The Winners is the third and final 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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Over the course of two weeks, everything in Beartown will change. Lingering tensions erupt following a destructive storm, reigniting the town’s historic hockey rivalry with Hed.
Maya and Benji return home, reuniting with childhood friends amid optimism fuelled by a new ice rink. However, Maya’s parents investigate the hockey club’s finances while Amat struggles post-injury.
As hostilities escalate between the towns, a troubled teenager plots revenge for his sister’s death, setting in motion a tragedy that threatens to overwhelm Beartown.
The Winners Book Review
How to describe this book?! It made me want to clutch it to my chest and throw it across the room in equal measures! Nobody can play with my emotions quite like Fredrik Backman!
The Winners is an absolutely stunning conclusion to the Beartown series, cementing it as my favourite book series of all time. I almost didn’t want to read it because I wasn’t ready to leave these incredible characters behind, but Backman delivered an emotional, devastating yet profoundly beautiful finale.
This book is a true emotional journey from start to finish. It’s gut-wrenching in places, heartwarming in others, and filled with so much character development. Fredrik Backman has an incredible way of capturing both the best and worst in people. I found myself crying at multiple points, as the story hits hard and doesn’t shy away from exploring the complexities of human nature.
Benji, in particular, will forever be one of my favourite book characters of all time. He was authentic, flawed, and oh-so-lovable. His journey in this series has been one of the most moving and powerful I’ve ever read.
“He’s the sort of person who runs toward a fire. No hesitation, no questions, he just runs. People like that are rare, but you know who they are when you see them.”
Backman is a master storyteller who knows how to create characters that feel real, and The Winners is a perfect, bittersweet conclusion to an unforgettable series.
What to read next
Fredrik Backman has written several other novels and novellas. If you’ve already completed the Beartown trilogy, I’d recommend reading some of his standalone novels. I’d particularly recommend Britt-Marie Was Here and A Man Called Ove.
