“He has seen good people capable of great evil, but also evil people capable of incredible light. It’s the same everywhere. Almost everybody loves too much, hates too easily, forgives too little. But most people want the same things: to live in peace, to make their hearts beat a little slower when the night comes, to earn some money to support the ones they love.”
— The Winners by Fredrik Backman
I’m not a series fan usually, but it’s not dramatic to say that this one had a significant impact on me as a reader and as a human.
The vibe
Beartown / Us Against You / The Winners / Sweater / Earmuffs / Boots / Sticker / Mug / Jeans / Necklace / Earrings / Scarf
The review
I read all three books in the series in 2022 — spread out a bit, but all in one year. I really just couldn’t get enough of it and had to intentionally pace myself.
Now that I’ve finished The Winners, I thought I’d give a comprehensive review of the entire series. All in one post — for two reasons.
- I feel weird about reviewing just The Winners — the final book in the series — because you’re probably not going to pick it up by itself just based on my review.
- If you’ve already read Beartown, you probably already want to read Us Against You and The Winners like yesterday. (seriously it would blow my mind meeting someone who doesn’t like this series)
So, let’s get to it.
If you’ve read any of Fredrik Backman’s books, you know he likes to play around with withholding information until you need it, while teasing things to keep you interested. He writes quickly weaving between present and future tenses — teasing characters’ futures while they face their current challenges. I’ll give an example. We always know Maya, who writes songs on her guitar for her brother and her friends, is going to be an international superstar. Backman tells us this several times in the series. At the same time, he’s not entirely upfront with everything either. There’s a character in the second book, for example, who’s gender isn’t revealed until the most perfect *chef’s kiss* moment (trying not to spoil this one for anyone!).
His writing is so textured and layered, and it absolutely takes some getting used to. If you’re an audiobook fan, Marin Ireland gives life to this series as its narrator — but I recommend listening at a slower pace than you’re used to so you don’t miss any of the nuances of this fantastic writing.
Beartown, book 1, introduces us to the town itself — a sleepy forest town most have forgotten about, but the local high school’s junior hockey team might actually put the small town on the map. A lot is riding on this team of teens. If they win the championship, things can really change for the Beartown residents — new money coming in, giving the town a leg up on its neighbor, the town of Hed, for instance. The star player is a kid named Kevin, and the chances at winning with him leading the way are extremely good. However promising Kevin and the team is, one party changes everything.
Peter, one of the biggest hockey players to come out of Beartown and the manager of the club, has his own stress surrounding the championship. But he’s forced to set aside his own career ambitions for his family — and especially his daughter, Maya.
In the first book, you meet and fall in love with each of the characters — the underdog Amat, the protective and emotional Benji, and so much more.
In Us Against You, the rivalry between Beartown and Hed kicks up to a bigger extreme than just town rivalry and team support. Some might not understand how two towns can be so passionate about “just a sport,” but I think the divisiveness Backman illustrates is way too familiar compared to our divided country. This one hit home for me.
Book 2 picks up pretty much right where book 1 left off — our beloved characters are picking up the pieces in the summer, a rare break from hockey in Beartown. The book’s second half picks up with the new season and there’s romance, loss, and, of course, lots of animosity between the two clubs.
The Winners comes two years after book 2. The town has a whole new set of problems and challenges to overcome. Maya and Benji return to Beartown to say goodbye to a beloved community member, and Backman draws a parallel to Maya and a girl named Ruth. Her brother, Matteo, is a driving force of the novel; he’s looking to avenge his sister and won’t stop until he has.
There’s also a bit of a redemption story for Amat, who tried (and failed) to get out of Beartown via the NFL. But, his career isn’t over yet.
The Winners is Backman’s longest Beartown book by like 200 pages, and I’m not convinced it needed to be. But the extra pages gives Backman a chance to write scenes of our favorite characters… being happy. The whole series is pretty heavy — broaching subjects of rape, suicide, addiction, homophobia, and so much more. And don’t get me wrong, the last 30 pages of The Winners absolutely destroyed me. But there are chunks in the book that are really just Benji and Maya reminiscing and falling back in love with the hometown they ran away from.
The posts
Tap to find each book’s post on Instagram.
BookNerdalie 