From the Bookshelf of EVERYONE Has Read This but Me - The Catch-Up Book Club…

A Man Called Ove

Fredrik Backman

Start date: June 1, 2023

Finish date: June 30, 2023

Discussion: MODERN / POPULAR READS

Why we're reading this: June 2023 - Bookshelf Catch-Up
Bookshelf Catch-Up Sept ‘18
Popular/Modern Classic Poll Winner for Aug '16…more
[close] June 2023 - Bookshelf Catch-Up
Bookshelf Catch-Up Sept ‘18
Popular/Modern Classic Poll Winner for Aug '16

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MODERN / POPULAR READS

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What Members Thought

Jun 21, 2021 Jody rated it really liked it

I found this book to be surprisingly charming! The author has a wonderful way of capturing the reader’s interest with wonderful characters that find themselves in hilarious situations. The book A Man Called Ove does indeed start with Ove trying to take his life and continuously being interrupted by his new neighbors. But, this story is so much more than that. As it progresses, Ove is able to have a profound impact on the life of everyone he meets. This was also one of the very few times I though ...more

4 likes · Like · see review

Feb 01, 2018 Laurel Bradshaw rated it it was amazing

Shelves: audiobook, translations, color-rating-purple, domestic-fiction, contemporary-fiction, daytimers-book-club, sweden

This book was an absolute delight. Laugh-out-loud funny, with interesting characters, but it will also tug at your heart. Ove has lost his wife, the love of his life, and all sense of purpose. In his grief and despair, he plans to kill himself, (but only if conditions meets his sense of what is proper). Needless to say, he gets interrupted repeatedly by neighbors needing him for one thing or another. He even becomes something of a local hero when he plans to jump in front of a passing train and ...more

1 like · Like · see review

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

Shelves: audio-books, comfort-reads, introducing-great-new-characters, 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

1 like · Like · see review

Oct 08, 2020 Melissa rated it it was amazing

A re-read (this time on audio) of one of my favorite books of all time. Turns out it's even better on audio! All the stars! ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Feb 19, 2020 spoko rated it liked it

Shelves: book-club, fiction

I have to say, I didn’t like it to begin with. Ove himself wasn’t a very sympathetic character, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to spend this much time with him. The backstory did mitigate that quite a bit for me, though, and of course the (entirely predictable) arc of his character also helped. In the end it was pretty enjoyable. It really is one of the most predictable books I’ve ever read, and the author’s crutches and tics are as prevalent as ever (he is forever hauling out yet another simile, li ...more

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Aug 10, 2017 Kim rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: finished-in-2017

I loved this story! It started out as a fairly straightforward grumpy old man story, but it got more and more complex as his back story was slowly filled in. We got to see what made Ove the man he was and love him all the more for it.

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