5 Stars is not enough! ... When I read " A Man Called Ove" it was uplifting and heartwarming..... this is much more of a soul searching exploration of the human condition. I thought this was going to be a "feel good" story about the coming together of a small town in search of relevancy .... afforded by a victory by the Junior boys hockey team.
Beartown is a small town on the edge of the forest and is in danger of dying and becoming irrelevant. The local factories provide fewer and fewer jobs ... the small supermarkets have been replaced by one big store.. The community hopes a victory will bring with it: establishment of a new hockey academy; perhaps a shopping mall; maybe a convention center and even better links to the freeway.
We are provided with a cast of characters ... the players, parents and "locals".... we experience their hopes, aspirations and fears.. However, a violent act occurs which effects the whole town .... the town and it's people react in quite divergent fashion. And, suddenly, the hockey game only becomes a metaphor for the life experience.. Sides are taken and the town is in turmoil. We experience the angst and dilemma of choices and actions through multiple eyes.
Backman takes us on an internal journal of the soul ... written with prose that sweeps you along. Decisions and actions occur that aren't imminently predictable. This book makes his others appear as "warm-ups" A five star is not good enough for this thought provoking novel.

Beartown by Fredrik Backman. Despite his incredible popularity, I haven't read any of this author's work, although I certainly ordered plenty of it. I did read bits and snippets of A man called Ove before using it in a program, and I've also recommended it to some people. So I was excited to get this galley.

This book is two parts; the first is a happy but honest discussion of people who don't always have it easy. The second is an honest and less happy examination of real-world feminist topics. Although the story flowed fairly smoothly, I would have slightly preferred a more integrated structure, but I can imagine why it's organized the way it is-- it allows the reader to get to know the town and most of the characters pretty well before bigger issues come up.

There were way more characters than I can usually manage, but they are all distinct personalities. I have no idea how the author managed it. There were only a couple I tended to trip over: two adults who were involved with the local sports team and had been coached by the same mentor, and two current players who both were the muscle and their names started with the same letter.

I was upselling this to all my coworkers today. It is probably my favorite book of the year so far. There are so many amazing things, sentences that can be interpreted so many different ways, writing that carries the reader along. I alternated between reading as fast as I could, to eat it all up, and reading as slowly as possible, to savor it.
Highly recommended, maybe even 5 stars.

A Junior hockey team going to national semi-finals
the hopes of town are on them--then a violent act creates ripples throughout the entire town.

I was immediately immersed in this book. I was so involved that I could not stop reading. you will be swept away to Beartown and become a part of this town. the descriptions of hockey are so vivid that I fell in love with hockey once again (I have not liked it since I was young).

I will always look back at this book and remember.
I think that all young men and women should read this book.

Beartown by Fredrik Backman is a novel about hockey. If you know nothing about hockey you will by the time you finish reading this book! The first half of the book lays the foundation for the second half by helping the reader understand just how important hockey can be to a small town that's down on its luck. This book follows several boys on a hockey team as well as the men who helped the boys become such strong hockey players. When one member of the elite junior team makes a horrible decision it will have ripple effects on the rest of the team, coaches, and town members. This book full of secrets will leave you pondering long after you've finished reading it. Enjoy!

As I am not a hockey fan, I was a bit disappointed to hear that Backman's latest book was about hockey. But I am so glad that I read it anyway because it's not really about the sport of hockey. I ended up loving it as much as I have loved Backman's other books. Wonderful characters, amazing writing and a plot that kept me completely engaged. Fredrik Backman is a master storyteller!

Fredrik Backman is one of my all time favorite authors!! After reading the synopsis for Beartown, my initial thoughts were that Mr. Backman was stepping out of his box a little bit and that I was dying to dive in!!

Beartown completely blewn me away!! This original novel entangled my heartstrings and captivated my attention from first to last page. This book starts out with a bang (quite literally) and the majority of this novel spans only a month's time, but I'm amazed by the amount depth that was put into the both the characters and storyline during that month. I feel that depth in general is a Backman trademark and is the reason readers connect so profoundly to his novels. Beartown was a much darker read than Backman's prior novels, but as with all his books, Beartown will leave you thinking about it's characters/plot long after you've finished. I highly recommend this powerful 5 star read to everyone--it doesn't matter what your typical reading genre is, this book is a must read!!

