Us Against You by Fredrik Backman

Us Against You (Beartown #2) by Fredrik Backman, 448 p.

CW: Mention of sexual assault

"After everything that the citizens of Beartown have gone through, they are struck yet another blow when they hear that their beloved local hockey team will soon be disbanded. What makes it worse is the obvious satisfaction that all the former Beartown players, who now play for a rival team in Hed, take in that fact. Amidst the mounting tension between the two rivals, a surprising newcomer is handpicked to be Beartown’s new hockey coach.

Soon a new team starts to take shape around Amat, the fastest player you’ll ever see; Benji, the intense lone wolf; and Vidar, a born-to-be-bad troublemaker. But bringing this team together proves to be a challenge as old bonds are broken, new ones are formed, and the enmity with Hed grows more and more acute. As the big match approaches, the not-so-innocent pranks and incidents between the communities pile up and their mutual contempt grows deeper. By the time the last game is finally played, a resident of Beartown will be dead, and the people of both towns will be forced to wonder if, after all they’ve been through, the game they love can ever return to something simple and innocent." --Goodreads blurb

This book starts not long after the end of Beartown, so we're with all the same character (and don't forget, there's a lot!). Emotions run strong, people feel both not enough and too big for their britches (IMO). I was unfortunately really soured by Leo's storyline. I audibly gasped when Ana did what Ana did. It was a good story, but I'm not in a rush to read the last in the Beartown series. I didn't love this like I usually love Backman.

 

Beartown by Fredrik Backman

Beartown (Beartown #1) by Fredrik Backman, 432 p.

CW: Sexual assault

"People say Beartown is finished. A tiny community nestled deep in the forest, it is slowly losing ground to the ever encroaching trees. But down by the lake stands an old ice rink, built generations ago by the working men who founded this town. And in that ice rink is the reason people in Beartown believe tomorrow will be better than today. Their junior ice hockey team is about to compete in the national semi-finals, and they actually have a shot at winning. All the hopes and dreams of this place now rest on the shoulders of a handful of teenage boys. 

Being responsible for the hopes of an entire town is a heavy burden, and the semi-final match is the catalyst for a violent act that will leave a young girl traumatized and a town in turmoil. Accusations are made and, like ripples on a pond, they travel through all of Beartown, leaving no resident unaffected. Beartown explores the hopes that bring a small community together, the secrets that tear it apart, and the courage it takes for an individual to go against the grain. In this story of a small forest town, Fredrik Backman has found the entire world."--Goodreads blurb

I have loved every Backman book I've read and this is no exception, though I've definitely loved others of his much more. There are a lot of characters happening in this book and they range in age from very young to old. I usually tell people that no one writes unlikeable characters like Backman, but I felt like this one didn't have any stark stand-out unlikeables like Ove, but there were plenty of actions by plenty of the characters that made you want to throw the book. That's what makes me know this was a good one.  I a visceral need to physically move out of my space to clear my head.  

 

Britt-Marie was Here by Fredrik Backman

Britt-Marie was Here by Fredrik Backman
498 pages (LP edition)

Britt-Marie finally faces facts and walks out on her long-time cheating and harshly critical husband.  But how can she support herself and where will she go as a sixty-something-year-old housewife?  Do her outstanding cleaning abilities and excellently organized cutlery drawer qualify as marketable skills?

The local unemployment agent sends her to a tiny, dying town that needs a temporary caretaker for their recreation center.  Britt-Marie stumbles along with her awkward social interactions just trying to be useful while not embarrassing herself.  Because that would be horrible!  Along the way she meets a variety of quirky townspeople who accept her as she is.  Acceptance is a totally new experience for Britt-Marie, and becomes the key for her to open up her life to new ideas and her heart to love.

Although Britt-Marie's small-town experience is pretty unrealistic (I've lived in a few), I found the tale charming and heart-warming.  Wouldn't it be great if all of us could set aside our fears and live life to the fullest?