Reviews tagging 'Blood'

Beartown by Fredrik Backman

67 reviews

whatyouegg's review against another edition

dark reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Beartown is a deep exploration of the various structures and loyalties that uphold r*** culture, wrapped in a complex narrative that manages to develop characters intricately while the plot moves rapidly. I was skeptical of this topic written from a male perspective but I think there is a side of sports and “locker room” culture that most women will never experience on the inside. While this toxic, male-dominated sports culture was the main focus, there were also layers of female friendship and power that I thought were well done, and I appreciate that Backman included that element without trying too hard to write an intimate female perspective on sexism. I really enjoyed this book! The pace is perfect and the characters will stick with you.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying and Blood

Moderate: Alcoholism, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, and Alcohol

Minor: Gun violence, Homophobia, and Suicidal thoughts

emusing's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful tense medium-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, and Grief

Moderate: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Drug use, Gun violence, Homophobia, Rape, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, and Death of parent

Minor: Self harm, Blood, and Medical content

For many of these things, they are not described graphically, but they are central to the premise of the book, so if you don't want to think about rape or violence, you will have a problem. There are also several moments which Backman writes around to make you think that one thing is about to happen, but in the next section reveals that it was not part of the plan all along.

For example, Zacharias goes into the school thinking about suicide and carrying a bucket to stand on when he hangs himself (you think), but it's actually a bucket of water to wash hate speech off of lockers. There are also fake-out moments about homophobia when David discovers that Benji is gay, and when Maya goes out, supposedly to kill someone.

katiedoesntftba's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Cursing, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Blood, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent

Minor: Child abuse

oliverlang's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

I found this really difficult to read at first as it jumps from different characters very quickly trying to introduce everyone but it got easier as the book went on.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Transphobia, Blood, Vomit, and Grief

znvisser's review

dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

 GoodReads really wanted me to read this, and after putting it off for a while - not being all too passionate about competitive sports and not being too thrilled either about the "conservative small town" vibe coming of of this - I was intrigued by the high ratings so finally decided to give it a go.

Turns out you can become immersed in a hockey game, and then a club, without actually really caring about hockey. Or games. And although this book seems to be about hockey, it made me sob halfway through already and then there was so much time left to just become very angry. Because of all the things you know people will say, and you see people say those things, and you still can't get over how stupid they are. But then there are also people who make the analyses and say the things you want and need to hear and even though the people that are supposed to listen to it won't, it does make you remember that they are the ones wiser and stronger than everyone else.

Culture is a recurring theme and Backman skilfully builds a story that reflects the ways in which culture and community grow and shape each other; and especially what happens if a flawed culture is protected by the community in which it is embedded, by which it keeps being nourished.

Above all, this story is about community: not just about club members finding each other in a sport, but about all the smaller bonds that exist. Because if you've shared a small town with the same people for generations, a big part of who you are is how you relate to others. So we learn about parents, children, siblings, coaches, crushes, friends, colleagues, idols and rivals. You will feel parents hurting because their child is in pain, the power of a friendship between fifteen year olds, and the loneliness of those who have lost the things most valuable to them so they can no longer bother to become a part of anything else anymore.

I loved the story and many of its characters so much that I don't even blame the author that much for very obviously manipulating my expectations and feelings. Not even for the fact that he succeeded. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Child death, Drug use, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, and Grief

Moderate: Animal death, Body shaming, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Homophobia, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, and Vomit

ivana's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child death, Homophobia, Rape, Sexual assault, and Grief

Moderate: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, and Blood

Minor: Animal death

emakay's review against another edition

dark emotional funny tense slow-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child death, Cursing, Drug use, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, and Vomit

Moderate: Animal death, Body shaming, Child abuse, Fatphobia, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Islamophobia, Medical content, and Grief