There is a small town that exists for the love of hockey and that is about all the town has to offer. The goal is to win the big game and end the season the big winners to gain recognition for the Bears of Beartown. There are hotheads and kind neighbors - jealousies and rivalries like any town. Beartown doesn't have to exist in Sweden and we recognize ourselves in the sage old coach, the new replacement, the rabid fans and the protective parents who have given their everything for the kids and love of the game. So when the unthinkable happens,as it always does, Beartown will fall to pieces and it is unsure if they and the reader will ever be able to recover the innocence of the past. This is a marked departure for Backman whose lovable curmudgeons have enchanted us in previous books. This tells an important story and will make an everlasting impression on you. Beartown gives us a glimpse of ourselves - the good, bad and the ugly side of humanity and what happens when a town has to deal with an unspeakable act against one of their own. My thanks to the publisher for the advance copy.

"For people who have never lived where darkness and cold are the norm, where else is the exception, it is hard to understand that it is possible to find someone who has frozen to death with their jacket open, or even naked. But when you get really cold your blood-vessels contract and your heart does all it can to stop blood reaching the frozen parts of your body and then coming back to your heart cold.
Not unlike a hockey team suffering a penalty and playing at a numerical disadvantage:
prioritize resources, play defensively, defend the heart, lungs and brain. What happens when the defense finally collapses, when you get cold enough, is that your box play falls apart, your goalie does something stupid, your backs stop communicating with each other, and the body parts that were previously shut off from circulation are suddenly switched back on again. And then, when warm blood from your heart flows back to your frozen feet and hands, you experience an intense rush of heat. That's why you suddenly imagine that you're overheating and start to take your clothes off.
Then the chilled blood goes back to your heart and it's all over. Every couple of years or so, someone in Beartown goes home drunk after a party and takes a shortcut across the ice, or gets lost in the forest, or sits down to rest for a moment, and is found lifeless in a snowdrift the following morning".

Hockey is more than just a game in the 'Beartown'....it's the focus of the community's small town universe. Everyone is affected.....The game itself requires sacrifice -- long training sessions for the kids - Dedication from coaches, ( old school and new school thoughts of best way to train young kids) , wives, children, and friends of the team are aware they live in HOCKEY TOWN.
-- The General manager works long hours --- even when he is home.
Hockey distraction pulls him away from the family.
The President of the club pulls weight and adds pressure.
The Board of directors and sponsors try to pull power ranks in hiring and firing.
Fanatical parents can get nasty, and competitive with other parents.
Teachers have a hard time demanding respect in their classroom from their students who are star athletes.
Educators are influenced by wealthy community members.
Store and bar owners contribute to the town at large.
Friends and family in the community are aware of the type of town they live in. It's very clear! Hockey is a family member in and of itself!!
There are personal & team struggles - on and off the ice:
Parties - alcohol- drugs- sex - rape - lies - cool kids - fat kids- lonely kids - rich and poor kids - kids trying to fit in - love - loss - lies - betrayal - secrets - death - financial strains- forgiveness, marriage and family issues - loneliness- friendships - jealousy - anger - loyalty - admiration- inspiring relationships- and not so inspiring.

There is the challenge of the economy of the town itself and the expectation- hopes and dreams that a junior hockey team might have to boast the towns economy.
Factory workers who have lost jobs may get re-hired. Tourism may increase. Beartown would be held in higher regard.

......For a player like Benji -- whose father committed suicide when he was little - hockey gave him a context, a structure, rules, and it rewarded him with the best sides of himself: his boundless heart and unshakeable loyalty. It provided a focus for his energy, channeling it into something constructive. All through his childhood he would sleep with his hockey stick beside him.

......Having buried a father and son within a year period, being the General Manager of the junior Hockey team gave Peter Andersson the feeling of keeping something alive. His wife Kira, a lawyer, who commuted to work just outside of Beartown, thought less of the over zealous hockey obsessive hockey community. She loved her husband but never really understood why the game made grown men a bag of nerves. Their daughter Maya, 15 years old, enjoyed playing her guitar. We will embrace her pain and feel her anger as her story develops. Her best friend Ana spent the night at her house almost every night. This friendship puzzled me for awhile as to why she never slept at her own house - but made sense as the story continued.
Leo, 12 years old, the son of the Andersson family shares his dad's passion for Hockey like most of the town. Easy going kid.

