Us Against You

The book was a continuous flow of swirling storms that keep building as if its only purpose is to keep us from the resolution. When you are finally brought to the climatic events (the two hockey games of Beartown vs Hed), they are brushed over so quickly and, later, totally ignored.

Backman does show hints of his writing genius here: he can rip your heart out with a simple phrase. But, at times, a couple of these moments are like hitting an unexpected wall in a maze (for example, when Benji is retrieving the key from Adri's pillow). There are some powerful moments in the book, but it takes a lot of dedication and trust for the reader to find these moments.

I was aware before I preordered the book that the Beartown series will become a TV show in Sweden. This book feels like it is a TV show that is trying to suck viewers in each week with suspense that will only be exposed in the season finale. With his growing success, Backman has drifted into the Stephen King-like territory of delaying plot points, but I believe Backman has the power to still cleverly guide readers through the mazes of conflict rather than delaying the inevitable resolution. Hopefully he will return to that form next time.

I really liked Us Against You by Fredrik Backman. I have read all of F Backman's books - I really loved A Man Called Ove and Beartown.

I didn't like Us Against You as much as Beartown. I was conflicted with this book - there were chapters I really loved and other chapters I felt like I was being manipulated. I didn't like Richard Theo - he represented what is wrong with today's society. He wanted to manipulate situations to suit his needs. He liked playing people against each other.

I really liked the female characters - Maya, Ana, Kira, Elisabeth Zackell. They were all strong in their own way and showed a sensitive side.

F Backman does an excellent job of developing an excellent plot & characters. I always recommend F Backman to readers looking for great fiction.

I would highly recommend Us Against You to readers who like: relevant subject matter, strong & well developed characters, previous F Backman books and great fiction.

book arrived ridiculously quick! ordered at 9 pm on a friday evening and received on sunday as noted in the purchase. this book is a sequal to "bear town" and did not disappoint. really enjoyed both books

Reading this was a roller coaster of emotions. I became so invested in all the characters. I love how this author reminds us that “good” people can do bad things and “bad” people are capable of good.

The only man who could make me care about hockey, Backman does it a again with Us Against You, his sequel to Beartown. We get a chance to pickup where Beartown left off and revisit all of our favorite characters. Benji!! Bobo!!

Backman will keep you on the edge of your seat wondering if the life of one of your favorites is going to end in tragedy.

Although so glad to be back in Beartown this sequel was a little less than perfect for me because there was more of a political focus and a lot of time spent on that rather than characterization of my favorite characters.

Nonetheless, if you loved Beartown you will love Us Against You and if you haven't read Beartown, go and get it RIGHT NOW!

Backman does it again. In a book with realistic characters, decisions, and choices, the love of hockey shines through. I love how the characters from the previous Book developed, had different problems, and were still surviving . The writing was wonderfully heartbreaking, the politics were realistic, and I was transported back again to Beartown. Thank you so much to Backman for writing another continued love letter to hockey, community, and brotherhood.

*NOW AVAILABLE*

I have read all of Fredrik Backman’s books and Beartown was probably my favorite. I know I’m in the minority here but “Us Against You” just didn’t elicit the same emotions for me, it was a bit of a disappointment. After I read Beartown I felt as though it was complete story and so I was a little surprised that the author chose to revisit the town again.

The first 30% of the book dealt pretty much with getting the reader caught up with the characters from Beartown and what had happened the previous year. This part for me was a skip through because I already was knowledgeable about what had transpired. That said, Mr. Bachman’s writing was again outstanding as he summed up all characters and what they had gone through emotionally and physically the past Fall and Winter.

Now it’s summer and the kids are free to try to heal as are the parents. A new character, Richard Theo, a politician, is introduced and adds his twisted, manipulative narrative to this new season for the hockey team. A lot of time is spent on what he is doing, but not so much on why he is doing it? We are left with wondering if he is just incredibly selfish and wants notoriety for himself or if there is something else that is going on? I really couldn’t understand how someone could care so little about the people he was about to hurt.

