When Backman first published Beartown, no one knew that it would turn into a trilogy. In fact, I wonder if he even realized he hadn’t finished telling the story back then. But when the second book came out, I think most of his faithful fans realized that Backman still wasn’t ready to leave these rival towns when we got to the end of the novel. Considering the length of this last book (684 pages in the Kindle edition), apparently Backman had a good deal left to tell.

Now, regular readers of Backman know that he loves to leave breadcrumbs. Usually, that means hints or clues to what could point to one outcome or another (you know, like with a mystery). However, in Backman’s case, he actually likes to leave little tidbits that foreshadow something we will see happen in the book, and in some cases, after the story will probably have ended. To be honest, I don’t usually like foreshadowing in novels, but I forgive Backman because of how he leaves these scraps on the tables. He doesn’t do the classic cliché of “little did he/she know then that…” but rather he says things like “that was the last time” and “as they would do until they grew old together” and things like that. At one point, Backman actually adds a poem that someone would later write about one of the characters. Now, I’m unsure why I accept this in Backman but cringe when I see it done by other writers. Perhaps I’m more forgiving because his bits of foreshadowing are so brief and fit so well inside the narrative, that they don’t stand out like sore thumbs. Maybe I’m more likely to overlook them because Backman gets me so involved in the story. Or maybe, Backman makes me so invested in these characters’ lives that I want to know what will happen to them even before I read how and why it happens.

Either way, yeah… this is one hell of gripping read. Frankly, I was a touch taken aback by some of the fights that took place in this novel. But like your normal car wreck, I couldn’t look away, nor stop myself reading, even when he describes some fairly violent things happening. Of course, if you know anything about hockey, or have read the other two books in this series, you have to expect this to a certain extent. Thankfully, there are so many moments that are tender and even funny here that despite the blood and tragedies, you won’t feel like you’re in the middle of a horror story. However, you might mistake it for a bit of a thriller, especially as you get closer to the end of the novel. You see, together with the breadcrumbs and the foreshadowing, Backman hides just enough from the reader to build suspense, even if we have clearly stated clues to what is going to happen. And the thing is, when you know something is coming, you keep looking for it at every turn. Then, when it does happen – well… BANG! That’s exactly what Backman does here. Doesn’t that sound like a thriller to you?

But it isn’t really a thriller. It is, as Backman is famous for doing, a study in human nature and a story that delves into the many faults and assets that are inside each and every one of us. Backman makes no excuses for their weaknesses, and takes no credit for their strengths, he just puts them on the page, and believes with perfect faith that the latter will be the winner against the former. That is probably why we grow to love (and sometimes hate) his characters. That is also why he can make us laugh out loud and cry like babies. Since I found myself doing both, I cannot help but recommend this novel more highly, especially if you’ve read the other two books, and award it a wholehearted five out of five stars.

The Winners by Fredrik Backman
(Beartown #3)

How could I stay away? My favorite characters are back and I wanted all things to be right with the world. But I knew they wouldn't be because Backman has foreshadowed so much over the three books. Still, I can't look away. I think I can live with there not being another book. That if I stop looking at the lives of these people, maybe they can go on living in some kind of peace.

A death brings Maya and Benji back to Beartown. Both are embraced, both have been missed so much. Neither of them had been doing very well away from Beartown. But they both had to leave for their own reasons and maybe the leaving is what showed them what they were missing when they came home.

Beartown and Hed are still at it but fortunes have changed. Hurts that have been simmering for a very long time are about to to boil over and break our hearts. Some will be punished, others will punish themselves, and those who don't deserve it will pay for the pain caused by others. A whole lot of pain is packed into this story but we also get glimpses of how some things will work out for a few. How the good parts of Beartown might continue, maybe differently than before and helped by those who you'd least expect to make a good difference. It's going to take me a while to work through this story and let my thoughts and feelings settle but I enjoyed the story even if I wish I could stop some of it from happening.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for this ARC.

