The Winners returns to the small town of Beartown to continue the story. Set two year after the events, Bearyiwn is forever changed over the course of two weeks. This novel ties up loose ends and shows the far reaching effects that decisions have on those around them.
Very powerful conclusion. Recommended for those who have read Beartown.

* I received an advanced reader’s copy of this book from NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada, Atria Books in exchange for my honest review.

This was a great ending to the Beartown trilogy. By the end, all the loose ends are tied up and we get snapshots of what happens to some of the children later on in life and where they end up.

As in all small towns, there are secrets, and some of the ones revealed were quite interesting.

It is hard to judge if this would have been as good as a stand-alone book and. honestly, I would have to say no. There is a lot of history between characters by the time you get to the third book. It might be okay but I would advise everyone to start at the beginning with Beartown, to get the whole story.

Whether or not you are a hockey fan, I believe anyone who comes from a small town, or a tight-knit community would understand and really enjoy this series.

Thank you @netgalley and @simonshusterca for the advanced reading copy.

I have loved the Beartown series by Fredrik Backman and this third book in the series does not disappoint. Two years after the events of the past and some of our favourite residents are unable to move forward. This is a lengthy book but well worth the read.

he Winners by Fredrik Backman
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Start date: September 11, 2022
Finish date: September 21, 2022
Pub date: September 27, 2022

This book in emojis: 🥅 👧🏻 😭💔🏒🌲❤️‍🩹 👨‍👩‍👦‍👦

Thank you Netgalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for a copy of this digital ARC!

In the third instalment of the Beartown series, we pick up the story two years after the events in Us Against You.

⚠️ Trigger warnings included at the bottom of this post. I highly recommend checking them out, but I put them at the bottom to avoid accidental spoilers. If you’ve read Beartown, you’ll be familiar with the trigger warnings in this one.

I honestly don’t know how to write this review. I’m a mess. This is a masterpiece. Brilliantly written, heart wrenching, and emotional. There are very few books out there that make me *feel* as strongly as this series does. I think everyone who reads this would be able to connect to at least one of the characters. Backman has a way about writing characters so that you really really root for them, and care about them.
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⚠️ TW: rape, homophobia, death, suicide, death of a pet, death of a fetus, smoking and alcohol, gun violence

I think this was a great way to end the Beartown series and while I complained about the length of it, it really was worth it at the end and I’m glad I stuck it out. But I do think it could have been at least 200 pages shorter. If you enjoyed the first two books, I highly recommend giving this one a try because it does wrap everything up nicely!

What I liked:
I was worried I would forget what the first two books were about but the author nicely recaps everything in the beginning.
The characters. I just love all the new and old ones. We watch so many characters grow or gain more insight in to them, while also falling in love with new characters.

What I didn't like:
The length. I was reeeallly struggling through that first half, I’m not going to lie
It may make you cry or break your heart…damn it.

Backman is a Swedish author of many best selling books including three Heather's Picks…"A Man Called Ove", "Beartown" and its sequel "Us Against You". This new release is the third and final book in the "Beartown" series. It takes place two years after the events that started the story. The neighbouring towns are still fierce rivals and hockey still is the most important facet of daily life, but there are some changes ahead. Backman once again entertains us while making about think about life's important lessons. This is a series that needs to be read in order to really appreciate it. It is a truly wonderful recommendation for fiction readers.

[arc review]
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
The Winners releases Sept 27 (US) or Oct 4 (UK).

2.5/5

This is the final installment in the Beartown series.
I held off reading this for as long as I could, simply because the page count was daunting and I wasn’t emotionally ready to read the tragic fate of one of my favourite characters (turns out I didn’t even shed a tear).
At nearly 700 pages, this was far too long. I was underwhelmed and frankly a bit disappointed by how this series was wrapped up, especially since I loved the previous two books. Things don’t actively pick up until around 60%.

Themes surrounded the understanding of characters in relation to the town and the community itself. A lot of “almost's”, the emphasis that there’s always two of everything, and that everyone and everything is tied to each other by invisible threads. As well as characters with roots deeper than the roots of trees.

The Winners takes place two years after Us Against You, and starts out with a descriptive and atmospheric natural disaster. A raging and destructive storm that wreaks havoc, but also lends a hand in tethering together two towns through Hannah (Hed) and Ana (Beartown). While I really liked this part of the plot, I felt that it didn’t lead anywhere other than the collapse of the rink in Hed. It segued into a slog of hockey politics, and financial corruption that really weighed down the development of the story.

There were quite a few new characters that were a focal point — some that I didn’t mind, and some that felt like underdeveloped place holders. An editor in chief and her journalist dad are introduced to provide a way to keep the discussion of slander and political conflict alive, but they are never given names which makes it feel detached since Backman’s stories are so character driven.