A lot of time is spent on “The Pack” and it’s influence in the town. I felt myself growing tired of Teemu, Woody and Spider and the rest of the group. I have a hard time believing that such a small group of men could hold so much sway in the feelings of the townspeople. Not not only did they seem to control the hockey team’s endorsement but also the town’s feelings about the rape, the homosexual issues, the woman coach and how much violence was used to get what they wanted. I had had enough of them by the end of the book!

Benji and his sisters play a large part in this book and those moments with them are definitely some of my favorites. His sisters are committed to their brother and want so much to protect him from some of the things he is about to do, but he is almost a grown man and they are left with just loving and supporting him, which was a wonderful thing to see.

Hog is an amazing character and a great father. He is so supportive of Bobo and understands his son’s strengths and weaknesses. He wrestles with the loss of his wife but the family is a strong unit and seem to be able to survive this great tragedy.

I was disappointed that nothing was included about David and the boys who left to play for Hed, they are still residents of Beartown to my understanding and I would have liked to know what their thoughts were now that they decided to play for the opposing team. I’m sure it was not an easy decision for many of them.

As if there haven’t been enough changes in Beartown, a woman coach is hired to resurrect the Beartown hockey club. She is tough, skilled and treats all of her players equally. This is a woman I was glad to see introduced into the story. I also loved how the ending was pulled together with her and one of the other players.

In the end I was glad to have read this book but I don’t think it “measured up” to Beartown or “Britt Marie Was Here”, two of my very favorite Backman books. I’m sure many, many people will be glad to revisit the town but for me it was bittersweet and the ending still left with me with lots of unanswered questions. I will of course be on the lookout for the next Fredrik Backman novel as he has been added to my list of favorite authors.

ADDENDUM: Since I published this review yesterday it has come to my attention that there is to be a Beartown #3 and that the author always intended a trilogy. I thought it was interesting but I don't know that I need a third book, I'm not a series kind of person (with the exception of Harry Potter)

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher through Edelweiss.

The backdrop of the story is hockey, but there is so much more to it than that. This is the second book in the Beartown series and it is best that you read the first one as everything that happens in this book is a result of the actions taken in the first one. Beartown is a small town in the forest. The factory is laying people off, many are unemployed, there are drugs, lots of alcoholics and hockey. Many of the players from Beartown hockey, switched to the team in Hed, Beartown's hated rivals, after the rape that occurred in the last book. In the sequel to Beartown, Fredrik Backman explores what happens as a consequence of this unspeakable act, how everyone involved tries to pick up the pieces of their lives: the boy, the girl, her family and the town. In this book, a sneaky, local politician, Richard Theo, has dreams of bigger and better things for his political career. He starts calling in favours to rebuild the team and buy the factory to bring back jobs. He brings in a female coach, spreads rumors to manipulate people, gets everyone upset with everyone else. The team pulls together, but will this save the town.

I was emotionally moved while reading this story. There were family dramas, bullying, small town politics, gangs, homosexuality and its effects on self and others, dealing with loss, friendship and so much more. The characters or Benji, Bobo, Amat, Maya, Ana, Leo and even Teemu are very well developed. We find out more about their past and what makes them tick. The paths they take as they deal with what life has thrown at them and how they help one another are a major part of the story. The others in their families, Benji's sisters and Bobo's father are wonderfully supportive family members that are also dealing with major upheaval in their lives. When the hockey rivalry is rachetted up a notch the book takes on a life of its own. I do not want to give away the plot so will not describe any more than I have, but take my word for it.

Fredrik Backman has become one of my favourite authors. He shows his amazing talent as he moves from one character to the next, as he creates a suspense and drama, which has the reader waiting for something awful to happen. As we get to know the thoughts and feelings of the many characters, and listen to their simple phrases that depict their thoughts on unconditional parental love, the depth of friendship, marriage and ambition, expectations, rivalry, loyalty, love and hate it makes the reader think deeply. There are so many wonderful quotes that I love in this book, but I will leave you with this one: "It’s so easy to get people to hate each other. That’s what makes love so impossible to understand. Hate is so simple that it always ought to win. It’s an uneven fight.” The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book via Netgalley.

