Winners

Great trilogy loved it allAll three books are very well done You will love the author’s styleand the way he brings it all together

Before starting the Beartown trilogy (BEARTOWN, US AGAINST YOU and WINNERS) I read everything else Fredrik Backman had written as he is one of my favorite authors. Each book is unique with different characters and a different story angle. To those who compare him to Dickens, I agree that Mr. Backman will withstand the test of time just as Dickens has--perhaps our grandchildren will be reading him in the next century! Indeed it is an absolute pleasure to find an author who can give us readers so many characters with such distinct and unique voices. Once one starts reading it is easy to keep track of which character is which by their unique personality. Not only that but Mr. Backman's understanding of human nature is astounding.To be sure the Beartown trilogy is about more than hockey, it is about the essence of being human. And what better location to show this than in a very small out-of-the-way town next to a remote forest--Beartown. One of many reasons hockey is so important to Beartown residents is because there are two anemic summer months before winter with its bitter winds and considerable snow takes hold for the rest of the year. Hence practically everyone learns to skate almost as soon as they learn to walk. Even during good times and especially during bad times, hockey is an important part of life for the youngsters, their parents, their grandparents and most all other residents.I highly recommend all three books as they are a continuation of the lives of Beartown residents along with their interactions with their arch rival Hed, the small town on the other side of the forest. It was much appreciated that the second and third books started with recaps of the previous books so that when the new story started we were then up to date. Others have summarized the books but it cannot be stressed enough that, regardless of the character and his or her circumstances, Mr. Backman gets it right. And, by the way, it is not just in Beartown that winning matters. I ended up at every game due to my child's participation in high school activities and it seemed numerous students as well as their parents were as devoted as Beartown residents. Well, okay, almost! But many do believe the point of playing is to win and when losing, then play harder next time. Giving up is not an option especially for those seeking to move on up or perhaps to move away.Most who read these three books will long remember them. The characters who are coping with difficulties and working hard to struggle their way through them and into better mental places will touch your heart. Some will not live and those residents will also be long remembered but with great sadness. It was a privilege to read THE WINNERS so that we can leave Beartown knowing what happened to all the people we grew to care so much about. As an aside, someone mentioned Mr. Backman was considering retiring so let us hope that it is just a rumor because if and when he stops writing it will be a colossal loss to quality literature.

The end to the Beartown was the darkest of the three books but maybe the best. It’s a long book but one that takes you on a ride. I’m glad I read this trilogy and will definitely follow this author.

Love all three of the books in this series! Fantastic author. I feel like I actualy know each character. I cheered for them, cried for them, laughed with them, and hurt for them... not many authors can accomplish that!

Wow. Just wow. I'm reviewing this book, but also the whole trilogy.I started it because I like Fredrik Backman, and I LOVED "A Man Called Ove". I very much enjoyed "My Friends" and was sort of expecting something similar: sweet and sad, ultimately heartwarming.This is all that, but so, so, so much more. If you're thinking about starting the trilogy but you're holding off because you're not a hockey fan, or the description doesn't appeal to you--start the trilogy.This is really a tremendous work, deeper, richer, and more complex than anything he's written thus far. He says in the acknowledgements, "I gave it my all"--and he did. And he had so much to give.By focusing on a small town and a single sport, he tells a story about universal truths and human nature. It's an important trilogy, but even more than that, it's a truly beautiful one. Read it, you won't be sorry.

“The only thing the sport gives us are moments. But what the hell is life, Peter, apart from moments?”To me, this quote from Beartown sums up this series perfectly. There’s plot and characters and it feels all over the place at times, but it’s essentially a series of moments in the lives of people who live in a forest, and it is a very profound and powerful view on humanity, relationships and culture.In all three books, it took me a bit to get into them, I found them a bit slow and easy to put down at the start, but there were these particular moments that kept me coming back for more. And then about midway through the plot would start to pick up, and next thing I’d know I’d be glued to the page, just waiting for the next gut punch to come because I knew it was thanks to his clever and prevalent use of foreshadowing (although he sneaks in surprise punches too).The Winners was the most powerful of them all for me. By then I knew and loved so many of the characters, and knowing that I was about to say goodbye to the series made it that much harder. We get these far into the future teases in all books, but in this one it was actually the final at end, and that hit even harder. I feel like these people are my friends, and I’m sad to say goodbye to them.“This hurts too much to touch with words.”I think I’m going to need a break for my emotions before I dive further into Backman’s back catalog, but I am so glad that I stuck with this series, as it will stay in my heart forever.

This book is excellent. The only reason it got 4 stars is that it wasn't as good as the first two books in the series. However, I love having the closure and highly recommend!