I also found there to be a few discrepancies. If you’ve read the full series by now, you’ll know that one of the slogans is that some residents of Beartown have the bear in them. However, in The Winners, it kept getting written as “the dog” — maybe it was a translation error, or it got overlooked in editing, but it didn’t fit the narrative.

What I wanted was a more character driven story — and what I mean by that is more focus on the core group (Maya, Ana, Benji, Bobo, Amat, etc.) that we came to know and love. Sure, we got to see a bit of Amat’s struggle with the NHL draft, and Kira and Peter’s journey of marriage and parenting, but it wasn’t enough of an emotional connection for me, especially given all of the foreshadowing of the future timeline from the previous two books.
I had a hard time feeling that unique style that Backman writes with, apart from chapters 69/70 which really stood out to me. When the group I mentioned was on the ice and in the campervan, reunited, carefree, with a sense of belonging — I wanted more of that depth and connection. Instead I felt lead on because everything that most readers have been anticipating thus far only played out during the last 5% of the book. The payoff wasn’t there, having been so highly invested in this series and these complex characters.
Highlighting Matteo and Ruth’s story at the forefront (while heartbreaking and tough to swallow), made Benji’s storyline feel like a true afterthought.

Overall, there was too much repetition that overshadowed and took up needed space for the necessary progression of the tragic event that kept getting built up and hinted at, but was never executed to it’s full potential.
There’s a quote that said: “Keep it simple. Never make things more complicated than they need to be. Perhaps that ought to apply to stories like this as well, because it shouldn’t take long to tell.” and I think Backman could have taken some advice from that.

The end wrap up of where each character settled was so underwhelming. Again, because of the extensive foreshadowing in the previous two books, hardly any of what was written was even new information. So much of the “in ten years’ time” was just another recap here - the main focus only being set 2 years in advance (which still leaves another 8 year gap and only a few short pages actually spent on this future timeline).

In the end, did anyone truly win? Were actions justified? Maybe so, maybe not.
You can’t win without some losses, and there was no shortage of physical loss that year.
I’m happy for Bobo and Ana especially. Aleksandr was an intriguing character that I wish had more time to develop, as well as Alicia. I thought Mumble was a coward for still staying silent after all of that, and walking off into the forest. That shouldn’t have to be the answer.

Justice for all of the Benji’s who instead of running away, rush towards the fire.
Justice for all of the Ruth’s who get taken advantage of, manipulated, and are never believed.
Justice for the dog Bang, because why is a targeted animal death ever needed in a story?

From chapter 104: “Words? There are no words for this.” because while this review is too lengthy, I probably won’t ever have the full capacity to formulate the right words.

I’ll still recommend Beartown for Backman’s intricate and nuanced writing, but this should have only ever been a standalone or duology.

TW: tragic death (multiple), animal death, suicide, r*pe, drug overdose, gun violence, self harm.


“It took chaos to set him free, loneliness to stop him being alone.”

“Everyone does what it takes to survive here.”

“She’s in the last year of high school in Beartown, but she’s been an adult for a long time, the daughters of parents who take refuge in the bottom of bottles grow up faster.”

“She just didn’t know that the only thing heavier than Beartown’s prejudices were its expectations.”

“Amat will remember this evening as the start of something. Bobo as the end of something. For Peter it feels like the belonging to something again, for Mumble it feels like belonging to something for the very first time. For Big City it’s like getting a second chance to be a little kid and fall head-over-heels in love with hockey again. How it feels for Benji nobody knows, this is the last time they see him play.”

The Winners by Fredrik Backman was the perfect ending to the Beartown Trilogy. Backman has such a knack for story telling and has created such a detailed and descriptive world where I was invested in all the stories and characters. I am genuinely upset that this series has come to an end but I can say for a fact that the ending to this series is pure perfection.

The Winners brings us back to Beartown and Head where a horrific storm has devastated both towns and unfortunately Head got it worse- their arena was destroyed. The only solution to this problem is that Beartown and Head must share an arena. This goes as you would expect. The rivalries are strong and the violence is elevated. Sadly, there are some deaths that wil truely break your heart but this shows the power of Backman’s writing and how easy it is to invest in a fictional story.

Backman has a true gift for writing and I will absolutely be reading more from him. If this series isn’t on your radar yet, put it on immediately- even if hockey isn’t your jam. I promise you will not be disappointed. The Winners hits the shelves on September 27th!

Thank you Simon and Schuster Canada, Netgalley and Fredrik Backman for this advanced copy. It was the greatest gift and I am so grateful!

This is an honest review in exchange for an advanced copy of The Winners by Fredrik Backman.