The residents of a small town must fight their egos and their loyalties to get past one of the biggest scandals in generations. As their local hockey team, the town’s only saving grace, prepares for the new season, people find new friends and disregard old ones as they decide individually and as a community where to draw the line between right and wrong. In his sequel to his previous novel, Beartown, author Fredrik Backman brings back beloved characters and continues a heart-wrenching story in the slow to start but excellent book Us Against You.

At one time every resident of Beartown held up his or her head in pride. Some considered the town a backwaters place on the verge of extinction, but no one could doubt the level of talent in the town’s junior league hockey team. The team had a shot at the national title, until its star player, Kevin, got arrested the night of the game that would decide the team’s fate. Accused of rape, Kevin and his family left town and everyone who stayed behind chose a side.

Peter Andersson, the coach who alerted the police to Kevin’s alleged crime, gets ousted by the board, leaving the team scrabbling for answers. Some players get recruited by the team for the nearby town of Hed, and the boys are happy to go. They idolized Kevin and don’t know what to think of the accusations against him. By going to Hed, at least they still get to play hockey. On the ice, life is blissfully simple.

No one can stay on the ice forever, however, and off it the players have to face their families and one another. Beartown still has plenty of boys who want to represent it. The departure of some key players means others get to move up in the ranks, and it also means a new coach has the opportunity to train the boys. With a new season comes key games between Hed and Beartown, and the rivalry rises to a new level. Players from both teams start playing “pranks” that escalate in their audacity. It isn’t until a resident ends up dead, however, that parents and players alike realize that what started out as a game has played with every element of their lives.

Author Fredrik Backman brings back all the characters from the heartbreaking Beartown and continues their story in Us Against You. Backman’s writing style and his depth of characterization, once again, hit the mark dead on. With every book he writes, Backman hones his art to a razor-sharp point that allows him to tickle his readers or prick their hearts—sometimes within the same paragraph. He balances the points of view of several characters, allowing readers to understand motivations and decide for themselves who’s right and who’s wrong.

The only distraction in the book comes in the pacing in the first third that could have moved a little faster. Perhaps, because this is his first sequel, Backman wanted to handle his readers with as much care as he does his characters and story. One thing is for certain: if a reader hasn’t found Beartown yet, he or she will know exactly what happened in that story because Backman gives it to readers in this latest book albeit in abbreviated form. While revisiting the previous book helped bring back characters and memories, from a mechanical standpoint it also takes up space that could have been devoted to more of the current story.

In his winning, charming style, however, Backman makes even the extensive back story engaging. He draws such a realistic picture that his target audience will want to spend as much time with the characters as possible. For those who wondered how Peter, his family, and their friends have fared since the end of Beartown, the extra time in Us Against You is precious and welcomed.

Also, in the greatest tribute to his talent, Backman doesn’t let the back story detract from the new tale he wants to tell. It’s just as appealing and surprising as his other books. Readers new to Backman’s work who choose to start with Us Against You should just be patient. It won’t be long before they get caught up in the characters and the story.

For diehard fans of Backman’s work, this is a must-read. I recommend all readers Bookmark Us Against You.

Following the revealing events in Fredrik Backman’s Beartown, Us Against You details the town’s struggle to come to terms with the inevitable backlash and ramifications of those events on the town and their hockey team.

In light of the actions of Beartown’s star player against the daughter of the hockey club’s general manager, the team’s future in Beartown hangs in the balance as sponsors and funding abandon the scandal-ridden team, and town, in favor of neighboring Hed. As the rivalry between Beartown and Hed is pervasive, the tension between the players and people of the two towns reaches a violent head as provocation from both sides, accompanied by the meddling of an ambitious local politician, needles these devoted people into committing fierce actions with lasting consequences.

