Holy crap! This was my first book by this author and now I can’t wait to read more of them! I loved this one.

I love Backman's writing style and if you have already read Beartown and Us Against You, then you should definitely read The Winners.

I highlighted so many lines, but here are 2 that demonstrate the simplistic beauty of Backman's writing:

When describing Kira and Peter's marriage (and long marriages more generally): "We aren't freshly blooming flowers, we're two trees with intertwined roots, you've grown old with me."

On motherhood: "Mothers have no armor to get them through life because they give every last bit to their children, by the end of their teenage years there isn't even any skin left, so every feeling of loss cuts right into her flesh now."

Having said that, this book was long. There were several new characters introduced and weaving those into the existing story felt a little cumbersome at times. I did, however, appreciate the parallels of the new storyline and Beartown's. I thought the different outcomes helped emphasize the themes of family and friendships.

My other critique, which I think added to the problematic length, was the repetition of details from Beartown and Us Against You. I recognize the need for a book in a series to operate as a standalone book, but it was a lot, and sometimes I felt like it was a disservice to those who had been more loyal readers of the entire trilogy.

As with all of Backman's books, I feel like this will stay with me for a long time. I just think it could have been considerably shorter and achieved the same results.

Thank you so much for this ARC! Beartown is one of my all time favorite books and this final installment in the series does not disappoint. I loved being in the same world as all my favorite characters- Benji, Amat, Bobo, Ana, Kira- again. And some interesting new characters, as well. The book is LONG and although it did drag through some storylines, I still didn't want it to end. I think that even if you didn't read the first two books in this series, The Winners can be enjoyed. The back story gets explained when necessary. The foreshadowing is done perfectly, and it tugs at your heart strings just the right amount. I loved this book!

OMG! ncredible conclusion to the trilogy. Well worth the wait. Love all the characters and the writing style.

Don't want to write more for fear of giving too much away..

Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book

Words alone are not enough to describe the emotion and intensity of this story. So many honest words and truths about the world we live in.. Extremely thought provoking and full of take home messages. You will be left to ponder long after the end of theis phenomenal finale to the Beartowm series.

#thewinners
#beartown
#fredrikbackman
#netgalley
#5starread

Is anticipatory FOMO a thing? Allow me to elaborate.

THE WINNERS, the final installment of the Beartown trilogy has been a buzzy anticipated release. I thought Beartown and Us Against You were fine but they didn’t land with me in the same way that they did with many enthusiastic 5 star readers.

Despite my lukewarm experience with the first two books in the series, I see one glowing review for THE WINNERS and I’m done for. I knew full well that THE WINNERS was a nearly 700 page tome and yet, yet…..I took a chance because I thought this would BECOME a buzzy book that I would later experience FOMO for. It wasn’t even buzzy yet. Anticipatory FOMO got me good.


I appreciated that Backman provided ample backstory from the previous books, but he took his sweet time getting into the new story. Backman makes astute observations about human nature and I can see why people enjoy his writing style. He also provides a steady sense of foreboding that kept me wondering what was going to happen in this hockey town….

…..But he kept me wondering, and wondering….for nearly 700 pages that truly could have been 300. When the action finally picked up at the 95% mark, my attention had waned and the ending felt anticlimactic for such a long build-up. For a book about hockey, there wasn’t much hockey going on amidst the town politics.

I’m certain I will be in the minority with this opinion. If you’re not expecting an entirely new story and just want to immerse yourself back in the Beartown community for a very long time, this one may work for you.

RATING: 3/5
PUB DATE: September 27, 2022

Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for an electronic ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Review will be posted to www.instagram.com/kellyhook.readsbooks in advance of publication date.

This broke me. I don't think I will ever recover. I love Backman so much, but not as much as I love these characters. I did think it was a litttle too long, but I really did enjoy the time I got to spend with these characters (probably for the last time).

A big thanks to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for approving me of a copy of an e-arc of this book!
'The Winners'. A totally great, more-than-I-can-comprehend kind of book. A comfort book, this one, for sure.

I normally really enjoy Fredrik Backman's books, but this one was not a winner for me. First off, the book is gigantic-it clocks in at 688 pages and gets to be absolutely tedious with the overwrought emotions of every single character that has ever graced the series. Just in case there weren't enough intense emotions in the first two books in the series, <i>The Winners</i> will hit you over the head with them.

I don't know if Backman has reached the JK Rowling stage of his career where he doesn't work with an editor, but you could probably skip the first 500 pages of <i>The Winners</i> and not miss anything plot-wise. The book also falls into the overplayed trope of <spoiler> Bury your Gays by killing off the only gay character in the series just to make sure you really understand that people are both bad and good and complicated.</spoiler>

Thank you, NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

I love this series. Backman manages to break my heart in every single one of his books and yet I keep coming back for more. I'm so invested in these characters and towns that the ending of this book physically hurt. I cried as if someone I knew died. A very good ending to a very emotional and well written trilogy.

