mel_j's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Graphic: Child death and Grief
Moderate: Toxic relationship
Minor: Racism, Homophobia, Ableism, Gun violence, and Hate crime
sheryl_marie_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Minor: Bullying, Death of parent, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Child death, Cursing, and Car accident
ericaw212's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Car accident
Moderate: Child death, Alcoholism, and Death of parent
Minor: Vomit, Gun violence, and Infidelity
bessadams'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: Gun violence, Murder, Death of parent, Alcohol, Domestic abuse, Grief, and Death
Moderate: Infidelity, Violence, Car accident, and Bullying
Minor: Medical content
laurataylor's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Blood, Car accident, Physical abuse, Abandonment, Alcohol, Death of parent, Child death, Gun violence, Alcoholism, and Death
starrysteph's review against another edition
- 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
Britt-Marie is an eccentric 63 year old who has suddenly found herself alone for the first time in, well, all of her adult life. She's left her cheating husband and stumbled her way into the position of a caretaker in Borg's recreation center (soon-to-be defunct).
Underneath Britt-Marie's socially awkward comments, obsession with cleaning products, and slightly brittle exterior is a deep desire to be known by others, to leave a mark on her community. She's been controlled and afraid most of her life - this is her journey of stepping into herself and finding her voice.
In Backman style, we've got a peculiar set of characters that become deeply loveable and easy-to-root for as you get to know them (the children in particular were a real strength). It's a relatively quick, simple story but it packs so much depth and charm.
There were so many splendid, poignant moments of community and connection.
“One morning you wake up with more life behind you than in front of you, not being able to understand how it’s happened.”
CW: grief, death, alcoholism, gun violence, infidelity, child death, toxic relationship, death of a parent, violence, emotional abuse, ableism, fatphobia, mental illness
Graphic: Gun violence, Child death, Death of parent, Fatphobia, Grief, Death, Violence, Infidelity, Alcohol, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Ableism, and Mental illness
allyordyna's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Cursing and Death
Moderate: Gun violence, Death of parent, and Infidelity
katrinarose'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
3.5
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Death of parent, and Medical content
ate_reads'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
3.75
Graphic: Cursing, Alcoholism, Gun violence, Blood, Death, Grief, Infidelity, and Violence
Moderate: Death of parent, Car accident, Physical abuse, Vomit, and Mental illness
norwegianforestreader's review against another edition
- 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
Moderate: Abandonment, Alcohol, Car accident, Child death, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Grief, Gun violence, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, and Sexism