Scan barcode
epiloguejazz's review against another edition
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- 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
5.0
There was a distinct moment in my reading of Beartown where I felt the dread set in. Like many parts of this book, it happened on the ice. Amat, one of our central characters, is acclimating to his new position on the Junior hockey team. Here, we see a player who should represent all the ideals of sportsmanship and, by extension, the ideals of his community - diligence, discipline, even gallantry. But the world, the spotlight, he is thrust into is not all good and it brings its fair share of pressure - and fear. Beartown has a way of sparking that same apprehension in its readers and I remember taking in Amat’s initial encounters with his Junior teammates and thinking this: this league will teach him how to play hockey, but it will not teach him how to be a good man.
The events that follow spiral us further into this reality. Fredrik Backman expertly draws you into the world of the bears, and the lions. He tells you from the start where this story will take you - a place of violent transgression in the form of sexual assault. And yet, there is so much in this story which keeps you on your toes. I am compelled, I am anxious, I am driven to reach into this story and deliver a message to the impressionable teens (and parents) of this hockey town, a warning that not everyone has your best interest at heart. And so, I am caught off guard when mere pages after this moment with Amat, we catch a glimpse of their coach David’s careful and caring cultivation of the boys on his team. Love - David’s secret to being a good coach is love. So how does love go all wrong?
This is where Beartown succeeds in telling a heart-wrenchingly familiar story to us all. It asks us how we can build communities and center that which unites us, while also becoming places that exclude and destroy. It shows us how commitment and community can walk hand in hand with misogyny and xenophobia. It asks whether a community is an inherently hypocritical beast. It takes us through intention versus action, and how opposing motivations collide; how hearts obscure and can be obscured; how love can be led astray by greed and by pride. Beartown asks much of its residents and its readers. How do you survive? What makes you good, noble, or loyal? How does a community pick its heroes and its outcasts?
We hear this refrain multiple times: what is a community? The sum of its actions. What it encourages, and also what it allows. The times in which it seeks a simplistic answer for a complicated question.
I think what broke my heart most of all in this book was feeling that sense of realization from several of the characters when they understood they had failed someone - as a friend, as a parent, and as a mentor. Beartown has a way of laying all your incorrect sacrifices out.
Just a phenomenal, painful, book which leaves you awestruck. And no - it’s not just a hockey story.
The events that follow spiral us further into this reality. Fredrik Backman expertly draws you into the world of the bears, and the lions. He tells you from the start where this story will take you - a place of violent transgression in the form of sexual assault. And yet, there is so much in this story which keeps you on your toes. I am compelled, I am anxious, I am driven to reach into this story and deliver a message to the impressionable teens (and parents) of this hockey town, a warning that not everyone has your best interest at heart. And so, I am caught off guard when mere pages after this moment with Amat, we catch a glimpse of their coach David’s careful and caring cultivation of the boys on his team. Love - David’s secret to being a good coach is love. So how does love go all wrong?
This is where Beartown succeeds in telling a heart-wrenchingly familiar story to us all. It asks us how we can build communities and center that which unites us, while also becoming places that exclude and destroy. It shows us how commitment and community can walk hand in hand with misogyny and xenophobia. It asks whether a community is an inherently hypocritical beast. It takes us through intention versus action, and how opposing motivations collide; how hearts obscure and can be obscured; how love can be led astray by greed and by pride. Beartown asks much of its residents and its readers. How do you survive? What makes you good, noble, or loyal? How does a community pick its heroes and its outcasts?
We hear this refrain multiple times: what is a community? The sum of its actions. What it encourages, and also what it allows. The times in which it seeks a simplistic answer for a complicated question.
I think what broke my heart most of all in this book was feeling that sense of realization from several of the characters when they understood they had failed someone - as a friend, as a parent, and as a mentor. Beartown has a way of laying all your incorrect sacrifices out.
Just a phenomenal, painful, book which leaves you awestruck. And no - it’s not just a hockey story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault
Moderate: Homophobia, Racism, and Xenophobia
Minor: Child death
elizzabethanne's review against another edition
challenging
dark
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
5.0
I wish all men would read this book. While this was very difficult to read at times because of the content, it was so beautifully written and handled so sensitively that I don’t feel emotionally destroyed or despondent about the state of the world but rather reminded that there are people out there that stand up for what’s right. We don’t need a culture of silence. We need a culture where we can talk about the difficult things with those we love and raise the next generation to not make the same mistakes over and over again. If you have a son, a brother, a father, a boyfriend, a husband, etc. please put this book in his hand and talk about it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Grief, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
almaprincess66's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- 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
4.75
Ah shit. This book made me just as emotional as I thought it will make me. And honestly? I'm angry at it.
I feel like I have to start out that I don't like sports. But I expecially hate competitive sports. I will never understand them, never understand why would anyone like doing them. There are so many problems with competitiv sports and this book just proved it for me.
Like yes, oh my fucking god. Hockey is a violent sport. And for one to exceed in a violent sport they need to be in a certain headspace. They need to be raised in a certain headspace. One, in which men excell at briliantly. One that described this whole fucking town. Because the men raisd their boys to be hockey players. But they never taught them to leave it on the ice. That is why this whole book happened.
This is so incredibly written because it explains every single thing that is wrong with men, and then reasons it with both how it's wrong and how people can believe it's right. How soceity hurts the people. How they treat women. How they treat victims.
The whole aftermath of Maya's rape case boiled my blood. Because the town made Kevin, the older, stronger, more responsible out to be the victim. And while doing so Maya lost her name, she became the young woman, the liar, the bitch. I would point out how clever it was that they called Kevin a boy but Maya a young women. She was 15. She was younger, but they used the words to make her the villain. They put the blame on her just because they didn't wanted to deal with thinking that their star player did something bad.
