Seriously depressing. And the ending isn’t good enough to justify suffering through all those pages of awful. I laughed out loud on every page of A Man Called Ove. This is the exact opposite. It makes you want to cry on every page.

As I hockey mom this was the most honest depiction I could have imagined. I recognized many of the characters as people I knew. I recognized many of the players… my own son among them. Read this book you will hate it. You will be depressed by it, and in the end you will believe in it and in human nature and love it.

This book kept me awake for many nights, it’s intensity of the incident makes all the emotions so much more real

One of the best books I have read in a long time.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and its intensity. I am not a hockey fan but thoroughly enjoyed learning about the sport and the character development was excellent. There are some very serious topics and reading how a small town handles this is real and raw. Immediately getting the next book.

What Louise Penny does for Three Pines, Fredrik Backman accomplishes in Beartown - the creation of a community you want to visit with people you want to get to know. The story is excellent, but at the end of the book its the characters you want more of. Looking forward to the rest of the series.

The character development and the way he links the scenes are just amazing.

I loved this book. The subject matter was tough and be writing was engaging. I loved a lot of characters and hated a lot of characters. I loved Maya and Ana’s friendship. Maya’s mom was amazing. I truly felt for that entire family. I really showed how favoritism, neglect, a “pack mindset” and power can really corrupt children and adults. I loved everyone who stood up for what was right. The ending was upsetting and sadly realistic. It’s just proof that we as adults have to be better so our kids can be too.

Hands down one of the best books I have ever read. I am not a hockey fan either but this book is literally perfect. 5* - can’t recommend it highly enough.

My second book of Backman’s (the first being the fantastic A Man Called Ove). The writing is clear, the emotions seem incredibly real and heartfelt. You are transported to a remote place, with people who can’t readily express themselves except for their love of hockey. And then, it turns into something entirely different…