This book completely blew me away! The second half took a twist I didn't see coming, but I thought was completely inspired and absolutely necessary given our current state of the world and how people treat each other, especially our athletes and women. Loved it and can't wait to read more by this author!

My first thoughts on reading this book were: do I really want to read a book about hockey? Having lived in Canada for 20 years I saw plenty of games, but reading about the sport? Boy, was I wrong! The feelings evoked in me reading this book are impossible to put into words. Let me just say I was flat on my back reading for two days.
This small, forgotten and down at heels town loves hockey with total passion. Hockey is life itself, for the people and for the town. Hockey will restore their town, create jobs, better all of their lives, it's their life blood. A light is shone on the ugly side of school sports, on the men in suits who have the money but not the talent.
The characters are part of all of us: the Iove, the hate, the desperation, the compassion, the drive and the heartbreak; it's in all of us. The feelings we cannot put into words are described so sensitively and with such impossible surity, I wanted to praise Fredrik Hackman to the stars.
When the dream is shattered, your heart will break for many of the characters and when the book ends you curse the fact you read too fast. This is such a wonderful book, I cannot recommend it highly enough, please do yourselves a favor and read it. Buy the book so you can refer to it time and time again. The author's words are gold.
Deep felt thanks to Netgalley, Atria Books and the genius called Fredrik Hackman for the eARC.

Fredrik Backman has done it again!

Beartown is a small town in the forest, without much going on for it. But it's a hockey-crazed town.

This novel is quite the departure from Backman's previous offerings. It's darker, grittier, but still compelling.
The writing style is different as well. What’s not different is Backman’s ability to create realistic, complex characters, regardless of their age, gender, or backgrounds.

The large cast of characters has at its core the hockey players and their families, the coaches, the general manager and his wife and kids. Teachers, bar owners, businessmen are also part of the cast. Some of the characters are given more air-time than others, still, none of them is redundant. Incredibly enough, I never got confused about who’s who, which only demonstrates, again, Backman’s incredible skill.

Great writers are also great psychologists. They speak life’s truths in a way that allows us to connect, relate, and understand. They also hold up a mirror to ourselves and society. Backman’s craftsmanship accomplished all that and more in Beartown.

In the past eighteen months, Backman has become one of my favourite authors. All his novels were 5-star reads.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Absolutely Outstanding!!!!

I have read all of Frederik Blackman's books and this was my favorite! Great story, great characters.

What a great book! This is the fifth book I've read of this author & I intend to read any more he writes.

Thanks to NetGalley and publishers for letting me read Beartown, by Frederick Backman. In a small Swedish town, where ice and cold are a norm, things heat up as the hockey team heads to the finals without their star player. A tragedy causes conflict surrounding this player, dividing the people who live there. But, they soon discover that honesty and integrity are what makes their town a place anyone would want to live. This story is for teens, coaches, parents, and everyone who has struggled to become their best. I loved this book and will recommend it to my friends and students. Thanks, Mr. Backman, for writing this book.

Do sports build character or reveal it? In Fredrik Beckman's new book, the game of hockey does both.

Beartown is a small city, dying away in the cold, dark forests of Sweden, that lives and breathes for hockey. As the book begins, Beartown's hopes for fame and glory (and perhaps a civic resurgence as well) are pinned on the ice hockey club's junior team winning the last two games in the biggest youth tournament in the country. But one unspeakable act will disrupt their plans and divide the city. Which should come first? Loyalty to the club, and by extension, the entire city...or justice?

The book actually begins with a foreshadowing of one teen's way of finding justice. Keep that in mind as you read the rest of the story.

The first 40% of the book is all about hockey. Almost everyone in Beartown is obsessed with it--the children, their parents, their coaches, the middle-aged former players, the wealthy sponsors.

But notice, hockey is only for boys. Unlike the neighboring city of Hed, Beartown does not have a girls' hockey team. Girls aren't allowed. Girls aren't supposed to love hockey, after all. If they do, they must be lesbians. And if they like the players, they are groupies and sluts. Girls, therefore, don't count in Beartown--they are merely a distraction.

To be sure, several of the hockey players have been inspired to work harder and harder to develop their talents and make the team, and in them, one could say that character has been built by their efforts. In others, who were given great talent and excel without much effort, who were admired and pampered all their lives, one could say character is revealed by their actions.

And in between are those who maybe didn't try hard enough or just don't have what it takes. Not everyone is good enough to play hockey at the higher levels. The training process shakes out the chaff. One such player is mercilessly bullied by the older boys--"he knows firsthand what the strong do to the weak in this town." One cannot help but wonder, Who took the 'fun' out of the game of hockey?

