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marieshan4321 's review for:
A Man Called Ove
by Fredrik Backman
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is one of those books that hits you like a sack of spuds. While the story isn't particularly complex, it's so wholesome and the characters are some of the most lovable and well crafted that I have encountered in a long time. Ove is such a wonderful character, so cantankerous with a heart of gold that comes out almost always by complete accident. His love for his late wife is so palpable throughout the novel without being in any way overly sentimental or sappy. It's also such a great story about multigenerational friendships and found families. The relationship that Ove forms with Parvaneh and her familiy is just beautiful!
Some particularly lovely quotes:
"People said Ove saw the world in black and white. But she was color. All the color he had."
"All people at root are time optimists. We always think there's enough time to do things with other people. Time to say things to them. And then something happens and then we stand there holding on to words like 'if'."
"Something inside a man goes to pieces when he has to bury the only person who understood him. There's no time to heal from that sort of wound."
"It's been six months since she died. But Ove still inspects the whole house twice a day to feel the radiators and check that she hasn't sneakily turned up the heating."
"Now you listen to me," says Ove calmly while he carefully closes the door. "You've given birth to two children and quite soon will be squeezing out a third. You've come here from a land far away and most likely you fled war and persecution and all sorts of other nonsense. You've learned a new language and got yourself an education and you're holding together a family of obvious incompetents. And I'll be damned if I've seen you afraid of a single bloody thing in this world before now....I'm not asking for brain surgery. I'm asking you to drive a car. It's got an accelerator, a brake and a clutch. Some of the greatest twits in world history have sorted out how it works. And you will as well." And then he utters seven words, which Parvaneh will always remember as the loveliest compliment he'll ever give her. "Because you are not a complete twit.""
Some particularly lovely quotes:
"People said Ove saw the world in black and white. But she was color. All the color he had."
"All people at root are time optimists. We always think there's enough time to do things with other people. Time to say things to them. And then something happens and then we stand there holding on to words like 'if'."
"Something inside a man goes to pieces when he has to bury the only person who understood him. There's no time to heal from that sort of wound."
"It's been six months since she died. But Ove still inspects the whole house twice a day to feel the radiators and check that she hasn't sneakily turned up the heating."
"Now you listen to me," says Ove calmly while he carefully closes the door. "You've given birth to two children and quite soon will be squeezing out a third. You've come here from a land far away and most likely you fled war and persecution and all sorts of other nonsense. You've learned a new language and got yourself an education and you're holding together a family of obvious incompetents. And I'll be damned if I've seen you afraid of a single bloody thing in this world before now....I'm not asking for brain surgery. I'm asking you to drive a car. It's got an accelerator, a brake and a clutch. Some of the greatest twits in world history have sorted out how it works. And you will as well." And then he utters seven words, which Parvaneh will always remember as the loveliest compliment he'll ever give her. "Because you are not a complete twit.""