This was a difficult book for me to read, (I read more and more slowly as the book progressed) as Backman kept forewarning us of the death of a beloved character. Beautifully written, as all of his novels, with rich characters and strong sense of place. In many ways, I felt that this was a novel of redemption, as characters returned to their hometown and, in many cases, their core beliefs. While i felt bereft, the ending nevertheless was hopeful for the future of the two towns and the assembled characters. Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for the opportunity to read the eARC..

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria for an advanced copy of this novel. I have loved the Beartown series since I read Book 1 in 2020. I was hooked from the start. Fredrik Backman writes in a way that the reader feels they are on the ice with the hockey players, with them during school and work, and through it all. The Winners is an incredible final novel in the three book series. You reconnect with beloved characters from the earlier books and meet new characters too. But the most clever part of Book 3 is how Backman plays with time. He effortlessly weaves the past, present and future into the narrative in an easy to understand way for the reader. This allows the reader to get snapshots of what life will be like for the characters long after the book ends but also foreshadows things to come. This book is long so it did take me a few days to read but do not let the length scare you away. This is by far my favorite book series and one that I continue to recommend when friends ask what they should read when they are in a book slump. I am so grateful to Fredrick for giving us these characters and for telling their stories in such a powerful and empathic way.

This is the book everyone in the world should read. It’s life as it is. Corrupt and the results of that corruption. It’s about hatred and love. And a little about hockey. Amazing.

This is less about the hockey but about the love of community and family. It’s very long and a lot of stuff could have been cut but still an amazing book about the love of community and the love of family. What families will do to make sure all are safe and successful. That family isn’t always biological

Another winner from Backman. I knew this would be good, but man did I enjoy it. Probably my favorite of the three Beartown books. I just LOVE Backman's writing and this book was no exception.

The Winners is the third and final book in the Beartown trilogy.

A terrible storm hits both Beartown and Hed, causing the destruction of Hed's hockey rink. Those in charge of the Beartown hockey rink, offer to let the Hed teams practice at their rink. Of course, the town of Hed takes this as an insult. When a beloved barkeep dies during the storm, her loved ones come together for the funeral. This includes Maya, who went off to music college, Benji, who left town broken, and Amat, the former NHL hopeful who returned a humiliated recluse.

A journalist tries to get to the bottom of corruption within the hockey board of directors, a couple tries to save their marriage, and an angry young boy wants to avenge his sister's death. Will these two towns come together to save their beloved hockey?

Both towns in this series are filled with interesting and unforgettable characters.

I enjoyed how Mr. Backman brought all of the unfinished pieces together in this satisfying read. Let's just say I'll be first in line to buy any of his books.

So first off, I love all of Fredrik Bachman's books. This one was no different. It evokes all the emotions and by the end, I had to sit with what I had just read. The Winners, like with most of Frederik Bachman's books, takes an inherently difficult and sad topic and somehow manages to turn it into a story of hope. There are a lot of topics addressed in this book including corruption, murder, depression, alcoholism, rape, and death. It is a lot to get through and some of it does feel a little unnecessary. But, somehow it doesn't matter, because by the end of the book all I can remember are the feelings and the characters. Contemporary fiction is not my genre of choice, but I am always waiting for the next Fredrik Bachman book and haven't yet been disappointed.

The Beartown series culminates with The Winners. This book made me laugh, think, gasp and cry…good grief the tears I cried during the final chapters.

Two years after Maya and Benji leave Beartown in search of healing, they are drawn back after a death. The find the town both the same and different. For the last time the young characters in the town spend time reminiscing and working out what’s next in their lives.

But violence is never far from Beartown. This time the violence comes from new sources and forever changes the characters and community.

I love how Fredrick Bachman creates this community. It makes me feel as if I am part of it even though I am thousands of miles away. I was totally invested in all the characters and storylines. I wept like my friends had been hurt. Like my family was torn to bits. The Winners is a wonderful finally to this trilogy.

The whole Beartown series is amazing, and this did not disappoint! In my opinion, Backman can do no wrong! Definitely read the first two books in the series before you read this one.

Thanks to Atria Books for the copy of this ARC.

"This hurts too much to touch with words."

