I enjoyed most of the book as entertainment. I was surprised by the twist taken by the author. I ultimately liked the summation which talked about the characters in the future.

My library has purchased a copy of this book. Patrons have already come into the library asking for books by this author. Very popular among 55 + crowd.

Much more than a simple book about a hockeytown. Overall, I really liked this book. The characters were very well drawn and the moral messages are ones that we can never hear too often. The only think I did not like was the ambiguous ending, where the author mentions several characters and states that in 10 years two will be dads and one will be dead.

One of the most outstanding authors I have ever read. This release is giant in scope as it describes a small town life in Sweden. The characters are richly drawn and each adds depth to the story. The authors talent for description of a simple life of routine , neighbors, loss are a study in beauty of literature. it is both warm, heartfelt and touching. I highly recommend this new addition to the authors body of work.

Frederik Backman does it again! Much like Britt-Marie Was Here, this one took a bit to get into, but once it had me, I couldn't put it down. The tension built and the unraveling was deliciously slow. Another winner.

I haven't said this for a little while, but it's true that I wanted so badly to like this one.

I read A Man Called Ove as an ARC, before it exploded all over the popular literary world in the States. I quite loved it, and felt like I'd definitely found a new favourite author.

One of the people I highly recommended it to was my (not-actually-official) mother-in-law, and she liked it, too. Because she has a bit more reading time than I do, she followed it up with two or three of Backman's next books but reported back disappointment. Although I still put these books on my to-read list, their priority declined with each new report from this woman whose book-recommending opinions I share and respect.

But when Simon & Schuster offered to let me read Beartown a few months ago, and I was actually abstaining from ARCs at the time, I nonetheless accepted because I remembered how much I liked Ove, and the plot for this sounded different and intriguing to me; I saw it as a potential renewal of my friendship with Backman.

Unfortunately, it's not. And here's where I admit that I didn't finish it. I don't always do a review for books and especially ARCs that I don't finish, because if I haven't read the whole thing in its entirety, I don't always feel it's fair to do a full review. So let's also say this isn't technically a full review.

However, I've decided to do this for a couple reasons. One is that part of the reason I persisted in reading as much of Beartown as I did was because so many other early reviewers were claiming that, despite having no interest in hockey, they were surprised to ultimately be enthralled by this novel that is ostensibly about a small town's obsession with hockey but is said to ultimately be less about hockey and more about the relationships and pain and dynamics of the people of the town. However, having read as much as I did, I have to wonder whether the reader is best served having some experience with some sport that they particularly enjoy, or at least some tolerance or insight into these obsessive group dynamics because, apparently, I don't. The hockey thing was too much of a stumbling block for me and it seemed to prevent me from investing much in the characters.

I also kept reading because of all the highly radiant reviews here on goodreads, feeling like I must be missing something. Even now, I came on to the site to write this and, glancing through some of the reviews again, I worry that I may be abandoning it too soon. So much so, that maybe I'll try it again some day.

But I started the novel before the release date, back in late March, and here we are, in late June, and I simply haven't managed to get past a bit more than a third of the way. It just isn't working for me. There were some lovely lines (hence the two stars) and I could see that some of the relationships here could've developed into some of the magic I felt with Ove but the general plotline just couldn't carry me through to that point.

Based on Fredrik Backman's other novels, this one came as a surprise. A went into it expecting the tone to be different than his other works, but I was still caught of guard, in mostly a good way. The story was beautifully told and it kept me engaged even though it took almost halfway through before anything truly happened. This book made me feel sadness and anger in ways that most novels don't. I felt a part of the Beartown and wanted to help the characters see the destruction they were creating. My only criticism would be the overuse of foul language. I take heat for saying this, but I find it detracts from the story rather than adds to it. I realize this is my personal opinion, but I find myself disengaging when the language used becomes too much. Sometimes a book makes me scared of being a parent, and this one did exactly that. However, I must say that it opened my eyes to parent/child relationships and how you have to stay engaged with your children. I'm looking forward to reading Mr. Backman's future works!

* I received this book from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review *

Beartown is a beautifully written, almost haunting book. You see events happen from the perspectives of all the different townspeople. It's not a light read like I've felt that most of Backman's other books are. It's serious and dense with emotion and feeling. It's almost seems like poetry at times. Sometimes I found this tenebrous style tedious, possibly because Backman uses it very frequently in the story, and that's why only three stars. It's still a well-told, realistic story that will grab and hold your attention until the last word.

