A review by stellahadz
Beartown by Fredrik Backman

emotional reflective 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? It's complicated

4.5

In my experience, books that become popular on social media (Booktok, Bookstagram, etc) are usually pretty hit-or-miss, but I was really impressed with Beartown. The writing flowed well, the third-person omniscient narration was masterfully done, and the translator definitely deserves their flowers for capturing the emotional landscape of the story and the almost lyrical quality of the writing. It starts off pretty slow, but having the background information on the town and the different characters pays off in the end. This would have been great as a standalone book, but I'm absolutely planning to read the sequels. 
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