The third and final installment in the acclaimed (and personally revered) "Beartown" series, "The Winners" is yet another epic novel centering around hockey, yet really being about family, friends, enemies, and who wins or loses in life.

The same characters are back two years after the events of "Us Against You," and the small towns of Beartown and Hed are starting to feel that familiar unrest that comes along with hockey season. A destructive storm and the death of the only universally beloved person in Beartown add enough spark to the fire to immerse everyone into yet another swirling, bottomless well of emotion, blame, and drama.

This time around, we get to see the feud from another perspective, as Backman introduces a family from Hed, comprising of Hannah, Johnny, and their 4 children. They become intertwined with our Beartown stalwarts, and the events that follow are both incredibly inspiring and devastating. Because what would a Beartown novel be without some tragedy?

As usual, I cried for the last 50 pages of the book. I know this is the last book in this series, but I can't help but hope that Backman takes one certain character and creates an entirely new narrative around her.

I'm not a gushy person but I'm ready to change that for this one. I've made it no secret that i'm a big Backman fan. I have read all of his books and re-read Beartown and Us Against You to prep for The Winners (and really I never do re-reads). And honestly this review hasn't been easy to write because can i even do this series justice?

Beartown was supposed to be about a hockey loving small town, and instead it was an incredible book about people, relationships and it was so emotional. Backman has an incredible way of writing, building up so many emotions, making characters come to life. With the Beartown series, one of the things that amazed me the most has been how he has been able to have such a distinct set of characters with separate character arches.

With The Winners, it was incredible to revisit Beartown as the saga concluded. Much like Beartown, it started by hinting at what happens in the end, which means i was weepy from the start of this. It was long and I savored every word. And I had tissues ready, knowing how I would feel by the time it ended. I enjoyed the broader picture it gave to Hed. But what I found myself highlighting the most was parents feelings on their kids growing up. This was also present in the first book, but it tugged at my heartstrings a whole other way this time.

While this book can absolutely be read as a standalone, I love that I had a deeper insight in the relationships and personalities from the previous books. And really, can there ever be too much Backman? I also want to say I'm amazed by the translators work on this! Backman has such a distinct style and Neil Smith has done an incredible job of staying true to it.

Thank you so very much Atria and Backman for the ARC of this one, I loved every word of it!

Kudos to Fredrik Backman!! What an accomplishment; what an amazing achievement!!! I am speechless. There could not have been a more fitting end to this beloved trilogy than what Backman has written.

You'll get no spoilers from me. This book is about two small villages in the forest in Sweden; Beartown and Hed. The villagers are all forest folk and fanatical hockey fans whose clubs mean everything to them. The fierce rivalry between the two teams affects the lives of all who live within their villages. The timeframe is two years after the second book ends. But this atmospheric novel isn't about hockey - it's about people living life with all the ups and downs, calamaties, and unexpected blessings it brings. It's about emotions - all the raw and vivid emotions that a person can feel: love, indifference, hate, anger, rage, calm, happy, sad, grieving, hopeful, lost, excitement, fear, admiration, longing, anguish, joy, belonging, friendship, accomplishment, betrayal, disappointment, etc. etc. etc. It's about our humanness among humanity.

Backman is what I call a quiet story teller. He's not showy, or in your face, he just gently shares his stories, letting you absorb all the nuances and foretellings of things to come that he lays before you. A keen observer and gifted expresser, his characters and situations are believable because they are complex, and he takes the time to show us a layer here, a layer there, until we understand both the good and bad sides of each of them. We see how the pieces all fit together, and how the events come to happen as they do. We readers can't help but feel we know these people, this forest, these villages, caring about them and feeling their emotions too.

I loved this series! I shall miss the forest and the villagers, and I am forever grateful to Backman for creating them, and letting me live amongst them!

My thanks to Atria Books for allowing me to read an ARC of this novel via NetGalley. It is scheduled for publication on 9/27/22. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and are freely given.

