Fredrik Backman
A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman is a feel-good story about an elderly curmudgeon with a heart of gold.
Ove is a widower who has just been forced into retirement. His rigid adherence to a code of rules alienates many of those who interact with him. He is grumpy and intolerant of just about everything, including rule-breakers, young people, children, incompetents, pets, technology, and owners of foreign cars. His wife, Sonja, with her cheerful and compassionate spirit, used to balance him out and keep his grumpiness in check. But now she is deceased, and Ove misses her with a passion. He revisits his life with Sonja in a series of very touching flashbacks.
Depressed and lonely, Ove repeatedly tries to kill himself to join his beloved Sonja in the afterlife. But life has a habit of getting in the way. Initially, interruptions come in the form of new neighbors—a young man, his indomitable Iranian-born pregnant wife, and their two young daughters. Ove finds himself sucked into their lives. Before long, he also finds himself mired in the lives of others: his neighbors and former close friends; one of his wife’s former students; a young, gay man estranged from his father; and others. He saves the life of a man who falls on the tracks of an approaching train and reluctantly becomes a local celebrity. No matter how hard he tries, Ove can never manage to get the deed done until, finally, he gives up completely. He recognizes he is needed and loved by those around him. Meanwhile, those he has helped appreciate that under the gruff, rough exterior beats a tender heart of gold.
This is a light, feel-good novel peppered with a lot of humor. We can’t help but laugh as we hear Ove ranting and raving about all manner of things. His portrayal is realistic and relatable. The characters are authentic and uniquely drawn. The novel moves at a brisk pace, interspersed with scenes of hilarity. And although the outcome is predictable, this is an enjoyable and entertaining read that celebrates life and the importance of community.