Book Review: A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

 

Book: A Man Called Ove 

Author: Fredrik Backman 

Pages: 337 

Read: The paperback copy pictured above 

Read in: ~3.5 hours 

Plot Summary: A grumpy yet loveable man finds his solitary world turned on its head when a boisterous young family moves in next door. 

Meet Ove. He's a curmudgeon, the kind of man who points at people he dislikes as if they were burglars caught outside his bedroom window. He has staunch principles, strict routines, and a short fuse. People call him the bitter neighbor from hell, but must Ove be bitter just because he doesn't walk around with a smile plastered to his face all the time?

Behind the cranky exterior there is a story and a sadness. So when one November morning a chatty young couple with two chatty young daughters move in next door and accidentally flatten Ove's mailbox, it is the lead-in to a comical and heartwarming tale of unkempt cats, unexpected friendship, and the ancient art of backing up a U-Haul. All of which will change one cranky old man and a local residents' association to their very foundations.

Things I Liked:

1. First of all, let me get this out of the way, this is the book you need to read right now. In a world full of divisiveness and us vs. them kind of thinking, this is the right book to read to remind us of the beauty of community and the importance of standing up for one another. 

2. A Man Called Ove is the story of a man called Ove (duh!), who, at the face of it, is a surly, curmudgeon

sort of a man. He is honest to a fault, often sees things in black and white and has, pretty much, lost all faith in humanity. We meet Ove during the darkest time in his life- the love of his life- his wife- passed away after battling cancer for four years, he was let go from his job of 25 years and, suddenly, his life didn't seem worth living. It is them Parvaneh and her little family move in next door and Ove's life as he knew it, changed forever. (Not saying anything more, else I am going to spoil the book!)

3. This book has some really lovely characters- Ove, his wife, Parvaneh, her husband, Ove's neighbour- Jimmy and many more. Each of them has their own struggles and even those little stories are so lovely to read. 

4. This book has many moments that will make you laugh out loud, moments that will make you so incandescent with rage and moments that will make you bawl your eyes out! This is that kind of a book. You'll "catch the feels" as the kids like to say! 

5. As a bonus, the writing and world-building in this book is great! Once you get pulled into Ove's world at the Residents' Association, you will inhabit it for days! 

Rating: 5/5 

Highly, highly recommend this book!