Beartown by Fredrik BackmanMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is a hockey story and a growing up story and the story of a little hard-luck town stuck deep in the forest. It's a David & Goliath story and story about families and a crime story and a story about backroom politics. And it's just one of the finest, most couldn't-put-it-down novels that I have ever read.
I bought it on a lark, off the "recommendations" at a site where I get most of my books. I'm sure glad I did. The book is about Beartown, the aforementioned hard-luck town deep in a Swedish forest, and its junior hockey team which has advanced, against all odds, to the national semi-final, led by their star player Kevin. Kevin is the skill, the "natural" who is protected on the ice and off by the lion-hearted delinquent Benji, who is his best friend since forever. On the eve of the big game, a mighty mite with blazing speed named Amat is promoted from the boys' team to the juniors, adding to the drama as he is cast in with older boys, some of whom have tormented him and his friends for years.
At a party, something happens. There is an allegation of rape against the star, Kevin, and everything turns upside down. Beartown takes sides, some of the mighty fall and some others show what real courage is, and very little of it has anything to do with hockey, and yet, it is always about hockey in Beartown.
I don't know how to convey how rich this novel is. It reminds me of Steinbeck, if Steinbeck had been a Swedish rink rat. I spent most of three days devouring the story, and have already ordered the second installment, titled "Us Against Them." You don't really need to know a puck from an end table to like this book. Hockey is just the crucible the characters are thrown into. It's really about how people really are, under the skin. I would give it ten stars, if I could.
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Shay--Even your book reviews are well crafted. They usually cut with a fierce sharpness. This time, you gushed.
ReplyDeleteGod. It seems like Amazon or the mail carrier is bringing me a book every week or so. Should I order this one?
I think I will...
As always, you capture the entire spirit of a book when you review it. This is one I would never in a million years read, yet you make me appreciate it and understand its appeal. Great review, and we need books like this more than ever now, to take us into those other saner worlds that authors make real by touching our hearts and minds and inner selves--to give us a rest from this one for a day or two while a different drama plays out.
ReplyDeleteSounds worth a read! Only question "Kevin" and "Benji" are somehow names of characters in back-country Sweden? Not a deal-breaker, but jumped out at me. Tell me if that is ridiculously pedantic. OK, I'm Swedish by descent, and have spent time in back-country Sweden. OK, I'm ridiculously pedantic. I'll stop now. Really I will. OK I'll read the book! I'm sorry I brought it up!
ReplyDeleteqbit--there's a Lars. And a Michael and a David and Maya and an Ana and a Kira and a William. It's a translation, so maybe they changed the names from something wildly Swedish? I don't know. But just be glad it was not translated into Swenglish by Thomas Holmstrom. Then no one would be able to read it! :-P
ReplyDeleteReading Beartown.
ReplyDeleteGoddamn.
qbit--good, isn't it? ;-)
ReplyDeleteExceptional.
ReplyDelete