Amigos Con Libros discussion

Anna here! This is our "want to read" book for the month of June! Kelly and I chose it because we wanted something a little more lighthearted to kickstart the bookclub and to balance out Behind the Beautiful Forevers. It is about a heartwarming story about cantankerous old man and his interactions with his neighbors. I, for one, am excited to read it!

I thought this was a sweet book! I was a little surprised that the main character, Ove, was only supposed to be 59. Based on the description, I was expecting him to be much older. But I loved the way that his character developed. I also thought it was interesting that they switched between the past and the present from chapter to chapter. Being able to see into Ove's past life gave you insight into how he became the man he was at the start of the book and why he has the beliefs and ideals he does. It also helps you see why his personality can change so dramatically when faced with uncharacteristically kind neighbors. While the ending did seem too good to be true, it was still a kind story overall and I liked it.

Being completely honest: I ugly cried for a large majority of this book. Not because everything was sad, but often because it was so beautiful and real that it struck me really hard. I thought the author's descriptions of relationships and how they affect other people, no matter how new or old they are, were powerful and incredibly important as we rely less and less on interpersonal connection. The choice to have the older man (I agree with Anna, I was picturing a man in his 70s, but the author picks!) as the protagonist was brave because often people want to read about people who have admirable characteristics or relate more to themselves. Ove, however, does not seem so distant as people might initially think because of his age - he represents and demonstrates so much of what it is to be human in general. And like Anna said, the balance of flashbacks and present time offer a good balance and continuum of Ove's life that anyone can find themselves in the pages. It's a lesson, an example, a beautiful story of what it means to love.