A Man Called Ove
In this bestselling and delightfully quirky debut novel from Sweden, a grumpy yet loveable man finds his solitary world turned on its head when a boisterous young family moves in next door.
Meet Ove. He's a curmudgeon; the kind of man who points at people he dislikes as if they were burglars caught outside his bedroom window. He has staunch principles, strict routines, and a short fuse. People call him the bitter neighbor from hell. But must Ove be bitter just because he doesn't walk around with a smile plastered to his face all the time?
Behind the cranky exterior there is a story and a sadness. So when one November morning a chatty young couple with two chatty young daughters move in next door and accidentally flatten Ove's mailbox, it is the lead-in to a comical and heartwarming tale of unkempt cats, unexpected friendship, and the ancient art of backing up a U-Haul. All of which will change one cranky old man and a local residents association to their very foundations.
A feel-good story in the spirit of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry and Major Pettigrew's Last Stand, Fredrik Backman's novel about the angry old man next door is a thoughtful and charming exploration of the profound impact one life has on countless others.
My Review........5 stars!!!!
I adored this book! Being a fan of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, as soon as I saw that this was recommended to readers of that book, as well as a 5 star review from one of my fellow book bloggers, I knew that I had to read this. I am SO glad that I did!
Ove really was a curmudgeon, but I just knew that he had a heart under his gruff exterior, and loved how it was gradually brought out as the novel progressed. Parts of his personality remind me of a lot of older men in my Dad's generation. His relationship with his wife Sonja was so lovely, and drives much of the story forward.
I laughed, I cried (more than once), and I wish I could read this all over again! Definitely a must read!
