What does it say about me that I enjoy reading about people being sad? That I enjoy watching multiple generations interact in innocuous ways but know that they're shaped by unspeakable traumas? That I enjoy reading about loneliness, grief, missed opportunities, loss, and all the painful complicated things that come with it?

Well, "enjoy" may not be the right word.

In this sequel to Beartown (which is a stellar book that I highly recommend), we revisit familiar characters and meet some old ones. Few things happen but, what does happen, matters a great deal. Backman continues to tease us by first revealing the plot ("someone will die"), and then going over it again and again, like a sculptor refining the details, and the reader gets to speculate until they are slammed in the face with what actually happens.

Anyway, I love it.

("Love" may also not be the right word).

Things that would normally annoy me somehow work when Backman does them. The book is sappy, sentimental, repetitive, and filled with platitudes. But I can't stop reading it. And I can't stop feeling Big Emotions while reading it.

Recommended if you're looking to feel Big Emotions about a sport you may or may not care about (I have no interest in hockey, and yet), are prepared to drown in character's ruminating on their trauma and making not great decisions as a result, and your heart dials are set to "sappy" rather than "skeptical".

Can't wait for book #3.

More thoughts here: https://youtu.be/CQjXPtxuYVo