The characters in this story are AMAZING! Strong, strong women (thank you, Fredrik Backman!) Men who are manly enough to allow themselves to be weak and emotional at times. There are great bonds of friendship. The author is fond of saying, "Never again do you have the sort of friends you have when you're fifteen." But those bonds of friendship are sorely tested as they experience life.

Loyalty is also a big theme. Which comes first: loyalty to your team or to your friend? Is loyalty more important than doing what is right?

This book is wonderful at times and disturbing at others. Twice I had to put it down and walk away--so you know how emotionally involved I was at that moment.

I highly recommend this book to fans of Backman's other books: you will find he has stepped up to a higher level in his writing with this one. You won't find the charming, warm and fuzzy story here. This one makes you stop and think about what we are teaching our children, what life lessons are important to learn. I also highly recommend this book to newcomers to Backman's work--this is an excellent place to start.

Many thanks to Rachel Brenner and AtriaBooks/Simon & Schuster for offering me a special widget to read an ARC of this book through NG. I am so grateful for the opportunity; Fredrik Backman is definitely one of my favorite authors.

Personal note: I confess to not being much of a hockey fan even though I grew up in the suburbs of one NHL city and moved to the suburbs of a second as an adult--but I'm always delighted when one of those two teams wins the Stanley Cup of course! My one big experience with the thrill of hockey came during the 1980 Winter Olympics when America's hockey team beat the Russians to win the gold medal. We were glued to our tv sets for that! Do you believe in miracles? Yes, we do!

A second note: When we moved to a small city in Illinois in the early 80s, we found a similar sports culture surrounding their winning football team--similar to Beartown's hockey culture, that is. Those boys could just about get away with anything--even the police looked the other way. And middle-aged men sat in bars reminiscing about their glory days on the field--the highlight of their lives.

Backman has really gone and done it again with this heart-wrenching novel that has characters that will resonate with all readers.

"Why does anybody care about hockey? Because it tells stories." I was a little apprehensive when I realised that this book would revolve around hockey; however, some of the characters in this book were apprehensive when they realised that they were living in a town where the world revolved around hockey. There's a character for everyone here.

Only about a quarter of the way through I had realised that I was reading a gorgeous depiction of what it meant to be a parent, especially to be a mother. A striking scene was one mother counting her children at night, remembering to include the one that was in heaven. Little did I realise how much more intense it would get before the end.

The myriad of characters in this book was absolutely delightful and while I am normally horrid at remembering a main character's name, I kept everyone in this book straight because they were all so distinctly important and memorable. Benji was definitely my favourite but in their own ways they all had really sweet or interesting aspects to them.

This tells such an important tale about people's priorities and the way that they will see certain events. It battles a huge topic but depicts it with thoughtful accuracy. It portrayed the reasoning behind these perspectives without ever justifying them. The ultimate ending was interpretive yet satisfying.

I loved this book mainly for its class commentary and for the way it depicted hope, trust in adult figures, and the way that kids are forced to grow up. This is a must-read.

This is Backman's best work yet and is ever so important.

Beartown is a stunning book. I was mesmerized by the writing and the story featuring the small town of Beartown and it's residents. It makes the reader think and ask questions about ourselves and the people we think we know while we are getting to know the characters in the book. An awesome read!

From the author of A Man Called Ove comes Beartown. Fredrik Backman’s new book is already getting glowing reviews so I know I am going to love it and so are you!

Here’s the premise:

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.

I’ve been reading the early reviews and its five stars after five stars. Though I am not a fan of hockey or any sport, I can definitely get into a heartwarming and touching story like this promises to be!

I was expecting another Ove or Britt-Marie, but this one was like a punch to the stomach. Where Ove and Britt were so similar, he took an entirely different approach here but still managed to present an explosive subject in a way that wasn't sensationalized or over the top. You can tell he certainly has a range and is not relying on one formula for writing.

Another beautiful insightful book by Fredrik one that you really need to experience for yourself

Fredrik Backman is not afraid of difficult subjects. Nor is he afraid of the complications of real people living difficult lives. I committed to reading this book on a rainy weekend, hoping to settle in with a a community of the feisty individuals we met in “A Man Called Ove”, “Britt Marie” or “My Grandmother”. Instead, I found myself frequently having to put the book down because the character’s lives were just too hard to read about in one sitting. Violent sports, rape and gang violence are not cozy weekend reads.

