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Book review: ‘beartown’.

“Beartown,” Fredrik Backman’s latest novel, takes place in a remote, on the skids, small Swedish town whose people are hoping that their junior hockey team might bring them national glory and with it economic revival. All is going great until suddenly a terrible incident changes everything, not only shattering the dream but also tearing the community apart.

While some sort of case could be made, as The New York Times and others have, that “Beartown” is a sports novel about hockey written by someone who truly has a feel for all sports, it sells Mr. Backman very short not to place strongest emphasis on what’s far, more relevant here than hockey: right vs. wrong, fear vs. courage and the importance and limits of friendship and loyalty.

Although in many ways “Beartown” is surprisingly different, like Mr. Backman’s previous books, it tells a story you don’t merely read but into which you immerse yourself.

His debut novel, “A Man Called Ove,” concerned a 59-year-old curmudgeon whom the reader comes to love not because he changes but because he becomes more sympathetic as the novel unfolds. Heartbreaking yet humorous, it became an overnight sensation when it was published in his native Sweden in 2012, selling nearly 900,000 copies. When published in the U.S. in 2014 it sold modestly but steadily until, thanks to a growing groundswell of word-of-mouth raves, 18 months later it hit The New York Times best-seller list where it remained for 42 weeks. Translated into nearly 40 languages, it has sold millions worldwide.

Mr. Backman quickly followed up “A Man Called Ove” with “My Grandmother Asked Me To Tell You She’s Sorry,” a tale about the relationship between an odd and precocious 7-year-old girl and her 77-year-old grandmother who bequeaths her the task of embarking upon an apology tour. Apologizing far and wide for her grandmother becomes a discovery tour for the beloved granddaughter.

Next came “Britt-Marie Was Here” about an obsessive-compulsive, socially inept 63-year-old busybody long convinced she will leave life with hardly anyone knowing she was here. Without notice, she abruptly leaves her cheating husband and takes a job as a recreation center caretaker in a back-of-beyond tiny town where nearly everyone else seems every bit the misfit she is. She ends up coaching a soccer team of children who are as unskilled in the sport as she is and where, having left quite a mark, she realizes — and does — what she really wants to do in life.

Like “Ove,” both these novels have been major best-sellers and his delightfully quirky characters and whimsical humor have brought Fredrik Backman deserved attention. His work immediately preceding “Beartown,” the novella “And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer,” is as different from his first three novels as it is from “Beartown” — a sad yet winsome, simultaneously heartbreaking and heartwarming, tale. It is about a mathematician grandfather as dementia begins robbing him of his memories and the impact this has upon him, his son and especially his young grandson.

Now with “Beartown” Mr. Backman cements his standing as a writer of astonishing depth and proves that he also has very broad range plus the remarkable ability to make you understand the feelings of each of a dozen different characters with the same ease he did in his works that were focused on a single central character.

The most compelling reason to read “Beartown” is that it is written by Fredrik Backman. Each of his books have been a pleasure to read — well-paced and with characters so well developed you feel as if you know them and how they think and see things; you feel as though you’re watching and listening not reading. Always with this writer the story is fully packed with wise insights into the human experience causing characters and readers to ponder life’s great question of who we are, what we hope to be and how we should lead our lives.

It is also amazing to realize that one of the world’s most talented novelists is this man who didn’t turn 36 until today, a college dropout who when his first novel was published five years ago was working as a forklift driver at a food warehouse, signing up for night and weekend shifts so he could write during the day. So glad he did.

• Fred J. Eckert, a former Republican congressman from New York who served as U.S ambassador to Fiji and the U.N. Agencies for Food and Agriculture, is a novelist.

By Fredrik Backman

Translated from Swedish by Neil Smith

Atria Books/Simon & Schuster, $26.99, 432 pages

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New York Times Bestseller

by Fredrik Backman ; translated by Neil Smith ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 25, 2017

A thoroughly empathetic examination of the fragile human spirit, Backman’s latest will resonate a long time.

In Beartown, where the people are as "tough as the forest, as hard as the ice," the star player on the beloved hockey team is accused of rape, and the town turns upon itself.

Swedish novelist Backman’s ( A Man Called Ove , 2014, etc.) story quickly becomes a rich exploration of the culture of hockey, a sport whose acolytes see it as a violent liturgy on ice. Beartown explodes after rape charges are brought against the talented Kevin, son of privilege and influence, who's nearly untouchable because of his transcendent talent. The victim is Maya, the teenage daughter of the hockey club’s much-admired general manager, Peter, another Beartown golden boy, a hockey star who made it to the NHL. Peter was lured home to bring winning hockey back to Beartown. Now, after years of despair, the local club is on the cusp of a championship, but not without Kevin. Backman is a masterful writer, his characters familiar yet distinct, flawed yet heroic. Despite his love for hockey, where fights are part of the game, Peter hates violence. Kira, his wife, is an attorney with an aggressive, take-no-prisoners demeanor. Minor characters include Sune, "the man who has been coach of Beartown's A-team since Peter was a boy," whom the sponsors now want fired. There are scenes that bring tears, scenes of gut-wrenching despair, and moments of sly humor: the club president’s table manners are so crude "you can’t help wondering if he’s actually misunderstood the whole concept of eating." Like Friday Night Lights , this is about more than youth sports; it's part coming-of-age novel, part study of moral failure, and finally a chronicle of groupthink in which an unlikely hero steps forward to save more than one person from self-destruction.

Pub Date: April 25, 2017

ISBN: 978-1-5011-6076-9

Page Count: 336

Publisher: Atria

Review Posted Online: Feb. 20, 2017

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2017

LITERARY FICTION

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by Fredrik Backman translated by Neil Smith

by Fredrik Backman

by Fredrik Backman ; translated by Neil Smith

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BOOK TO SCREEN

THINGS FALL APART

by Chinua Achebe ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 23, 1958

This book sings with the terrible silence of dead civilizations in which once there was valor.