Where the first installment in this series focused on Beartown and its hockey with the story and action presented as a boiling kettle, this installment is the whistle of that kettle as the tension finds outlets of escape, primarily in the form of various vicious and violent acts. Using the same narrative technique as Beartown with roving perspectives from the townspeople involved, the structure was familiar, but the text repeatedly reminds readers of basic, already established facts about each character throughout the narrative, which impacted my ability to connect with the emotional struggle of each of the characters as closely as I had in Beartown. There were quite a few new characters whose perspectives were gained that seemed to primarily be a vehicle to add political drama to an already powerful story, which weighed the narrative down with larger overarching schemes instead of the fascinating intimate tensions that made previous novel so incredibly strong.

Overall, I’d give it a 3.5 out of 5 stars.

At times sad and depressing, and at other times filled with love, loyalty and friendship, Us Against You is destined to be another beloved book by Fredrik Backman. The pre-amble at beginning of Us Against You kept me on edge and turning pages. The story tension starts high and remains as taut as an over-tightened guitar string that is ready to break on the next hard strum.

The cast of characters is very broad, and Mr. Backman skillfully shows the breadth of the ripple effect from the traumatic events in his prior novel, Beartown. The Andersson family and Beartown are torn apart from the prior spring’s scandal. Us Against You is told in a third person narrative. The transitions between scenes within chapters are choppy. In some cases it felt like I was concurrently watching security footage from different cameras on multiple screens. However, those scenes are how we readers are able to see into the souls of many of the Beartown inhabitants.

Hockey and the feud with the neighboring town of Hed infuse almost every life, conversation, and relationship in Beartown. Hockey is the oxygen the townsfolk breathe; therefore it is easy to manipulate multiple groups with political promises and threats by intertwining sports, medical care and employment. In addition to a delivering a healthy cautionary regarding politicians, Backman passes along lessons on rivalry, surviving, perseverance, loss, loneliness, compromise, and responsibility.

Backman is a good storyteller. However, I did not feel that the level of emotional intimacy matched that of book one, Beartown.
While I was invested in this sequel from the first page, it wasn’t until the story was building up to crescendo that I decided I liked this book. Us Against You was not one of my favorites from Backman, but the power and worthiness of the story continue to grow on me.

Us Against You by Fredrick Backman is the sequel to Bear town. It is about the aftermath of the rape of Maya and how Bear town and Hed become not just rivals, but enemies! This book really centers on the community and the way society changes. There are many well-developed characters in this, not just the hockey players. When the hockey coach takes most of his good players and plays for Hed instead, Bear town has to rebuild its team, starting with finding a new coach who is a woman! This second book shows how politicians use their power and comparisons are drawn between them and “the pack.” The characters feel like real people—both good and bad at the same time with real life problems.

This book started out pretty slow for me because I’m not into politics and wanted more hockey. The beginning of the book is spent on political deals and trying to build up a hockey team, but then the violence started and I began to get attached to the characters. I really liked Benji, the pack, Ramona, Vidar, Amat, Jeanette (martial arts teacher) and Elisabeth Zackell (hockey coach). This is mostly a sad story with a few bright spots. It is about loyalty and dynamics of friendships which I found interesting. If you enjoyed Bear town, I think you will also enjoy the sequel.

Beartown has suffered from a tragic incident that is tearing the town apart at the seems. Driven to succeed by their shared passion for Beartown Hockey, the star team player was accused of raping a girl in town. Everyone helped to cover up the incident to make their own lives simpler.

As they put together the pieces, the town had also decided to disband Beartown Hockey and focus their attention on another hockey team. A stranger arrives in town to help rebuild their lost hockey team and that's when everything gets interesting.

This town has been teetering on the brink of breaking apart and now they truly have. They're losing themselves in the desolation of lies and loss that surround their residents. Without finding some balance in their own lives, they will all be torn apart by sadness and hatred. Elegantly written from multiple perspectives, it starts out slow and focuses on the turmoil that each character is suffering from.
Atrocities have befallen the city of Beartown and the residents care more about protecting their precious hockey team than admitting what their children are capable of. When reading this story I found that it helps to have some hockey understanding of terminology. I've been a hockey fan for 12 years, and knowing hockey lingo such as power plays, etc was very helpful to keep up with the flow of the story, although it's not necessary.

This is a well written story about the darkness that lies within all of us and the lengths we will go to see success. As a town is torn apart, people are facing their darkest demons, how does one small town find the strength to overcome it and succeed.

