At this point it’s redundant to say this book is well written. Frederik Backman is 100% my favorite modern author, possibly my favorite author of all time, so of course this book is a masterclass on character building and beautiful storytelling. I gave this book 5 stars, but that doesn’t really mean anything with this read– it resonated so deeply with me that it’s hard to follow a standard rating system.

Every athlete will see themself in this story.

Every woman will see themself in this story.

Every survivor will see themself in this story.

As much as this book is about female strength, it’s about male fragility. And that’s all the more reason to give it a read. 

Beartown is confrontational and comforting all in one. It will break your heart and make you swallow your pride. The little moments in this story are what make it so worth it. Not the horrible actions or the grand gestures, but the laughter between friends, the small nods and acknowledgements, the ounces of courage, and the smallest of battles being won. 

I loved this book, but not because of the writing or the plot or the characters. Like so much of Backman’s work, I loved this book because of its honesty.