Reviews

fredrik backman’s writing style is this unique blend of playful, dark humor with a lot of reflective and hard-hitting moments—i really like it!

he really has a way with words especially when it comes to difficult emotions. this book focuses on grief.

so many lines i highlighted!!

People said Ove saw the world in black and white. But she was color. All the color he had.

“Loving someone is like moving into a house,” Sonja used to say. “At first you fall in love with all the new things, amazed every morning that all this belongs to you, as if fearing that someone would suddenly come rushing in through the door to explain that a terrible mistake had been made, you weren’t actually supposed to live in a wonderful place like this. Then over the years the walls become weathered, the wood splinters here and there, and you start to love that house not so much because of all its perfection, but rather for its imperfections. These are the little secrets that make it your home.”

For the greatest fear of death is always that it will pass us by. And leave us there alone.

And time is a curious thing. Most of us only live for the time that lies right ahead of us. A few days, weeks, years. One of the most painful moments in a person’s life probably comes with the insight that an age has been reached when there is more to look back on than ahead. And when time no longer lies ahead of one, other things have to be lived for. Memories, perhaps. Afternoons in the sun with someone’s hand clutched in one’s own. The fragrance of flower beds in fresh bloom. Sundays in a café. Grandchildren, perhaps. One finds a way of living for the sake of someone else’s future. And it wasn’t as if Ove also died when Sonja left him. He just stopped living. Grief is a strange thing.

bleicole's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional funny lighthearted 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

4.5

xmaine's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

These kind of books reminds me of “Forrest Gump,” the vibe, the protagonist, life lessons.. I took a break from reading straight thriller books and glad that I chose A Man Called Ove. I almost cried on some chapters, just simply pulled the strings of my heart. Ove is a great man, reminds me of Carl from the movie “Up”. I would definitely recommend this to everyone who tries to find hope in this cruel world.

alisposato's review against another edition

Go to review page

5.0

Such a sweet heartwarming book. May have shed a few tears at the end...

heerhendry's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

i was due for a lil cry
so playfully written but sad and hopeful at the same time

bluereen's review against another edition

Go to review page

3.0

“But if anyone had asked, he would have told them that he never lived before he met her. And not after either.”

***

3.5 stars. I will always be too soft for old people’s stories. Ove is the most devoted husband I’ve ever come across in a book, and I love that despite his brusque and cold exterior, the man’s all-encompassing love for his wife never changes. I mostly stayed for the development of their love story rather than narrative that ran alongside it. Overall, I expected something toward the end— and it would have changed my rating to 4 stars. Nevertheless, a heartwarming read about devotion, principles, and unlikely friendships.

More...