Review: A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

“People said Ove saw the world in black and white. But she was color. All the color he had.”

Genre: Fiction
Published: 27th August, 2012
Pages: 337
Rate: 4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Goodreads Synopsis
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.

“If there’s one thing you could write in Ove’s obituary, it’s ‘At least he was economical with gas.'”

My Take
I almost gave up on A Man Called Ove and I’m sure if I was the type of person who dnf’s books, chances are I would have not read this book. I’m glad I pushed on. A Man Called Ove has a slow start, and the first few pages drag on but the minute I hit page 50 I was pulled in!
I love Fredrik Backman’s writing, it’s so descriptive and flowy. Quite easy to follow along too as he adds on to the characters and plot. He knows how to bring about one’s emotions. From laughter to tears to anger. Backman has a way with sentences that hit you hard.

The characters are well written and interesting – in that I was heavily invested in them and their lives. I love how they come together as a community. Having to deal with both love and loss, they walk & work together bringing about heavy reflections.

I recommend having a box of tissues nearby, and some willingness especially in the first pages, and enjoy what I found a well written, well thought out book.

Have you read A Man Called Ove? If yes, what did you think about it?