What matters is he tells the truth so blatantly. He reminds you how raw our emotions are. He forces you to look within, without being too preachy about it.

One of the things I like about Backman is you can expect him to not write women in his books the way other male authors do. He writes each character carefully and accurately. He treats them the way they should be treated. Female characters are not written poorly just because he isn't a woman who writes about something he doesn't understand. We need more male authors like him.

It caused me pain. I reminded me of things. But both are necessary.

5 freaking stars. Of course.
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