The Winners - Book Review

 

 


The Winners

Fredrik Backman

5 stars

 

 

 

 

 

I am sad this book ended, that should tell you a lot. A magnificent finale to Backman’s Beartown and Us Against You, which introduced us to the people and goings-on in Beartown. I do believe that this book could be a stand alone, but why would you deprive yourself of the first two?

Each book is meticulously stitched into the next, the characters (the ones you love immediately, the ones whom you grow to love, and those who confirm your saddest fears) are beyond description in their depth. They show their strengths and their weaknesses, their dreams and their past in overlapping stories, showing their connectedness.

Maya and Ana, Kira and Hannah, Johnny and Peter. Ramona, ah Ramona, and Benji too. There are a host of other people that you will be glad that you met. They will test your first impressions and bring you along in your understanding. They are worth it.

The forest, the cold, the isolation breathe this story to life. The leaving and the returning of characters reveal their individual growth while still clinging to their values and their deep, deep sense of connection and love.

This is not only a story of hockey rivals, it is a behind the door viewing of families, communities, youngsters with dreams, and adults dealing with their dream choices. It is also a story about hockey, practises, pucks, losing and sometimes winning.

I cannot recommend this book enough, it is one of the best to dive into. I closed the last page and immediately looked to see if Backman had another book on the go. 

He is an author who speaks to me with so much wisdom buried within the lines, he infuses emotion that can hardly be contained from some of his not-so-likely characters and shares an immense appreciation of his characters as he sees them grow into themselves.

You know he loved his characters, perhaps just a wee bit more than you do as a reader. How difficult would it have been to end their stories, do you think?

Backman's ability to ‘wrap up’ each individual character’s story is heartwarming and fulfilling as a reader, and keeps him as an author I will keep an eye on.

Hockey fan or not, small town fan or not, this book is one to get you thinking.  

Next one up for me, The Night Travelers, set in the years prior to WWII, and dealing with some difficult topics.

I'm going to sit in the sun (indoors!) and turn a page or two! What about you?

 

You can click on the book titles for other reviews.

Beartown                                                     Us Against You

                                                                   




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