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theverycraftyvegan's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
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
I have read two books by Fredrik Backman this year and I have loved both. I can’t wait to continue reading everything he has written.
Ove’s story is a sad one. At least, at first. But eventually his friends and neighbours help him realize there’s more to life than death, and Ove’s life has meaning.
Ove’s story is a sad one. At least, at first. But eventually his friends and neighbours help him realize there’s more to life than death, and Ove’s life has meaning.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Cancer, Chronic illness, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Miscarriage, Terminal illness, Forced institutionalization, and Injury/Injury detail
asrhoad's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
An emotional memento mori that is slow at first but brings you along for a memorable ride in the human experience (we’re learners, don’t beep at us!).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Cancer, Suicide attempt, and Abandonment
michellem92's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-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: Death, Miscarriage, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Cancer, Child death, Homophobia, Self harm, Terminal illness, Dementia, Car accident, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
Minor: Ableism, Animal death, Infertility, Physical abuse, and Alcohol
cpreeta6's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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
Please check the content warnings before reading the book. There is mention of them in the following review.
I have no words. I had to space my reading out, quite a bit, as the material was emotional and heavy. However, I finally took it up today and finished it. That was the perfect way it could've ended. The writing flows beautifully, in a way that I flew through the pages. Only the content made me pause and think, if I could take it at the time.
I DNFed the book last year as I believe that a book is best enjoyed with the right mindset, and it should never put you in a depressive mood. When required, put the book down, and go about your life. It will still be waiting for you with open arms when you feel like you can return to it.
I never thought, following an old man's life would feel so touching to me. Ove is a grumpy, unfriendly man who always needs some tinkering to do. He needs the rules to be followed. He is a man who loves his wife very much.
The different conversations that can be had regarding the book are manifold. The mental alacrity of certain characters and their actions can sometimes only be understood in hindsight. The book tackles loss of a loved one and grieving, and many more issues that can tug at your heartstrings.
Ultimately, it is not a book you pick up lightly. It will make you laugh, it will make you cry. It will take you on a rollercoaster or emotions, and you will be angry at the powerlessness of normal people against bureaucracy. Be warned, it is a melancholy, yet beautiful book.
I have no words. I had to space my reading out, quite a bit, as the material was emotional and heavy. However, I finally took it up today and finished it. That was the perfect way it could've ended. The writing flows beautifully, in a way that I flew through the pages. Only the content made me pause and think, if I could take it at the time.
I DNFed the book last year as I believe that a book is best enjoyed with the right mindset, and it should never put you in a depressive mood. When required, put the book down, and go about your life. It will still be waiting for you with open arms when you feel like you can return to it.
I never thought, following an old man's life would feel so touching to me. Ove is a grumpy, unfriendly man who always needs some tinkering to do. He needs the rules to be followed. He is a man who loves his wife very much.
The different conversations that can be had regarding the book are manifold. The mental alacrity of certain characters and their actions can sometimes only be understood in hindsight. The book tackles loss of a loved one and grieving, and many more issues that can tug at your heartstrings.
Ultimately, it is not a book you pick up lightly. It will make you laugh, it will make you cry. It will take you on a rollercoaster or emotions, and you will be angry at the powerlessness of normal people against bureaucracy. Be warned, it is a melancholy, yet beautiful book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide and Suicide attempt
Minor: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Cancer, Child death, Death, and Suicidal thoughts
orchidlilly's review against another edition
dark
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? No
4.5
A really good exploration of grief and learning to live after it. Ove is both lovable and annoying, which turns at a point to endearing in its own right. The rest of the characters feel very real and individualized, and have a lot of unspoken depth to them. The back and forth between Ove's memories and current life really build his story well and allow the reader to understand why he is the way he is.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Miscarriage, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Medical content, Grief, Car accident, Suicide attempt, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Ableism, Body shaming, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Dementia, and Death of parent
Minor: Infertility, Racism, Xenophobia, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
chamomiledaydreams's review against another edition
emotional
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
4.0
Watching "A Man Called Otto" over a year ago was my first exposure to Frederik Backman, although I had seen his novels in the library before. I was taken with the story instantly, and I managed to snag a copy of the original novel a few months ago.
It's interesting to see what was changed for American audiences in the recent film. I find it a little strange that Ove's name was changed to Otto, as though American audiences can't handle a Swedish name such as Ove. Even if the movie is set in Pittsburgh, there's no reason why someone living there wouldn't be named Ove, like in the book.
It's also strange that Parvenah's character is renamed Marisol and is no longer Iranian. Perhaps the decision was made so the story would be more "relevant" to American audiences, but even if more Americans are Mexican than Iranian, there are still plenty of Iranian immigrants who deserve to be represented in films such as this one.
The change that I understand the most is how Mirsad's character went from being gay in the book to trans in the movie. Given the current political climate, it's more important than ever to educate people and to teach them to be kind and generous towards trans people, especially trans youth, and while I would need to rewatch the movie to catch all of the changes that they made (Is he still named Mirsad in the film? I can't remember...), I appreciate the new take on an old storyline.
My familiarity with the movie did not diminish my enjoyment of the original novel. It was a delight to read, and the book expands upon some topics that I didn't fully understand in the movie--or rather, it made details from the movie stand out so that they moved me more deeply. A good example of this is how Frederik Backman expands upon the rivalry between Ove and Rune, repeating the list of the cars they drove over the years while gradually expanding upon the reasons why they chose certain models. The way that it all ties back to their families and the futures they planned but did not achieve breaks my heart and makes the characters even more sympathetic.