Just finished the third book of the series. I read it straight through and intend to do it again. These books have everything. They really made me think about life overall, and how we get through it

Ich habe viel gelacht, viel geweint und manchmal war mir vor Spannung auch schlecht. Man weiss ja knapp, was geschehen wird, das aber dennoch zu lesen, war manchmal fast unerträglich. Viel Weisheit reingepackt, ich mochte vor allem, dass man gute Eltern ist, wenn die Kinder leben und genug saubere Unterwäsche haben. Er schafft es einfach, so zu schreiben, dass man nicht mit lesen aufhören will. Man hätte das Buch schon kürzen können, vieles wird wiederholt, aber es wird aus verschiedenen Perspektiven wiederholt und das macht es wichtig. Jede einzelne Person der Geschichte hat ihr Gewicht und bekommt auch genug Aufmerksamkeit. 5 Sterne.

I would give this book 100 stars if I could!If I thought that Beartown ripped out my heart and broke it into a million pieces, then Backman’s latest instalment in the series just ground them to fine dust. At least now I know to stock up on tissues before starting any of his books!I don’t even know where to begin with a review because it’s difficult to express how much I loved this book. After the three Beartown novels, I almost feel part of the community. I’m not sure how Backman does it, but his characters are so well drawn that they are totally real to me. Often, characters remain a hazy outline, but this cast is as vivid in my mind as people I have known all my life.With the Beartown themes of community, parenthood, coming of age, friendships and the fine threads that connect us all to one another, there wasn’t many tissues left in the box by the time I finished reading. Backman’s writing resonates deeply with me, as do his characters.THE WINNERS is set 2 years after the events in BEARTOWN, and we get to find out how all our favourite characters have fared in that time. There are a few surprises in store, but one thing has not changed – the rivalry between the two hockey clubs of Beartown and Hed. As someone who knows nothing about hockey and isn’t particularly sports orientated, even I soon realised how much the sport reflected the hopes and dreams of the community, and was swept away by their love for the sport. As hockey gets embroiled in the political power games of influential people trying to make Beartown and Hed’s animosity work in their favour, the simmering tension is about to erupt into violence. With the constant foreshadowing in the story, I knew that something terrible was about to happen, which had me torn between reading quickly to find the answers and savouring the story. Backman injects so many snippets of insight and wisdom into his stories that touched me deeply, drawing out emotions that are often repressed or overlooked.I can confidently say that THE WINNERS is my favourite book for 2022 and one that I will revisit again when the open wounds in my heart are no longer so raw and I can savour the fine details I may have overlooked. Please note that this is not a stand-alone novel and needs to be read in the right order of the Beartown series to make sense and to get the full value out of this wonderful tale. I loved every minute of it and was sad to say good-bye to characters who feel like good old friends – I will miss them. A truly wonderful book! If you haven’t discovered this series yet, what are you waiting for?

Chegou rápido em perfeitas condições.

I’ve just finished this 3 book series in a few days. It had me hooked from the very first chapter to the very last. I almost cried when it was over.The way Backman writes… I felt everything. The ups. The downs. I was so invested in the towns and their people. I don’t think any other book has made me feel quite so connected to fictional characters as these ones have. Do yourself a favour and read this series!

I have been putting off reading this book for so long. Those of you who have read and loved Beartown and Us Against You will understand when I tell you that my reason for this was Benji.I was extremely concerned about the fate of my favourite ever fictional character. I won't go into spoilers here about what happens to Benji in the book, but I will say that I was glad that his brave, fierce soul remained unchanged. He was the same character that I fell in love with in book one, despite all the hardships that he has endured. In fact, most of the characters in the book were comfortingly familiar, and I adored spending time with them. Backman has a way of writing morally grey characters in a way that makes you understand their motivations and actions. His writing is really remarkable. I love the atmospheric and surprisingly easy to follow narrative, especially considering how many POVs there are.There were some new characters, particularly ones that gave a better insight into life in rival town, Hed. I liked exploring this for the most part but found the storyline with the journalists and financial corruption a little unnecessary. It bloated the book, which is a whopping 700-ish pages long, and I didn't feel like it added much substance. There were areas where a little editing wouldn't have been terrible. For example, there was a lot of repetition and recapping on what had happened previously in the other books. A little of this is welcomed as there are a lot of characters to follow and a lot of plot points to remember, but it got a bit much.I still love Backman's writing though, and I still love this series. The whole experience has been heart-warming, frustrating, hopeful, and infuriating. I have treasured my time in Beartown, and with these characters that feel so real and human to me. I am sad that the series has ended but am grateful to have spent so much time immersed in this world.*4.5 stars rounded up*