“Loving someone is like moving into a house, Sonja used to say. At first you fall in love with all the new things, amazed every morning that all this belongs to you, as if fearing that someone would suddenly come rushing through the door to explain that a terrible mistake had been made, you weren’t supposed to be living in a wonderful place like this. Then over the years, the walls become weathered, the wood splinters here and there, and you start to love that house not so much because of all it’s perfection, but rather, it’s imperfections” – Fredrik Backman in “A Man Called Ove”
I randomly picked up this book at a bookstore just because it read “Warm, Funny… Unbearably Moving” – Daily Mail, on the cover. I expected a light, witty, quick read but didn’t bargain for the deeply moving story that was waiting for me.
Ove seems to be a grumpy old man who is not in touch with much of society anymore, but there is more to him that meets the eye. Right from his youth, life has served him several experiences that may have contributed to his outward perceived attitude and appearance but also gifted him with his most treasured gift, Sonja his wife of 40 years who loved him for who he was and understood how his mind and heart worked. This is a story that tells us how Ove became Ove, a man of integrity, principles and high moral standards. Ove ‘s life tells us that sometimes love is not always in the “showing” as the world may prefer but in the “doing” when the chips are down.
In as much as this story was quite touching and certain parts tugged at my heart strings, I still found it extremely hilarious. I loved Ove’s character and I mostly related with most of his thoughts as I personally have some of them. I was entertained by his description of other characters and how he viewed the world in general. He is obviously my best character. I also liked the way the author used this story to address issues around care for the elderly and disabled in these modern times and I believe this will encourage more conversations around these topics.
I would like to explore more books by the author and hope that I may have found a new author to add to my favorites list.
I highly recommend this book to everyone. I promise you will enjoy it.
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Published: July 15, 204 by Atria Books
Pages: 337
Genre: Fiction
Purchase @ www.amazon.com/amancalledove
The Author: Fredrik Backman is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Man Called Ove (soon to be a major motion picture starring Tom Hanks), My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry, Britt-Marie Was Here, Beartown, Us Against You, as well as two novellas, And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer and The Deal of a Lifetime. Things My Son Needs to Know About the World, his first work of non-fiction, will be released in the US in May 2019. His books are published in more than forty countries. He lives in Stockholm, Sweden, with his wife and two children. Connect with him on Twitter @BackmanLand or on Instagram @backmansk.
