Reading Is Fun discussion

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

Genre:

Average Goodreads Rating: 4.34

A grumpy yet loveable man finds his solitary world turned on its head when a boisterous young family moves in next door.

Meet Ove. He's a curmudgeon, the kind of man who points at people he dislikes as if they were burglars caught outside his bedroom window. He has staunch principles, strict routines, and a short fuse. People call him the bitter neighbor from hell, but must Ove be bitter just because he doesn't walk around with a smile plastered to his face all the time?

Behind the cranky exterior there is a story and a sadness. So when one November morning a chatty young couple with two chatty young daughters move in next door and accidentally flatten Ove's mailbox, it is the lead-in to a comical and heartwarming tale of unkempt cats, unexpected friendship, and the ancient art of backing up a U-Haul. All of which will change one cranky old man and a local residents' association to their very foundations.

This discussion is for our May 2017 BOM, A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

Feel free to post your thoughts about this book, but please remember to mark spoilers and state which chapter the spoiler is associated to.

Reading Schedule (Inspired by Nothing But Reading Challenges (thanks for letting us use this!)):
May 1-2: Chapters 1-12
May 3-4: Chapters 13-25
May 5-6: Chapters 26-End

Even if you can't keep up or start with the reading schedule, don't worry! You're welcome to participate anytime!

I plan to join on this one :))

Joining!

I am done with the first 12 chapters and I am loving this soo far!! Ove is adorable in his gruff way.

Finished 9 chapters!
At first, I felt like me and this book wouldn't get along... But, it's actually pretty nice!
Unfortunately, I spoiled myself on the ending by looking at GR questions...

Gavin wrote: "Finished 9 chapters!
At first, I felt like me and this book wouldn't get along... But, it's actually pretty nice!
Unfortunately, I spoiled myself on the ending by looking at GR questions..."

Ahh that's sad. One of the anticipating things in this book is to find what happens next.
The book is not what I expected (view spoiler)[Did not realize there will be suicide attempts in this one (hide spoiler)].

The story is soo well written, makes me cry and smile at the same time.

Which parts made you cry?

Gavin wrote: "Which parts made you cry?"

All the parts about Ove his father and his wife... Adorable. I think the love story in this is better than the crap romances we read now-a-days even though this is not supposed to be a romance...

Haha, reminds me of when my mom commented on how the first ten minutes of the Disney movie "Up" we're better than the whole Twilight

Gavin wrote: "Haha, reminds me of when my mom commented on how the first ten minutes of the Disney movie "Up" we're better than the whole Twilight"

Exactly!! And somehow the story of Ove reminded me of the first 10 mins of Up!! I was discussing this book with my friend and that is exactly how I described the love story in this!!

Woah! What a coincidence :D

It really is a lot like Up, though, and, come to think of it, Ove does kind of seem like a Mr. Fredrickson...

Have you seen the movie adaptation of A Man Called Ove?

Gavin wrote: "It really is a lot like Up, though, and, come to think of it, Ove does kind of seem like a Mr. Fredrickson...

Have you seen the movie adaptation of A Man Called Ove?"
I haven't seen the movie adaptation. In fact I found about the movie adaptation after I picked this book for reading. But isn't the movie in Swedish?? Have you or anyone else in this groupread seen the movie?

Yeah, I think it's in Swedish... Nope, haven't seen it, though, I kinda wanna.

On a A Man Called Ove and an Intruder, and, wow, it's even more like Up now! Almost exactly like it, actually!
(view spoiler)[The scene where his wife dies is really sad... Though it wasn't able to jerk a couple of tears outta me. (hide spoiler)]

A man who was Ove and a Woman on a Train- Such a beautiful chapter.

Never mind the chapter-- such a beautiful book!
How many stars so you think you'll be giving this? So far I'm feeling a 4 or a 4.5...

Gavin wrote: "Never mind the chapter-- such a beautiful book!
How many stars so you think you'll be giving this? So far I'm feeling a 4 or a 4.5..."

It's a 4 or a 5 for me too!! Checked out the trailer today. Soo ove looks kind of old in the trailer. He is supposed to be 59 yrs in the book but in the trailer he looks about late 60s.....what do you guys think?

This book hits me with some funny scenes and then outright sad scenes! Starting Chp 22 now

starting this tomorrow! your comments have made me very interested!

Poonam wrote: "Gavin wrote: "Never mind the chapter-- such a beautiful book!
How many stars so you think you'll be giving this? So far I'm feeling a 4 or a 4.5..."

It's a 4 or a 5 for me too!! Checked out the t..."

Saw snippet of the film during the Oscars... I dunno, never really been god at guessing someone's age based off appearance :b

Chales wrote: "starting this tomorrow! your comments have made me very interested!"

Woohoo!