Written with quiet dignity that builds to a climax of tragic force, this book about the dissolution of an African tribe, its traditions, and values, represents a welcome departure from the familiar "Me, white brother" genre.

Written by a Nigerian African trained in missionary schools, this novel tells quietly the story of a brave man, Okonkwo, whose life has absolute validity in terms of his culture, and who exercises his prerogative as a warrior, father, and husband with unflinching single mindedness. But into the complex Nigerian village filters the teachings of strangers, teachings so alien to the tribe, that resistance is impossible. One must distinguish a force to be able to oppose it, and to most, the talk of Christian salvation is no more than the babbling of incoherent children. Still, with his guns and persistence, the white man, amoeba-like, gradually absorbs the native culture and in despair, Okonkwo, unable to withstand the corrosion of what he, alone, understands to be the life force of his people, hangs himself. In the formlessness of the dying culture, it is the missionary who takes note of the event, reminding himself to give Okonkwo's gesture a line or two in his work, The Pacification of the Primitive Tribes of the Lower Niger .

Pub Date: Jan. 23, 1958

ISBN: 0385474547

Page Count: 207

Publisher: McDowell, Obolensky

Review Posted Online: April 23, 2013

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 1958

More by Chinua Achebe

by Chinua Achebe

THE EDUCATION OF A BRITISH-PROTECTED CHILD

THE SECRET HISTORY

by Donna Tartt ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 16, 1992

The Brat Pack meets The Bacchae in this precious, way-too-long, and utterly unsuspenseful town-and-gown murder tale. A bunch of ever-so-mandarin college kids in a small Vermont school are the eager epigones of an aloof classics professor, and in their exclusivity and snobbishness and eagerness to please their teacher, they are moved to try to enact Dionysian frenzies in the woods. During the only one that actually comes off, a local farmer happens upon them—and they kill him. But the death isn't ruled a murder—and might never have been if one of the gang—a cadging sybarite named Bunny Corcoran—hadn't shown signs of cracking under the secret's weight. And so he too is dispatched. The narrator, a blank-slate Californian named Richard Pepen chronicles the coverup. But if you're thinking remorse-drama, conscience masque, or even semi-trashy who'll-break-first? page-turner, forget it: This is a straight gee-whiz, first-to-have-ever-noticed college novel—"Hampden College, as a body, was always strangely prone to hysteria. Whether from isolation, malice, or simple boredom, people there were far more credulous and excitable than educated people are generally thought to be, and this hermetic, overheated atmosphere made it a thriving black petri dish of melodrama and distortion." First-novelist Tartt goes muzzy when she has to describe human confrontations (the murder, or sex, or even the ping-ponging of fear), and is much more comfortable in transcribing aimless dorm-room paranoia or the TV shows that the malefactors anesthetize themselves with as fate ticks down. By telegraphing the murders, Tartt wants us to be continually horrified at these kids—while inviting us to semi-enjoy their manneristic fetishes and refined tastes. This ersatz-Fitzgerald mix of moralizing and mirror-looking (Jay McInerney shook and poured the shaker first) is very 80's—and in Tartt's strenuous version already seems dated, formulaic. Les Nerds du Mal—and about as deep (if not nearly as involving) as a TV movie.

Pub Date: Sept. 16, 1992

ISBN: 1400031702

Page Count: 592

Publisher: Knopf

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 1992

More by Donna Tartt

by Donna Tartt

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Reviews of Beartown by Fredrik Backman

BookBrowse Review:
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First Published:
Apr 25, 2017, 432 pages
Feb 2018, 432 pages

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Reading Guide

Book Summary

The #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Man Called Ove returns with a dazzling, profound novel about a small town with a big dream - and the price required to make it come true.

People say Beartown is finished. A tiny community nestled deep in the forest, it is slowly losing ground to the ever encroaching trees. But down by the lake stands an old ice rink, built generations ago by the working men who founded this town. And in that ice rink is the reason people in Beartown believe tomorrow will be better than today. Their junior ice hockey team is about to compete in the national semi-finals, and they actually have a shot at winning. All the hopes and dreams of this place now rest on the shoulders of a handful of teenage boys. Being responsible for the hopes of an entire town is a heavy burden, and the semi-final match is the catalyst for a violent act that will leave a young girl traumatized and a town in turmoil. Accusations are made and, like ripples on a pond, they travel through all of Beartown, leaving no resident unaffected. Beartown explores the hopes that bring a small community together, the secrets that tear it apart, and the courage it takes for an individual to go against the grain. In this story of a small forest town, Fredrik Backman has found the entire world.

This is the story of how we got there.

Beartown 2 Bang-bang-bang-bang-bang.

It's a Friday in early March in Beartown and nothing has happened yet. Everyone is waiting. Tomorrow, the Beartown Ice Hockey Club's junior team is playing in the semifinal of the biggest youth tournament in the country. How important can something like that be? In most places, not so important, of course. But Beartown isn't most places. Bang. Bang. Bang-bang-bang. The town wakes early, like it does every day; small towns need a head start if they're going to have any chance in the world. The rows of cars in the parking lot outside the factory are already covered with snow; people are standing in silent lines with their eyes half-open and their minds half-closed, waiting for their ...

Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!

Introduction Beartown is a small community on the brink of disappearing into the surrounding forest as the town loses more and more young people and commerce to the larger surrounding towns. But down by the lake stands an old ice rink, home of the hockey club that has long been the sole source of entertainment and pride for the townspeople, and the only possible ticket out of town for the young men who grew up playing hockey there. Now, the seventeen-year-old boys who make up Beartown's junior ice hockey team carry the immense weight of all the town's hopes and dreams on their shoulders. The team is about to compete in the national semifinals, and they actually have a shot at winning—a win that could bring a...