A riveting sequel! Backman takes us right back to Beartown where we left off and through a new series of events that rattle and shake the town all while interweaving characters and their lives as only Backman can. Two thumbs up!

I will always cherish any time I get to spend in this particular literary universe. The author is truly a gifted storyteller and handles difficult themes with nuance and skill. This is a gripping story about family (both blood and found), trauma, love, perseverance, tragedy, and the indomitable human spirit. The characters will grab you right from the beginning and they’ll rip your heart open along the way - but what a journey it is.

Challenge yourself to follow the many plotlines of this third and longest book in the Beartown trilogy. There are many characters facing many difficulties, but in this small town they all affect each other, and the rival small town isn't nearly as different as the residents like to think. Unlikely partnerships emerge and star-crossed relationships begin as the barriers between the two towns are broken down- first by a storm and then by the interactions of inhabitants of all ages and occupations. And it all leads back to hockey.

Thank you to netgalley.com for this ARC in exchange for a review.

I was so excited to read the third book in this series. Backman is one of my favorite authors and I will read anything he writes. He just seems to get people and their thoughts and motivation. This book was no exception, it was nice to get back into the lives of these characters and the town. This book will make you cry and make you smile. There is sadness but there is a lot of hope too. I found it to be a satisfying ending to a wonderful trilogy of books.

Beartown by Fredrik Backman really impacted me when I first read it. I came to care so deeply for most of the characters and was anxious to see how the story would play out. With the sequel Us Against You and this book, The Winners, I still loved getting to check back in with the characters. But I didn’t feel the same urgency that I did with the first book. Some of the focus on citywide political corruption didn’t interest me as much as the interpersonal stories between the characters.

This takes place two years after Us Against You, so it’s great getting to see how different characters were coping with earlier events years down the line. As always, I found Benji, Maya, and Amat’s storylines to be the most interesting. But I was hoping to see even more scenes of all the younger characters hanging out together.

I definitely don’t think that this book needed to be almost 700 pages. At times it felt like some scenes were getting pretty repetitive. While I do think that this series is really impactful in talking about sexual assault, violence, who is believed, who is protected, and grief… I don’t exactly know how I feel about the way this book ended. Especially the outcome for one particular character. I still think this is a worthwhile read, but it didn’t quite live up to the standard of Beartown.

*Advanced reader copy*

🚨TW: rape, hockey

I’ve been so excited to get my hands on this! The closing chapter of the beartown trilogy.
The winners picks up where we left off with us against you. This character driven series finale was filled with issues that surround many hockey towns, big and small; corruption, fraud, politics, hockey culture, and the fall out for both Hed, Beartown, and their members.

It took me a LONG time to get into. There are many characters to remember! Fredrik Backman makes readers read through fog…the understanding of what is happening is there, but you can’t quite grasp it until you do. And when you do 😭😭😭.

Definitely recommend this one!*also highly recommend reviewing the first two books before diving into this!*

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ because of the time it took to get into it.
*However* it is a heavy read with major rape story lines, death, and despair. Grab your patience and your tissues for this one😭🫣

Fredrik Backman has scored a hat trick with the Beartown series. The Winners just may be my favorite of the three. I was left with a serious book hangover and the need to just sit and think. The foreshadowing of a beloved character’s death gripped me every time I picked up the book (and I rarely put it down). This is one of those books that I wish I could read again for the first time. The character development. The setting. The plot. The interchange of dark and light, despair and hope. All combine for a classic Backman.

My eternal gratitude to NetGalley and publisher for the chance to read this arc in exchange for an honest review.

This book is the end of an incredible trilogy. I loved seeing where the characters from the previous books were after two years had passed. In addition, the new characters were brought into the story in such a seamless way that it didn't feel like they were intruding. Fredrick Backman is an incredible writer and this book clearly displays that. I loved it and would recommend this series to anyone.

The Winners by Fredrik Backman is the emotional conclusion to the Bear Town series. It is filled with strong prose, realistic characters, and so much heart.

ARC received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book is quite dark and depressing and also very very long. However, you find yourself rooting for pretty much everyone except maybe the politician. Each person has a story and Backman does a fabulous job if interweaving them with each other. Lots of bad choices are made, but they are forgivable because they seem also like the right choice at the time. There are good guys and bad guys, but they are interchangeable and as a reader you empathize with them equally and want the best for them. There's so much hurt and also so much love. This book is overwhelmingly emotional and intriguing. I want to go visit Beartown and Hed. I want to help these two towns heal and realize they are the same, but different. So good. I'll read it again one day.