The Winners is an epic and devastatingly beautiful conclusion to the Beartown series. It’s a story filled with beloved characters, community, and reminds us of our interconnected nature, especially in the face of tragedy. Backman’s ability to tap into the human condition—every aspect, both good and bad—is simply unmatched.

It would be misleading to label this a “light read” as Backman’s foreboding tone weighs heavily on the reader throughout the book’s entirety. But his command of literary devices and writing style keeps you enthralled. It tears your heart out, compels you, and unapologetically takes you along an intensely emotional journey. Personally, I savored this read, and always consciously battled wanting to turn the next page in a marathon reading session because the writing is that poignant and beautiful.

Perhaps the joy of this book stems most from the characters themselves and how each of them, in their own elaborate yet consumable way, powerfully drives the narrative. I also really enjoyed the amount of time spent on the politics of the town, and the in-depth examination of the corruption and cover-ups that have kept Beartown hockey alive, which was a unique aspect of this book when compared to the rest of the series. My only critique (as it would be disingenuous not to share one) is I wish we had a bit more time with characters like Benji, Alicia, Sune, and the Ovich sisters.

In the end, this book stayed with me long after it ended. Closure achieved. Would I recommend it? Insert a resounding 100% yes here!

What a wonderful conclusion to the Beartown series. The author is an excellent storyteller. I really liked how he added some details about characters and storylines from the previous book so that I could easily keep up with what was going on. Sometimes that is hard to do when I am reading a book in a series. I am normally a romance leader but this series has been one that I’ve really enjoyed.

This was just so good. There aren’t enough words to describe the vast array of emotions I felt while reading this book. Fredrik Backman’s craft of writing is truly of gift. His characters are unparalleled and his grasp of the complexity of humanity is astounding.
There’s a note from the publisher at the beginning of the book that states The Winners is the final book of the Beartown trilogy, but it can also be read as a stand alone. While I do think this book would hold up amazingly on its own, readers would really benefit from reading all three books in order to fully capture the depth and significance of these characters and events.
This book was highly character-driven and I think the greatest aspect of successful character-driven stories is the writing itself. You can’t write a compelling story like this unless the cast of characters is impeccable. Fredrik Backman did it perfectly. The writing is so great and insightful about how complicated people are.
I loved how information is granted. It feels like you have to work for it. Little pieces of foreshadowing are dropped here and there that just loom over you until they’re referenced again until later in the book and then everything explodes into a bigger plot point.
I definitely cried a couple times during this. It was so emotional. There were so many highs and lows and I was so happy to be along for the ride.
This trilogy was truly amazing. Every book that I’ve read by this author has been so good and I can’t wait to get to more of his backlist!
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I’m so excited to share this one. Backman is my all time favorite. The Winners brought the Beartown series to a very emotional but satisfying end. I will be mourning this one for a long time to come.

This series will always have a special place in my heart. To say I was excited is an understatement as I literally screamed when the ARC was approved - my kids were literally concerned for me. In that same breathe, I was nervous to close my reading chapter on Beartown.

Needless to say, I finally read The Winners, and YES this girl wept over words spilled throughout its pages. The Winners is an emotional conclusion to the events of nearly two years ago in Beartown. We meet new individuals and families and our favorites are finally back home. BENJI

It is 684 pages of powerful reading.

Thank you Atria books for the complimentary copy to read and review.

I'll admit I was nervous going into this one. Not because I thought I wouldn't love it (this author never lets me down!), but because I wasn't willing to invest the time to reread the first two books in the series (I'm not a repeat reader), and I might not remember enough. I needn't have worried, and I should not have doubted the fact that Backman gives enough information that you could read this as a standalone novel and still love it. Would I recommend doing that? No. First, you'd be missing out on two fantastic previous books, and second, I definitely think I felt more immersed in the setting and characters having spent so much time with them in the past (which did come back to me very quickly). While this book has a lot going on with regards to plot, I definitely feel that it's the characters that make it shine! Also the writing, which is so eloquent that I found myself stopping to reread passages (that kind of rereading I will do) several times per chapter! Some may be put off by this series when they hear it's about a hockey town, but please do not be! It's about so much more! It's about community, loyalty, found family, the angst of youth, and some of the most memorable characters you'll ever read about (and yes, Benji still has my heart!). If I had any complaint to make it would be that it is just really long. As much as I loved it, any book that is over 600 pages is probably going to get that criticism from me.