Wow! Everyone is saying a real departure for Fredrik Backman, but I'm not so sure. Sure, there is no curmudgeon but the way he tells the story and introduces the characters and keeps you engaged, wanting to stay involved in their lives is all still there.

This book is about how much pressure is put on kids who play sports, is it right? is it fair? Even if you aren't a hockey fan, you will enjoy this book so don't let that stop you from picking it up.

A really great read, one that like Ove, will stay with me. Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for the advanced copy.

What a stunning, heartbreaking book. Backman has managed to succinctly tackle the rape culture that permeates sports teams. Told in a matter-of-fact tone--what I mean is that it is not sensationalistic or exploitative--this story of escalating sexism, homophobia, and objectification manages to convey how our society treats people who have been raped and the rapist themselves. a must read.

Beartown is a forgotten, dying town. All the hopes of the townspeople rest on their hockey team to bring them back some glory days. The town is consumed by hockey. Their love for hockey supersedes their love for all else and guides their thoughts and behavior; sometimes, neither the team’s nor the town’s behavior is exemplary.
Peter Andersson is the General Manager of the team. He is about to terminate Sune who has been the “A” team coach forever. Peter was convinced to become the General Manager of the team by Sune, after the death of his first born son, Isak, but hockey comes first before friendship and loyalty. There is only one loyalty in Beartown, and it is first and foremost to the game and the team. The sponsors, the club and the town demand it. They are all involved in hockey, and it is the be-all and end-all of everything. If the team wins the finals, Beartown will get a renewed lease on life with a new state-of-the-art, hockey rink. Therefore, the players, the club members, the leadership and the residents are products to be used and discarded as needed. Winning is the only game in town. It is what they all believe will save their town from eventual extinction.
Peter was a hockey star until an injury benched him forever. His wife Kira is a relatively successful lawyer. They have two children, Maya and Leo. Maya is a typical 15 year-old teenage girl; her heartstrings are awakening. She is woefully naïve and a bit immature, believing she has more power to control her own fate than she truly possesses. Life is about to intervene and awaken her rudely to a new reality.
David is single, and he was also sidelined by injury. He was convinced to become the junior team coach by Sune whom he will soon betray for the town and the team. His motto for his junior team is only one word, and it has worked for his team for a decade. It makes them feel invincible. His motto is simply WIN! Kevin is one of his junior team members. Amat is soon to be one of them.
Kevin, 17, is the star of the junior team. He is dedicated and unstoppable. He is also very wealthy. His father is a team sponsor. His parents are rarely home, and rarely see him play. They will never be accused of being helicopter parents. Kevin is arrogant and self-assured. The town hears him practicing often. It is the sound of “bang, bang, bang” as he slams the puck into the net over and over. He is a dynamo on the ice. His parents turn a blind eye to his misdeeds and pretend he does nothing wrong. His success at hockey is their only goal.
Amat, 15, skates at the rink in exchange for doing chores for the caretaker. His mom, Fatima, is the cleaner at the rink. He adores hockey and his mom. He tries to do everything to lighten her load because she has a bad back. He knows he means everything to her. She loves watching him skate at the rink before it opens for the regulars, the figure skaters and the hockey teams who have scheduled ice time. Amat is honorable and unassuming. He is dedicated to improving his hockey game. His motto is “again, again, again” as he skates around the rink trying to become faster and faster to make up for his small size.
There are other characters, and each plays an important role. They are all defined well. Zacharias is Amat’s best friend. He is a hockey player, but he is nowhere near as talented as his friend. He likes playing computer games. Benji is Kevin’s best friend. He also plays hockey. He does not follow rules well and is hot-tempered, but he is also Kevin’s protector. (In the book, Kevin is described as an investment and Benji is his insurance.) Benji has a secret. Ana is Maya’s best friend. She spends a lot of time at Maya’s house and not her own. She is less naive than Maya, but she is subject to the same weaknesses that all teenagers experience. These friendships are special as they morph through their different stages.
The town has two main areas. There is the Hollow and the Heights, and they are two opposite parts of town economically, but friendships and hockey unite them. The unspoken rule in the town which puts hockey above all else, even family, is the thread that runs throughout as the author highlights the toll that the world of hockey takes on its players and the town. The hypocrisy and the mob mentality that often follows sporting events, giving lie to the meaning of the words “good sportsmanship”, often follows when a town feels threatened, and it grows until it seems out of control, much like political protests. The focus is obscured, the goal is not solution, but instead it is vengeance.
Backman magnifies the guilt and the shame the characters feel, and he exposes the way people explain away their silence in the face of wrongdoing, justifying it with false excuses that simply give them comfort but do not solve the problems and perhaps only exacerbate them. He has a gift. He manages to capture all of the flaws of society and people, and he lays them bare. He confronts humanity or the lack thereof. He confronts homosexuality and rape. He confronts single motherhood, interracial relationships and the distinctions of class. He confronts bullies of all kinds and interprets the ambition, fear and anger each character faces. All are handled with dexterity. When the injustice and the warts are exposed, he subtly challenges the characters to rise above them, but often they do not. The curmudgeons are the most lovable characters in his books, and like in his other books, in this one, there is a strong role model, a female character who does set a fine example for the rest of the town to follow, even as she seems like the least likely one to do it. All of the characters seem authentic, even when the dialogue seems a little trite.
On the negative side, I found the departure from the wholesome narrative of his other books, to a book with crude language, a bit over the top and unnecessary. Some of the scenes seemed contrived, on occasion, as well. On the more curious side, I had some other thoughts. I wondered if the name of the rival town, spelled Hed, but pronounced as head, was deliberate. The supermarket owner was Tails. In the end, weren’t the goals of both towns, Hed and Beartown, competing for success. Were they opposite sides of the same coin? Also, Peter’s first born was Isak. Was he meant to make the reader think of the sacrifice of Isaac in the Bible?
*I had both a digital print copy provided by the publisher and an audio from the library.

