Hostess: Pam T
Attendees: Lori, Jana, Michelle, Myra, Susan, Amy, Cheryl, Joan, Mary Margaret, Pam M
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From Amazon:
A Man Called Ove
by Fredrik Backman (Goodreads Author), Henning Koch (Goodreads Author)
A grumpy yet loveable man finds his solitary world turned on its head when a boisterous young family moves in next door.
Meet Ove. He's a curmudgeon, the kind of man who points at people he dislikes as if they were burglars caught outside his bedroom window. He has staunch principles, strict routines, and a short fuse. People call him the bitter neighbor from hell, but must Ove be bitter just because he doesn't walk around with a smile plastered to his face all the time?
Behind the cranky exterior there is a story and a sadness. So when one November morning a chatty young couple with two chatty young daughters move in next door and accidentally flatten Ove's mailbox, it is the lead-in to a comical and heartwarming tale of unkempt cats, unexpected friendship, and the ancient art of backing up a U-Haul. All of which will change one cranky old man and a local residents' association to their very foundations.
Meet Ove. He's a curmudgeon, the kind of man who points at people he dislikes as if they were burglars caught outside his bedroom window. He has staunch principles, strict routines, and a short fuse. People call him the bitter neighbor from hell, but must Ove be bitter just because he doesn't walk around with a smile plastered to his face all the time?
Behind the cranky exterior there is a story and a sadness. So when one November morning a chatty young couple with two chatty young daughters move in next door and accidentally flatten Ove's mailbox, it is the lead-in to a comical and heartwarming tale of unkempt cats, unexpected friendship, and the ancient art of backing up a U-Haul. All of which will change one cranky old man and a local residents' association to their very foundations.
Pam created a warm and cozy atmosphere for a heartwarming book. We unanimously enjoyed this book and ended up giving it 4+ stars, which seems to be right on par with many other reviews, (note 4.33 for Amazon, above). A Man Called Ove was translated into English from Swedish by Henning Koch who has to be credited for his excellent work. We gave this book high marks for character development. Ove was not a likable character in the beginning, and yet rather than Ove developing into a lovable character, we felt the author did a remarkable job of changing us, the readers, in a manner that we could see Ove in a different light and acknowledge his quirky charm. We also gave praise for Ove's wife Sonja and neighbor friend Parvaneh.
The one thing we were surprised by (and didn't appreciate) was the author classifying Ove as "old!" at age 59. But we attributed that probably to life in Sweden with its socialized medicine, work retirement age, etc. We also discussed Ove's childhood and what led to him becoming so cranky and curmudgeonly in adulthood. We liked the author's acknowledgment to his father: "Because I hope I am unlike you in the smallest possible number of ways".
The book was entertaining, enlightening and overall charming. We agreed it is worth recommending.
MMMMMMM....tortilla soup!
Oh, we do enjoy our East Cobb book club!
Next month's selection: The Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
