A Man Called Ove: A Novel

I tend to be skeptical when books gain blockbuster status. Too often I have found a book that reviewers and the public went wild over were overrated, or not to my taste.

"A Man Called Ove" really is wonderful and prompted me to also buy "Britt-Marie Was Here," which I liked almost as much. There are so many reviews already out there that spell out the storyline, so I will just say that the author does a superb job of ever-so-slowly revealing the good man underneath the surly, sour and rigid protagonist who seems at first to be almost irredeemably unlikable. But as Backman takes us back in time to Ove's past, including the transformative love of his wife, we begin to appreciate what he does have going for him: an instructable sense of honor and loyalty (not the least of which is to the carmaker Saab) and somewhere, a heart that is both broken and yearning.

Backman skewers the heartless bureaucracy of the socialized medical system in Sweden though a subplot involving his former best friend Rune, and the "state" trying to take him away from home, where his wife, Anita, desperately wants to take care of him. This also gives Ove a chance not only to help patch over an ancient feud with Rune but express a longing he would never admit he has to give to others.

Funny, briskly written, and poignant.

I have to say, I didn’t like it to begin with. Ove himself wasn’t a very sympathetic character, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to spend this much time with him. The backstory did mitigate that quite a bit for me, though, and of course the (entirely predictable) arc of his character also helped. In the end it was pretty enjoyable. It really is one of the most predictable books I’ve ever read, and the author’s crutches and tics are as prevalent as ever (he is forever hauling out yet another simile, like a high-schooler who’s convinced that he just discovered the greatest tool in the history of language itself). But for all that, it’s an enjoyable read if you don’t expect too much from it.

Beautiful book....effortless humour, heartfelt moments, such well written characters, the interaction between Ove and others is just so funny to read out because of how close to reality it is! Wonderful to see the point of view of an old man who always has some opinion to give and snide remarks to make... but one can't help but agree with certain(most) things he has to say.The non verbal banter and bond between a grumpy old man and a feral gruff cat is something I never thought I'd need! Will make to cackle and shed a tear or two within the same chapter or page even... Parvaneh, Patrick, the kids and others... add something to Ove's life that he never in a billion years would have guessed.

I don't know why I haven't read this sooner, but I'm glad I did. It touches, hugs, and breaks me. It's a book about life, what it means to be human. All the pain, grief, hopelessness. All the hope, love, and connection.

Absolutely loved this one! I listened to the audio book an it was fantastic!