Excellently written and deeply upsetting. Readers beware: the book deals explicitly with the fallout of a sexual assault. I thought I was getting a plucky story about ice hockey in a small town, and boy, was I in for a shock. Excellent and painful characterization, and utterly hopeless. I haven't been this angry about a book in years.

First off, (as a Canadian) I love hockey. So the blurb about the book intrigued me. A small depressed town, in the forest of Sweden, ever so devoted to their Junior hockey team could so easily have been a small town in Canada. Everything was riding on the Junior team making the Championship Finals and winning. There was no other option for them. By winning the finals the town would gain notoriety around the country and it would bring a brand new ice hockey training centre and help the depressed economy and its people. Everyone lives and breaths hockey in Beartown until something goes horribly wrong. The story is so much more than just about hockey. It centres around some of the players, coaches and staff and their families.

This is such an intense and heartfelt story. It's about a town and people struggling with morals and finding justice. I felt many emotions reading this book from anger to tears of sadness. I highly recommend this book!

BEARTOWN by Fredrik Backman is multi-layered story about the hockey dreams of a small town and what they do to further those dreams. With a town that thrives on hockey, it is profound what lengths some people will and won't do to further their community's aspirations of greatness.
One of the best parts of BEARTOWN is Backman's ability to create an entire community of people that the reader can completely understand and connect with. Every major (and many minor) characters are fleshed out with their inner thoughts, their successes and failures, and their desires. This is the first book in a long time that I have read where I feel like I know everyone; there are no "throwaway" characters. Ever one is believable and has a meaning and a purpose. Backman does a expert job of considering how parents and children interact, how coaches and players have their own unique relationships, and how teammates are connected in a way that is exclusive and special. Also, by Backman having so many different characters, he is able to create many opinions, some clear and some hazy, about the team , the community, and each person. I've left very little of the plot in this review because I think the beauty of this novel (as many are) is finding it all out as you go.
A well-crafted masterpiece that I think everyone should read, BEARTOWN by Fredrik Backman is a one-of-a-kind novel that takes the reader on a rollercoaster of thoughts and feelings and returns you to the turnstile content and satisfied.

Fredrik Backman's latest novel is without a doubt one of the best books I have read. It is not just the story, which tears at your heartstrings and examines society's flaws. His writing is gorgeous. His character development is precise but detailed. He does it all without the need for flowery prose or lengthy descriptions. Taken together, it is the type of novel that forces you to pause, to savor, to rest, to recover, and to question all while also entertaining.

Like so many other novels, it is best to go into Beartown without knowing much about it. This allows the story to unfold around you with no expectations or preconceptions, thereby fully drawing you into to it. Mr. Backman sets up the story with his opening sentence and never lets your attention wan after that. The story is not an easy one to read though, given its subject matter. However, he does an excellent job of presenting all sides of the story without judgment and with delicacy, making it an excellent choice for book clubs because there is so much to discuss. Readers will find themselves needing to take a break from the novel though because his words are so perfect that the emotional tension of the story gets to be overwhelming at times. Yet, even while not reading it, the story never releases its hold on you as you mull over everything that you just read.