Read it today to find out!

Advanced copy provided to me by Atria Books through NetGalley.

After finishing this book, I felt compelled to write a review. I honestly didn't think that I would enjoy this book more than Beartown, but I honestly did.

Backman has a unique style of writing that truly makes you ponder the meaning of so many different sentences. I have been able to read through some of his books quite quickly, but not this time. I caught myself reading parts and just pausing to contemplate the underlying messages. His regular use of juxtaposition throughout the book is one of the reasons why he stands apart from other authors.

Characters from Beartown are reintroduced, and the story forges ahead right from the start. I should know better than to wear makeup while reading his works, since I caught myself crying on several occasions. It is rare to genuinely care for fictional characters and to lose yourself in the storyline, but Backman does just that. Us Against You has the perfect blend of hockey, family, love, and humanity in general. Each character is so uniquely different, and I found myself loving each one (except Theo) because they all had a part of them that made them human.

Again, I haven't written many book reviews, but if you want a type of a book that tugs at your heart, read any of Backman's novels. I started with A Man Called Ove (still my all time favorite novel), and had to read all of his works since then. Us Against You does not disappoint.

When a town experiences winter for nine months of the year, it should be no wonder that its passion turns to ice hockey. Beartown sits in a forest far away from the cities; its nearest neighbor, Hed, is its biggest rival. They’ve long had an us-against-them attitude. Beartown recently endured a scandal that took a huge toll. Some people grew better from it, others learned nothing. Now, though, the looming loss of Beartown’s hockey club threatens more than just the sport going away. It means the glue that holds the community together will almost certainly break down.

Peter Andersson, the club’s general manager, is desperately fighting for their survival. Hockey is his life. Just ask his wife, Kira; she’ll tell you. She’s always put aside her dreams so Peter could follow his. Recently, their daughter Maya became the victim of one of the best player’s crimes, which transformed her into a pariah in the eyes of many locals. See, it was easier to blame her than their sports hero. Now the Anderssons’ son Leo, at only 12 years old, has taken up his sister’s cause. Leo wants to hurt the other side even though he can’t fully understand why. He simply knows that he and Maya stick up for one another. And that it’s Beartown versus the rest.

Much of US AGAINST YOU centers on the Andersson family, but the story is about the entire town. Maya was thrust into a horrible role, one that she neither welcomed nor could prevent. What she does about it, though, will shape her entire future. She’s learned to cull her true friends from those who join the herd mentality. She’s learned to cope. But her parents are the ones having trouble dealing with it. Unless Peter and Kira can find a way to recover and move on, they may lose everything they hold dear.

As I said before, Beartown has a passion for hockey. That’s why it comes as a stunning blow when the council votes to dismantle the club. They say it makes more sense to support one regional team --- in nearby Hed. The council didn’t foresee the level of outrage, anger and burning hatred they would unleash with that decision. So someone --- maybe someone with an agenda of his own --- sets out to save the Beartown hockey team. If his plan works, the team will need a new coach, presenting another road bump. The person who shows up for that job is a woman, which, in Beartown, is controversial on its own, but this is a woman who causes a stir far beyond gender. She’s someone who ignores nearly every traditional rule, shrugs off nearly every criticism, and seems not to care. But she does. Everyone does, in one way or another. Nonetheless, her implacable nature teaches the team more than any amount of lecturing could. Actions speak louder than words.

As for the team --- well, Beartown has some good hockey players, but tensions run high and old injuries are hard forgotten. While each player has his strong points, he also has his tipping point, and a dark side. This is a town that has seen more than its fair share of violence. It’s almost as though it cannot exist without it, but maybe it’s time to concentrate on more positive aspects. Maybe it’s time to focus on just the game and leave aside their personal feuds. Or is it too late? For at least one person, it is.

