Beartown by: Fredrik Backman (Book Review)

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 5 Word Association: Heartwarming, Heartbreaking, Community, Atmospheric, Characters Pacing: Slow(ish) but manageable. Made up for by unique captivating characters and descriptions Pros: Setting, Descriptions, Well-Rounded Characters, Important Social Issues Cons: Lots of Characters, Slow, Heavy Topics

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Summary via Goodreads:

People say Beartown is finished. A tiny community nestled deep in the forest, it is slowly losing ground to the ever encroaching trees. But down by the lake stands an old ice rink, built generations ago by the working men who founded this town. And in that ice rink is the reason people in Beartown believe tomorrow will be better than today. Their junior ice hockey team is about to compete in the national semi-finals, and they actually have a shot at winning. All the hopes and dreams of this place now rest on the shoulders of a handful of teenage boys.

Being responsible for the hopes of an entire town is a heavy burden, and the semi-final match is the catalyst for a violent act that will leave a young girl traumatized and a town in turmoil. Accusations are made and, like ripples on a pond, they travel through all of Beartown, leaving no resident unaffected.

Beartown explores the hopes that bring a small community together, the secrets that tear it apart, and the courage it takes for an individual to go against the grain.

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Review:

“Hate can be a deeply stimulating emotion. The world becomes much easier to understand and much less terrifying if you divide everything and everyone into friends and enemies, we and they, good and evil. The easiest way to unite a group isn’t through love, because love is hard. It makes demands. Hate is simple.”

I wanted to sit with this book for a few days before I tried to compile my thoughts. My initial impressions were too heavy to sift through, and although the levity has yet to dissipate, the hopeful elements are clearer now. This book and these characters will stay with me forever. Can not recommend enough. 

Beartown was my introduction to Fredrik Backman and I’ll be keeping my eye on him in the future. In the few days after finishing Beartown I devoured the sequel and two other of his works. His writing absolutely shines and I was drawn to the ice rinks and forests of Beartown despite my less than favorable feelings toward frigid temperatures and snow. I’m glad I didn’t know much about Beartown before I picked it up because hockey, not that I don’t enjoy it, wouldn’t have garnered my commitment for a whole book. 

“Late one evening toward the end of March, a teenager picked up a double-barrelled shotgun, walked into the forest, put the gun to someone else’s forehead and pulled the trigger.”

And just like that we are dropped into this small town to maneuver loyalty, the politics of hockey, sexuality, coming of age, the love of a parent, the steadfastness of a best friend, trauma, and peer pressure. And that’s just the main plot line. There are several characters coming to terms with their own realities that are seperate (as much as possible in a small town) from the central conflict of this story.

The residents of Beartown are beautifully developed and well rounded. They feel familiar, like they’ve been your favorite, or least favorite, literary characters for years. From the intensely likeable, relatable, and trustworthy heroes, to the downright vile lowlifes, each character is carefully crafted by Backman with endearing qualities and realistic imperfections. 

“If you are honest, people may deceive you. Be honest anyway. If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfishness. Be kind anyway. All the good you do today will be forgotten by others tomorrow. Do good anyway.”

Morality and justice take center stage after a traumatic incident leaves a teenageer shamed and abandoned by fellow residents of this small town. The moral fortitude of adults and teenagers alike are called into question as sides are taken, dividing Beartown and making people question whether winning at all costs includes disregarding the allegations being made against a star hockey player. 

“And when enough people are quiet for long enough, a handful of voices can give the impression that everyone is screaming.”

Backman makes it clear that there is a correct side to be on and he handles “hot button” topics with understanding and grace. Who knew a book about small town hockey would tackle nuanced issues of trauma, morality, and loyalty so flawlessly. Beartown was an absolute  pleasure to read and will make its way on my “reread list” within the next year.