A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

5/5 Stars

My final book of 2021, A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman was a wonderful finale to a less than stellar year. I absolutely love this book and was completely endeared to Ove by the end. Speaking of the end, I was so sad when this book was over because I enjoyed it tremendously.

Ove is a curmudgeon. Think of that grumpy old man next door who grunts when spoken to, is bothered by everyone and everything, and knows that if it is going to be done right, he better do it himself. That is Ove. He really just wants to be left alone in his own misery. Initially, I found him quite off-putting, but, as obvious from what I wrote above, my dislike toward him quickly turned to fondness as I got deeper into the story. But while he wants nothing more than solitude to do what he wants to do, life happens all around him. And life draws Ove in whether he wants it to or not.

The story flashes to scenes in Ove’s life and bounces from past to present to give us a beautiful and sometimes heartbreaking picture of his life. Yes, you will need a tissue. Actually, you will likely need a few. But it is a magnificent story of one man, his heart of gold and the impact he made on those around him. It is a story of agape love. Ove is a curmudgeon, yes. Ove is also a tender-hearted, kind, caring person with the capacity to make life infinitely brighter.

If you like the Movie Up, A Man Called Ove is Up for grown-ups. You will laugh, you will cry, and you will absolutely fall in love with the old curmudgeon with a heart of gold. The world needs more Ove.