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A Man Called Ove by Fredrick Backman - 5 Stars and <3
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I completely agree! I love this book and Ove and everyone else in it. Definitely and all time favorite for me too. I'm thinking of re-reading it soon.
Awwww, I love this review! I also loved this book even though you know it takes little more than a Hallmark commercial to bring me to tears! I read Britt-Marie Was Here also and, while it was definitely not as good as Ove, it had the same charming style of writing.
Fantastically well written review Regina. A five star favorite of mine this year too...
I'm so glad you loved it. It is truly a delightful book.
I loved it too. I have heard that his new book is equally as good.
I watched the movie last Saturday, it was really good! The guy playing Ove, though, was a bit younger than I expected. Also the young Ove didn't resemble the older Ove very much, not like the young & old Rune. Parvaneh was really good. Though they left out a few bits, it still followed the book well and I really enjoyed it. So did my kids!
Rachel wrote: "I completely agree! I love this book and Ove and everyone else in it. Definitely and all time favorite for me too. I'm thinking of re-reading it soon."
I rarely re-read a book. But, I could totally see doing so here.
Amy wrote: "Fantastically well written review Regina. A five star favorite of mine this year too..."Thank you
Denizen wrote: "I'm so glad you loved it. It is truly a delightful book."Delightful is a great way to describe it
Nicole R wrote: "Awwww, I love this review! I also loved this book even though you know it takes little more than a Hallmark commercial to bring me to tears! I read Britt-Marie Was Here also and, while it was def..."
I do. But, that's one of the things I adore about you, your tender heart ;-)
Good to know on Britt-Marie. Sometimes I'm hesitant to follow up with a successive read when I have this kind of reaction. So often I'm disappointed. I may put it down for a future read.
annapi wrote: "I watched the movie last Saturday, it was really good! The guy playing Ove, though, was a bit younger than I expected. Also the young Ove didn't resemble the older Ove very much, not like the young...". I wondered how the movie held up. I didn't think it was still showing. The whole time I was reading it I kept thinking it must have made a great movie.
Yay! So glad you loved this one, Regina. It is one of my all-time favorite books.
Regina wrote: "Good to know on Britt-Marie. Sometimes I'm hesitant to follow up with a successive read when I have this kind of reaction. So often I'm disappointed. I may put it down for a future read. ..."I definitely had some time between the two and I think that is smart as a way to manage expectations.
Nicole R wrote: "Awwww, I love this review! I also loved this book even though you know it takes little more than a Hallmark commercial to bring me to tears! I read Britt-Marie Was Here also and, while it was def..."
My order of liking his books, which coincidentally is the same order in which I read them, is:
My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry
A Man Called Ove
Britt-Marie Was Here
I will say that while you don't have to read the Grandmother one first, it helps you know who Britt-Marie is and why she's there since she is one of the characters in that book, although not one of the main ones.
I loved Ove and I loved Britt Marie was here. Did not like My Grandmother ..... at all. Just finished his novella, And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer which was a really fast read and very touching. Made me cry. Looking forward to his next book Beartown coming out May 2017
Has anyone seen the movie yet? It's in theaters now. My book club is going since we read the book a few months ago but I'm not sure if I'll make it. It's getting good reviews from critics and audiences.
As I mentioned in my post above, I thought the movie was great!
Ladyslott wrote: "Did not like My Grandmother ..... at all. ..."
I know you don't like that one. It's quite different in some ways than his other books.
Warning to all readers of these books--My Grandmother Asked me to Tell You She's Sorry is excellent (in my opinion :), but it's quite different than his other books. If you read it expecting another Ove, you won't like it. If you read it knowing it's from the POV of a precocious 7 year old with a dying grandmother who has taught her many things over the years in the best way she could think of for a young child (fairy tales), then it might work better for you. There are some wonderful insights into people, which is similar to his other books, and after her grandmother dies (not much of a spoiler there) Elsa gradually figures out what all of those fairy tales really mean and gets to know quite an assortment of people--now that I'm thinking about it, I think I want to read it again!
Elsa is one of my favourite novel child protagonists of all time.
annapi wrote: "As I mentioned in my post above, I thought the movie was great!"Oops, sorry, I don't know how I missed your comment initially. I'm glad it hear it was good from someone who read and liked the book!
Jen, if you have a chance to see the movie, I recommend it! It's in Swedish with subtitles, but that never detracts from my enjoyment of a good film. My teenage kids (13 & 14) were crying at the end - well, we all were.
Play Book Tag
Books mentioned in this topic
And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer (other topics)Beartown (other topics)
My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry (other topics)
A Man Called Ove (other topics)
Britt-Marie Was Here (other topics)
Ove is a crotchety old man. He sees everything in black and white; rules are rules, after all. In his view society has gone amuck. In his utopia people have jobs, they display a strong work ethic, they follow the rules, they take responsibility for their actions, they follow a routine, and display loyalty. The true test of character is in the car one buys. All sensible people drive Saab's. All others fall into two categories - the "not too bad" choice and the "you're an idiot" choice. Even worse is if your successive purchasing choices show your lack of loyalty by switching companies. Ove has little tolerance for anyone who does not fit his strict definition of how one should live. But, if Ove decides to allow you into his heart he has an infinite amount of love to give. Very few people outside of his beloved wife, Sonja, have ever been worthy of his affection. But, that all changes when a pregnant Iranian woman with two other children move into the neighborhood just when Ove needs them the most.
Wow! I completely adored this book and Ove (and all the characters for that matter)! I simply didn't want it to end, not ever! I'm not one to be brought to tears easily in real life. So, I love when a book can speak to me so deeply that I'm reduced to sobbing. Not only did Backman accomplish that, but within the space of a page he could also have me laughing. Sometimes the humor is a bit morbid, but it is done with such wit that you just can't help yourself.
I loved how Backman portrayed Ove as a complex character with a story to tell. He is so well-drawn and his story unfolds with perfect timing, giving the reader the opportunity to appreciate Ove fully. He has been given reason to distrust people, particularly those in authority. But, not everyone who has entered his life has been dishonorable. Yet, it is the duplicitous that have the most impact on his life's outlook. In some ways that's the most tragic aspect of the book - Ove never recognized when people were truly accepting of him. As the story unfolds the reader can't help but be sympathetic towards Ove. Then, you fall in love with him before, ultimately, cheering him on.
This book is going to be not only a favorite for this year, but an all-time favorite. I'm so sad it has ended!