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I have read all of Fredrick Backman's books, and with each and every one I am pleasingly surprised at just how consistently wonderful a writer he is. He takes a subject I have no interest in, and turns it into a story that grips me from the first page. This time, his story centers on the game of hockey, a sport that I not only don't care for, but also sometimes find appalling. Yet when Backman starts describing how his characters play the game, including the violence that comes with it, we understand that this novel isn't just about a sport. Rather, hockey is simply the metaphor used to explore the human condition... continued

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Book Review: Beartown by Fredrik Backman

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Beartown Book details

Date Published: April 25, 2017
Pages: 432
Audio: 13 hours 11 minutes
Publisher: Atria Books
Content Warnings: Sexual assault

Beartown Book Review

I live in a big state (California) where we have multiple sports teams, and as a result we don’t all collectively root for the same sports team. But my husband is from Wisconsin where everyone roots for the Green Bay Packers come football season, and the Milwaukee Brewers come baseball season, and Milwaukee Bucks when basketball starts (you get the idea). I remember being shocked when he told me that when the Packers lose, everyone is depressed at work come Monday morning, and no one talks to each other.

Now take that same kind of energy and put that pressure on the local junior ice hockey team and the shoulders of a handful of teenage boys, and you have the fictional town of Beartown where this story takes place.

While sports can be a very positive force for individuals and communities, they can also reach a level where they become all-important and as a result, very toxic.

I think New York Times bestselling author Fredrik Backman does a great job of exploring all of those complexities by way of this small town where ice hockey is this community’s entire world.

The book focuses on the young men and hockey players who make up the junior ice hockey team in Beartown . star player, Kevin, whose arrogance leads him to commit an act of violence against a young girl at a party after a big win. The young woman, Maya, is a high school student who also happens to be the daughter of the general manager of the hockey club; he is also a former NHL player. Much of the book focuses on the aftermath of this violent act, and the the impact it has on the entire town.

However, there are also several interesting storylines about other players and townspeople and how all of their stories are related.

Beartown explores a wide breadth of topics including but not limited to friendship, love, betrayal, determination, loyalty, justice, and survival. I think it also explores the dangers of someone, in this case a teenager, who becomes so good at something, he thinks he can get away with anything.

This profound novel is part coming-of-age novel and part study of moral failure. I think it also shows what happens when youth sports are elevated to a place where they should never be.

If you like books with a strong sense of place, I think you definitely get that with this book where this small community takes on a life of its own.

While this book definitely does not shy away from heavy topics, there are also some heroes that you will find yourself rooting for.

This is my second Backman book (the other one is A Man Called Ove ), and the one thing I’ll say for both books is that they are very thought provoking. For this reason, Beartown would make a great book club pick. That being said, please note the trigger warnings.

Publisher’s Description

People say Beartown is finished. A tiny community nestled deep in the forest, it is slowly losing ground to the ever-encroaching trees. But down by the lake stands an old ice rink, built generations ago by the working men who founded this town. And in that ice rink is the reason people in Beartown believe tomorrow will be better than today. Their junior ice hockey team is about to compete in the national semi-finals, and they actually have a shot at winning. All the hopes and dreams of this place now rest on the shoulders of a handful of teenage boys.

Being responsible for the hopes of an entire town is a heavy burden, and the semi-final match is the catalyst for a violent act that will leave a young girl traumatized and a town in turmoil. Accusations are made and, like ripples on a pond, they travel through all of Beartown, leaving no resident unaffected.

Beartown explores the hopes that bring a small community together, the secrets that tear it apart, and the courage it takes for an individual to go against the grain. In this story of a small forest town, Fredrik Backman has found the entire world.

What I Liked . . .

The Depth and the Breadth. One of the things that impressed me about this book is the broad range of topics it managed to cover in one book.

The Characters. Despite having a large cast of characters, I thought they were all very well developed.

What I Didn’t Like . . .

Overextended: This book addresses a lot of heavy issues. While I like a book with several layers, I also wonder if it was trying to do too much. Although, I also recognize that’s also like criticizing someone for being an overachiever.

The Cast of Characters

Keeping track of all of the characters in this book can get a bit overwhelming, which is why I put together this handy list of the main characters for you:

Peter Andersson – The general manager of the Beartown hockey team, a former NHL player, husband to Kira, and father to Maya and Leo.
Kira Andersson – Peter’s wife and a lawyer. Mother of Maya and Leo.
Maya Andersson – Peter and Kira’s teenage daughter.
Leo Andersson – Maya’s 12-year-old brother.
Kevin Erdahl – The star hockey player.
Benji – Kevin’s best friend and teammate.
Amat – A young hockey player in Beartown, often underestimated but with immense talent and passion for the game.
Fatima – Amat’s mother and the cleaner at the hockey rink.
Bobo – A teammate of Kevin, Benji, and Amat, known for his physical aggression on the ice. Son of Hog and Ann-Katrin.
Ana – Maya’s best friend.
David – The coach of the Beartown hockey team
Sune – The 70-year-old coach of Beartown’s professional team; a mentor and father figure to many players.
Ramona – A bar owner in Beartown, known for her no-nonsense attitude.
Zacharias – Amat’s best friend, who is from the underprivileged Hollow of Beartown.
William Lyt – A member of the hockey team and loyal friend of Kevin.
The Pack – A group of influential men in Beartown who exert their power and influence in the town.
Mr. Erdahl – Kevin’s demanding father and a big financial supporter of the local hockey club.
Mrs. Erdahl – Kevin’s mother and powerful business woman.
Tails – The owner of a supermarket chain. Childhood friend of Peter.
Club President – The nameless president of the Beartown hockey club.

