I have to say that although not one of my favourite books, Ove is an unforgettable character who stays with you long after you have finished reading.
You may not like his grumpy attitude, and at times he is infuriating, but his back story shows how he has become the man he is. He is talented, loving, kind, honourable and, in his own unique way, lovable for his faults, rather than despite them. I admire his honesty, for I think many of us have, at times, felt as curmudgeonly as Ove, but have been too polite or frightened to let our true selves show. Ove has no filters when it comes to what displeases him.
Watching him transform from grieving widower with nothing to live for, to someone who is respected, useful and needed is so adeptly handled. There is gentle humour in the situations he finds himself in, which, given the seriousness of suicide, could jar if not softened by the sympathetic handling of the subject. The amusing situations of the present are counter balanced by the emotional recounting of the past. The subplots and flashbacks giving an insight into the origins of Ove’s unusual personality and obsession with rules. It would be easy to pity him, but this is not an emotion that the book invoked in me. Instead, I admired him, for his little kindnesses, and his acceptance of who he was.
The story is beautifully crafted, with a light and sympathetic touch. Each character is interesting, and rounded, even if they are only a minor character, but this book is about Ove, and he sits prominently at the centre of each event.
A book about grief and depression, and a miserable old man, should not be this heartwarming, but Frederik Backman has created a little jewel of a book.
You may not like his grumpy attitude, and at times he is infuriating, but his back story shows how he has become the man he is. He is talented, loving, kind, honourable and, in his own unique way, lovable for his faults, rather than despite them. I admire his honesty, for I think many of us have, at times, felt as curmudgeonly as Ove, but have been too polite or frightened to let our true selves show. Ove has no filters when it comes to what displeases him.
Watching him transform from grieving widower with nothing to live for, to someone who is respected, useful and needed is so adeptly handled. There is gentle humour in the situations he finds himself in, which, given the seriousness of suicide, could jar if not softened by the sympathetic handling of the subject. The amusing situations of the present are counter balanced by the emotional recounting of the past. The subplots and flashbacks giving an insight into the origins of Ove’s unusual personality and obsession with rules. It would be easy to pity him, but this is not an emotion that the book invoked in me. Instead, I admired him, for his little kindnesses, and his acceptance of who he was.
The story is beautifully crafted, with a light and sympathetic touch. Each character is interesting, and rounded, even if they are only a minor character, but this book is about Ove, and he sits prominently at the centre of each event.
A book about grief and depression, and a miserable old man, should not be this heartwarming, but Frederik Backman has created a little jewel of a book.