The end of the Beartown trilogy revisits the interconnectedness between two rival hockey towns (towns not teams). All three books clearly underscore the importance of the hockey team and it’s larger impact on life. The Winners takes readers on a wild ride of emotions as we follow the towns in the aftermath of a “storm of the century”.” Backman reminds us constantly of the interplay between society and the individual.
As with the first two in this series (Beartown and Us Against You), his writing style is direct and helps the reader create vivid images in their minds. Reading one of his novels is like watching a motion picture slow play in one’s head. He forces us to deal with all the issues that one would expect in small towns filled with petty jealousies and politics. their impact best told by protagonists. He is not afraid to use satire and humor. There is usually one character that has a very dry wit, and in this case, Romana as the keeper of the Bearskin Inn. There is nothing that is hidden from her view, and her unique outbursts will bring a smile to most readers.
Like his other books, the central characters here are introverts and loners, and from this perch, he creates an often skewed view of the world as seen through their eyes. We feel their pain, their sadness, and the jumble of emotions as they play a ping pong match with each major decision. I first discovered Fredrik Backman through his book “A Man Called Ove”, also one that I would recommend. He has written many novels, all of them entertaining!
You can find the book on AMAZON here:
The Winners by Fredrik Backman