.......Star hockey player Kevin Erdahl, good grades, from a prominent family, had guys scrambling for best friend position- ( which was usually Benji), and girls throwing themselves at him. The only people that weren't 'pudding-at-his-feet' were his parents. Kevin's parents were the wealthy family in town - they financially sponsored the hockey team - high achievers- result oriented- but emotionally distant. Kevin may have had the most natural talent on the team - but he had other handicaps.

David and Sune - both hockey coaches argued about whether a 17-year-old could be ready to play in the A-team. Sune-- the older coach lived by the traditional team motto for years...since the beginning of the club: ....."Culture, Values, Community". The worn old banner hung in the locker room.
David, the younger coach knew he could never really properly explain, that the true drive for a star player like Kevin had nothing to do with values - culture or community....but......
"his absolute desire to win. Not that he hates losing, but that he can't even begin to conceive of trying to accept not winning. He's merciless. You can't teach that."

David believed "hockey has always been that the world outside the rink mustn't
encroach upon the world inside it. They need to be separate universes. Outside, real life is complicated and frightening and hard, but inside the rink it is straightforward and comprehensible. If David hadn't kept the world so clearly divided, these guys, with all the shit they've had to deal with out in the real world, would've been broken even as little kids. But the rink was a refuge. Their one happy place".

Amat, the youngest player - the fastest, who played with heart, stepped up a level, lived with his single mother. He's the guy who would naturally gather up pucks and cones after practice. Not because anyone told him to because it gave him a chance to avoid others. When it came to talking about girls, parties, or boasting about snorts-of-coke or blowjobs, Amat was reluctant to join in the laughter..... yet that overwhelming feeling of being allowed to belong was something he wanted too. It gave him a warm feeling to 'belong' was a strong attraction.

As you can see - many themes get covered. Each of the characters are so well developed- I feel like I know them - as people. I know this town. The strengths - weakness - the sadness - the sport!

For many years my next door neighbor played for The San Jose Sharks.
His wife and and 5 kids too. Ice Hockey is a popular sport in San Jose because of the Sharks. Our younger daughter was a huge fan -knowing every team members name - and many team members. - so from the basic beauty of the sport - including the tunnel vision quest for competitive excellence, scores, statistics, and victories....I enjoyed the subject- vehicle - in which Fredrik Backman told this story.

I felt that Backman brought a remarkable voice to the world of 'training-dedication'. . be it Hockey, dance, music, or martial arts.......competitor or simply an enthusiast. This book is compulsively intimate providing different perspectives - different stories illuminating the benefits of any skill training - the challenges- for all those who are involved.... "Bear Town" in this case!

THE BEST PART: Deeply EMOTIONALLY FELT!!! 'DEEPLY'!!! You can read a thousand reviews- NONE OF THEM WILL BE SPOILERS- ( enjoy them all), because this novel is an 'experience-on-steroids'.

MUST BE EXPERIENCED yourself! -- gorgeous insightful prose!!

Thank You Netgalley, Atria Books, and Fredrik Backman

Welcome to Beartown! It’s a small town where hockey is everything. The community bans together in the hopes of winning until an incident occurs one evening involving the team’s star player. Fredrik Backman weaves a beautiful story about the life of a small town that will pull you in and will make you feel like part of the town. Beartown is a powerful novel about human emotion. A must read for everyone!

Every time I try to write my review for this incredible book, I write four plus pages; that's unacceptable. Backman writes about us, people, parents, kids, in a struggling town anywhere in the world. The location doesn't matter really. Everyone is trying to live everyday as best as they can, provide for their families maybe a little better than they had it during their childhood. You'll recognize yourself and your neighbors. The town's identity is its sport, in this case hockey, but it could be any sport. It encompasses everyone's life. Some kids are better than others, all are taught that the TEAM comes before anything or anyone. The team includes kids from all over town, some privileged, some poor, mixed ethnicities, all encompassing.
However, an incident occurs that will test everyone's loyalties. People will take sides. The characters are so complex, so deep, so incredible. There are at least ten quotes I could place here. How could Fredrik Backman be so knowledgeable about people, especially teenagers.
The primary refrain throughout is, "we can't protect our children." That is very true, we think we can, but we can't. All we can do is teach them right from wrong. They grow up and we can't be with them all the time, they'll have to make their own decisions. So profound for our world right now. Please read this book, it will matter, to all of us. It's a wonder of a book.

5 Resounding Stars!
Fredrik Backman: You’ve left me drained, almost completely bereft of words. This is a novel, unlike any of your others, yet it’s so full of heart and emotion that we the readers know emphatically that it is yours. And after the last words have sunk into my soul, I can emphatically say, thank you! This one is to be treasured.

