Have you ever wondered what a book about Carl Fredrickson from Up would be like? A grumpy, old man dedicating his life to stubborn pursuits forced out of his comfort zone to help those in need. Of course, with helpers along the way. This was the first comparison I made when I picked up A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman.
You’re probably thinking, another one? There’s not much I can say to that outside of the reminder that he is my favorite author. And for good reason. Once again, I picked up a Backman novel and was not disappointed. This one brought about laughter, tears and just an overall sense of contentment. Like all of his novels thus far, this one sure tugged on my heart strings.
Synopsis
Backman sets this book up in an Apple Store. He immediately begins with introductions. Ove is a nearly 60-year-old man. Right off the bat, the reader learns Ove is set in his ways. He drives a Saab, comparable to a Ford for our U.S readers. Ove is not scared to point out what he doesn’t like, which truthfully is just about everything. But in the first chapter, you witness Ove’s unyielding temper, a surly sight to see.
The book takes you back in time, to just three weeks prior where Ove has a not so pleasant introduction to his new neighbors. From a flattened garden bed, crinkled mailbox, and incompetent driving, Ove doesn’t know how he will go on with this new family. We quickly realize this is unimportant because Ove does not plan on being there much longer. Being alive much longer, in fact.
Backman takes us back and forth from the present to the past. We learn about Ove’s life. His relationship with his father, the death of his mother and all the experiences that shaped him into this hard shell of a man. We also met his wife. A woman who has the ability to sharpen hardened clay. She sprouts flowers in Ove’s barren deserts. Unfortunately, her passing was the final crack for Ove.
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With each flashback, we watch Ove lose the light in his eyes. However, in the present day, we watch as it slowly comes back. With the endearing love of an equally stubborn neighbor, rekindled friendships and a threat to Ove’s personally built sanctuary, Ove finds reasons to hang on just a little longer. Or the reasons find him and force him to stay.
In the end, Ove finds his family in the home next door. He adopts a cat who has long since ran out of his nine lives. Neighbors stand together to support one another, and Ove teachers a father to love unconditionally. This novel really transforms this cranky old man into a man overflowing with empathy and joy.
Likes
Once again, Backman did a remarkable job. The chapters dont feel clunky despite hopping back and forth from past to present. Backman does a good job parrelleing the two. With each story from the past, we learn a new habit Ove holds in the present. The back and forth also kept the story alive and interesting. I’ve had other back and forth books make the shift confusing and hard to follow, but that is far from the case here.
The characters are all unique, and I only touched on a couple. The banter between Ove and Parvaneh is smooth and well suited in each chapter. The characters gradually fall into friendship. Nothing is rushed. Ove has a suited relationship with each character. They all meet a different need for Ove. They provide him with a purpose he lost.
Of course, Backman’s writing is where it’s at. His descriptions are both simple and complex. His writing is relational, he fully enmeshes you in the story. That’s the main reason why reading his stories is so impactful. You don’t just see the joy and pain on the pages, you live it.
Dislikes
I have a hard time identifying the things I didn’t like. I can be selfish and say I didn’t like the ending. Not because it was bad, but because it wasn’t the outcome I was hoping for. I can dislike the fact that Backman once again had me crying into the pages, but I don’t think that’s a flaw in his writing, I think that’s the point.
Recommendation and Review
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Overall, this book is for everyone. I think some of the themes would have me gearing this for high school aged students and older. However, with guided discussions I think this could be well suited for some older middle grade students as well. There are discussions of suicide. It is a major plot in the story. Check in with yourself while reading and don’t be afraid to lean into those feelings. Similarly, there is a lot of discussion of grief and loss, lean into it and see what you learn.
Backman once again reminded me the necessity to live life while we have it. He reminds me the simplicity of being human, but also the heartbreak that comes in tow. To live is to love and mourn. It is to laugh and cry. You can not be a human and live on only one side. If we close up one end, we are destined to get stuck and sometimes to get unstuck we need to help of our friends.
This book will definitely be reread by me. I will tell my friends and family to read this book for many years. Recently, I watched the movie, so expect a comparison in the future. I will never tire of a Backman novel and will forever thank him for allowing me to feel such necessary feelings.
Exceptional 9/10
Have you read this novel? Or any of Backman’s other stories? What has been your favorite? Let us know in the comments! Check out my other review of Backman here!
And as always, happy reading!