From The New York Times Bestselling Author of A Man Called Ove and Beartown

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!

First of all, I loved Beartown. Yes, it was often a bit over-the-top and manipulative, but the characters and the settings were perfect in tone and execution. So I had to read this as many of the characters, and of course the setting, remained. But this book really felt like a sequel, much more filler, and fairly similar dramatic beats. Are there great moments? Yes. Will you laugh and cry? Probably, as I did. But the overall effect felt a bit rushed and a bit more conventional and I think Backman could have done a better job.

First of all, I loved Beartown. Yes, it was often a bit over-the-top and manipulative, but the characters and the settings were perfect in tone and execution. So I had to read this as many of the characters, and of course the setting, remained. But this book really felt like a sequel, much more filler, and fairly similar dramatic beats. Are there great moments? Yes. Will you laugh and cry? Probably, as I did. But the overall effect felt a bit rushed and a bit more conventional and I think Backman could have done a better job.

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.

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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.