‘Late one evening towards the end of March, a teenager picked up a double-barrelled shotgun, walked into the forest, put the gun to someone else’s forehead and pulled the trigger. This is the story of how we got there.’
Beartown is a small town in a large Swedish forest.
For most of the year it is under a thick blanket of snow, experiencing the kind of cold and dark that brings people closer together – or pulls them apart.
Its isolation means that Beartown has been slowly shrinking with each passing year. But now the town is on the verge of an astonishing revival. Everyone can feel the excitement. Change is in the air and a bright new future is just around the corner.
Until the day it is all put in jeopardy by a single, brutal act. It divides the town into those who think it should be hushed up and forgotten, and those who’ll risk the future to see justice done. At last, it falls to one young man to find the courage to speak the truth that it seems no one else wants to hear.
No one can stand by or stay silent. You’re on one side or another. Which side will you find yourself on?
My Review
I requested this from NetGalley quite a few months ago. I promptly forgot about it until I read some rave reviews recently by some blogging friends and picked it up in anticipation of a great read. Unfortunately for me the writing style, and possibly the translation, definitely made this just an okay read for me.
Like other readers I managed to get through the hockey dominated first half by telling myself that it would improve and pick up speed. It didn’t get fast enough for me and was something of a let down, with only the mystery of who pulled the trigger as mentioned in the synopsis) making me keep reading until the end.
I’d recommend this if you enjoy novels set around hockey and sports.
Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin UK – Michael Joseph for my digital copy.
Great honest review! I’m still going to give this book a shot, although hesitant with the heavy sports theme.
Thanks the hockey aspect definitely made it less enjoyable for me. Hope you enjoy it more than I did.
I have no interest in hockey at all but I love this book, it’s so much more than hockey – don’t be hesitant Tina.
I’m sorry this one didn’t work for you Nicki 😔 I loved it so much and wish you had a better experience with it. 🙂
Can’t quite believe I’m agreeing with Janel here but yes. I think I need a shower now 😂
lol
🤣🤣I’m saying nothing, only because you agreed with me 🤐🤣
No worries that’s they way it goes eh! lol
Aw, I’m sorry to hear it didn’t work for you. But cookies for sticking with it. Onwards! Plenty more books to enjoy!
Absolutely! I did read a brilliant book just before so maybe it was the wrong time for it.
Sorry you didn’t enjoy this one, I really loved it and I hate sports, but then not every book works for everyone
C’est la vie!
Ah, it’s a shame you didn’t like this one that much! I still have it to read but I’ve been putting it off for ages, will probably continue to put it off now haha
Hope you enjoy it more than I did when you get to it 😃
OK now I don’t know anymore.. I don’t like sports at all, and don’t even have a clue about hockey so it was a big no for me, but then I’m reading the comments and I don’t know what to think. I already decided it wasn’t one for me when I first learned it included sports so maybe I should just leave it at that and play it safe 🙂
It’s a difficult one isn’t it not knowing whether to read something or just leave it.
I don’t think I love sports enough!
Going by some the reviews I don’t think it matters for some readers. 😃
I loved that book but what’s funny is that I read it under another title: Beartown???
Yes this the UK title.
Well this day has been fruitful LOL
hey, it is much more than hockey novel.
I know I just didn’t enjoy it as much as other people did.
didn’t you the scene when MAYA had all the power in the world, but she chooses not to kill Kevin. Shame is bigger pain than dying…
like the scene*