REVIEW: Beartown

Beartown
Author: Fredrik Backman

When I first heard about this book, I jumped right onto my local library's digital site and put a hold in for the audio book. The line was 64 people deep. I could have left the queue and found other things to read, but something told me this book would be worth the time. So, I waited. And waited. And waited some more. This week it was finally my turn. Within five minutes of starting the audio, I knew this story was well worth the weeks I had to wait.

This book is freaking amazing. I grew up in a small town. Still live in one....but 1,200 miles away from where I started out. But....all small towns are a lot alike. Cliques. The part of town you don't want to be from. The spoiled kids on the side of town everyone wishes they were from. And sports. The pressure, excitement and chaos of local sports. When the local team is in the state playoffs or has kids recruited by top notch colleges.....it gets very political and sometimes downright nasty quickly for anyone who stands in the way. But this story isn't just about sports. It's about truth, fairness and.....unfairness. It's about good....and evil. Truth and lies. And the consequences of all of it.

Beartown is a small town in the middle of a forest in Sweden. It's not an important place....life goes on there and the rest of the world has no idea it even exists. Beartown is a hockey town. The kids there practice, practice, practice starting when they are young....and they play their hearts out dreaming of their chances of winning a national title, putting Beartown on the map. They've had a couple pro players in years past. Peter, the Bears' general manager, played pro hockey. After an injury ended his career, he came to Beartown to manage the team. This year Beartown has Kevin...he's the best player they have. He has a good chance of going pro. And this year Beartown has a chance of winning it all. WIN. That is the most important word in Beartown right now.

But, something will happen. An incident will change everything. It will turn friend against friend, ignite gossip, division and anger. This story is about so much more than hockey. It's about a time when a single event made people realize that life is not about hockey. Sometimes it's about people, about loyalty, about truth.....and right.

I absolutely love this book! A sequel, Us Against You, is coming out in June. I can't wait to read it!!!  And if the queue is 64 people deep again.....or 264 people deep.....I know the story will be well worth waiting for.

I don't give 5 star reviews very often. This book gets full marks.