Book Discussion Questions

Do you think the title fits the book? What title would you give this book?
What do you think is the main theme of this book?
How does the setting of Beartown contribute to the overall themes and conflicts in the story?
How does the sport of hockey shape the identity of the people of Beartown? What does it symbolize beyond just a game?
Discuss the character development of Maya throughout the book. How does her journey impact the other characters and the town as a whole?
One of the central themes in Beartown is the issue of consent and the importance of believing survivors. How does the book handle this sensitive topic? What messages do you think Mr. Backman is trying to convey?
Explore the theme of loyalty in Beartown . How do the characters’ loyalties shift and evolve throughout the story? Discuss how you see loyalty having both positive and negative consequences.
Discuss the role of sports in Beartown . How does the hockey team’s success or failure affect the community and the individuals within it?
Analyze the relationship between Peter and Kira, Maya’s parents. How does their marriage change over the course of the book, and how does it impact their daughter?
Discuss the concept of “us versus them” in this small hockey town. How does this mentality shape the actions and decisions of the characters?
Explore the theme of power and its abuse in Beartown . How do the characters wield power, and what are the consequences of their actions?
How do ambition and the pressure to succeed drive the characters’ actions throughout the story? What are the repercussions?
The characters in Beartown are complex and face various moral dilemmas. Which character did you find the most compelling, and why? Did any of the characters’ choices surprise you?
Consider the role of “the pack” mentality in the story. How does the group mentality influence individual behavior, both positively and negatively?
Analyze the character of Amat and his journey from being an outsider to finding his place in Beartown. How does his story reflect the larger themes of the book?
Reflect on the ending of Beartown. Did it satisfy you? Why or why not?
Out of five stars, how do you rate this book?

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The Beartown Series

Beartown is the first book in a trilogy. Here are all of the books in the series in order:

Other popular Fredrick Backman novels:

A Man Called Ove
Anxious People
Britt-Marie Was Here

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Beartown: From the New York Times bestselling author of A Man Called Ove and Anxious People

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Beartown: From the New York Times bestselling author of A Man Called Ove and Anxious People Kindle Edition

FROM THE MULTI-MILLION COPY BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF ANXIOUS PEOPLE AND A MAN CALLED OVE, F REDRIK BACKMAN **NOW A MAJOR HBO TV SERIES** 'I utterly believed in the residents of Beartown and felt ripped apart by the events in the book' JOJO MOYES 'I couldn't put it down. Heart-rending and engrossing' 5***** Reader Review _________ In a large Swedish forest, Beartown hides a dark secret . . . Cut-off from everywhere else, it experiences the kind of isolation that tears people apart. And each year, more and more of the town is swallowed by the forest. Then the town is offered a bright new future. But it is all put in jeopardy by a single, brutal act. It divides the town into those who think it should be hushed up and forgotten, and those who'll risk the future to see justice done. Who will speak up? Could you stand by and stay silent? Or would you risk everything for justice? Which side would you be on? _________ 'A mature, compassionate novel' Sunday Times 'You'll love this engrossing novel' People 'You know a book is good when you don't want it to end' 5***** reader review PRAISE FOR ANXIOUS PEOPLE 'A brilliant and comforting read' MATT HAIG 'Funny, compassionate and wise. An absolute joy' A.J. PEARCE 'A surefooted insight into the absurdity, beauty and ache of life' GUARDIAN 'I laughed, I sobbed, I recommended it to literally everyone I know' BUZZFEED 'Captures the messy essence of being human' WASHINGTON POST

Book 1 of 3 Beartown
Print length 421 pages
Language English
Sticky notes On Kindle Scribe
Publisher Penguin
Publication date May 3, 2018
File size 3887 KB
Page Flip Enabled
Word Wise Enabled
Enhanced typesetting Enabled
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Us Against You: A Novel (Beartown Series)

Editorial Reviews

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B079XY62GF
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Penguin (May 3, 2018)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 3, 2018
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 3887 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 421 pages
#502 in Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Literary Fiction
#801 in Contemporary Literary Fiction
#859 in Small Town & Rural Fiction (Kindle Store)

About the author

Fredrik backman.

Fredrik Backman is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Man Called Ove, My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry, Britt-Marie Was Here, Beartown, Us Against You, and two novellas, And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer and The Deal of a Lifetime, as well as one work of nonfiction, Things My Son Needs to Know About the World. His books are published in more than forty countries. His next novel, Anxious People, will be published in September 2020. He lives in Stockholm, Sweden, with his wife and two children. Connect with him on Facebook and Twitter @BackmanLand or on Instagram @Backmansk.

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Customers find the emotional tone heartbreaking, rough, and poignant. They also praise the writing style as gorgeous and deeply complicated. Readers describe the themes as insightful, dynamic, and layered. They find the characters well developed and true to their description. Customers describe the storyline as soul-searching, masterful, and real. They praise the quality of the writing as wonderful, tragically human, and breezy. Opinions are mixed on the plot, with some finding it fantastic and unexpected, while others find it repetitive and slow for the first half.

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Customers find the writing quality of the book good, satisfying, and honest. They also say the book is sad and makes them reflect about life and society. Readers also mention that the cover is lovely and the style is unique and very effective.

"... One of the best written books I've ever read in my life." Read more

"...The book cover was LOVELY ! The picture of the frozen lake and surrounding town was just what I imagined.I loved the narrative style...." Read more

"...The realistic characters, the plot , and small town life, along with the background information about the art of coaching and the sport itself, all..." Read more

"...The storytelling style is unique and very effective...." Read more

Customers find the storyline incredible, soul-searching, and relatable. They appreciate the real life, real good, and real evil. They also describe the story as riveting, hard hitting, and soul-nourishing. Readers also mention that the structure and timing of the telling are beautiful.

"...resignation, heartbreak, the joy of first love, the strength of doing the right thing . One of the best written books I've ever read in my life." Read more

"...The characters were, for the most part, believable . I liked how the end could be another beginning." Read more

"...The realistic characters, the plot, and small town life , along with the background information about the art of coaching and the sport itself, all..." Read more

"...a spiritual experience that I found both thought-provoking and soul-nourishing , in spite of its dark moments." Read more

Customers find the writing style gorgeous, descriptive, and succinct. They also say the author has exquisitely captured the complexities of society and the forces that influence us all.

"This book was both easy and incredibly difficult to read . I've only ever read one other book that made me feel all the things this book made me feel...." Read more

"... Backman is an amazing writer , but we already knew that." Read more

"...The storytelling style is unique and very effective. Without being at all choppy or disjointed , the author goes back and forth in time in a very..." Read more

"...There’s no mistaking Backman’s mastery of storytelling and compelling writing . He retains that knack...." Read more

Customers find the characters well developed and true to their description throughout the book.

