Summary by Goodreads:
A grumpy yet lovable man finds his solitary world turned on its head when a boisterous young family moves in next door.
Meet Ove. He’s a curmudgeon, the kind of man who points at people he dislikes as if they were burglars caught outside his bedroom window. He has staunch principles, strict routines, and a short fuse. People call him the bitter neighbor from hell, but must Ove be bitter just because he doesn’t walk around with a smile plastered to his face all the time?
Behind the cranky exterior there is a story and a sadness. So when one November morning a chatty young couple with two chatty young daughters move in next door and accidentally flatten Ove’s mailbox, it is the lead-in to a comical and heartwarming tale of unkempt cats, unexpected friendship, and the ancient art of backing up a U-Haul. All of which will change one cranky old man and a local residents’ association to their very foundations.
“Men are what they are because of what they do. Not what they say.”
My Thoughts:
There is no better feeling in this world than finishing a book that took you on a journey and showed you a beautiful story of life, love, and strength.
A Man Called Ove was recommended to me by my grandma at a time I think I needed it the most. Funny how books do that…fall into your lap at a time they will make the biggest impact on you. At first this book distracted me from the stressors of life with the dry humor and funny situations Ove kept falling into, but by the end I felt absolutely inspired, as if my heart had healed and then grown two sizes.
Ove is an old man, a very straight-forward, grumpy man who strictly follows and enforces rules. Without giving too much away, he doesn’t have the desire to go on living, so he makes plans to kill himself. He feels empty and as if his life no longer has meaning. However, his neighbors keep needing his help at these inopportune times making him unable to carry out the deed he has his sights set on. Until finally Ove feels a sense of belonging. He creates friendships and relationships. He realizes he does have a desire to go on living and he does have a desire to wake up every morning. He re-finds his passion of fixing things again and benefits from his new friendships. Maybe I gave the whole story away, but I can’t help but share how inspired I felt after reading it.
Like Ove, life gets hard. Sometimes we feel like we can’t go on living. But there’s always people who love you, there’s always something you can do that you enjoy doing, and there’s always a purpose for you to get up in the morning, to make friends, to further your current relationships, to read a new book, to fix your neighbor’s heater. Even if you’re a grumpy old man, there are neighbor children who think of you as “grandad” or old friends who will always need you by their side or a pregnant foreign lady who needs help learning how to drive.
A Man Called Ove was very easy to read as well. It was written intelligently, of course, but didn’t leave you confused or googling words or unable to understand characters’ jargon. It was well-written. It was also a feel good story. There weren’t unnecessary curse words or sex scenes or violence, yet the story was one of the most entertaining I’ve ever read. This book goes to show that you can write an entertaining book and show a powerful story without having to spice it up with shocking or offensive scenes/words. (I also learned that this book was written in Swedish but was translated by Henning Koch.)
Fredrik Backman wrote a beautiful story. I really enjoyed reading a book that took place in Sweden. It had a lot of Swedish words and names. I love when stories take place all around the world with different cultures, all nationalities, etc. so we can continue to learn and feel a sense of unity. I also enjoyed the HUMOR in this book. I laughed in nearly every chapter of this book. Ove’s grumpiness to every strange situation he was thrown into had me laughing out loud. Ove trying to figure out how to buy a computer was hilarious. Ove not calling people by their names but rather terms like “Tall Lanky One” was utterly hysterical. His “by-the-book” and “follow-the-rules” and “old-fashion” attitudes were similar to my grandpa’s, so that was entertaining to read as well. And then the lessons Ove learns throughout the novel are beautiful and inspiring.
I am very happy I read this book. Backman is an amazing author and I wish to read more from him, and I’m grateful Ove can be a character that can forever live in my heart.
“You only need one ray of light to chase all the shadows away.”
I recommend this book to…
…everybody. Young, old, man, woman, all of you. My grandma loved it, my grandpa loved it, my friend who is a mother can’t say enough good things about it, and my guy best friend couldn’t put it down. This book is truly written for anybody. It will bring you joy and it will inspire you, no matter who you are. Gift this book, recommend this book, read this book.
Comfort Guide:
No sex or violence. Triggers for suicide and cancer. Mild swear words used several times, but not excessive. One use of the “F” word. If you’re European, many uses of the word “bloody.”
Info:
Author – Fredrik Backman
Published – 2012
Page Count – 337