The Winners is an absolutely beautiful finale to the Beartown series. I read the first two chapters, cried, and put the book down for months. I wasn't ready. I finally picked this back up and savored it slowly, drinking in all the emotions and laughing at all the moments with the characters I've grown to love so much, while anxiety sat in the back of my mind with the ominous foreshadowing of events to come. Backman is such a careful crafter of words - even in this almost-700-page book, I highlighted so many moments about motherhood, marriage, parenting, love, loss and friendship. It's a book about hockey, but it's so much more than hockey. The interconnectedness of all the characters and events was pure beauty, and I cried in the end as the story culminated and Backman ended our time in Beartown. This will remain one of my favorite series, and I highly recommend it if you haven't had the chance to visit.

The Winners is the long-awaited (for me at least!) conclusion of the Beartown trilogy. Beartown and Hed are basically at war over who will get the hockey team. An even deeper dive into the lives and relationships of these beloved characters. I'd give it 10 stars if it was allowed! Not to be missed. I found myself having to slow down and savor the beautiful language rather than speeding through to see what happened. As soon as I finished, I immediately wanted to re-read it as well as the first two installments.

At nearly 700 pages, this is hands down the longest book I’ve ever read but WOW was it absolute perfection.

Backman’s writing, as always, was exceptional. I felt every emotion possible while reading and cried both happy and sad tears. His foreshadowing, anecdotes of the future, and character-driven plot made it all the more impossible to put down.

If you have not read Beartown yet, please give this series a try! This trilogy touches on many timely topics and dives into the challenges life throws at us and best of all, you do not have to be a hockey fan to enjoy it.

Thank you Atria for the advanced copy! Pub 9/27

This long-awaited novel did not disappoint. The Winners, by Fredrik Backman, is the final of the Beartown trilogy and was worth the wait. Yet again, Backman has provided us with a winner!
While this is the third of a series, it would be enjoyable as a read-alone. I, however, would highly recommend you do yourself a favor and treat yourself to the first two before diving into this one.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ebook version ARC to read in exchange for my honest review.

Every time I start another Fredrik Backman book, I second guess myself. For some reason, his writing takes a long while for me to get “into” and become invested in. However, once I finish the books, I am ALWAYS thankful I stuck it out. His books have a knack of being quietly memorable in a way unlike anything else I’ve ever read. The characters in this book have absolutely broken my heart and then put it back together again. The two towns in this book are nothing if not resilient, and in this day and age, that is pretty special. The events of this book unfold in an interesting way, giving tiny snippets here and there that help you as the reader eventually get the entire picture. It was interesting the way he shared a major plot point early in the story, and then filled in the details of how this community got to that point bit by bit until you as the reader reached the resolution at the end. I highly recommend this book and this author for anyone who has not yet tried his writing. Don’t give up on it if you find that it’s a slow start for you, too…it is worth the wait.

Thanks to Atria for the ARC.
This was my most anticipated book of 2022, and I have so many feelings about it. Backman writes in a way that captures human nuances and complexities. While this is a sports town in northern Sweden, it feels like it could be a sports town anywhere. I have spent my last week in Beartown because I had to read them all together, and at the end of The WInners, I was so impressed with how he weaved this story together. There is so much intentionality present in book one - hints that are fully fleshed out in book three.
This book is long, but I could've read so much more about these characters. I grew attached to some of the new ones and hated others. I cried so many times because well, I can't say or it'd spoil it, just have some tissues ready. These characters have been through so much, yet Backman doesn't give them a fairytale ending. He shows what real life looks like and how it can be so overwhelming hard at times while also being filled with some of the best moments. These characters are a story of perseverance, growth, and change. I liked the closure and glimpses into the future for the characters in this one. After becoming so attached, I liked to see them grow and mature. I will always have a special place in my heart for this series, and I'll revisit it again and again. Benji, in particular, especially after this book, will always be an all-time favorite character.