"...The characters were to compelling . They all had so many dimensions...." Read more

"...The realistic characters , the plot, and small town life, along with the background information about the art of coaching and the sport itself, all..." Read more

"...There are no stereotypes here -- only well-developed characters you get to know intimately and understand why they're the way they are...." Read more

"...He retains that knack. He also builds living, breathing characters , albeit too many to keep up with in this one book...." Read more

Customers find the themes insightful, complicated, and messy. They also say the book has an in-depth look at small town mentality. Readers describe the author as a great storyteller and supreme moralist. They say the themes are relatable to anyone involved in hockey and a decent idea.

"...OVERALLA great book. Touches on my many important topics ." Read more

"I liked the rhythm of the narrative . The characters were, for the most part, believable. I liked how the end could be another beginning." Read more

"...just a novel—it was a spiritual experience that I found both thought-provoking and soul-nourishing, in spite of its dark moments." Read more

"The first half of the book felt like good world building but it was slow...." Read more

Customers find the book heartbreaking, beautiful, and sympathetic to the victim. They also say it makes them feel and gives greater impact to the words and intensity to the characters.

"...Excitement, anger, resignation, heartbreak , the joy of first love, the strength of doing the right thing...." Read more

"...Perhaps the most powerful impact of this book is the author's ability to inspire empathy for even the most unlikable of his characters...." Read more

"...He perfectly captures the feeling of love , shame, hypocrisy, hopelessness..etc...." Read more

"...and pages of narrative. Surprising too were the many instances of blasphemy and colourful language , even though, in some instances, they would..." Read more

Customers are mixed about the pacing. Some mention the plot believable and the tempo quick, while others say it drags along.

"The first half of the book felt like good world building but it was slow ...." Read more

"...The book starts very slowly , as we get to know all the characters. And there are a lot of them, a whole town's worth...." Read more

"I’ve been reading mediocre books lately. This story took off like a rocket . Great writing. Complex characters and points of view...." Read more

"...I found it to be a bit of a slow starting , while interesting it just to me didn't have that BIG HOOK, that draws you in...." Read more

Customers have mixed opinions about the plot. Some find the author did a fantastic job of luring them in and keeping them engaged. They say the book is surprising, gripping, refreshing, and a page-turner. However, some readers feel the plot is repetitive at times and has too much going on for their taste.

"...—you know what happened, the story is built around the reason — is refreshing ." Read more

"...It hooked me from the first sentence , and I could not put it down...." Read more

"...The first 1/2 of the book was slow and repetitive until the assault which I did not expect...." Read more

"...It is a completely different book and the way it all turns is unbelievably unexpected . I highly recommend it!" Read more

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REVIEW: 'Beartown,' by Fredrik Backman

FICTION: A sexual assault divides a hockey town grasping for a last chance for fame, in a novel by the author of "A Man Called Ove."

By CARROL MEMMOTT

A seemingly straightforward story about a small town's hope for its youth hockey team evolves into something much more complex in "Beartown," the engrossing new novel by Swedish writer Fredrik Backman, whose equally moving 2014 novel, "A Man Called Ove," gripped readers with its story of a quirky curmudgeon who tries to kill himself.

Within the guise of a sports novel, "Beartown" quickly turns dark as Backman exposes the one-track hearts and minds of some of Beartown's residents. The isolated community in the novel is in Sweden, but "Beartown" is a universal story of homophobia, sexism and politics that could take place anywhere.

"Small towns need a head start if they're going to have any chance in the world," Backman writes, and, as readers soon learn, covering up a heinous crime is not up for debate if the town is going to make economic and social advances. It's why Backman's descriptions of screeching hockey parents who yell at coaches and other parents during games — we've all seen them — seem almost comical set against the ugly group mentality that takes over after a teen is raped and the Beartown Ice Hockey Club's star player is accused of the crime.

Current fiction may have no more courageous young female character than Maya, who faces hate and threats after she comes forward about the rape. Backman writes a gritty, heart-stopping account of the sexual assault after which the novel then pivots into even more ominous territory as the town turns on her and her family.

"Beartown" is not just about a sexual assault; it's also about Beartown families closing ranks and perpetuating falsehoods to protect themselves and the hockey team. It's also about the all-encompassing culture of youth sports — the physical, mental and emotional commitment demanded of the players (not necessarily a bad thing) and the way that team sponsors, coaches and fans treat players like products rather than human beings.

This novel feels so relevant with its ugly locker room banter, bullying, disrespect of immigrants, dismissal of due process and the town's blame-the-victim attitudes. Thankfully, some characters see the light. A man who learns that one of the hockey players is gay has an awakening: "Whenever anything, anything at all, was really bad, it was 'gay' … It was more than just a concept, it was an adverb, an adjective, a grammatical weapon."

Don't expect absolute justice in "Beartown," but prepare to be uplifted. When a witness to Maya's rape vividly describes it, "no one in the room will ever forget it." The same can be said for the memorable "Beartown."

Carol Memmott also reviews books for the Washington Post and the Chicago Tribune.

Beartown By: Fredrik Backman. Publisher: Atria, 418 pages, $26.99. Event: In conversation with Julie Schumacher, 7 p.m. June 13, Grace Trinity Church, 1430 W. 28th St., Mpls. Tickets $26.99, includes cost of book. http://bit.ly/2sw4lhQ

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The Beartown Book Ending Looks 10 Years Into The Character's Futures

Some having happier endings than others.

Premiering in the United States on Feb. 22, HBO Nordic's Beartown brings Fredrik Backman's bestselling novel of the same name to the small screen. The series stars Miriam Ingrid ( Get Ready with Me ) as Maya, a teenager who is raped by an older boy — the star athlete of the local hockey club her father manages. With the 2020 series finally landing on this side of the Atlantic, now is the perfect time to revisit the Beartown book ending , which looks 10 years into the main characters' future. Major spoilers for Beartown follow.

