A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

A Man Called Ove

by Fredrik Backman

Perfect for fans of Gail Honeyman's Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine; Ruth Hogan's The Keeper of Lost Things and Graeme Simsion's The Rosie Project, A Man Called Ove is one of the best-loved and most life-affirming novels of the decade.

This multi-million-copy phenomenon is a funny, moving, uplifting tale of love and community that will leave you with a spring in your step.

'Warm, funny, and almost unbearably moving' Daily Mail

'Rescued all those men who constantly mean to read novels but never get round to it' Spectator Books of the Year

At first sight, Ove is almost certainly the grumpiest man you will ever meet. He thinks himself surrounded by idiots - neighbours who can't reverse a trailer properly, joggers, shop assistants who talk in code, and the perpetrators of the vicious coup d'etat that ousted him as Chairman of the Residents' Association. He will persist in making his daily inspection rounds of the local streets.

But isn't it rare, these days, to find such old-fashioned clarity of belief and deed? Such unswerving conviction about what the world should be, and a lifelong dedication to making it just so?

In the end, you will see, there is something about Ove that is quite irresistible . . .

Reviewed by kimbacaffeinate on

5 of 5 stars

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Five reasons to grab your earbuds and listen to A Man Called Ove

Backman has this incredible gift for bringing his characters to life as he draws you into their story. His tales deal with small towns and everyday people who we soon discover anything but. Backman skillfully weaves these characters into your heart, and there they will remain for years to come.

You have to meet Ove. He is methodical, grumpy, opinionated and at the beginning of our story depressed. Backman shares Ove's story giving us chapters in the present as he deals with the loss of his wife and then he scatters stories of his past throughout. All of this allowed me as the reader to truly see the man. Ove made me laugh, had me recognizing similarities to my father, and made me cry. I shed both tears of joy and ones of immense sadness.

Secondary characters are fully developed adding depth and meaning to the tale. The small suburban town burst to life. He highlighted everything from homeowners associations to nosy neighbors. I loved his neighbors and the interaction between them and Ove. The banter and perfectly mundane conversations were infused with honest humor. I laughed so hard at times it brought me to tears. He sheds light on our differences and highlights what makes us the same.

Ove is at the center of the story, but it's so much more. We get to know this little community, see character growth and experience a side of humanity I want to embrace. Ove's struggles throughout the story and initiates a plan to resolve this issue. He is very through, not missing a single detail but life and his neighbors keep getting in the way. The way in which Backman had the secondary characters interfere with his plan made A Man Called Ove one of the most delightful, heartfelt books I have ever listened to. In fact, I loved it so much; I bought the hardcover edition for my bookshelf. I want to be able to spend time with these characters again.

George Newbern narrated the tale and captured Ove and this little community. The emotions, sarcasm, and awkwardness that is Ove were enhanced. I loved his voices for secondary characters including Parveneh. Who by the way was wonderful. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Book Reviewer

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 22 December, 2016: Finished reading
  • 22 December, 2016: Reviewed