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sarahrahrah'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
4.75
Graphic: Rape, Sexual violence, and Violence
Moderate: Child death, Drug use, Grief, and Alcohol
Minor: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Classism
bookswstella's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Some of the characters I loved, and some I hated. They all felt so real it easily could have been a real story.
Even tho I’m really excited to read the other books in this series, Beartown would have been a great standalone, but maybe my opinion on that will change after I’ve read the rest of the series.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child death, Deadnaming, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Alcohol
amariela02'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
5.0
Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Violence, Xenophobia, Grief, and Classism
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Homophobia, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Dysphoria
Minor: Gun violence, Racial slurs, and Stalking
sisulake18'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? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Suicide, and Grief
em_likes_books's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Child death, Rape, Sexual violence, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Homophobia, Racism, Sexism, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Child abuse and Domestic abuse
katharina90's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
This story captures so beautifully what it means to be human and all that we're capable of... the best, the worst, and everything in between. It is emotional and captivating, at times heartbreaking, funny, tense and hopeful.
Backman's characters are wonderfully complex, imperfect like the rest of us, and utterly lovable (or at least most of them...).
The writing style is simple, succinct and fairly blunt, and there's a lot of foreshadowing.
I was hooked immediately and will definitely be rereading this in the years to come.
Quotes:
"Words are not small things."
"Difficult questions, simple answers. What is a community? It is the sum total of our choices."
Moderate: Gun violence, Homophobia, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Violence, and Classism
Minor: Ableism, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Transphobia, and Cultural appropriation
emme_faith'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
5.0
Graphic: Rape
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Homophobia, and Self harm
jordanh'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
4.5
This was so well-written. I don't know how to fully articulate it, but the way this was written was so real. I can't believe this was written by a man. Like. You're telling me a <i> man </i> wrote this book!?!?!?!? A man wrote these women?? A man wrote <i> that </i> scene?????? I am not the type of person that is easily triggered but this one did a little bit for the sheer realism of the rape scene. It was just so real and accurate and GOd ,,,,,,,
The first bit of the book was very slow and kind of boring, but the payoff was totally worth it. The slow development at the beginning totally immersed you in the town and connected you with all of the characters. Both the good and the bad, and all the complexities of the relationships. It wouldn't have worked near as well as it did if the beginning hadn't been what it was, with the development of the town and the many characters living in it. I find that usually this many pov's does not work and dilutes the story, but in this case it would not have worked without all of the pov's that it had.
This was just such a phenomenal read and I am so excited to read more by Fredrik Backman.
Graphic: Rape
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, and Grief
yulecogs's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
greenlivingaudioworm'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
5.0
Moderate: Bullying, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Grief, Alcohol, and Classism