"Late one evening toward the end of March, a teenager picked up a double-barreled shotgun, walked into the forest, put the gun to someone else’s forehead, and pulled the trigger." So begins Fredrik Backman's 2016 bestseller, Beartown . Set in the eponymous small town, called Björnstad in the original Swedish, the novel centers on six teenagers whose lives are all intimately connected to the local hockey rink.

Maya, the 15-year-old daughter of the Beartown hockey club manager, spends her time playing guitar, hanging out with her BFF, Ana, and crushing on Kevin: the 17-year-old star of Beartown's junior hockey team. Kevin's best friend is Benji: a closeted gay boy whose hockey skills are good enough to go pro.

Maya's childhood friend, Amat, is in love with her and also plays on the junior team. He becomes friends with Bobo, a large hockey player with a tender heart, after the party at which Maya is attacked. Amat's best friend, Zacharias, isn't as talented a player as the others, but proves himself to be a loyal friend.

After Beartown wins its semifinal match, Kevin throws a house party to celebrate. Drunk and nursing a mutual attraction, he and Maya head upstairs to smoke pot and get some privacy. She consents to kissing, but when she refuses to take things further, Kevin rips her clothes, chokes her until she begins to black out, and rapes her.

Meanwhile, Amat's busy asking after Maya when Ana tells him that she's in Kevin's bedroom. He walks in in time to see his teammate taking advantage of Maya. Amat's entrance distracts Kevin and gives his victim time to escape, but not without the marks of his violence.

Maya's accusation and Amat's testimony are enough to get the star player arrested ahead of the finals, but not enough to convince local police to prosecute. Beartown begins to turn against Maya and Amat, and things get worse when the junior team — missing its star player — loses the finals. When several hockey players attack Amat, Bobo comes to his rescue. And as the town divides itself over the issue of Kevin's crime, Benji severs all ties with his former best friend.

On a snowy night, Maya steals a shotgun and ammunition from Ana's father and leaves a simple note in its place: " Happy, Ana. In ten years' time I see myself being happy. You, too. " She confronts Kevin at the jogging track, and he does not try to run, though he does plead with her to spare his life when she puts the gun to his forehead. She pulls the trigger, only to reveal to her rapist that the weapon was never loaded.

Ten years later, Kevin and Maya run into one another again. They don't speak, but the encounter prompts Kevin to explain to his wife how he knows Maya, now a famous musician, and what transpired between them.

The season after they lose the finals, four hockey players — Amat, Benji, Bobo, and Zacharias — are charged with teaching younger children to skate at the ice rink. "In ten years' time," we're told, "two of them will be playing [hockey] professionally. One will be a dad. One will be dead."

Unfortunately, it's Benji, the boy with "sad eyes and a wild heart," who will die. Although we aren't given many details about the young man's death, Backman writes of "a hockey puck on a gravestone in Beartown," inscribed with the words, Still the bravest bastard I know. — a variation on something the boys' coach used to say to Benji. A watch, presumably the one a very young Benji once stole from his coach, rests beside the puck.

HBO Nordic's Beartown premieres in the United States on Feb. 22.

This article was originally published on Feb. 22, 2021

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Beartown by Fredrik Backman

Publication Date: February 6, 2018
Genres: Fiction
Paperback: 432 pages
Publisher: Washington Square Press
ISBN-10: 150116077X
ISBN-13: 9781501160776
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			Fredrik Backman
			Beartown Book Companion The #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Man Called Ove returns with Beartown—an instant New York Times bestseller—about a forgotten town fractured by scandal, and the amateur hockey team that might just change everything. Characters: 34. Amazon rating: 4 1/2 stars. Genre: Fiction.


			Canada Heights - Motorcycle Club.
			Madrid, Spain.
			Toronto, Canada website.
			India Ocean on Wikipedia.
			South America on Wikipedia.

			If you liked Beartown you may also like other books by Fredrik Backman: and . You may also like other books in our . To view more posted books, go to . To view books in process, and to suggest new books, go to . To view additional authors, go to .

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Beartown by Fredrik Backman – Book Review

A photo of the book Beartown by Fredrik Backman

Warning – possible spoilers! (Tiny ones, though, and I’ll try to avoid even those; I swear I’ll give my best not to ruin it for you… :-))

Beartown by Fredrik Backman – Book Details

TITLE – Beartown

SERIES – Beartown, book #1

AUTHOR – Fredrik Backman

GENRE – literary fiction , contemporary , sports

YEAR PUBLISHED – 2016

PAGE COUNT – 489

MY RATING – 5 of 5

RATED ON GOODREADS – 4.25 of 5

Initial Thoughts

I feel a bit late to the party with this one. It was published a few years ago, and all this time I’ve been hearing ravings about it from my friends and fellow book bloggers. It was on my TBR for quite a while and I’ve finally gotten around to reading it a few weeks ago.

All I can say is – I can’t believe I didn’t read this book sooner!

Why? Why wouldn’t I want to have something like this in my life?

Beartown won me over from the very start. The writing was so simple and effortless, it felt innocent. It’s crazy how small things Backman can make incredibly touching.

Now, I knew before reading it what the book was all about. And ever since I started reading it, all I could think was – I really, really don’t want it to happen. I’ve grown attached to the characters faster that I could imagine. Knowing what was coming almost made me put down the book.

Except – you can’t really put down a Backman. He writes about humanity, flaws, fears and hope in such a way that makes you feel connected with the world and people.

I was around 40 pages in when I knew this book was going to break my heart a bit. I just knew it. He prepares you for it. Gives you little clues along the way.

But Backman is also a kind of writer to whom you can trust he will put it back together…

What It Is About

A quote from Beartown by Fredrik Backman - “The easiest way to unite a group isn't through love, because love is hard. It makes demands. Hate is simple.”

