If you’re looking for a book series that combines drama, emotion and masterful storytelling, you really need to read the Beartown books by Fredrik Backman.
The Beartown books are a series of novels by New York Times bestselling author Fredrik Backman. The books delve into the dynamics of a small forest town and the far-reaching consequences of a shocking event.
The first book in the series was named a Best Book of the Year by LibraryReads, BookBrowse, and Goodreads. The Beartown series has been so successful they have now been made into a HBO series with the same name.
Beartown Books in Order
As the Beartown Books do follow on from each other it is necessary to read them in order.
Beartown
This book was also published under the title The Scandal in the UK)
Beartown is a small town in the middle of a forest. The town is dying and is in dire need of investment.
Beartown’s hopes and dreams are centred around the junior ice hockey team which has a chance to win the national championship. The team’s success is not just important for the future of the young players but also the future of the town.
However when an act of violence shatters the community, the town must come to terms with the ugly truths that lie beneath their beloved sport.
Click here to read my full review of Beartown by Fredrik Backman.
Us Against You
In Beartown, ice hockey has always been a source of pride, but when the town faces the threat of disbanding its beloved team, tensions rise. The animosity between Beartown and their rival team Hed is at an all time high as Beartown’s former players now take pleasure in their struggles.
However, a new coach arrives, offering hope for a resurgence. A diverse group of players begins to form, but the process of uniting them is challenging, leading to broken and new bonds within the town.
As the rivalry intensifies, pranks and conflicts escalate, leading to a tragic incident and causing both towns to question if their beloved game can ever return to the innocent pastime it once was.
The Winners
In Beartown, two years after a tragic event, the town is still haunted by its past. A destructive storm rekindles the rivalry between Beartown and Hed, which has always been expressed through their hockey teams.
Maya Andersson and Benji Ovich, two young people who left in search of a better life, both come home. There is a new sense of optimism and purpose in the town, embodied in the impressive new ice rink that has been built down by the lake.
However, Maya’s parents are embroiled in a financial investigation of the hockey club, and Amat, once a star player, struggles with injury and dashed dreams.
Tensions start to escalate into violence between the towns. Meanwhile, a fourteen-year-old boy harbours a dark plan for revenge, targeting those he blames for his sister’s death. He has a pistol and a plan that will leave Beartown with a devastating loss.
Related Book Reviews:
- A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
- And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer by Fredrik Backman