MY RATING:
Synopsis:
A dazzling, profound novel about a small town with a big dream—and the price required to make it come true. People say Beartown is finished. A tiny community nestled deep in the forest, it is slowly losing ground to the ever encroaching trees. But down by the lake stands an old ice rink, built generations ago by the working men who founded this town. And in that ice rink is the reason people in Beartown believe tomorrow will be better than today.
Read More:
Their junior ice hockey team is about to compete in the national semi-finals, and they actually have a shot at winning. All the hopes and dreams of this place now rest on the shoulders of a handful of teenage boys. Being responsible for the hopes of an entire town is a heavy burden, and the semi-final match is the catalyst for a violent act that will leave a young girl traumatized and a town in turmoil. Accusations are made and, like ripples on a pond, they travel through all of Beartown, leaving no resident unaffected. Beartown explores the hopes that bring a small community together, the secrets that tear it apart, and the courage it takes for an individual to go against the grain. In this story of a small forest town, Fredrik Backman has found the entire world.
- Pages: 432
- Genre: Fiction/Contemporary
- Publication date: September 15, 2016
- Format: Paperback, Kindle, Hardcover, Audiobook
- Source: owned
PURCHASE LINKS:
AMAZON
BARNES & NOBLE
THE REVIEW:
Time and time again, I am convinced that Backman must be one of my favourite authors. I have read a few of his books, and all of them were great character- and plot-wise.
His writing is simply superb, immersive, and so engaging. Not every author manages to capture me the way he does, and he proved his superiority yet again with Beartown! Oh my, this was a ride, and I was both excited and so sad to be reading this story, getting to know the characters and what they were going through.
From some of the reviews I have read, people are all confirming that growing up in a hockey town with all the pressures, expectations and drama was so accurately portrayed here.
This book was so touching, yet at times difficult to read because of the heavy themes it tackled.
It is hard to keep it spoiler free, hence, I will just limit myself to speaking a little bit about the characters that made an impact on me:
I loved Maya for her courage, perseverance and awesome relationship with her friend Ana and her parents. Amat and Fatima, I just wanted to hug them and tell them it will be alright, they just touched my heart.
Kevin, on the other hand, was another story to an extend, I understand his behaviour, however, what he did was despicable and plain awful. So glad that Benji stood up to him and knew what’s right from wrong. I just loved Benji so much, he needed all the love and care!
Overall, this was a great story with amazing storytelling and a set of characters. Some you love, others you don’t. I am curious to read the rest of the books and find out what will happen next! But I definitely need a break because I need some time to recover emotionally… 4.5 stars!
Lin's Perspective 
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