Hardback: There is something about Ove.
At first sight, he is almost certainly the grumpiest man you will ever meet. 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?
He thinks himself surrounded by idiots - neighbours who can't reverse a trailer properly, joggers, shop assistants who talk in code, and the perpetrators of the vicious coup d'etat that ousted him as Chairman of the Residents' Association. He will persist in making his daily inspection rounds of the local streets.
But isn't it rare, these days, to find such old-fashioned clarity of belief and deed? Such unswerving conviction about what the world should be, and a lifelong dedication to making it just so?
In the end, you will see, there is something about Ove that is quite irresistible.
The word-of-mouth international bestseller causing a sensation across Europe, Fredrik Backman's heartwarming debut (2014) about the angry old man next door is a funny, moving, uplifting tale of love and community and of the thoughtful exploration of the profound impact one life has on countless others that will leave you with a spring in your step - and less ready to judge on first impressions a man you might one day wish to have as your dearest friend.
About the author: Fredrik Backman is a well-known blogger and columnist. His debut novel's protagonist was born on his blog, where over 1000 readers voted for Backman to write a novel about Ove. In 2011, he became an overnight success when one of his blog entries, 'Personal message to stressed blond woman in Volkswagen', about reckless driving and parental love, became the most linked entry on Facebook ever, with 600 000 shares. A Man Called Ove (2014) is translated from the Swedish by Henning Koch. His other books are My Grandmother Asked Me To Tell You She's Sorry (2015) and Britt Marie Was Here (2016).
Rating: 5/5
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