There is redemption in Beartown. Many (most?) of the characters find their way to their better selves. Their paths are indirect, though, and sometimes tortuous. I wish that I’d read this book with my son when he was a teenager. Its not too late to recommend it to every parent, daughter and son I know.

actually i did not know his first, but Beartown persuades me the success of Ove was well warranted if this new novel by Backman is anything to go by - breaking up time sequence adds an additional perspective on that abuse by a fellow student Kevin, the big sports star of this small Scandi town, suffered by Maya who becomes later a prominent and popular musician. the nature of friendship and what you allow your friends, and the secret wrong-doings in the home that we all suffer and try to leave there - are explored in the actions of this set of characters who grow up together in a small town. Maya is unique and is the target not only of Kevin's affection but of his ire when resisted when he is king of the walk. he alienates his own friends in the process; and Maya is saved from lifelong guilt and potential punishment, when she rightly takes up arms - best friend jumps into the breach. the entire novel reads like a shot - I could not put it down.

I adored this book. In typical Backman fashion it was a compelling story that forced you to think about the people in your life and what might be going on underneath the surface. It was about families, and small towns, and hockey, and while it was set in Scandinavia the Nordic themes will be recognizable to Canadian audiences and will feel very familiar.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for gifting me with an ARC of Fredrik Backman's newest novel.
I loved this book. A departure from Backman's previous novels, as this story is centered around community and family, less of a central character driven novel. The buildup is a bit slow, but it's beautifully written and sets the tone for the story.
Beartown is a small town, who's seen better days. The town is dying, everyday more people are losing jobs and finding it more difficult to grow their businesses. The only bright spot for this town is their junior hockey club, who are on a winning streak. Their advancement to the semi finals is enough to turn things around for this community. What pressure to put on the backs of boys not yet men. What happens when someone, who's lived and given everything to Beartown and the hockey club, is placed in a situation that can destroy what has taken years to build? Who will you support and believe in when so much is riding on a team? Can you still be an individual or will you fall into the pack?
This book is so good. My family is a hockey family - shlepping to games, practices, tournaments. I appreciated the accuracy and honesty that Backman captured and wrote. The parents, the players, the siblings, the fans, the sponsors...it all reads true. You do not need to follow hockey or any sport to appreciate and understand the complexities Backman writes. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

There are many things that can define a community, but sports will often play a large role in the community's identity. In Fredrik Backman's Beartown hockey features centrally in the lives of all who live in the small town.

Beartown is a small community in the forest with a strong tradition of and passion for playing hockey. Carrying much pride in what they've accomplished and hope that they can win the semi-finals, the junior boys hockey team have a lot of pressure on their shoulders to protect their town's name and reputation. After winning the semi-final game, the boys let off some steam at a party hosted by the star player. But during the party, a violent act between takes place, setting into motion a ripple effect that pulls in all members of the town in some fashion, each with their own opinion on the events of the night that marked a change in their formally static lives.

The tension builds naturally and in a manner that is reminiscent of a kettle nearing the boiling point as the darkness and gritty details of events come to light. Flitting through the perspectives of many of the townspeople either directly or tangentally involved, much like a film-making technique, the structure provides a comprehensive depiction of the ripples one action can take throughout a community; however, this same tactic tripped me up a few times as I worked to follow the transitions, which were at least denoted with asterisks. The structure of the narrative was set up in a fashion that reminded me of Shakespeare, when you're told the ultimate outcome of the story at the very beginning and it develops toward that outcome as the details build. A small, rather insular, town trying to survive against the odds against it resonates across countries and time, conveying a strong, relatable depiction of the struggles and fights people go through to survive.

Overall, I'd give it a 4 out of 5 stars.

I don't know of any other author where I can say without hesitation that I know I will love everything he/she writes. I have loved every book Fredrik Backman has written, and even though I was hesitant about reading this, because I am not a big hockey fan, I loved it. I am always incredibly moved and entertained while reading his books. I may be his biggest fan! Thank you!

5 stars.

I was lucky enough to read an ARC of A Man Called Ove and instantly fell in love with Backman's writing. So having the opportunity to read and review his newest book Beartown is fabulous.

Beartown is a small town in the middle of nowhere whose population lives, breathes, and eats hockey. Hockey is a chance for talented kids to escape the town and for parents to live vicariously through them. Hockey is not a sport in this town, it's a way of life. The story follows several different characters and it did take me a bit to get their names all sorted in my head. But, every single character is well developed and relatable. So many deep issues are covered in this novel and they are not just glossed over but actually explored. I felt the characters sadness, happiness, disappointment, and triumph as if it were my own. When an accusation hits a member of the revered junior ice hockey team we get to see how a community reacts when the thing they love most is threatened.

This is quite simply a book for everyone. I think it will be my favorite of 2017. Get your hands on a copy as soon as possible and experience life in Beartown.