Beartown is a small forest town somewhere in Sweden. It is getting smaller and smaller each year, as there are less and less jobs and not many things that would attract new people and investors. But one thing gives the locals hope in a better tomorrow – hockey.

A lot of responsibility lies on the shoulders of the Beartown’s junior ice hockey team. The approaching finals brings a lot of hope but it also creates extreme tension. Parents, classmates, club members, business sponsors… Who you are today and who you are going to be tomorrow – it all depends on how you play in semi-finals.

Everything, including justice and morality, comes second on a night like this.

When a 15 year-old girl becomes a victim of a violent act, it puts the whole community to a test. This is a story about what it really means to be a part of a pack and how much courage it takes to stand on your own for what you believe in.

(I’m not gonna go into any specific details here because I don’t want to spoil it for you. But do check trigger warnings for this book if there is anything specific you want to avoid.)

Beartown by Fredrik Backman – My Review

Beartown became one of my favorite books of all time. So I knew writing this review is going to be challenging for me – though I wouldn’t mind gushing about it all day long, there are only so many ways you can say “It was amazing.”

Beartown is one of those books that seem pretty easy to describe, yet I feel whatever I say, I won’t be able to draw you a full picture of why you really, really need to read this book.

Basically, something horrible happens in this small, isolated, hockey-obsessed town. And the book describes the reaction of townspeople to this event.

I’m trying to be really careful while reviewing this book. I don’t want to scare off someone who’s trying to avoid deep, sad, heartbreaking tales. I’m also usually trying to avoid books that can make me cry. But I’ve loved this one so much, it would be a real shame if I’d skipped it.

Beartown has its heartbreaking moments, but it is so much more than a sad book. It is filled with so many amazing things, like love, family, loyalty, devotion, warmth, small acts of kindness and so much hope – it can make you laugh and cry at the same time.

Backman handles sensitive, difficult topics in a way I’ve never seen before. Everything was done in such a quiet voice that still somehow managed to get louder and clearer than a scream.

This book talks about right vs. wrong, violence, justice, community, fears, dreams, culture, integrity, privilege, pressure, prejudices, misjudgment, silence, authority, family, decisions, belonging, winners, losers, hope, loneliness, loyalty, betrayal, forgiveness…

All of that is tackled in one way or another, yet you never feel overwhelmed or like too much is going on.

I usually prefer books written from a single perspective, but in this case many, many POVs were much needed to fully paint the story. Everyone handles the situation differently. Everyone has to decide for themselves what is truly important to them. Each new perspective changes your own opinion a little bit.

It is ridiculous after how little interaction you start to feel affection for these people. So quickly you feel like you know who they are and what they are like. You get to know them while they are still whole and innocent. You root for them to make the right decision. And when they don’t, it strikes really hard.

I also loved how the characters were presented in relation to one another. So you often get two very different people coming to the same conclusion, or two very similar people end up being very different in their essences.

I am not gonna say that I liked the violence in this book, but I definitely loved how it was presented. It got me frightened for sure. It made me feel all the helplessness and frustration of an individual who’s trying to do something against the wishes of a much larger, stronger, ruthless crowd.

I also loved how Backman used hockey as a tool to bring people’s strengths and weaknesses to the surface. I am not a huge sports person, but in Beartown hockey is so much more than a sport. It is this hovering, ever present thing that reveals people’s true colors and affects their decisions sometimes more than their families could.

Hockey is what makes this group of people a community. And one of the major questions this book asks is what it really means to be a part of a community. What would you give up to belong?

One of the things Backman does extremely well is the use of repetition. Usually, if a book is repetitive, it gets old real quick and just starts to annoy me. But Backman uses repetition intentionally and very skillfully to emphasize and give weight to what he’s trying to say.

He also uses it very diversely. Sometimes it is just a simple bang bang bang bang bang that sets the atmosphere and means different things to different people. Other times he will say something that sounds quite simple and innocent, then remind you of it later on when certain events give those words a much different meaning.

I have no words to describe how well written Beartown is. I wanted to cry and scream and burn this book and read it again. It made me angry, and sad, and so frustrated. But is also gave hope and a sense that – everything is going to be alright.

This book made me think a lot about Backman himself. How do you sit down and write a story like this?

It also made me think – thank God there’s a sequel . I am not ready to say goodbye to some of these characters just yet…

MORE BY FREDRIK BACKMAN: THE DEAL OF A LIFETIME , ANXIOUS PEOPLE

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(2) comments.

Everytime I read some of yours reviews I think “How well is this said, how easy for reading is” and yet, when after a while I read some other review of yours I think exactly the same – how great is this written. I don’t know where to start with how grateful I am for this review – so first of all thank you. You really go deep into the essence of the book, characters and what the writer wanted to tell. And then, you somehow manage to give your own opinion and be objective at the same time! While I was reading this review, I felt like I HAVE TO read the book, right now, I wanted to feel what you said you felt and you were soo intriguing, I was as exited before reading it as much as you were after 😁😁😁 Thank you, you are the best

Yay! Really glad you liked my review! Hope you’ll enjoy this series as much as I did… ❤️️❤️️❤️️

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Book Review: Beartown by Fredrik Backman

Olivia Shackleton

Amateur Book Reviews

Rating: 1.5 / 5 stars

I was really looking forward to reading Beartown, as it had 4.25 stars on Goodreads and so many excellent reviews. Even though the story was focused on a small hockey town, the reviews claimed that the tight-knit community and personal struggles are more prominent than hockey itself.

Jumping into the novel, I realized quickly how slow paced it was. There were many times where I wanted to abandon the book altogether, but I felt I had already dedicated too much time to give up. The first 150 pages were Backman describing 15 characters in this small hockey town, and driving home the point of how important the high school’s junior hockey team was in stimulating the economy of Beartown. If they were to win the finals, Beartown would get a hockey academy and new businesses would open shop there. So, the pressure on these teenage boys — outside out their personal struggles and problems — was immense.

