A Man Called Ove in Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge

Nov 16, 2017 Julia rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: audio-books, introducing-great-new-characters, comfort-reads, read-around-the-world

The book and movie are very similar, although Ove's humor shines through better in the book.

I will read everything Frederick Backman writes. He has made me laugh out loud and cry real tears with every offering. What a talent, what a gift he is to the world. ...more

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Aug 04, 2017 Megan rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: bookclub-ish, finished-2017, audiobook

Ove starts out as a crusty old man, but as his story evolves, I realized I would not be nearly as nice as he was if placed in his position. A Man Called Ove demonstrates the potential of people to truly change one another's lives, the way all the neighbors in this story do. ...more

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Aug 04, 2017 Debbie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Ove is a grumpy old man (though I don't think 59 is all that old!) who has rigid ideas about doing things the right way (his way/the only way). He prefers his predictable routines and principles over most people. Now that his beloved wife is dead, all he can think about is how he will join her. He has everything prepared--and then the new neighbors drive over his mailbox and interrupt his well-laid plans.

I was alternately crying and laughing from the first page to the last. The characters are f ...more

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Apr 05, 2020 Katie rated it liked it · review of another edition

I didn't quite find this as great as all the reviews suggested it would be. It was a pleasant, fairly lighthearted book, with some nice, humorous touches. It felt more like a modern fable or fairytale really, which was quite nice, but slightly lacking in substance. I certainly had to suspend my disbelief at several points (the stray cat that suddenly becomes more compliant, more loyal, and certainly better trained than any of my parents dogs is a stand out example of this!), but overall I did fi ...more

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May 24, 2017 Sam rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: rc2017, audio-books

Super sweet story of a curmudgeonly old man and his quirky neighbors who keep foiling his plans. Listened to this while commuting and it was a perfect book for that. The writing is structured and simple and the story easy to follow being humorous and maudlin in turns.

While some found the language to describe the characters off putting, I think to do it in a PC way would devalue the character of Ove. This is a man who does not think twice about offending someone and his inner monologue doesn't p ...more

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Nov 23, 2016 Katrina rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-own-on-kindle-read

I'm so sad that I am finished with this book. I enjoyed slowly learning more and more about Ove and meeting the quirky people who inhabited his world.

*Edited to add* I re-listened to this book in 2019 and it was just as good as I remembered it the first time. I adore this ensemble cast of quirky characters and want to move in on their street. And, I need Parvaneh to be my best friend, stat!

This was my first audiobook in 2019. ...more

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Apr 07, 2017 Sarah rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction

I loved this story and have requested the (Swedish) movie version from the library. I'm glad to have listened to the audiobook, or I wouldn't have known how to pronounce Ove's name. I'm curious to read more by this author. ...more

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Oct 12, 2021 Judy rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

A line I love:
"Cats out! No animals in cafe!" Amel slashes at the consonants so that they hop about like naughty children caught inside the sentence.” (p. 255) ...more

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