Blurb; People say Beartown is finished. A tiny community nestled deep in the forest, it is slowly losing ground to the ever encroaching trees. But down by the lake stands an old ice rink, built generations ago by the working men who founded this town. And in that ice rink is the reason people in Beartown believe tomorrow will be better than today. Their junior ice hockey team is about to compete in the national semi-finals, and they actually have a shot at winning. All the hopes and dreams of this place now rest on the shoulders of a handful of teenage boys.
Being responsible for the hopes of an entire town is a heavy burden, and the semi-final match is the catalyst for a violent act that will leave a young girl traumatized and a town in turmoil. Accusations are made and, like ripples on a pond, they travel through all of Beartown, leaving no resident unaffected.
Beartown explores the hopes that bring a small community together, the secrets that tear it apart, and the courage it takes for an individual to go against the grain. In this story of a small forest town, Fredrik Backman has found the entire world.
My Review; This is book number one in the Beartown series. I have loved previous books by Fredrik Backman so this was a must read for me… but I found this was nothing like A Man called Ove and Britt-Marie Was Here.
Beartown focuses a lot on Ice Hockey. It is a story of a small town and community with a big heart and plenty of love and support for their Ice Hockey team. A town where everyone knows each other and secrets ain’t secrets for long. When a serious incident occurs how will the town cope and who’s side will they choose?
I did find this a very different read and didn’t expect to like it as much as I did. It was brilliant! It was a long read but well worth it. I was hooked. I feel in love the town, the people are their spirit. But when the twist hits WOW… It turns the story into something much more darker. I already cannot wait to read book two of this series and see what lies ahead for this town and their love of Ice Hockey.
I would highly recommend to you all! A well deserved five stars. Loved it. I didn’t want it to end.
Between The Pages Book Club 