Beartown is a trilogy with Beartown, us against you and winners being the first, second and the third novels respectively. Fredrik Backman has been able to wonderfully captivate ones' attention over the course of these novels.
It is about persisting and doing the right things when everything is falling apart.
The emotional ending will surely make your heart cry.
Every character so raw and natural that you get so indulged into it.
People may suggest the starting is a bit slow with every character explained in detail. But from my perspective it's necessary for the story ahead. Once I understood about all the characters, the chapter flow felt so fast that I didn't want to get out of the Beartown world.
The story revolves around a village called Beartown and its neighbouring town of Hed, the hate between them which ignites mainly because of hockey and how they stand with one another in times of adversity. It shows how the human emotions can turn violent over something that they love and how everyone has a bit of bad in themselves. Also, people are not often like how they are portrayed by the society, people who look rough and tough might be the ones with soft heart, like a central figure Benji in this story. Both Hed and Beartown residents are ready to give their heart and blood for hockey, their love for hockey turns violent at times when these teams clash off against each other. How the political class exploits these human emotions to their benefit is depicted here. How fame can destroy someone with innate talent and how one can reach great heights with constant practice and sheer discipline even if they lack resources. How the rich can take law into their hands if the victim keeps mum clearly throws light on our modern-day society. How money, fame and people's stubbornness in believing they are right makes them support the wrong side, even if deep inside they are wrong, shows humans herd mentality. It explains the culture of a sports team in keeping secrets between the walls and how there are no actual secrets in a small village like Beartown, where everyone pretends, they are unaware of it. All in all, it is an emotional, motivating story with many lessons to be inculcated, which varies depending on an individual's perspective. It gives a glimpse of, "There is no right and wrong in this world that everyone would agree on. Everyone does what they think is right for the situation."
The book is a magic, and you will feel the sounds of skates and puck shooting ring in your ears.
Hope you enjoy reading it.