I am always amazed at the insight this author shows into the hearts and minds of his characters. He seems to truly understand human nature and the fragility that exists in each of us. One little choice becomes the domino effect that creates another, for good or ill. If only we all thought a little more before we jumped to conclusions.
The story is like a fairy tale in that most of the characters achieve their goals in one way or another, but it is also almost non-fiction because we have all found ourselves in similar situations in our own lives or in the lives of others. In this book, sports was the catalyst, in other books other ideas are utilized. I found this to be the most realistic venue to highlight all of our human frailties and strengths, all of our hopes and aspirations. In the end, what do we all seek if not freedom to be who and what we are, coupled with happiness and success in a life that is free of as much pain as possible.
This is the second book in a series, the first of which was called “Beartown”. The same characters reappear. The town has betrayed Peter Anderssen, the General Manager of the Beartown hockey team. His daughter, Maya, was raped by the star hockey player and when he made the issue public before the championship game, Kevin Erdahl was arrested and couldn’t play. The Beartown team lost to the Hed hockey team. The future of hockey in Beartown suddenly ended. The team lost funding and the town council decided to support only Hed hockey, which was the winning team. Peter was now persona non grata.
As a result, Peter may no longer have a job, his daughter has been vilified, and his son Leo, 12 years old, has been ostracized. However his wife, Kira sees one shining light. She is thinking that maybe now is the time for them to move on, to begin again and let her have her big break. She wants her own law firm. Maybe it is time to kick hockey out of their lives. They have had to deal with veiled threats against their property and their lives and have accumulated newfound enemies. Is hockey worth it? The reader will wonder, what is the real problem being highlighted in this novel?
Into this mix of characters and events, we have a quasi corrupt politician who takes advantage of everyone’s strengths and weaknesses to improve his own lot. Richard Theo preys on vulnerabilities and exploits them creating conflict, after which he steps in with solutions, never leaving his own dirty fingerprints. He remains innocent as he creates havoc. He has his future planned as the savior of the town, but to do that, he has created two faces, one is good and the other smacks of pure evil as he pits everyone against someone else and stands back taking only the credit for positive results, always distancing himself from the negative effects of his manipulations. He creates hateful situations which boil over. With some of these situations, cooler heads often do prevail, preventing catastrophe. With others, all hell breaks loose and tragedies occur.
The story takes place in a town that wants to land on its feet no matter how many times it gets knocked down, inhabited by characters equally motivated and strong. The cloth of diversity exists there in every pattern, regarding intellect, age, success, failure, ambition, poverty, race, economy and sexuality. It is a place that depicts the world as it is, with all of its warts and foibles. Backman uses the town and its people to analyze different character traits. The ideas of forgiveness, choices, thoughtfulness, anger, frustration, fear, joy, love and hate are laid bare. Sometimes, it feels like too many ideas are confronting the reader and yet, each idea is so important, it becomes necessary to complete the whole.
Often, the right advice comes from the wrong people. Often advice given is not always prudent, but it is always thought provoking. At times, the emotions and advice from the youngest seems more thought out and honest in its innocent approach, hitting the problem right on the target with just the right answer. Sometimes the crudest people make the finest suggestions. All sides of all problems and all people seem to come together of a piece in this book turning everything upside down and right side up at the same time
The book deals with the sadness of everyday life. There is death, sickness, failure, despair and dejection, but there is also loyalty, love, friendship, compassion, and dreams. Even what might seem extraneous at first, like homosexuality and opportunity for women, when inserted front and center, become paramount. The reader sees the reactions of a husband and a child to the loss of a parent and spouse. The reader also sees the reaction of parents to the loss of a child, to the disappointing decisions of a child and to the difficult realization of the truth about a child. Each and every issue dissected is done so with such clarity and honesty that it feels like the situation is real or has been at one time or another in someone’s life.
The fairytale aspect consists in the fact that most times, everyone does the honorable thing. The ill die well, the criminals reform when necessary and make the right choice to prevent more evil, and good citizens step up to save the day. Evildoers often get their comeuppance, as well. But sometimes, when they don’t, the victims are forgiving, become greater than the injustice and move on as better people. All people have both qualities inside them, good and evil, and this author displays that fact admirably and authentically. The wrong people often do the right thing even when it goes unnoticed or is unappreciated. The basest qualities of people are illuminated and contrasted with the highest achievements of goodness of which they are capable.
The book uses sports to display the virtues and vices that people are subject to and does it superbly. Venality and honor are always in stark contrast. Each character, and there are many, is trapped in untenable situations and is forced to make a decision, often the least likely one, but Backman gives them a noble way out, even as he paints them into what seems like a corner with no exit. To keep the reader interested, he misdirects and leads the narrative first in one way and then in another. Ordinary life plays out on each page highlighting the acts of selfishness and kindness that “flesh is heir to”. The book highlights the differences in perception, judgment, greed, self control, ethics, intelligence, background, culture, sex, ability, ambition and its lack. Using Theo, the devious politician, as the instigator, he forces the reader to watch as the dominos fall and character flaws and strengths are illuminated. Each character is a combination of both; in each, both the characteristics may live symbiotically or as parasites, depending on the choices made.
The book, like a magnet, draws you toward it over and over. Backman drills down into the deepest and innermost thoughts of his characters and he captures their honest emotions and honest reactions. He connects with them on an absolutely human level as if he was inside their hearts and heads and places the reader in that space. He is a genius when it comes to understanding human nature and reasoning, and he has laid it out clearly on every page of this novel. It is more profound than it seems at first read.

this book is a sequel to BEARTOWN I was not as fond of the writing style in this one as I was of the authors previous books. However once I put that aside, this wraps it all up, lets you know what happens to all the wonderful characters that were in BEARTOWN. I love this author and recommend ANY of his books.

I did not like this book as much as I enjoyed the other
Fredrik Backman books. The characters were not as quirky. Its sad that sports are so important to some people.

Beartown is a small blue collar town, close knit and firmly attached to its hockey team. Hed is the town next to them and rivals in everything, not just hockey. The Beartown Hockey team is about to be disbanded and some of the players defect to the Hed team which causes much bitterness. When Beartown gets a chance at a comeback bonds are broken and events turn to violence. Through it all by the end of the story, both of the towns will learn about forgiveness, acceptance, loyalty and friendship.
This book had a bit of a slow start, but quickly became engrossing about 1/3 of the way through.

There is no better male story teller.