Britt-Marie Was Here by Fredrik Backman

Britt-Marie Was Here by Fredrik Backman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I've become a Frederik Backman fan, and this is the 5th book I've read by him, but it is by far my favorite. Yes, he has a grumps-with-a-heart-of-gold theme that he repeats over and over. However, he really succeeded in created a nuanced imperfect character with Brit-Marie who experiences life as realistically as I've seen in a while. Most books I would change this or that about but this is a pretty nearly perfect story. Backman makes it look easy, but judging by all the many books I've read, it definitely isn't.

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Beartown by Fredrik Backman

Beartown by Fredrik Backman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Very slow beginning really picks up midway. It was pretty stressful for me to read because it's pretty dark after the middle and the ending was a bit scattered. Overall, worth reading and thinking about.

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My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry by Fredrik Backman

My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry by Fredrik Backman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is on the boundaries of fantasy because there is a very realistic reading of the book, but if you give in to the 7-year-old narrator, Elsa's point of view, which admittedly I did, then it's very much a fantasy book. It's just fun fantasy romp, and if it weren't for the somewhat silly drama at the end, it might be appropriate for kids as well, but what's silly to an adult, is unfortunately probably scary to a young reader.

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A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Perhaps because I love grumpy old men in real life, and maybe because I will probably be a grumpy old woman very soon if not already, I adored the character of Ove and all his busybody neighbors. A wonderful story from beginning to end, though I do not recommend it for young (or clinically depressed) readers as [bit of a spoiler] Ove is fixated with suicide.

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And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer by Fredrik Backman

And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer by Fredrik Backman
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

It's a nice little story, but considering the topic of dementia and decline, it seems a bit sanitized and sanguine for my taste.

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