A tale of two towns!

The Winners (Beartown #3) by Fredrik Backman 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

How does Backman do it! He’s genius, he’s sneaky—slippery even! The eternal war between Beartown and Hed . The story of lives told through hockey. You wade in with the two towns forced to pick a side, a winner, but you can’t choose.  Everyone has a story, everyone’s legitimate 

It started with Benji and Maya, Ana and Kevin. It’s now came full circle. 

In the beginning we are given clues, “Boys like Benji die young. They die violently.”

Even though I knew it was coming, I just sobbed at the ending. Fredrik Backman you’ve wrung me out! I sobbed for them all. I rejoiced where appropriate. We came for the ride at the beginning, and just hung on through the saga, hung on for everyone’s story. There’s a host of characters  remembered, appreciated or not, roles changing as the towns go on, and there’s some new characters with heart.

There’s a new coach who’s brilliant, yet has trouble connecting on an emotional level with her players. Yet she brings what players need. It’s alchemy, and it’s undefined.

Then there’s Matteo, unnoticed and unappreciated. And a new force, Lev the stranger who has a scrapyard outside of Hed. “…He chose to settle down in this forest because the people here are also survivors, and not that much less dangerous than he.”

Forest people in forest towns! The forest—so magnificent! “First and foremost we are forest folk.” The forest is in the background exerting its pressure on the people it surrounds.

Throughout this final to the saga I was buoyed, downcast, angry and sad and then redemption is given in small and large ways, leading to renewal. Such an amazing and heartfelt read!

A Atria Books Invitation ARC via NetGalley.                                              

Many thanks to the author and publisher.

Please note: Quotes taken from an advanced reading copy maybe subject to change