Wow. Finished Chapter 23 A Man Who Was Ove and (view spoiler)[a Bus That Never Made It (hide spoiler)]
(view spoiler)[If I didn't have such a stony heart, and maybe if my eyes weren't so dry from continuous device using, I might have actually cried. That's one of the things I pretty much never do while reading or watching something. (hide spoiler)]

Gavin wrote: "Wow. Finished Chapter 23 A Man Who Was Ove and [spoilers removed][spoilers removed]"

Heart Breaking :((

Poonam wrote: "Gavin wrote: "Wow. Finished Chapter 23 A Man Who Was Ove and [spoilers removed][spoilers removed]"

Heart Breaking :(("

Yup :(
ARRGH! I'd like to get to the end of the book already, but this reading schedule's keeping me on a leash...

Chales wrote: "starting this tomorrow! your comments have made me very interested!"

It sure is a good book till now. Enjoyyyy!

Gavin wrote: "Poonam wrote: "Gavin wrote: "Wow. Finished Chapter 23 A Man Who Was Ove and [spoilers removed][spoilers removed]"

Heart Breaking :(("

Yup :(
ARRGH! I'd like to get to the end of the book already,..."

Same here, but then the slow read is making me savor the book.

Yeah, I guess you're right.
How do you think the book will end?

Gavin wrote: "Yeah, I guess you're right.
How do you think the book will end?"

I am scared actually, (view spoiler)[I think something is going to happen to his heart, there are hints. I am scared of a sad ending (hide spoiler)]

What do you think?

Poonam wrote: "Gavin wrote: "Yeah, I guess you're right.
How do you think the book will end?"

I am scared actually, [spoilers removed]

What do you think?"

Got spoiled in the questions section of the book, so I can't really say anything

so this guy's name is Ooo-vey in my head? does anyone know the pronunciation?

That bodiless-lady voice at the Oscars pronounced it as "Ooveh", I think.

Chales wrote: "so this guy's name is Ooo-vey in my head? does anyone know the pronunciation?"

Yes that's how you pronounce it.

Poonam wrote: "Chales wrote: "so this guy's name is Ooo-vey in my head? does anyone know the pronunciation?"

Yes that's how you pronounce it."

Oops, guess you got it right, then

Gavin wrote: "Poonam wrote: "Chales wrote: "so this guy's name is Ooo-vey in my head? does anyone know the pronunciation?"

Yes that's how you pronounce it."

Oops, guess you got it right, then"

I think it's more of a ooo-veh...

Checked the web, and an answer said its more of an "Ooh-Ve"... Which doesn't really have any difference from what we've been saying :b

Gavin wrote: "Checked the web, and an answer said its more of an "Ooh-Ve"... Which doesn't really have any difference from what we've been saying :b"

Hahaha, yes but I think went we say it, it kind of has an h sound at the end.

Ove is my father...ooooh my.

currently on chapter 16. i don't like where this book is headed..i can't elaborate more cuz i'm on my mobile and can't hide spoilers but the heart thing...already unhappy.

this book is killing me..

chapter 23 (view spoiler)[ where the explanation of Sonja's accident is
almost gave me a panic attack. I, too, lost an unborn child in a severe car accident and spent six months in bed with a crushed pelvis/back. Absolutely heartbreaking to read about similar incidents. I feel it too deeply. I understand Ove and the rage he has better than most. (hide spoiler)]

I would like to finish this book. But it has truly left me feeling raw. I'm putting it down for now...

Chales wrote: "this book is killing me..
I would like to finish this book. But it has truly left me feeling raw. I'm putting it down for now..
."

So sorry to hear that Chales :(

Chales wrote: "this book is killing me..

chapter 23 where the explanation of Sonja's accident is
almost gave me a panic attack. I, too, lost an unborn child in a severe car accident and spent six months in be..."

So sorry, Chales :( Can't even imagine how that would begin to feel....

I am finished with this book and this made me cry soo much at the end!! I absolutely loved Ove and his story. A 5 star read for me.

Have exactly the same sentiments as you, Poonam (except for the crying part, though)
Question: (view spoiler)[Extreme spoilers for A Man Called Ove and an Epilogue(view spoiler)[Do you think he died or committed suicide? There are people who say he found love so he didn't, but there was this one guy who pointed out that he could have died to spare the others from his pain... (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

Gavin wrote: "Have exactly the same sentiments as you, Poonam (except for the crying part, though)
Question: [spoilers removed]"

My belief(view spoiler)[He wouldn't suicide after 4 years. He had the thoughts in the initial days but I think after finding Patrick and family, he got the family he never had with a daughter and grandkids. Ove is not someone who would do that to people he considers family. I think he just had a normal peaceful death. (hide spoiler)]

Poonam wrote: "Gavin wrote: "Have exactly the same sentiments as you, Poonam (except for the crying part, though)
Question: [spoilers removed]"

My belief[spoilers removed]"

Yeah... Yeah, I think that's it :)

Thanks for the kind thoughts. A good sleep reset my brain and I'm no longer a blubbering mess haha! I will finish this book today or tomorrow!

The BOMs in this thread don't count for TTV do they, Gavin?

Glad you're feeling better!
Course they count! Well, that is, if you started them after the challenge start... You might be able to use this one, but I won't, unfortunately.