A review by jess_clow
Us Against You by Fredrik Backman

emotional reflective 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

5.0

After the monolith that was Beartown, I'd had many people say this book fell short of its predecessors wonder. I also felt Book 1 was a complete story -- it could've easily ended there, and I would've been content -- so I wasn't sure how to feel going into Book 2.

I tried to go in with low expectations -- very difficult for a Fredrik Backman book -- but I cannot understand how much I loved this book. It meant a lot to me to see the aftermath of Book 1 and the deeper dive into the Pack and the introduction of Vidar was a really interesting direction.

Was it as good as Beartown? No. Beartown was 10 out of 5 stars and I'm not sure any book I ever read again will stand up to its magnificence. But Us Against You is a strong 5 star read in its own right and I highly recommend. I cried many times.