And Maya? You are the strongest girl out there. I could have not done what you did. What any of the supporting characters did. I would have crumpled. But neither did Ana or Amat.
And as last. Benji deserved better. All characters deserved better, and I know that is the point. That they are set out for greatness but it's the town that they need to think of. But Benji. He was the person beside Maya who should have been allowed to burn the world down. I think I know how your story will end and I don't like it.
The conversations and viewpoints that I didn't mention, but were in the book should be checked out because they are amazing. They make you think. They make you understand even if you don't agree.
Still an amazing read from Backman. I'm just not putting myself trough more of it because then I can think of an ending that I like.
Thanks for my bookclub that we read this book! I hope we'll have an amazing conversation about it!
I feel like I have to start out that I don't like sports. But I expecially hate competitive sports. I will never understand them, never understand why would anyone like doing them. There are so many problems with competitiv sports and this book just proved it for me.
Like yes, oh my fucking god. Hockey is a violent sport. And for one to exceed in a violent sport they need to be in a certain headspace. They need to be raised in a certain headspace. One, in which men excell at briliantly. One that described this whole fucking town. Because the men raisd their boys to be hockey players. But they never taught them to leave it on the ice. That is why this whole book happened.
This is so incredibly written because it explains every single thing that is wrong with men, and then reasons it with both how it's wrong and how people can believe it's right. How soceity hurts the people. How they treat women. How they treat victims.
The whole aftermath of Maya's rape case boiled my blood. Because the town made Kevin, the older, stronger, more responsible out to be the victim. And while doing so Maya lost her name, she became the young woman, the liar, the bitch. I would point out how clever it was that they called Kevin a boy but Maya a young women. She was 15. She was younger, but they used the words to make her the villain. They put the blame on her just because they didn't wanted to deal with thinking that their star player did something bad.
And Maya? You are the strongest girl out there. I could have not done what you did. What any of the supporting characters did. I would have crumpled. But neither did Ana or Amat.
And as last. Benji deserved better. All characters deserved better, and I know that is the point. That they are set out for greatness but it's the town that they need to think of. But Benji. He was the person beside Maya who should have been allowed to burn the world down. I think I know how your story will end and I don't like it.
The conversations and viewpoints that I didn't mention, but were in the book should be checked out because they are amazing. They make you think. They make you understand even if you don't agree.
Still an amazing read from Backman. I'm just not putting myself trough more of it because then I can think of an ending that I like.
Thanks for my bookclub that we read this book! I hope we'll have an amazing conversation about it!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, and Death of parent
Moderate: Alcoholism, Bullying, Drug use, Gun violence, Homophobia, and Misogyny
Minor: Racism, Transphobia, and Xenophobia
stephs_cozycorner's review against another edition
5.0
I’ve had this book on my shelf and radar forever, but I was too nervous to pick it up due to the hype and how loved this one is. But boy am I ever glad I finally did.
I’ll admit the first half of the book I was a bit unsure and was trying to grapple with all the information and characters being thrown at me, but I completely understood by the end of the book why it’s written this way.
Emotions are raw and relationships are tested in this small hockey town and one single event shakes everything and everyone to its core.
Backman has such a gift with the way he writes. The characters are very complex and the descriptions are so vivid. And he tackles issues such as bullying, peer pressure, racism, homophobia, grief and really dives deep into human nature and makes you question everything.
In the end this book ripped my heart out and then put the pieces back together.
Benji, Maya, Ana, Amat, Bobo are all characters that will stay with me for a long time to come. As will this book and this community in Beartown.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Homophobia, Racism, Rape, and Grief
karwc's review against another edition
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- 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
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Misogyny, and Sexism
Moderate: Homophobia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Child death, Drug use, Gun violence, and Racism
onlyatnight's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- 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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape and Sexual assault
Moderate: Homophobia and Violence
Minor: Racial slurs, Racism, and Terminal illness
pbraue13's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Homophobia and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Animal death, Racism, Transphobia, and Death of parent
sweetteaandfiction's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- 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
4.0
Note to self: Books about hockey towns and hockey romances are two very different things.
This book was the selection for my local Indie bookstores blind date bookclub for January. It took awhile for me to get into the book, but that was because I didn’t feel connected to any of the characters until the traumatic event takes place.
PROS:
🏒 The world and character building was top notch.
🥅 My jaw was on the floor from the traumatic event through the end. It has been days. This is still sticking with me.
🏒The twists were all unexpected
CONS:
🥅Toxic masculinity
🏒Boys will be boys mentality
🥅 The subject matter for the book is very heavy.
🏒Controversial thought: she should have pulled the trigger
🏒🏒🏒🏒🏒 out of five hockey pucks shot into the neighbor’s garden
This book was the selection for my local Indie bookstores blind date bookclub for January. It took awhile for me to get into the book, but that was because I didn’t feel connected to any of the characters until the traumatic event takes place.
PROS:
🏒 The world and character building was top notch.
🥅 My jaw was on the floor from the traumatic event through the end. It has been days. This is still sticking with me.
🏒The twists were all unexpected
CONS:
🥅Toxic masculinity
🏒Boys will be boys mentality
🥅 The subject matter for the book is very heavy.
🏒Controversial thought: she should have pulled the trigger
🏒🏒🏒🏒🏒 out of five hockey pucks shot into the neighbor’s garden
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Grief, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
radtj's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Homophobia, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, and Grief
Moderate: Rape and Violence
nessawinnie's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- 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
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape and Sexual assault
Moderate: Homophobia, Racism, and Classism