Play Book Tag discussion

An absolutely incredible end to an absolutely incredible experience of this trilogy (Beartown) that will stay with me for a lifetime. I don't even care for Hockey. But as Backman writes, its not just about Hockey, its about the thing that becomes your everything. The thing you stand for and live by, that defines you, and your community, the thing that runs through your blood. The story wraps up the hockey, with families, siblings and parenting, and community, and friendship and honor, even if its warped honor. It is beautifully written with glimpses of the future. You root for every single character, every single time. And at times, the question of who is bad and who is good, what is right, and what is wrong, gets blurred. Until you focus on the only thing that matters. Could be hockey, could be honor, could be family, doesn't matter. What dictates and narrates is the thing that matters most.

These characters stay with you - every single one of them, even the new ones. Its beautifully written and it touches the heart. It is in a word unforgettable, but I have many more words, and too many feelings to well articulate them. But I do want to say something that struck me about this particular book. I think it has to do with the emergence of the women, who as leadership come straight from the heart. Every character is the star of the book, but the fearless blindingly devoted and dedicated women? They were the heart of the show. And I knew from the get go, that it would be the women who would pull the whole thing together, because somehow that is what we do. These women, mothers and daughters, include Kira, Hannah, Fatima, Ramona, Elizabeth Zaskell, and then of course Adri, Maya, Ana, and Tess. And of course little Alicia. Their hearts completely match the hearts of the men, Peter, Johnny, Amat, Sune, Bobo, Benji, Mumble, Aleksander, Leo, and the three young boys of Hannah and Johnny. Even Teemu and Tails and Lev, who represent the warped honor. I suppose Matteo too is warped honor in a way. As Backman says, leadership can mean many things and gets expressed in a myriad of ways. In this book, everyone shines. Our hearts are huge for them, and the book keeps you on the edge of your seat. Much like the characters in the book, we are waiting with anticipation, fear, hope, and always love at every turn. And anyone who is a mother, or parent, or sibling, or child, or dreamer, will recognize themselves in this book. It's really about what matters most. Well done, Backman. I am sad to see these characters go - but they will live on for me, and I suspect many others, for some time to come.