The Winners. Whoo boy, the Winners. I didn't love it. I did love Beartown. Only once before can I remember really really wishing that an author had not written a sequel to a book I loved. I wish the author had not written The Winners. I didn't love Us Against You or find it necessary, but I really didn't love The Winners. It was long and draggy, the plot and characters meandered all over the place so much that I almost forgot about certain storylines by the time they reappeared, almost every character got short shrift, and the author kept dropping heavy hints about the Bad Thing that was going to happen before the end. And then there’s the Bad Thing. My biggest reaction while reading The Winners was Wow, Fredrik Backman is really Going Through Some Things. The Winners was sad and depressing, and (spoilers hidden in the Goodreads review). Fredrik Backman, how could you? *sobs in Beartown*

Fredrik Backman has a very particular writing style, and most readers either like it or they don't. I do. But I have become emotionally invested in the people of Beartown and Hed and found The Winners painful to read (especially the foreshadowing). It was actually quite anxiety producing - I found myself dreading picking it back up even though I really wanted to know what happened next. My not reading it couldn’t change the fact that the author had written it. But so much trauma.

An important character dies early in The Winners, and Backman chose not to reveal who, while throwing red herrings at us, for the first one fifth of the book. I found that a bit of a cheap trick. There were way too many plot threads, and some of the messaging was very heavy handed. Like Beartown, The Winners reminded me of J.K. Rowling’s The Casual Vacancy. Maybe The Winners was more painful to read because I had spent two previous books with the characters.

I really struggled with a rating. There are plenty of five star passages, and the climax moved me to tears. Knowing what Backman is capable of, it’s hard to award him five stars for The Winners. I did not enjoy it. But it certainly takes skill to break me up over a fictional character.

If you have read and loved Beartown and Us Against Them, read The Winners at your own risk. If you have not yet read the Beartown trilogy, I envy you getting to sit down and read them one after the other, without the long waits in between. Or maybe you should just stop after Beartown. I don’t know, when I have more time maybe I’ll go back and read all three a second time and see how they work as one long book.

I read an advance reader copy of The Winners from Netgalley.

Now I’m going to go focus on the movie version of a A Man Called Ove starring Tom Hanks coming soon!

This is VERY VERY long - I slowly made my way through it. I think only true Beartown fans will be able to appreciate this story. Not much happens, but I do enjoy the Beartown characters, which kept me reading.

Thanks to NetGalley and publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Two years after the event that tore apart a small Swedish town, residents must contend with prejudices once again. A storm reveals inequities between the town and its fiercest rival, but it also brings home some of the young adults who help it heal again. Author Fredrik Backman takes readers back to Beartown and Hed in the wrenching finale to the Beartown trilogy with a worthy ending in The Winners.

It's been two years since Kevin Erdahl raped Maya Andersson. Two years since the towns of Beartown and Hed found themselves nearly at one another’s throats. The fallout from the rape left Maya without any legal justice but with a stronger sense of self. It’s made her brave enough to leave her small town in the forest and go to the big city to pursue her love for music at college.

Back in Beartown, Maya’s parents, Peter and Kira, are trying to find some semblance of normal again. Peter is no longer the general manager for Beartown hockey, once the team he played for and led to victory time and again. These days Peter works with Kira in her law office. At least, that’s what both of them are saying.

Neither wants to admit how miserable Peter is or how he should find his way back to the rink again. Instead, Peter goes to work with Kira and spends the rest of his time baking bread. Lots and lots of bread. When Maya comes home after a major storm strikes, it gives Peter an excuse to spend time with her instead of knead dough all day.

In another part of the world, Benji Ovich has left Beartown behind. Once one of the team’s rising stars, Benji fled after Kevin left town following his trial. The worst part was that in the aftermath of Kevin’s selfishness, everyone found out that Benji is gay and bullied him. It was bad enough people knew he and Kevin were best friends; this pushes him away from the town completely.

Since then, Benji has traveled the world seeking love and fulfillment. All he’s found is dingy bars and dark spaces where he wakes up next to strangers. When word comes of the storm, it gives Benji a legitimate excuse to go home instead of having to make up one.

The storm doesn’t last long, yet it whips up a different kind of frenzy. At one time, Beartown hockey was on the brink of financial disaster. Now the team has a brand new rink, and neighboring Hed is on the verge of losing everything. Residents of Beartown hate the residents of Hed, yet the financial scheming of some greedy inhabitants means that the fates of both towns will be tied together.

