On top of this grumpy, mean, lonely persona that Ove gives off he has very strict rules and morals and, most importantly, he has a kind heart and never likes to let down those who earn his respect. She’s the only person who’s ever really understood him. But Ove loves his wife more than anything. Ove doesn’t like a lot of things – he doesn’t like Volvos, he doesn’t like florists, he doesn’t really like cafes, he doesn’t like children, he doesn’t like people driving on the estate etc. Ove is our central character whose opinion we hear a lot of and whose story we follow. But this is a novel about how people can be such loveable, likeable people without always being perfect and having the right moral compass. They all lose their temper, have laws and say mean things. On the surface, no one in this book is the perfect hero. Characters – 5/5Ī Man Called Ove is all about the wonderful and loveable characters that Backman has created. The simple yet effective way Backman writes this adds such depth to an otherwise fairly regular story. It will make you smile, laugh and it will almost certainly have you holding back tears a couple of times. I’ll put a warning here that this book will tug on your heartstrings. Backman has written this book in the third person but tells it as though Ove is writing it with sarcastic remarks, disgruntled notes and a real dry sense of humour accentuating the storytelling. It’s a book built all around the characters and the witty and humorous writing of Fredrik Backman. However, every single moment tells perfectly of this utterly loveable character Ove. The plot isn’t going to blow any minds, it doesn’t have twists or incredible moments. You’ll find it very hard to change any of Ove’s opinions. He doesn’t like a lot of things but he does like structure and a certain number of things. Ove is living his life the way he wants to live his life, he gets up at the same time every morning, goes for a walk and gets on with some duties around the house. It slips between the story of how he met his wife and the modern-day.

Plot – 4.5/5Ī Man Called Ove tells the story of Ove. I knew it was going to be a lighthearted read but I didn’t realise it was going to get me so damn emotional. The reason I picked up A Man Called Ove is similar to that for why I pick up a lot of books – I had seen a lot of good things about it, it looked like not a long commitment and I had the kindle version of it ready to go.

Ove begins to see that there may be some light when he thought his only light was gone. A Man Called Ove is a heart-warming book about a grumpy old man whose melancholic and monotonous life is turned upside when a new family move in next door.

Backman a man called ove