A Man Called Ove by Fredrik BackmanÂ
Ahhh, another book club book to review. This heartwarming novel by Swedish author, Fredrik Backman, should be at the top of your reading list.
Let’s meet Ove. This grumpy old man is completely lost after the recent death of his wife, Sonja. And I mean completely lost. He’s sad and broken. All he wants is to be reunited with his wife in death and he’s willing to end his own life to be with her again. Wow. Sad. But trust me, this novel isn’t THAT kind of novel.
The novel begins by really establishing Ove’s character and demeanor for the reader. He does daily “inspection walks” of his neighborhood. And is the self-appointed rule enforcer of the area. He’s mean and rarely says anything nice about anyone. Almost anything, no matter how small, can set him off. I know you’re probably thinking how one-dimensional Ove sounds. But you’re in for a treat. Ove’s life is completely turned upside down when his sleepy neighborhood gets a new resident. Parvaneh and her family are eccentric, loud and completely embody everything Ove despises. But in no time. Ove and the “Pregnant Foreign Woman” become good friends. We finally begin to understand what she sees in this old man. By the end of the novel, Ove is almost unrecognizably lovable.
The characters are so wonderfully written that the reader will fall in love with instantaneously. Ove’s journey is remarkable and just goes to show that a hard exterior may be protecting a warm heart. Backman’s writing and language is almost poetic at times. This novel is so enjoyable and very relatable for anyone who has a crabby father-in-law, like I do.Â
I highly recommend this novel.Â