To say that Beartown is a story about hockey is misleading. Hockey is just the sport chosen for the backdrop of the story. For American readers, one could easily replace hockey with football, basketball, or baseball. While it is at the center of the story, it is not a sports novel. It is about the power of sports and the fanaticism of sports fans, how one team can make or break a town. It is the darker side of sports, where the boundaries between real life and the game blur, and yet, it is a story about so much more than that.

Even if you were not fans of his previous novels, Beartown is more than worth taking a chance. It is a timely story, as professional athletes' behavior on and off the field garners more scrutiny. It is a story to which almost everyone can relate in some way. Moreover, it is one that forces you to question the values society places on sports and athletes.

for fans of Backman's previous work, know that this is so completely different in almost every way, with one important common thread: he writes the emotions and hearts of every person so well. he dives deep into the thoughts and feelings of his characters and embodies them completely.
Beartown is a hockey town. Beartown lives and breathes hockey. and when a tragedy rocks the town, they have to decide how to respond, who to believe, as a team, as a club, as a town. This book had me laughing and crying like his other novels, but also kept my heart on the edge of my seat.
NetGalley provided a copy of this book I exchange for an honest review.
- posted on goodreads

Thank you Netgalley.com for the advanced digital copy of Beartown by Fredrik Backman in return for my honest review.

Full disclosure...I love Fredrik Backman's A Man Called Ove. It is by far my favorite book of all time. Few books have touched me as that novel has. Beartown is a very different story from a Man Called Ove and I am not sure if the story itself reveals anything new. Its subject-matter is intense, and it takes awhile before the story takes off, but once it does it is completely engaging.

This is the story of a failing town on the cusp of being saved by a junior hockey team. There is so much riding on these young men. They experience incredible pressure. There are cliques and egos, aggressive, entitled behavior and secrets. Team values are being sacrificed for the sake of winning at all costs. A violent event exposes all of these raw emotions that lie beneath the surface.

Fredrik Backman is an extraordinarily gifted author. He may use sparse language, but his words pack a punch. His writing, and the emotions it elicits, feel real and true. Backman will have the reader laughing out-loud one minute and sobbing the next. Although I did not connect with Beartown as I did with a Man Called Ove, it was still a worthwhile read. Honestly, I will read anything and everything Fredrik Backman writes. He is simply that good.

I was beginning to think that Fredrik Backman was a bit of a one-trick pony -- happily settling into the "I can write about curmudgeonly old people with good hearts hiding under the grumpy exterior" genere. This book showed he has a wider ranger than I had previously attributed to him.

"Bear Town" is a book that is seemingly about hockey and a small town where that sport reigns supreme. A place where most of the residents see their glory days in high school and differences are mocked, not celebrated. A dying town that pins its hopes on the thought that one day the local team might just win a major championship.

The story could simply be read at the surface level, and still be a well-written and engaging tale. However, for me, the book was more a metaphor on a way of life. The danger of small-thinking and mob mentality. The shallowness of just "going with the flow." And the courage to speak truth, even knowing the unjust consequences that may follow.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for a galley of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Oh dear, I was so looking forward to a new title by Fredrik Backman. I'd loved A Man Called Ove and was hoping for something along similar lines. Alas, I have no interest in sport, particularly ice hockey and I found the style in which the book is written rather patronising - for example: "And what is a Club?" (loc 4619) and: "What is a home?" (loc 4682).

The story takes place in an isolated community in a forested area of Sweden. The community's proudest moments have come from the up-coming junior hockey squad and everything revolves around them winning the junior final and progressing to the main tournament the following year. That's about all that happens for the first half of the book.
In the second half though, an event occurs, that turns the village on its head; there are recriminations and denials, and 'hockey' becomes the cause and the defense.

When writing reviews I always check back over the highlights that I've noted in my Kindle, a particularly good book inevitably has a good number of highlights. The number of highlights for this book is sadly telling. I found the hockey theme uninspiring and most of the characters were quite unpleasant.
It gets amazing reviews on Amazon, so I'm obviously alone in my opinion, but personally, I would only recommend it to people who live in ice hockey communities.
2.5 stars.