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bitofkit's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse, and Drug use
Minor: Death, Violence, and War
nicole_theythem's review
3.0
Graphic: Death, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Violence
fantaiil's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I love his words, his characters and how he makes me cry while talking about humans and their inability of saying, what they want to say.
This book is about love, despair, kids, dumb choices, pizza, love, marriage, kids and their parents, money, capitalism, love and a bridge. It's about the connection between people and the irrational things we do, when we feel emotions that are to big to describe.
Backman is a magician. A magician of words and sentences and making one feel and cry and laugh and feel once again.
I wish, I could buy this book a thousand times and gift it to everyone I know.
Graphic: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Addiction, Death, Self harm, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, and Abandonment
Minor: Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Homophobia, Toxic relationship, Lesbophobia, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Classism
kato_dg's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Death, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Grief, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, and Alcohol
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, and Classism
kmwolff's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Moderate: Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Suicide, and Grief
Minor: Gun violence, Violence, and Alcohol
katstu1's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cancer, Confinement, Death, Gun violence, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Grief, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, and Alcohol
manu_k's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
It keeps its pacing all throughout the book, and even when we get to the heavy parts, Backman keeps it light with a well-timed sarcastic comment or incongruous joke. The story flows well, and the smooth change in point of views compliments the non-linear storytelling. The writing is beautiful and the way the story comes together at the end is inspired.
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Alcoholism, Death, and Mental illness
Minor: Cancer, Confinement, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
caleb_makes's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Suicide and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Grief, and Classism
emmabc's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Grief, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Violence, and Xenophobia
beca_reads's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
We follow two different timelines. The first timeline is the hostage drama. A bank robber is in need of money so tries to rob a bank, unfortunately for them the bank is cashless. They are then alerted to the fact that there is police outside, and they end up running into an apartment viewing and taking a bunch of people hostage. From there we are introduced to all of the hostages and their back stories. Each character has such a strong back story, they could easily have their own book each. The hostage situation is ridiculous in the best way, and ends up bringing these strangers together. Meanwhile we have the other time which takes place after the hostage. Jim and Jack are father and son, and work for the Swedish police. Jack is determined to figure out who the bank robber is as they can't find them, and believe that the hostages are hiding information. Both timelines are carefully interweaved to form this amazing story. For me personally I found Zara's and Estelle's storylines my favourites.
Trigger warnings: suicide, suicide ideation, and confinement.
Also if you plan on watching the Netflix adaptation (which is good by the way) I recommend reading the book all the way through first.
Graphic: Confinement, Cursing, Death, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Dementia, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Classism