Beartown

Culture. Values. Community.

These are not only the standards hanging from the rafters in the town's ice rink, but a few of the many themes that come up time and time again throughout the novel. They are tested and bent and broken and by the end of the book, no character is left untouched by the damages.

This small, hockey-centered town is striving for a championship to put themselves on the map and at the same time, a tragic incident is uncovered and the news will shock Beartown to its core. It divides the town that had once been so united in the success of the team and is forced to look outside of their hockey bubble at issues they didn’t even know existed.

Fredrik Backman has written the most in-depth characters with such unique backgrounds that it is impossible not to feel what they’re feeling. This third person writing style takes us in the minds of almost every towns member and gives us a glimpse at why they are the way they are.

If you are in the mood for a gut-wrenching, raw and real story about the complexities of right and wrong, good vs. evil and the struggles of growing up, this is your next read.

Book Rating: 5/5