While I'm super sad to be leaving this town, I felt this was the perfect concluding saga. Enjoy the gorgeous wring, relish the plot, but be mesmerized by the characters. Well done Mr. Backman, you have my heart (still

5 stars / This review will be posted on goodreads.com today.


This is the third and final book of the Beartown series. In the first book we learn about Beartown and its passion for its hockey. And we learn about the generations long rivalry with the neighboring town Hed. Mostly we learn about the people. We fall in love with some of them. We can’t understand how a town can put hockey before the words of a young teenage girl. But this is Beartown.

The second book, Us Against You, reminds us of the simple game that hockey is. A couple of sticks, a puck, a goal. How simple hockey is compared to life. Beartown vs Hed, Us against you. A young man’s secret is spread when a young girl’s heart is broken. Violence and shame erupts. People get hurt. Lives change forever. But hockey in Beartown and Hed lives on.

And here we are at the end of the story. A story we don’t want to end, really. Hockey is going on, as usual, but two towns are having to share a rink now. It’s the worst of situations for two groups of people that hate each other, if for no other reason than their parents did as well. There’s a chance for peace. But maybe peace can never be had between these two towns. A young girl will return home and get to be a young girl for just a short while longer. She will sleep back to back with her best friend. Laugh and drink in the forest with the young men who fight on the ice. She will write songs about all of them. Her parents will fight to save their marriage and their town.

I won’t give you any more details. You’ll have to read to find them. Let me just say that this three part novel, while painfully difficult at times, at the heart tackles one main subject - love. Frederik Backman, master of comical, true to life tales, writes a dark masterpiece in this series. It’s nothing like what we’re used to from him, which just goes to show what an incredible writer he is.

For those of us who grew up around and understand the love of hockey to no end, we can understand this story about how a hockey rink can be the center of a community. But for those who read this series who don’t know that, it doesn’t matter. These books are about so much more than hockey. They are about life, love, and what it means to have community. They may be about two small fictional towns in the heart of a great forest, but anyone can relate to them.

Exceptional reads.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Fredrik Backman’s The Winners is final book in his Beartown trilogy series. It has been several days since I finished reading. I had to catch my breath. New characters are introduced to the story line and just like all the former Beartown stars, they too will grab your heart and make you FEEL. This series is more than hockey. It’s about gain and loss, politics and community, rape, power, love, family, winning, power, hard choices, harder decisions and sacrifice, It cooould be a stand alone but Beartown and Us Against You builds the characters and background. Backman delivers a hat trick in this final book trilogy.
Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for ARC in exchange for my honest review.

All your favorite characters are back. Including the towns of Beartown and Hed with their rivalry. This story has it all: sports, humor, love, second chances, and goodbyes. Written as only Fredrik Backman can. You are faced with big issues like friendship, loyalty, loss, identity and much more as you delve into the lives of the characters. You hate to say goodbye to them at the end. You feel as if you are part of these communities.

I just reviewed The Winners by Fredrik Backman. #NetGalley

Thanks to Ariel Friedman, Atria Books, Simon & Shuster and NetGalley for my ARC in exchange for my honest review. This book will be published September 27, 2022.

Fans of Beartown and Us Against You will be so happy to read this third and final volume. All of our favorite characters are back plus some new ones.

At its core it’s still a story about hockey.
Beartown verses Hed.
Us against them.
But it is SO. MUCH. MORE.

There is family and friends and enemies.
There is community.
There is politics.
And rage.
And deaths.

Fredrik Backman can tell a story like no other; the way he weaves dozens of storylines into a seamless finale is simply brilliant. His writing is beautiful and elegant. His story will make you laugh and cry.

