Last month I read a few backlist titles and one of them was Beartown. I am so excited to share my review of Beartown by Fredrik Backman because I loved it so much! Why did I wait this long to read this book?
Synopsis
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.
Beartown explores the hopes that bring a small community together, the secrets that tear it apart, and the courage it takes for an individual to go against the grain. In this story of a small forest town, Fredrik Backman has found the entire world.
Why did I choose to read this book
So many people say that Fredrik Backman is their favorite author and I had heard amazing things about this book. I posted a picture on Instagram of all the backlist books (books that came out in 2019 or before) I hope to read this year and everyone said I had to start with Beartown. Well… they were right!
Rating
5 Stars (An absolutely amazing book!)
My Thoughts
I loved this book and I want to read all of Fredrik Backman’s books. There is a sequel to this book and I need to get it ASAP. What is so special about this book you may ask? The beautiful writing, the well developed characters, the topics addressed and I cried at the end (to me that’s a sign of a good book!).
I fell in love with Backman’s writing. There were so many quotes I marked while reading this book, which is rare for me. This is a book I will probably re-read at some point in my life because I already miss the characters and it is that good.
As you can see in the description this book is set in a hockey town. The book its not about hockey, for me hockey was like a character more than a plot. Some of the topics discussed in the book include: love, loyalty, the complexity of right vs wrong, the “pack mentality”, and so much more.
I don’t know what else can be said about this book that hasn’t been said before but if you think you have similar taste to me in books trust me on this one. Read it NOW!
Content Warnings
Sexual assault, victim blaming, death of a child, miscarriage, homophobia
Who I recommend this book to
Everyone! I think this is one of those books that anyone would enjoy. Aaron just started reading it and I can’t wait to see what he thinks.
Get the Book!
Did this review of Beartown convince you to read it? You can get the book from Bookshop.org here. Please consider ordering it from a Black owned independent bookstore. This list of Black owned independent bookstores accepts online ordering.