I have been a proponent of Fredrik Backman since I first read Beartown in 2018. Whenever someone asks me for a book recommendation, my first question is always, "Have you read Beartown?"

Like a sucker punch to the gut (in the very best way), The Winners continues and concludes the Beartown trilogy. Backman has an unrivalled ability to get readers to care for a whole host of characters, flaws and all. He is also the master of weaving timelines, giving you glimpses of the future and explaining actions of the past while you are in the present.

I have tears streaming as I write this review, in part because of Backman's ability to reach up from the page and strangle my heart and in part because I cannot believe their stories will no longer continue.

We are the bears. We are the bears from Beartown.

The people of Beartown will live rent free in my head forever. This, the 3rd book in the series did not disappoint. It was the just the novel I was expecting from Backman to wrap up the story. I love how he drops little nuggets of the future, so that we have something to anticipate. But as usual he has ripped out my heart and left me longing for more. After 3 novels. the people, Benji, Amit, Peter, Maya, Bobo etc have touched something deep in my heart. There were some wonderful new characters added to this story as well.

I'm sad that this series is over. I thank Backman for giving us the people of Beartown.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC, this is the first time that I have applied to one and I was really excited when I was approved.
Fredrik Backman is one of my favorite authors, and few other books have touched me the way his books do, specifically the Beartown trilogy. I was excited to read about my favorite characters one last time and watch as they reach the end of their story. And while saying goodbye was definitely bittersweet and somewhat painful, it was also a beautiful conclusion to a story that has become a part of me that I will never forget. This book was so humanely raw and heartfelt, to say it was an emotional rollercoaster would be an understatement. It shattered my heart into a million pieces and put it back together so many different times in so many different ways. I felt every single emotion possible while reading it, from happiness and peace to helplessness and grief. I laughed with these characters, cried with them, felt their pain and their joy, their despair and their hope. This range of feelings and themes explored with such masterful storytelling is something that is so unique to Backman's writing style, and I have never experienced it in anything other than his books. His keen observation and understanding of the human nature and the truth surrounding the human existence never fails to leave me speechless and in awe. His writing style adds so many layers to his characters and makes them feel so real that by the end it's impossible not to fall in love with them, cheer for their victories and mourn their losses, however small. They become a part of you, deeply rooted within, and it hurts to let them go.
This book was an extraordinary end to the series, it wrapped everything up so wonderfully and reiterated the message of the previous two books, all while telling new stories and introducing new characters that are deeply intertwined with the ones we've grown to love. After all, everything is connected in a small hockey town.

The Winners is without a doubt a 5 star read.

The third book in a trilogy that just keeps getting better with every book.

My only complaint is that I hated to see my friends, who are now more like family, go.

This book is about so many things: small town living, power, right or wrong, determination and grit, corruption but most of all about family, loyalty , love just to name a few.

Its a book to read slowly and devour the stories of Peter, Kira, Maya , Benji , Bobo , Ana , Hannah, Johnny , Ted just to name a few.

Many are struggling, some are thriving, some are caught up in revenge.

This book will stay with me a very long time and its one I would reread which I rarely do.

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada, Atria books for an unforgettable read.

I sadly wasn’t able to enjoy the third and final book in the “Beartown” series. Although enjoying the first book, I struggled through book 2 and wasn’t able to get far through book 3. I think some of the choppy-ness of the writing is due to the translation of English from Swedish, but the story’s length is also significant, dragging on much longer than needed. Overall, I was hoping to connect and become invested it’s the story enough to finish the novel, but I regretfully wasn’t able to. I will be curious to see what Backman writes next!
Thank you NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Canada for the chance to receive this ARC!

The Winners is the third book in this series. If you have not yet read Beartown or Us Against You I can’t recommend them highly enough. Backman’s writing is a piece of art, and you just need to experience it for yourself.

Beartown is the first novel in this series. It’s about a small hockey town grappling with the after math of a sexual assault by one of its own. Until Beartown I always thought I could only read plot driven books but it’s authors like this that make me realize how important the characters in a novel are. You would think that with all the characters in this novel you would be lost but it’s so well written that you can only appreciate each perspective and their contribution to the story. The way Backman has crafted this story over the years has never had me more emotionally invested in my life.

You can’t begin to summarize this trilogy without spoiling it. Just read it! You won’t regret it.

I am speechless. This book has become a favourite of mine. The best I have read all year.

Backman's writing in this book captivated me from page one. The way he gave just an inch to keep you guessing of what exactly was to come. Backman has the ability to take difficult topics and write them with such power and emphasis the importance of these topics in an impactful way. These characters have become friends to me throughout this series and now they feel like a part of me. The friendships, relationships, perseverance, and survival that are portrayed are unmatched. I have never read anything like it. I went through every emotion possible throughout this book. At one point I was crying so hard I couldn't see.

