Beartown is the first book in the Beartown series by Swedish author Fredrik Backman. The Beartown book series has been so popular it has now been made into a HBO television series.
The Beartown book series follows the residents of a small, hockey-obsessed town as they navigate the complexities of community, loyalty, and secrets, starting with the repercussions of a violent act that threatens to tear the town apart.
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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.
Beartown Book Review
I wasn’t really sure what to expect when I started reading Beartown. I have absolutely no interest in ice hockey so I was worried I wouldn’t enjoy the book. However, I was so invested in the team and their story.
There is a lot of ice hockey content, as you would expect, but the sport is used to explore themes of loyalty, friendship, family, and the pressure to succeed. Backman sensitively delves into complex issues such as rape culture, toxic masculinity and the devastating consequences of silence.
I particularly enjoyed how the author made the reader question whether loyalty is always a good thing. So often loyalty between friends is seen as the ultimate example of good character and decency but is that still the case when your friend has done something terrible?
I really enjoyed the writing style within this book. It was so easy to read and gripped me immediately. I found the repetition of certain phrases really impactful.
There were glimpses into the future and the story was part known, part unknown. The reader is left with a feeling of foreboding as obviously something dramatic has happened, but we don’t know what. The setting is vivid and I could feel the cold. It really contributed to the dark, menacing atmosphere.
Beartown put me through every emotion possible – sadness, rage, hope and empathy being just a few of them. This is testament to Fredrik Backman’s writing and the compelling characters he’s created.
Beartown is a thought-provoking novel that tackles complex issues in a nuanced way. It features some heavy themes such as sexual assault, racism, misogyny, homophobia and classism. However, it’s also a story of hope, courage and the determination to fight for what’s right.
It was a much more intense read than A Man Called Ove, but I really loved this book. I’m thrilled that it’s the first in a series and I can’t wait to read more about the characters I’ve become so invested in.
Beartown Characters
There’s quite a large cast of characters but we are introduced to them slowly and as the story develops at a steady rate. The author allows the reader to really get to know the characters and what drives them, before the main events start to take place. This made the events feel all the more shocking because I was already so invested in the characters.
We read from different perspectives throughout the book. This is a clever way of seeing the characters and the events from a different view. It highlights the character’s flaws and gives an insight into their motivations.
Many of the characters are memorable but Benji stole my heart. He was a complex character, often misunderstood, and I rooted for him throughout the book.
What to read next
If you haven’t already I’d definitely recommend completing the Beartown series. The next book in the trilogy is titled Us Against You.
Fredrik Backman has written several other novels and novellas, so I’d definitely suggest also reading those. I’d particularly recommend A Man Called Ove.