Readers, take a break from the heat this summer to visit the icy streets of Beartown. Immerse yourself in US AGAINST YOU, for once you open this book, you won’t be able to resist falling into the hockey town out in the woods. Live among the residents for a few days. I guarantee that it will be tough to say goodbye when you turn the last page. Fredrik Backman has a rare talent for reaching inside his readers and coaxing out their deepest emotions while weaving a riveting tale that stays with you for a long time. Don’t miss out on this phenomenal novel.

Reviewed by Kate Ayers

Last year I read “Beartown“. It was phenomenal, so I was super excited to learn that there was going to be a sequel. Well folks, this time the sequel surpassed the first. WOW!
I don’t really even like hockey, but, like Beartown, it is much more than a book about hockey. It is a book about people, about a town, about the world.

I strongly urge anyone who is entertaining the idea of reading “Us against you” to read “Beartown” first. In Beartown you will come to love the town and its inhabitants. In “Us against you” the love will swell enough to break your heart.

Beartown is recovering from the scandal that rocked the town to its very foundations. Some people were more affected by the scandal than others, yet all bear the brunt of what happened.

“It’s hard to care about people. Exhausting, in fact, because empathy is a complicated thing. It requires us to accept that everyone else’s lives are also going on the whole time.”

We reunite with the Andersson family, Peter, Kira, Maya, and Leo. This family has been broken by the events in the previous book. Now they are each struggling to live – to put one foot in front of the other, to soldier on.

Many more beloved and familiar characters make a second appearance: Amat, Benji, Sune, and Ramona to name just a few.

“The complicated thing about good and bad people alike is that most of us can be both at the same time.”

We meet new characters that will write indelibly on our hearts. Alicia, a four-and-a-half year old who is in love with hockey. Bobo, a young man who learns the lessons taught by loss and responsibility. The ‘Pack’, a group of hooligans with hearts of gold hidden behind a violent reputation. A young man named Vidar who loves as strongly as his fists have become.

We experience the hurts and betrayals of these characters in such a profound way that it feels personal.

“Love is like leadership. Asking for it doesn’t help.”

With myriad themes running throughout this novel, Backman does what very few authors can claim to do. He makes you CARE about each and every character (even the hooligans and the corrupt politicians). He makes wise and astute observations about parenting, friendship, responsibility, loss, loyalty, sacrifice, revenge, power, bureaucracy, leadership, teamwork, violence, respect, courage, consequences, and the powerful feeling of ‘belonging’. Not bad for one novel.

With concise sentences Backman turns just a few words into moving and impactful observations. This is a novel peopled by wonderful characters. I was reluctant to finish the book as it would mean I would have to leave Beartown…

I really cannot recommend “Us against you” highly enough.

”In his final season, on his final night
Buddy and a Finn goon were pegged for a fight
Thirty seconds left, the puck took a roll
And suddenly Buddy had a shot on goal

“The goalie committed, Buddy picked his spot
Twenty years of waiting went into that shot
The fans jumped up, the Finn jumped too
And coldcocked Buddy on his follow through
The big man crumbled but he felt all right
'Cause the last thing he saw
was the flashing red light
He saw that heavenly light
-- Hit Somebody!(The Hockey Song), Songwriters: Warren Zevon / Mitchell David Albom

”It’s going to be someone’s fault”

”Have you ever seen a town fall? Ours did. We’ll end up saying that violence came to Beartown this summer, but that will be a lie, the violence was already here. Because sometimes hating each other is so easy that it seems incomprehensible that we ever do anything else.”

There is no anonymity in Beartown for the people who live there. Everybody knows not only each other’s names, but also what they do, who their parents, or children, bosses, coworkers are, how many generations their families have lived there. They know who is trouble, and those who run the town. There is no hiding their flaws, their secrets, or the secret of who they really are. Not forever, anyway. People are born there, very few move away, but it is even more rare for someone to move to there.

Beartown is Hockey. The lives of those who reside there celebrate this, their lives revolve around it, the games, the practices, it is where they belong. Even the conflict between Beartown and Hed, the neighboring town that views Beartown as being inferior. A case of the haves vs the have-nots, but throw in some politicians with questionable motives and things threaten to become volatile. As the town sees its way of life – hockey - being threatened, as they come to terms with the possibility of their hometown hockey team being disbanded unless something changes, their fears and pain unravel for us to see.