Just go read the Beartown series now.

Bachman’s genuine understanding of the human condition and the multitudes his characters contain is unparalleled in most fiction today. I found myself laughing out loud, and crying along with Maya, Benji, Amat, Ana, Bobo, and all the rest. This story is full of dark moments, and beautiful ones, often at the same time, much like life.

Fredrik Backman is a most excellent storyteller, you’ll find yourself fully immersed in the lives of all the characters once again. This story seemed less about hockey than the first two and more about small town rivalry, corruption, and of course the inner lives and egos of the people who live in small isolated towns deep in hockey country. For an 800+ page read it was quick and engrossing.

This was a fantastic conclusion to the beloved Beartown series which follows a small town hockey team and residents as they struggle with growing pains, life disappointments, keeping hope alive and experiencing the freedom of redemption.

Making the difficult decision to move on with life after a traumatic experience involves change. However, for the residents of Beartown, remaining in the same environment and trying to overcome the past is difficult. It involves facing challenges head on and asking themselves what they can learn from the experience. You’ll have a front row seat to see the effects of time; two years later some of them have bloomed where they were planted and some refused to accept the past. Some of them became better and some of them became bitter.

Backman’s stories are universally appealing because he writes about human nature. He focuses on life’s big questions: What constitutes a family? What makes a community? What are people willing to give up to protect what they have? We can all relate. In this book he explores friendship, loyalty, loss, identity and what it means to win and to lose.

You will come away from this book with more than you started with at the beginning. Backman hopes it’s patience and understanding. I’ve added the importance of forgiving and the importance of checking my outlook…daily. My heart is full.

I was gifted this advance copy by Simon & Schuster Canada, Atria and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

He’s back, and he’s here to stomp on your heart just one last time.

If you know and love Beartown, you need to get your hands on this final instalment of the saga. Backman doesn’t let up with his lyrical writing style. His poetic way of phrasing made me stop-think-read again more times than I could count. He really does have such an amazing command of language. I’m here for it. I’ll always be here for it.

That said, I don’t think we needed this story to be a trilogy. Beartown blew me away - it is and always will be a five star book for me. Us Against You and The Winners could have been combined and (severely) chopped down to be one book. The Winners is nearly 700 pages and so much of the time, it felt like it was stuck like a turtle in peanut butter. Trudging along, wasting time, hinting at what was to come without actually doing a lot.

Even so, this book kept me turning pages and needing to know if things turned out okay for my favourite characters. I won’t spoil anything, but I will say that Backman is a master of breaking your heart and making you beg for more.

Thank you @netgalley and @simonandschuster for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I have never read a Backman book without crying.

I was SO excited to get approved for this ARC. The Winners has been my most anticipated read for the past few years. The Beartown series is one of my favourite series of all time and it’s difficult to say goodbye to this cast of characters I’ve grown to love so much.

The concluding story was packed with so much emotion and so much heart. This series is about so much more than hockey. It deals with loss, love, life and everything in between. It’s about community, collectivity, and the beauty of interconnectedness.

This almost 700-page book is definitely a *slow burn* but I love how everything became intertwined by the end. Absolutely devastating ending, but so so real.

I will say that there were a few sections that I wasn’t super fond of reading (tbh, the parts about the town politics and the corruption plot honestly got confusing at times…) but at its core this story is about the people in the town and the book’s strengths are greater than its weaknesses.

Backman has such a gift in writing such compassionate and complex characters. His grasp on the understanding of human nature is breathtaking. I will never get over this series. A perfect end to a perfect trilogy.

The last book in the Beartown series is a doozy. Two towns, Hed and Beartown are locked in a bitter and vicious rivalry over their hockey teams and an terrible event perpetrated by one of the players. It’s such that the towns themselves feel like characters. Unfortunately this rivalry penetrates every other area of existence such that there is scheming, political shenanigans, violence, corruption, tragedy and loss. It leads the characters to examine what a home means, what family means and what community means. It really is an examination of the human condition.

There will be laughter, there will be tears and there will be all our favourites. It is a powerful conclusion to the series. It will leave you asking who are the winners.

If you haven’t read Beartown and Us Against You, you may not enjoy this. It is a long read and if you don’t have the complete background of the events of the previous books, I’m not sure this book could be appreciated in the same way.

Fredrik Backman certainly has a way of writing that is thought provoking. I don’t think I’ve finished a book of his yet that hasn’t left me needing some time to gather my thoughts. Certainly his stories have stayed with me long after I’ve read them and this one is no exception. Bravo!

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Canada for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.