Beartown
From the New York Times bestselling author of A Man Called Ove, My Friends and Anxious People
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4.5 • 172 Ratings
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- £4.99
Publisher Description
FROM THE MULTI-MILLION COPY BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF ANXIOUS PEOPLE AND A MAN CALLED OVE, FREDRIK BACKMAN
**NOW A MAJOR HBO TV SERIES**
'I utterly believed in the residents of Beartown and felt ripped apart by the events in the book' JOJO MOYES
'I couldn't put it down. Heart-rending and engrossing' 5***** Reader Review
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In a large Swedish forest, Beartown hides a dark secret . . .
Cut-off from everywhere else, it experiences the kind of isolation that tears people apart.
And each year, more and more of the town is swallowed by the forest.
Then the town is offered a bright new future.
But it is all put in jeopardy by a single, brutal act.
It divides the town into those who think it should be hushed up and forgotten, and those who'll risk the future to see justice done.
Who will speak up?
Could you stand by and stay silent?
Or would you risk everything for justice?
Which side would you be on?
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'A mature, compassionate novel' Sunday Times
'You'll love this engrossing novel' People
'You know a book is good when you don't want it to end' 5***** reader review
PRAISE FOR ANXIOUS PEOPLE
'A brilliant and comforting read' MATT HAIG
'Funny, compassionate and wise. An absolute joy' A.J. PEARCE
'A surefooted insight into the absurdity, beauty and ache of life' GUARDIAN
'I laughed, I sobbed, I recommended it to literally everyone I know' BUZZFEED
'Captures the messy essence of being human' WASHINGTON POST
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
The bestselling author of A Man Called Ove tells a poignant story of a hockey town paralyzed by scandal. Jobs are disappearing and Beartown is slowly dying, so for its citizens, hockey is everything. Backman asks, "Why does everyone care about hockey? Because hockey tells stories." This is the story not just of hockey, but of a 15-year-old named Maya Andersson, whose father, Peter, the general manager of the hockey club, loves hockey, but loves his family more. Seventeen-year-old Kevin Erdahl is the star of Beartown, with a chance to go professional. One night, after a huge win, Maya goes to a raucous party at Kevin's house and is thrilled at his attention, but things get out of hand, and what takes place changes Beartown forever. Lest readers think hockey is the star here, it's Backman's rich characters that steal the show, and his deft handling of tragedy and its effects on an insular town. While the story is dark at times, love, sacrifice, and the bonds of friendship and family shine through, ultimately offering hope and even redemption. Backman veers close to the saccharine, but readers may be too spellbound to notice.
Customer Reviews
Thought provoking
What a book!
It is both beautiful and brutal.
Would highly recommend reading this.
Another great read
my 5th Blackman novel and i live they way he writes. great stories and descriptions of scenes, characters and emotions.
Beartown a simple story and i was gripped right through because of the opening page! Loved the characters and how they related to each other.
Brilliant
Didn’t think I’d enjoy a book with hockey at its forefront but this is much much more than hockey , it’s about people and there choices. Really enjoyed