This is the fourth Fredrik Backman novel I’ve read, and probably my second favorite (A Man Called Ove places 1st). It’s about a small town that lives and breathes hockey (think Friday Night Lights, but it’s really cold). We have two main hockey players: the rich kid who was born into it, and the son of an immigrant with massive natural talent. Then something terrible goes down at a party, and we see how a town like Beartown can cope with that.
This book has a lot to say about sports culture and how we treat athletes — even 17 year old ones. It’s pretty heavy, but Backman brings some lightness to it, too. The descriptions of the town and the people really come alive, and I’m psyched to see that he’s written a sequel.
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