I am a huge fan of his and this long-awaited finale to Beartown did not disappoint!

This is the perfect ending to the Beartown trilogy. Backman's unique writing style keeps readers on the edge of their seat throughout. The characters are already beloved from the first two books, and this was a fittingly emotional goodbye to all of them. Through the vehicle of two small towns built around the sport of hockey, Backman is adept at showing us the core of human behavior in any situation. We pit ourselves against each other, we elevate things that don't really matter while ignoring the things that do. Falling into the fictional worlds that Backman creates helps us all to examine our own reality and strive to make changes for the better.

In 2018 I read "Beartown". It was phenomenal. Then later that same year I read "Us Against You", and that actually managed to surpass 'Beartown'.  WOW!  So... you can imagine my excitement when I learned there was to be a final novel set in this tiny rural town in Sweden.
I don't really even like hockey, but, like the previous two books in the Beartown trilogy, it is much more than a book about hockey. It is a book about people, about a town, about the world.

I strongly urge anyone who is entertaining the idea of reading "The Winners" to read "Beartown" and "Us Against You" first.  In Beartown you will come to love the town and its inhabitants.  In "Us against you" the love will swell enough to break your heart.

Told over a period of roughly two weeks, the narrative of "The Winners" is a memorable one. Old favourite characters are revisited, lesser known characters become more well known. Storms, rivalries, social injustice, and loss change the trajectory of many lives.

With myriad themes running throughout this novel, Backman does what very few authors can claim to do. He makes you CARE about each and every character (even the hooligans and the corrupt politicians). He makes wise and astute observations about parenting, explores the perils of obsessive rivalry,  true friendship, responsibility, loss, loyalty, sacrifice, family, community, revenge, corruption, leadership, teamwork, violence, respect, courage, consequences, the human need to be 'needed, and the powerful feeling of 'belonging'.  Not bad for one novel - albeit a lengthy one at 688 pages.

With the overriding theme of the myriad aspects of what it means to be human, this novel is told as a epic story laced with pathos, wisdom, and sometimes humour.

With concise sentences Backman turns just a few words into moving and impactful observations.  I loved how he writes passages that allude to an outcome to be revealed further on in the book. This is a novel peopled by wonderful characters.  Ordinary people. I was reluctant to finish the book as it would mean I would have to leave Beartown...

They say that reading fiction generates empathy in the reader. Whoever 'they' are must have read Fredrik Backman. "What is life, other than moments?"

I really cannot recommend "The Winners" highly enough.

a beautiful, beautiful finale to my most beloved series. backman is back pulling heart strings. i laughed, i cried. i spaced out my reading for three months because i didn't want this to end. while i absolutely sobbed and felt broken and hollow (the way you do after a good book), i am so so grateful that i found this series. this series is so insanely special to me.

beartown is the first book i recommend anyone when they ask for a recommendation, and i am so so glad this book did not disappoint. one of my favorite books this entire year.

I am not sure I could say that I enjoyed this book but it was an excellent finish to the trilogy. Backman‘s repetitive style is extremely unusual, but I love it. Unlike some other books in a series, I do not feel this book could be a standalone in any way, shape, or form.

It took a really long time to read this because I was purposely parceling it out as rewards for myself. Knowing it was the final book in the series, I wasn’t to savor every word, every moment. And I was still very, very sad when it was all over.
The writing is gorgeous, the story heart-breaking yet uplifting. The characters are like old friends that I fear I’ll never see again.
You don’t necessarily have to read the first two books, but you should. You should have the pleasure of hearing the story from the beginning and falling in love with the characters and the towns, rather than just getting the information as recap and references. Live it with the characters, you won’t be sorry.
Winners not only doesn’t disappoint, it actually exceeds expectations - something very hard to do with much beloved series.
I’m definitely going to be suffering from PTBS (post traumatic book syndrome) and a long, hard book hangover for the next few days. I’ll be mourning the loss of these friends, and these towns. But, it was well worth the journey.
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinions.