Beartown (Beartown, #1) in Around the Year in 52 Books

Mar 28, 2018 Book Concierge rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: audio, coming-of-age, family, concierge, strong-women, library, sweden, sports

Book on CD performed by Marin Ireland

”So even Sune finds himself wondering: what are principles worth, if you don’t win?”

That may be the essence of this novel, set in a small town where hockey is not only “the only thing” but also “everything.”

The junior ice hockey team has a chance at winning the national title. Such a win would bring resources into this slowly dying small town – sponsors, an ice hockey academy, more residents. It would also launch star player Kevin towards a professional care Book on CD performed by Marin Ireland

”So even Sune finds himself wondering: what are principles worth, if you don’t win?”

That may be the essence of this novel, set in a small town where hockey is not only “the only thing” but also “everything.”

The junior ice hockey team has a chance at winning the national title. Such a win would bring resources into this slowly dying small town – sponsors, an ice hockey academy, more residents. It would also launch star player Kevin towards a professional career with the NHL. For Amat, a 15-year-old who has always been on the outside, it would mean acceptance. For Peter and Kira, it would possibly validate their decision to move their family back to this isolated, though beautiful, small town. But carrying the hopes and dreams of an entire town is a heavy burden for a group of teenaged boys. And one violent act traumatizes players and residents alike, pitting neighbor against neighbor, and making many of them look long and deep into their consciences.

This is definitely a departure from the kinds of novels that have made Backman an international literary star. If you’re looking for Ove or a quirky grandmother who spins elaborate fantasy tales, you won’t find it here. But you will recognize Backman’s gift for drawing characters – good, bad, young, old, talented young people, and alcoholic has-beens. Readers will also find a thought-provoking story line, that makes one question “What would I do?” And please don’t dismiss this as a “sports” book that focuses only on the men involved in the game. The women in the novel are equally important to the story. Maya and Ana (teen-aged best friends), Kira, Ramona, Fatima, even Kevin’s mother and Benji’s sisters are all complex, strong women who are equal to the task of dealing with a testosterone-fueled hockey culture.

The audiobook is performed by Marin Ireland who does a fantastic job. She brings all these characters to life, male and female, young and old.
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Jan 29, 2023 Donna rated it really liked it

I'm a little late to the party with this book by the popular Swedish author, Fredrik Backman. Beartown is a small, remote town in the forest - a town obsessed with ice hockey and one whose residents are pinning their hopes for the future on a junior team about to compete in the national hockey semifinals. An act of violence occurs that threatens to destroy these hopes and deeply affects and divides the community. I was drawn in by the story and the people of Beartown, who were recognizably human ...more

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