A review by bluereen
Beartown by Fredrik Backman

5.0

"So the first thing that happens in a conflict is that we choose a side. Because that's easier than trying to hold two thoughts in our heads at the same time."

***

Honestly worth all the hype it's received. I don't care much for sports, but there's just something special about the way Backman writes about hockey— he makes it come alive. There are so many characters that it was hard to keep up with all of them at first, but they're all fleshed out so well throughout the story that by the time you get to the end, you feel like you know each and every one of them by heart.

Beartown is not just about hockey. It puts a premium on community and tackles heavy themes like blind loyalty, victim blaming, and gender inequality. But really, this book is packed with so much more.

I've been putting off Book 2 because I don't feel quite ready for it yet; but it's safe to say that reading Beartown has been a pleasant experience.