And then, a potential new coach, a surprising choice, surely, and a new team will have to be formed, so many players lost to Hed, already. But will they be able to really form a team, bond together as they will need to do, in order to win?

If you’ve read Backman’s Beartown, then you’re familiar with this town, and most of the people who live there, but some new characters are introduced, as well. Peter and Kira Andersson, their children Maya, 16, and Leo, 12. Benji, who has some secrets to share, and Bobo and Amat, then there’s Ana who is best friends with Maya, and Vidar, who has a short fuse, but also a protective love of his brother, Teemu. The parents are struggling with their own problems and their children’s, and these young people, struggling to figure out who they are under all the expectations of the parents, the school and the town. Maybe they will eventually find out what they’re made of.

This wasn’t the kind of book where I instantly fell into the pages and was Calgon’d away, it crept up on me slowly, stealing a little bit more of my heart away as I read on, but I was still interested, just not living inside the story – yet – but soon enough I was wishing there were more pages ahead. I loved how introspective this was, how we learn the story of this town and the people through their thoughts and feelings, their frustrations, their concerns, the hurt and shame and anger some carry with them. I loved, love, this town and these people, loved their loyalty to this place and when it came down to it, their loyalty to each other. I hurt when they hurt, and rooted them on in their journeys.

”Bang. Bang. Bang-bang-bang.”

Pub Date: 05 JUN 2018

Many thanks for the ARC provided by Atria Books

Us Against You is a difficult book. Maybe because of the inflated egos reaching for power and not concerned who they step on. Or maybe it’s because of the powerless who can’t help themselves. Or perhaps it’s due to the repetition of themes that hammers in the points. It is, admittedly, an effective story of two towns in conflict, ostensibly over hockey, but actually over so much more.

I think my sadness on reading this book is not only from the book but from the life of the world around me that it represents, where emotions are manipulated by those in a position to do so, communities are set artificially against one another so they won’t notice that the powers that be are plotting against both. If real life were not so difficult at the moment, would I have tolerated the harsh realities of this world better? Would the moments of redemption worked better? I don’t know. And I’m not sure Backman intends them to. Life is often unjust. We learn that throughout our lives.

Other than the relentless emotional pull, my quibble with this novel has to do with style: there is a repetitive technique used throughout that at times seemed very effective and at others, annoying. I like all that I have read from Backman. His ability to capture the variety of human emotions, behaviors and rationales is spot on for all age groups. This is the sequel that Beartown needed. But I wonder if it could have been better. Or perhaps I wish for something merely different, nicer, more pleasing.

Another thought I had since I finished reading is to wonder if I might have liked the style of the book better if I had read it more quickly. Would what I found to be repetitive be instead flowing connections between sections of the story? Would they read like a chorus, a Greek chorus observing all that is happening just as the narrator is both of and separate from Beartown? This thought is causing me to rethink some of my concerns mentioned above. Oh the world of books. It keeps us pondering even when we finish reading.

A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review

Us Against You by Fredrik Backman is a very highly recommended novel about a town, its citizens, and a game. This is an excellent novel - absolutely outstanding. It will be on my list of top ten novels of the year.

Us Against You is a sequel to Beartown, but it can be appreciated on its own. Personally, I would read Beartown first because it is an exceptional novel. "Try to make it sound like it’s just a sports club collapsing, even though sports clubs never really do that. They just cease to exist. It’s the people who collapse." This isn't just a novel about hockey, although the game plays a large role in the narrative. Even if you don't know anything about hockey, keep reading because there are insights into much larger truths.

"[P]eople will always choose a simple lie over a complicated truth, because the lie has one unbeatable advantage: the truth always has to stick to what actually happened, whereas the lie just has to be easy to believe... [M]any of our worst deeds are the result of us never wanting to admit that we’re wrong. The greater the mistake and the worse the consequences, the more pride we stand to lose if we back down. So no one does."