When Maya and Benji come home, they’re surprised at how much has changed about Beartown and how much is, heartbreakingly, the same. Hockey season is coming soon, and everyone knows it’s just a matter of time before Beartown and Hed face off. What neither town sees coming is how the events that Kevin set in motion two years earlier are only just now going to find their completion. And both towns will have to live with the consequences forever.

Bringing back his trademark whimsical writing style writing, author Fredrik Backman writes his most emotional novel yet about the residents of Beartown and Hed. Mirroring the reality of rape victims, Backman traces the delicate story of what happens to Maya and her loved ones after the fact. As the omniscient narrator tells us, for Maya the rape is a part of her existence. Many days, she feels like she’s still there.

This third book brings Backman closer to the series than ever before. Several times his omniscient narrator character makes reference to the fact that “he” is also a member of that community. There’s no doubt that Backman has lived with these characters for a long time and is giving readers one last look at their lives before moving on.

Old characters from the previous two books return, and new characters become just as important to the narrative. Readers will be hard pressed to pick a favorite by the end. No one will walk away from the book unaffected.

Although Backman offers some semblance of hope for most of the characters by the end—their lives are irrevocably changed, yet they’re still forging ahead—some readers might experience a sense of melancholy. That testament to Backman’s talent in creating this world and these people will leave many of those readers wanting to read the entire trilogy, start to finish, as soon as they close this last book.

Thank you, net galley, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Fredrik Backman has become one of my favorite authors. I just love his character development, and this one did not disappoint.

The book starts a couple of years after the awful events of Beartown. The residents are all still trying to move on from the past, while still dealing with all of the highs and lows of life.

This is another heart wrenching novel, where you feel what the characters are feeling. I adored it, just like all of his previous books.

5/5 Stars

Fredrik Backman is one of my favorite authors. I can pretty much settle in with one of his books and know I’m going to like it, even when the subject is hockey. So now you know. I never understood hockey, it moved so fast (yet I complain about baseball because it moves so slow!) While I expect in Sweden hockey is a huge part of life, here in The Winners, it’s the backdrop to life, a metaphor for any of us especially in the U.S. as we come from one election to the other. There was too much in this that resonated and not well.

The series begins with Beartown, continues with Us Against You and finishes with this, The Winners. In the beginning we are introduced to the towns of Beartown and Hed, small secluded towns separated by a forest and fealty to their teams. Hockey demands much of its players, fans and sponsoring towns. We won’t even talk about the players. There is one team, and that is one’s own. Everyone else is to be beaten. And always on any team there is the star, the one to be revered, protected, emulated, and beaten. And this is high school hockey.

In Beartown, something happens to bring down the promise of the national championship, something that tears apart the town, the hockey club, the loyalties to families and each other. This event changes everything for everyone because now, the people of both towns much choose. Are you loyal to your family? To your team? To your town? To yourself?

We’ve all heard the saying, “what cost loyalty?” Because of the backlash of loyalty businesses fail, one of the towns is on the brink of failing, fearing the loss of their team and rink. This could mean merging the teams of Hed and Beartown and no one will tolerate that.

And then there’s a crack in the armor surrounding the towns. People who have left to escape come home and all over again, wounds are opened. But this time, there is a winner, this time loyalty reaches a fever pitch that can only have one outcome after the people of Hed and Beartown do unspeakable things to each other.

There has to be a limit, doesn’t there? A limit to what we do to each other before someone blinks and realizes what they’ve been doing? For me this was a hard book to read, living in the U.S. and watching the news every night and seeing what we are doing to each other. I wondered as I read The Winners what our breaking point would be because so many times in the past few years I’ve wondered when enough was going to be enough. And apparently we haven’t gotten there yet. We are still swamped in Us Against You.

To read these three books is not to read about hockey, it’s to read about us. Against you. And we long for The Winners.

This third installment of the Beartown trilogy broke my heart in so many ways while also giving me hope that if enough people read it maybe we can change the world for the better. Backman has a way of getting into the human mind, of showing us at our very best and worst, of showing the humanity of us all. I want to give it to everyone I know; the only downside is that you really do have to read the first two to appreciate the arc of the characters' lives.