The main conflict of the story was the junior team’s star play Kevin raped Maya, the daughter of the hockey club’s GM. This led to the police hauling Kevin off of the bus in front of his teammates the day of the hockey final. Even with all the players doing their best, the team just couldn’t win without their star. The town turned against Maya and rallied behind her rapist, saying she was just looking for attention or her father was playing politics with the future of the hockey club. Once the police ended their investigation and said the evidence was inconclusive, Maya decided to take action herself and put a shotgun to Kevin’s head. Although she pulls the trigger, the gun isn’t loaded and she just wanted him to feel the fear she did. The book concludes 10 years in the future, where Kevin is married to the love of his life and Maya is a famous guitar player, and both characters are happy.

I was intrigued by the opening: “Late one evening toward the end of March, a teenager picked up a double-barreled shotgun, walked into the forest, put the gun to someone else’s forehead, and pulled the trigger. This is the story of how we got there.” Once Maya was raped, it was pretty predictable the characters who would be involved in this shooting. However, as the novel continued I found myself wondering when Maya would feel this urge to kill Kevin, and honestly it felt like it came out of nowhere. She would console her mother, Kira, about how they need to stay strong, and then suddenly Maya decides that either Kevin or herself needs to die. Yet, neither one of them do. Even though it was stated several times that one of them HAVE TO die.

Additionally, the characters were not well-developed. There were so many characters, which makes sense for creating the small town feel, but it was hard to care about any of the characters when Backman kept switching perspectives. Even the characters you were meant to empathize with, such as Maya and Kira, felt so distant. I never felt like I got in the characters’ thoughts and feelings but was told by Backman what they were thinking and feeling.

Another part that really bothered me was how the characters expressed their emotions. They all stayed silent even when they wanted to express how they were feeling. They’d offer a cup of coffee or a shot of whiskey instead of discussing the issues at hand. It was annoying to never have good dialogue because in Beartown silence is taught early on.

I also found that Backman misled the readers and manipulated their emotions. For example, when David, the junior team’s coach, found out that Benji, a player he has taught since he was a young child, was gay he was overcome by disgust. The reader thought that David was disgusted by Benji only to find out five pages later that David was actually disgusted by himself and was sad that Benji didn’t feel comfortable coming out to him.

There were a few redeeming moments in the book, but not enough to pull my rating above a 1.5 stars. I thought the bond between David and the players was special. When David would write encouraging words on the hockey pucks or when he left a puck and his watch at Benji’s dad’s gravestone, it was clear that David and his players had a beautiful relationship. I also liked that even though Benji was known to be extremely loyal to Kevin, he was able to walk away from that friendship and stood up for Maya in his own way.

Overall, I would not recommend this novel. There are many other novels that emphasize loyalty and a bond between a team, overcoming personal struggles and dealing with ethically challenging situations in a more engaging way. Perhaps if this book was 200 pages instead of 400, it would have been less repetitive and more focused on fewer, more developed characters.

Written by Olivia Shackleton

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Book Club: Read ‘The Hypocrite,’ by Jo Hamya, With the Book Review

By MJ Franklin

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In this photo, a copy of "The Hypocrite," by Jo Hamya, sits on a table surrounded by other books, a notebook, two pencils and a pair of glasses.

Welcome to the Book Review Book Club

Welcome to the Book Review Book Club! Every month, we select a book to discuss with our readers. Sometimes that’s a new book we’re excited about and would love to introduce you to; other times it’s an older book that’s back in the cultural spotlight. What all our selections have in common? They’re great books primed for robust, thoughtful conversations.

For September, we’re reading “The Hypocrite,” by Jo Hamya.

This month, we also have a cozy new space to talk about the book as all of us are reading (that’s this article here). We encourage you to share your thoughts and questions with us and with other readers as you go along.

In addition to the main conversation room, where no spoilers are allowed, we have a spot for conversation among readers who have already finished the novel and another place to share book pairing recommendations. Each conversation space will have its own comment section so you can easily join the discussions that you’re most interested in.

You can find those conversations, as well as more information on “The Hypocrite,” below.

We’ll also be chatting about the novel on the Book Review podcast on Sept. 27. If you post in any of the conversation hubs by Sept. 23, we may mention your observations in the podcast episode.

We can’t wait to discuss the novel with you (and if you’d like to invite a friend to read the book with us, here’s a quick link to the club ). In the meantime, happy reading!

Learn More About the Book

Write what you know, the adage goes. But what happens when what — or who — you know doesn’t like what you write?

That is the question at the center of our September selection for the Book Review Book Club: “The Hypocrite,” by Jo Hamya.

The book follows a famous English novelist as he watches a staging of a new play by his daughter, Sophia, in London. The lights go down in the theater, and immediately the novelist realizes: The play is about him, the vacation he took with Sophia a decade earlier and the sins he committed while they were away. During the show, Sophia is at lunch with her mother, dissecting their family history until she can talk with her father after the play has concluded. The story also jumps to the past, to show what really happened on that fateful father-daughter holiday.

The novel is an art monster story and a dysfunctional family saga that explores the ethics of creating work inspired by real life.

(Read our review of the book and learn more about Jo Hamya in our “Related Reading” section below.)

Book Club Conversation Space: Main Discussion

Share your thoughts about “The Hypocrite,” by Jo Hamya, in the comments here (click that chat bubble above to comment). This will be our main conversation space.

( IMPORTANT : Please don’t post spoilers here. We have a separate spoiler chat .)

We can’t wait to hear what you think about the book!

[ Click here to go back to the main book club hub. ]

Book Club Conversation Space: Spoiler Chat

Want to talk about something that happens later in “The Hypocrite”? Dying to dig into a particular plot point or react to a big reveal? Post your spoiler-filled thoughts, questions and observations in the comments here (click that chat bubble above to comment).

Book Club Conversation Space: Book Pairing Recommendations

Did “The Hypocrite” make you think of other books? Are there other titles you love — fiction or nonfiction — that explore similar themes? Share your recommendations for books you’d pair with “The Hypocrite” in the comments here (click that chat bubble above to comment).