Beartown is a small down-on-its-luck Swedish town home to hardworking people who are obsessed with hockey and have always taken great pride in their team. Now it looks like their team might be eliminated. It's bad enough that many of their senior players are now play for Hed, their rival. Feelings are still raw across the town after the crisis from last year. A surprising new coach has come to Beartown who plans to build a winning team, and the team is going to be built on the talents of four untested teenagers. A despicable politician is manipulating people behind the scenes. The situation is complicated. All of the people involved are imperfect. "It's just a game, two teams, sticks and pucks. Us against you, doesn't that say it all?"

Backman's writing style always makes me think of a fable, a folk story. I've said it before and it still stands. The writing is rich, masterful, and admirable. There are moments of great failure and overwhelming compassion, scenes of desperate cruelty and sly humor, and people with a malicious bent and others with a quiet wisdom. The empathetic narrative explores love, personal sacrifice, and the vital importance of family and friendships. This exceptional novel is part character study, part morality tale, part coming-of-age story, part family drama, part redemptive tale and totally wonderful. All of Backman's novels would be wonderful for book club discussions.

"Our spontaneous reactions are rarely our proudest moments. It’s sad that a person’s first thought is the most honest, but that often isn’t true. It’s often just the most stupid. Why else would we have afterthoughts?"

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Atria Books via Netgalley.

Fredrik Backman does it again with his gentle yet powerful insights into the human psyche. His observations are so empathic and the way he transcribes everyday people and events onto the pages of his books is breathtakingly authentic. Us Against You is the follow-on to the totally amazing Beartown (published as The Scandal in some countries). At first I thought I was going to be disappointed as I loved Beartown so much, but as usual Backman won me over within just a few pages. He manages to create an incredible sense of foreboding, so that I was desperately worried for the characters I’d come to know and love. He very cleverly tells his readers what’s going to happen long before it does (or does he?), in a way that totally messed with my mind. And at times he tells the story from the point of view of the whole of Beartown, which I found unique and wonderful. We meet most of the same characters we did in the first book, and follow their lives after the scandal that rocked the town. Backman certainly knows how to create characters that stay with you. On the surface, this is a story about ice hockey, the one thing that unites and inspires the people of this downbeat town. But it’s far, far more than that. It’s an amazing story of human nature, anxiety, politics, hurt, loss, love and unity. If you like your stories interesting, but slow to unfold as they expose human nature in all its frailty, courage and complexity, you’ll love this book. Neil Smith, who translated both this and Beartown, deserves huge credit and must be a brilliant writer in his own right. I also loved the chapter headings, which included such gems as ‘The Same Blue Polo Shirt’ and ‘Violence Against a Horse on Official Service’. If you haven’t already read Beartown, you really should before you read this.

I would give Us Against You (Beartown, #2) ten stars if I could; I have never read anything quite like it. Somehow, I am among the seemingly few that not only didn't read Beartown, but have not read anything by Fredrik Backman before. What an amazing gift Backman has for making his characters so full and rich the reader feels they could jump off the page at any time! His capacity to convey emotions and write realistic dialog, to capture the duality of good and bad in human nature, all while dropping profound one sentence pearls throughout, is truly remarkable.

A continuation of the book Beartown, there was enough background given that this reader had no problem getting onboard with past events and, while I definitely plan to read Beartown, not having read it first didn't diminish my enjoyment of Us Against You at all.

Beartown is a town in a forest in Sweden, and Hed is a town nearby. They each live and breathe hockey and are arch rivals, not just the team players, the townspeople too. Hockey is life in these towns. Beartown, is close to losing its team, but is given another chance, thanks to politics. They have a new General Manager, a new (female) coach, and a hardscrabble team who wants to win more than anything. Nothing comes without costs though, and costs there are aplenty.

Backman writes in such a warm, folksy way, as if just telling a neighbor a story, yet somehow he keeps building suspense that makes the pages fly by. There are many wonderful, strong characters within these pages, each having their own story; Maya, Ana, Leo, Ramona, Teemu, Zackell and (my personal favorite) Benji just to name a few.

Become a fellow virtual resident of Beartown, as I did. You'll never regret it!!

Many, many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for allowing me to read this amazing book in exchange for an honest review.