Three Books by Fredrik Backman

Rating: 💔💔💔💔(4/4 hearts for "My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry")

"My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry," is the third book I've read by Fredrik Backman. But first, the other two:

"A Man Called Ove" is a best-seller that everyone was reading a while back, so my book group decided to read it, as well. It is a great book if you're into stories about a cranky old man who inadvertently becomes entangled in the messy lives of his neighbors and whose seemingly fossilized heart becomes softened as a result. I can understand why it was so popular. Skip the movie, read the book.

"Britt-Marie was Here" is a book centered around a character from "My Mother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry." I read "Britt-Marie was Here" prior to the "My Grandmother" book. I am glad I read the books in the order that I did. I liked not knowing anything about Britt-Marie and discovering her back story as the tale unfolded. If you like books about a cranky old woman who inadvertently becomes entangled in the messy lives of her neighbors and whose seemingly fossilized heart becomes softened as a result, this is the book for you. Although you may detect a similarity in theme with Ove, the story is completely different and just as engaging.

Which brings me to "My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry." This book also involves a cranky old woman, but the cranky old women dies near the beginning of the book.The story centers around almost eight year old Elsa who must come to grips with the death of her beloved grandmother, while also coping with school bullies, divorced parents and the impending birth of a sibling. While Elsa's heart is more broken than fossilized, her life becomes entangled with those of her neighbors and those close encounters of the neighborly kind lead to healing - for everyone. I hated to see the book end.

Actually, there's a fourth book. I was on a roll with Fredrick Backman so I decided to read "Beartown." I was about 70 or so pages into the book, but had to put it down. I just couldn't do it. Backman is a talented writer, but even that wasn't enough to keep me going. Like "Britt-Marie was Here," the book centers around a small town that is fanatical about a sport. For "Britt-Marie" the sport is soccer. For "Beartown" it's hockey. I am just not into hockey. I'm not into soccer, either, but Britt-Marie's story was compelling. In Beartown, the synopsis on the jacket alludes to "a violent act that will leave a young girl traumatized." As I kept reading, I began to see the writing on the wall, and as much as I hate to give up on a book, I did with this one. There is just so much real news that is violent and traumatic, I just wasn't in the mood to find out what tragedy befalls this girl and this town. I'm sure Backman tells this story with compassion and insight, but it is just not the book for me right now. I picked up a mindless chick lit instead. (The Pajama Game by Eugenie Selfer Olson. It's actually pretty good for what it is - but that's another story.)

If you haven't read anything by Fredrik Backman, by all means, pick up something. Whatever book you choose, you will find it hard to put down.