Book Tasting Book Club Review
A Man Called Ove
By: Fredrik Backman
At first, he seems almost caricature-like in his crankiness. He wants things in order...if there is a sign that has rules on it, one should pay attention to it and follow it to the letter. He is set in his old ways and when those ways are changed by anything new, he gets upset...very upset.
But as his history is skillfully revealed, layer by layer, it’s clear that he’s a lonely soul longing for connection. He’s an innately good person, and his peculiar outlook on life is often laugh-out-loud funny. But to him it's a way of life. One that should be followed by everyone.
But there are things about Ove that will upset you. Well, they certainly upset me. When you delve more into his back story you see a whole other side of Ove that you just want to reach into the book and hug him. Of course, he would shrug you off the moment you try, but the feeling will always be there. The love and devotion that this angry man had will cut you to the quick.
When Ove meets his new neighbors things start to change in his life. He thinks it's for the worst, but as he starts to see things from another perspective, you start to see a change. In Ove yes, but in you as well.
There are a couple of quotes I would like to share with you that really got to me:
“People said Ove saw the world in black and white. But she was color. All the color he had.”
“Ove had never been asked how he lived before he met her. But if anyone had asked him, he would have answered that he didn’t.”
“We always think there’s enough time to do things with other people. Time to say things to them. And then something happens and then we stand there holding on to words like “if”.”
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