‘A Man Called Ove’ by Fredrik Backman

Full marks for this translation from Sweden. It’s a hilarious life affirming and heartbreaking story much like Olive Kitteridge or The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry. It seems that Ove (rhymes with groove with a ‘uh’ sound afterwards [oo-vuh]–see pronunciation video below) is a nasty, grumpy old man but he also has a great capacity for love. People are not always what they seem and if they behave in a certain way, there may well be a very good reason for that. This does not excuse bad behaviour but it does remind us to show grace and not make assumptions about people too quickly. Ove-rarching themes in the novel (sorry, couldn’t resist) are that love and loss are the stuff of life and community is key. Looking forward to more by this author! There is a film adaptation in Swedish with English subtitles, which I haven’t seen, but hope to find.