Now, what can I possibly say about this story, without giving it away?

Beartown is a town that eat, sleeps and goes to bed thinking about one thing: Hockey. Hockey is what makes this town tick. Vibrate. Come Alive. Beartown, and its residents wouldn’t be a community without it. Every person, every family pins their hearts on the Junior Boy’s Hockey team and its inhabitants have nothing left. It’s a huge cross for these kids to bear (no pun intended) and sometimes, well, something or someone has to break. Sadly, strength and resilience give way to anger and pain, leaving no stone unturned, yet that little bear inside those who've been dealt the most blows refuses to give up.

Whether or not you like Hockey, I can almost assure you that it will grow on you after reading this. And if you know someone who plays? Well, you will understand the drive and the desire better than a lot of us. But the raw human emotion that is dripping from each and every page of this novel? You will all feel that. Fredrik Backman evokes it from each and every reader and here, he does so in a way that he has never done before. And I am truly honored and extremely grateful to have experienced it.

A huge thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books and the amazing Fredrik Backman for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review. It has been a privilege.

Published on NetGalley and Goodreads on 2/16/17.

**Will be published on Amazon on 4/25/17.

A much more disturbing and intense read than A Man Called Ove, this novel deals with the inhabitants of a small town where a winning hockey team means much more than anything, including the truth.

Another great book from Bachman! Totally different from his past books, a look at teen lives, sports and declining towns and the loyalties we have to our friends, families, and towns. A wonderful book

Rather darker than the previous books I've read by Mr. Backman, but a very satisfying ending. I think I would read anything this author writes...he has a wonderful narrative voice.

Beartown is an excellent and timely read about a town where the teen hockey team is worshipped. However, with the emphasis on hockey masculinity and competition, the culture of the town can be secretly dark. Think Friday Night Lights meets Jon Krakauer's Missoula meets a hint of Jodi Picoult, but with the classic Backman setting and writing style. Readers be warned that this book carries a huge trigger warning regarding sexual assault.
Well written and well fleshed out, albeit darker than A Man Called Ove, I truly enjoyed this read.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I could say this book is about hockey, but it is about so much more. I could say this book was about kids, friendships and team building, but it is so much more. I could say this book was about the last hope of a dying town, but it is so much more.. I could say this is about a hockey team on the verge of a big win and all that leads up to it, but it is so much more. the reader doesn't have to understand hockey, or even like sports because this book is really so much more. This book made me think: about loyalty, friendship and so much more. Mr Backman has outdone himself this time. . I would recommend it to anyone without reservation..

Hockey. What did I care about hockey? I didn't. But the novel soon becomes about more than just the sport, about so much more than I can articulate in a review without giving too much away, but I'll try. Backman tells us early on what I was about to discover for myself.

"Why does anyone care about hockey?
...
Because it tells stories. "

Beartown is a small Swedish town in a forest that could be a small town anywhere. Maybe the sport in these towns is baseball or soccer or football. But here it is hockey. In spite of the universality of it, there is a sense of place so striking that it's like another character. This is the story of many of the town's residents - the kids, their families and how they are connected by the game, but the connections are more than just the game . There are alternating chapters, sometimes just alternating paragraphs about them, with new characters continually introduced. Somehow the continuity is never lost; someone is always linked to someone else. The narrative moves from character to character, family to family providing such an in depth picture of who they are. It takes an amazingly talented writer to do this with so many characters to keep tract of. The writing sometimes feels subtle but yet I came to intimately know these characters as I did in his other novels.

Young hockey players, coaches who are former hockey players, their spouses, mothers and fathers. It seems that just about everyone carries a burden. Some are grieving, some are lonely, some are bullied, some carry secrets, yet a few summon the strength to move forward. My favorite characters are Maya, who in the face of being victimized provides the strength and love that holds her family together and of course Ramona who lifts herself out of her grief to save the town from itself. I can't forget about Amat who wants to fit in, save his mother but faces the challenge of doing what is right and Ana the best friend that anyone could ever hope for. Backman has woven a complex story full of sadness, hope, discovery, people fighting their own demons, about parents and kids. Not all the games are won but there are triumphs of friendship, love, and doing what is right. To Fredrik Backman , I say from the heart tack sa mycket for another beautiful story.


I received an advanced copy of this from Atria through NetGalley and Edelweiss.