All in all, I would say this is my second favorite Frederik Backman novel. Number one is still "Anxious People," and number three is "Britt-Marie Was Here," with "My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry" coming in at number four. They're all lovely books, so even the one in last place is well worth the read. I hope to dive into his sports trilogy soon (and when an author gets me to read sports trilogies, that's when you know that they're good at weaving yarns)!
It's interesting to see what was changed for American audiences in the recent film. I find it a little strange that Ove's name was changed to Otto, as though American audiences can't handle a Swedish name such as Ove. Even if the movie is set in Pittsburgh, there's no reason why someone living there wouldn't be named Ove, like in the book.
It's also strange that Parvenah's character is renamed Marisol and is no longer Iranian. Perhaps the decision was made so the story would be more "relevant" to American audiences, but even if more Americans are Mexican than Iranian, there are still plenty of Iranian immigrants who deserve to be represented in films such as this one.
The change that I understand the most is how Mirsad's character went from being gay in the book to trans in the movie. Given the current political climate, it's more important than ever to educate people and to teach them to be kind and generous towards trans people, especially trans youth, and while I would need to rewatch the movie to catch all of the changes that they made (Is he still named Mirsad in the film? I can't remember...), I appreciate the new take on an old storyline.
My familiarity with the movie did not diminish my enjoyment of the original novel. It was a delight to read, and the book expands upon some topics that I didn't fully understand in the movie--or rather, it made details from the movie stand out so that they moved me more deeply. A good example of this is how Frederik Backman expands upon the rivalry between Ove and Rune, repeating the list of the cars they drove over the years while gradually expanding upon the reasons why they chose certain models. The way that it all ties back to their families and the futures they planned but did not achieve breaks my heart and makes the characters even more sympathetic.
All in all, I would say this is my second favorite Frederik Backman novel. Number one is still "Anxious People," and number three is "Britt-Marie Was Here," with "My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry" coming in at number four. They're all lovely books, so even the one in last place is well worth the read. I hope to dive into his sports trilogy soon (and when an author gets me to read sports trilogies, that's when you know that they're good at weaving yarns)!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Cancer, Homophobia, Miscarriage, Dementia, Car accident, and Pregnancy
Minor: Infertility
kirnet's review against another edition
emotional
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
4.0
Really ended up enjoying this, though I found the pacing of the middle to be a bit of a slog, and then at the end it was very fast. Was only really invested in the flashback bits up until the end, and then I was crying lol. It reminds me of the street I grew up on, with a lot of inter-generational friendships and a more found family mentality. I thought this was going to be a more lighthearted read than it was, and while there are many lighthearted moments, it's mostly a story focusing on grief and human connection. TWs for multiple on page suicide attempts, terminal illness, miscarriage, car crashes, and also just a weird amount of fatfobia from the author.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Miscarriage, Terminal illness, and Suicide attempt
craftysnailtail's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This book was almost a DNF for me. I'm glad I finished it, but I honestly did not like it until I was at least 80% of the way through. I simply did not like Ove. I know you're supposed to grow to love him, but I didn't. Maybe that makes me a monster, and I can accept that. His curmudgeonly traits were fine and a little endearing by the end, but sometimes he was flat out mean. I can't get behind that.
I'm also fairly convinced that Backman has never met a cat before in their entire lives. A cat that licks steering wheels passive aggressively, happily wears socks, and calmly sits on bar stools in cafes they've never been in before was so out of left field. The rest of the book is very realistic, so the cartoon cat threw me in every scene they were in.
The use of similes to describe every single disgruntled expression this man has ever had in his life drove me mad as well, but that's clearly a personal writing style preference, so to each their own.
The overall message of the book is... nice. And I think it gives the reader a nuanced perspective of what it's like to be a senior that society seems to have given up on. But the road to get there was gritty and uncomfortable. I mean I was rooting for Ove getting what he wanted for the vast majority of the book because it felt like his right to make that decision. At least I appreciated the ending, though. I don't think it's a book I would recommend to friends, but it was different from other books I've read recently, so that made it worth it for me in the end.
I'm also fairly convinced that Backman has never met a cat before in their entire lives. A cat that licks steering wheels passive aggressively, happily wears socks, and calmly sits on bar stools in cafes they've never been in before was so out of left field. The rest of the book is very realistic, so the cartoon cat threw me in every scene they were in.
The use of similes to describe every single disgruntled expression this man has ever had in his life drove me mad as well, but that's clearly a personal writing style preference, so to each their own.
The overall message of the book is... nice. And I think it gives the reader a nuanced perspective of what it's like to be a senior that society seems to have given up on. But the road to get there was gritty and uncomfortable. I mean I was rooting for Ove getting what he wanted for the vast majority of the book because it felt like his right to make that decision. At least I appreciated the ending, though. I don't think it's a book I would recommend to friends, but it was different from other books I've read recently, so that made it worth it for me in the end.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Cancer, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Infertility, Miscarriage, Racism, Terminal illness, Xenophobia, Dementia, Car accident, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Fire/Fire injury
riordanfan's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
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: Suicidal thoughts, Grief, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Death, Fatphobia, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Ableism, Cancer, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Homophobia, Miscarriage, Terminal illness, Pregnancy, and Outing
sophiesmallhands's review against another edition
Maybe I would’ve enjoyed this years ago or in a different mindset but I couldn’t get past the amount of white man xenophobia, homophobia, ableism, fat phobia and toxic masculinity.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide attempt
Moderate: Fatphobia and Xenophobia
Minor: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Death, Misogyny, and Death of parent