A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

Title: A Man Called Ove

Author: Fredrik Backman

Published: 2014

Genre: Contemporary

Grade Level: Adult

-Trigger Warning: Grief, Suicidal tendencies

Audiobook:

Narrated by: George Newbern

Length:9hrs 9min

Recommend: Yes

 

Blurb (from goodreads):

A grumpy yet loveable 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.

My Scores: Re-read

Writing Style: Top Notch

Oh my gosh, the writing style! I have no words to describe just how fantastic it is! The voice has this snarky attitude about it that makes every little detail not only interesting but so much fun!

I think I loved this book even more after re-reading it. That almost never happens to me.

 

Characters: Absolutely Amazing

I will never look at a grumpy old man the same way again. This is the deepest character study I think I have ever read. I didn’t just get to know Ove; I experienced his life. Everything from his childhood to his view of the world, from his grouchy exterior to his OCD tendencies.

The way Ove is presented is also a message to the reader, that your first impressions might be wrong because people can be so much deeper than they first appear.

 

Plot: Slow Burn

The gallows humor in this novel was simply astounding! I didn’t expect it to be so funny or so intense. The moments just creep up on you. Almost like getting the last piece of the puzzle a second too late.

This novel, more than any other novel I know, is a character driven novel. And I have to say that the characters were truly impressive. I felt like I got to know all of them in a way that I never experienced before in a novel.

 

Overall: Totally Obsessed

Overall, I am totally obsessed with this novel! If you’re into gallows humor, deep character dives, and fantastically snarky writing styles, I would highly recommend it! I cannot wait to read more of Backman’s work, whether or not I have read them before. I can’t get enough!

 

Messaging:

-Life moves on

-Never stop looking for your purpose in life

 

Goodreads Rating: 5 out of 5 stars