A review by random_spider
A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted 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

 NEAR A MILLION RATINGS!?!?! No wonder it's so popular. Absolute heaven-sent 🩷🩷🩷, and if I had to pick a book recommendation for anyone THIS WOULD BE IT.

"We can busy ourselves with living or with dying, Ove. We have to move on."

Synopsis and/or Premise:
We follow Ove. He loves the car Saab, hates cats, and sees the world around him full of idiots and incompetent fools. His solitary living was basically demolished by his new neighbors. Next came a story rich in heart as we probe Ove's history and why his paving stones smells of piss.

The Good and The Bad:
This section should only be called "The Good" since one could argue there isn't a single bad thing about it. Some reviewers said it was repetitive, but my understanding of the protagonist's desperation doesn't agree. Perhaps you could also consider this a flaw when the individual problems of side characters were promptly 'solved' out of nowhere at the end, but upon retrospective I realized it was a lesson for the main character that he doesn't need to meddle with others for things to go right. The book was just quirky in my opinion. I know it ain't the definite example of pristine immaculateness ✨...but let's be real here. NO BOOK WAS OR WILL BE ABSOLUTE PERFECTION.

Now for the good stuff, and boy I can't wait to talk about them. I would like to start somewhere easy. The comedy within was perhaps one of the best I've ever read. The cracks/gags on arbitrary and petty things in life were witty, farcical, and oddly relatable. And there's a variety of methods these laughs were employed. It ranges from being subtle/sly to outlandishly cartoonish and direct. These were even amplified by the innate grumpiness and cantankerous attitude of Ove that only a bitter and judgmental senior could deliver. Lastly, there was an interesting juxtaposition going on with the comedy and the underlying despondent state of our protagonist (like it's both funny yet dark 🎭 occasionally — which was WILD!!!)

I would like to cheer on the various representations found within 👥. There were mentally challenged individuals, people of color, physical disabilities, members of LGBTQ, those with volume, and more. EVEN THE CAT🐈 WAS ONE OF THOSE REPRESENTATIVES. It grounded the story akin to our reality nowadays, and their representation weren't felt forced. This healthy inclusion was sort of mislead by Ove's perspective (which was harsh due to his personality), but if we take a look at them outside of Ove's eyes each of them were uniquely lovable and charming.

Deep down, what made me place this book at the top of my read list was the endearing tale of Ove 👴, his personally-cemented principles, his deep relationship with Sonja (his wife), and a lifetime journey molding him into a reluctant hero. Ove, himself, was this cold yet relatable protagonist that you can't help but be curious about. Grouchy and petty as he was, deep down he's a decent, taciturn/socially awkward guy who's self-righteous and helpful. Although he only had a couple of loved ones throughout his life, the readers knew he will do everything and offer only the best for them. His unbending principles of stoicism and independence were endlessly challenged, battering his life until there's almost nothing left for him. He struggled to adapt of course, losing his composed self as life treated him with utter unfairness. What's left was a resentful and hopeless old bloke accepting of resignation 🪦. But as he (and we) found out, life isn't done with him yet...for better or for worse.

Final Thoughts:
A Man Called Ove is a literary fiction, contemporary, and comedy novel full of both heartwarming and ruinous moments. It is a poignant, reflective, and profound take on how society shapes and destroys a man. However, you can easily interpret the narratives in multiple various ways. That's the beautiful unrestrained freedom of Lit Fic compered to Genre Fiction. Just vibes man, and it delivered. You know what? I'm even more impressed since this was Fredrik Bachman's debut novel. I haven't watched the movie yet, but I'll look into it.

Rating: It has to be my second-ever 10/10