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.
A Man Called Ove was just one of those books that I saw all the praises and doubted it could achieve what I was hoping. I was dead wrong. It was everything and more. I don't want to say too much for fear of spoiling the experience that I had, but it was just so real. The characters were real. Ove embodied the spirit of my grandfather in many ways that I just felt so connected to him. This is probably my favorite read of the year. Please read this book, it doesn't get much simpler than that!
* I received this book from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review *
