A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
Product Details
Web ID: 2334016Grumpy Old Man or Great Man?
I avoided this book for a long time as I heard it was about a grumpy old man and I didn’t want to read an entire book with a sourpuss as the lead. This was true despite Backman being my favorite author. Why? Why did I not have faith in my Fredrik that this would be another banger? Thankfully the book stared me in the face long enough that I eventually read it and I found it a delight. The character work is Backman level, meaning outstanding, and the central tensions of the book are relatable to most humans. Strongly recommend to anyone I meet.
Recommends this product
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Curmudgeonly crank brings good tears
Oh, don’t you love curmudgeonly cranks with hearts of gold? The angry Ove is brilliantly funny in his quickdraw reactions and excessive rigidity. He’s a man of principle and bemoans others (especially younger generations) who have grown up not knowing how to fix a car engine for instance. However, Ove is far from being a blindly inflexible grump. Through adept flashbacks we learn about the loss of his parents, the imprint of values given by his good father, the struggles and misfortunes and tragedy that have haunted his footsteps. But, above all, we see how the love of his life, Sonja, is his bright anchor and star and how she influences and understands him. This setup leads the story straight into the arms of a nutty nest of neighbors and an epic struggle against the “white shirt” nameless bureaucracy. All of this serves to lead Ove forward not exactly out of all his grumpiness but certainly into begrudging acceptance of a little love. And I cried at the end. A sure sign that THE MAN CALLED OVE is a special read! Repost of review on goodreads.
Recommends this product
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Charming, sensitive story
Ove is a man on the outskirts of society. He doesn't understand -- or accept -- what others do or don't do. He lives as he always has. When he becomes involved with his neighbors (which he doesn't want to do), it changes plans he's been making. Sometimes it made me laugh; sometimes, when I could see what was happening even though Ove couldn't, I would say aloud, "Oh, no, Ove!"; sometimes I felt the tears forming in my eyes. This is not a story with big events. It's a story that will pull on your heartstrings.
Recommends this product
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Excellent
I loved this story! I could empathize with Ove and I experienced many emotions while reading his story. The cast of characters were very colorful, including the cat. Many thanks to Atria and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.
Recommends this product
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Get ready for tears!
At first it was a slow read, but slowly but surely Ove began to grow on me. Next thing you know, I’m shedding the tears. Really enjoyed this book!
Recommends this product
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
A True Mensch!
I dedicate this to all men of a certain age (myself included) who have been woefully misunderstood.
Recommends this product
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Great Read!
This book provides a tremendous insight into a grumpy curmudgeon and how there is so much more to him than meets the eye. This book gives literal meaning to the phrase “Never judge a book by its cover.”
Recommends this product
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Wonderful
I don't know why it took me so long to read this book, but I'm so glad that I finally did. It was wonderful. It made me laugh and cry in places, and was such a wonderful book. I will definitely be reading other books by this author.
Recommends this product
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com