THE WINNERS

What can I say about Backman that hasn't been said already - that I haven't said already? Last book in the series - I can’t even tell you what I am feeling after reading this masterpiece. He had to go ahead and break my heart. He had to go ahead and smother me in an avalanche of emotions. He had to go ahead and teach me some hard lessons. He had to go ahead and make me feel all the feels. Was it the ending that I was looking for? Well with Backman it hardly ever is. I cannot write much about the story without giving too much away. I can say that those dear to us who had left Beartown are back. I can say that the unthinkable happens. I can say that new characters are introduced - some will break you and some will make you sigh. I can say that you will fall more deeply in love with the person you loved before. I can say that you will laugh, you will cry and you will hug this book tightly once it is over. I can say that each and every page of this book is peppered with wisdom. I can say that you will feel like annotating each and every page of this book. “We fool ourselves that we can protect the people we love, because if we accepted the truth we’d never let them out of our sight.” There is so much I want to say about this book that I can go on forever. Right from the first page, this book will grab you by the throat and not let go. You will be choked with emotions and you will spill a tear or two. Benji, Alicia, Ana, Maya, Peter, Kira, Bobo, Johnny, Hannah, Ramona, Teemu and so many more will stay in your heart forever. I took my time reading this book because I did not want it to get over, secondly, there was so much to absorb in this book that you cannot rush it. Stunning masterpiece by one of the greatest authors I have come to love. Absolutely recommend.

This book is a great finale to the Beartown saga. It's heavy with emotions, little struggle stories and victory moments.

No other book/series of books has given me so many goosebumps. So many things to ponder on. So many favourite characters. So much love.

A very good and engaging read

Fredrik Backman never fails to depict the hidden human emotions in the most beautiful way possible. The third instalment of the series - The Beartown that revolves around the story of people living in a small town that is vastly ignored by the Central Government, its residents only hope lies in their Ice Hockey team that brings the long lasting joy to them. This book concludes the story and connects all the dots. Fredrik Backman has the gift to write wholesome stories with a touch of humor, and capability to make you cry when you don’t expect it!

Character sketches and value narration I liked. Repeatations & unbelievable coincidences I disliked. Too many characters Everyone above 15 years can read

this..this hurts too much to touch with words. there are stories that fill you up and then there are stories that punch you in the gut the moment you're full of hope, light, and, oh, so much love. this story is both. its hard to say goodbye to characters that you have loved with all your heart; no amount of foreshadowing can ease the pain of that blow. the winners for me marked the end of an era, one that i will love forever, despite the heartbreak. or is it because of the heartbreak? same thing, really. with this behemoth of a book, backman finally closes the gates to my favourite snowy beartown. before he says goodbye, he lets you in one last time to feel it all. the crunch of snow under your boots as you walk through the wreckage of the storm, the warm glow of golden light streaming through the frosted windows of bearrskin pub, the unruly laughter coming from inside it, and the cold wind that chills you to the bones. you huddle around a campfire with your favourites, a misfit piece finally fitting in, sharing smoke, giggles, and remnants of youth till your eyes get blurry and sleep cocoons you like a safety net. a menagerie of memories, the treasure of a lifetime.

I haven't finished the book yet. I thought it will be a small book but it's lengthy like a novel. The English is easy to read and fast paced. The story revolves around the events happening in a small town named Bearstown in the backdrop of a stormy night. The story is real and you can relate as it talks about life in general. It's a good read. Will recommend it to others.

Ich habe viel gelacht, viel geweint und manchmal war mir vor Spannung auch schlecht. Man weiss ja knapp, was geschehen wird, das aber dennoch zu lesen, war manchmal fast unerträglich. Viel Weisheit reingepackt, ich mochte vor allem, dass man gute Eltern ist, wenn die Kinder leben und genug saubere Unterwäsche haben. Er schafft es einfach, so zu schreiben, dass man nicht mit lesen aufhören will. Man hätte das Buch schon kürzen können, vieles wird wiederholt, aber es wird aus verschiedenen Perspektiven wiederholt und das macht es wichtig. Jede einzelne Person der Geschichte hat ihr Gewicht und bekommt auch genug Aufmerksamkeit. 5 Sterne.

I would give this book 100 stars if I could! If I thought that Beartown ripped out my heart and broke it into a million pieces, then Backman’s latest instalment in the series just ground them to fine dust. At least now I know to stock up on tissues before starting any of his books! I don’t even know where to begin with a review because it’s difficult to express how much I loved this book. After the three Beartown novels, I almost feel part of the community. I’m not sure how Backman does it, but his characters are so well drawn that they are totally real to me. Often, characters remain a hazy outline, but this cast is as vivid in my mind as people I have known all my life. With the Beartown themes of community, parenthood, coming of age, friendships and the fine threads that connect us all to one another, there wasn’t many tissues left in the box by the time I finished reading. Backman’s writing resonates deeply with me, as do his characters. THE WINNERS is set 2 years after the events in BEARTOWN, and we get to find out how all our favourite characters have fared in that time. There are a few surprises in store, but one thing has not changed – the rivalry between the two hockey clubs of Beartown and Hed. As someone who knows nothing about hockey and isn’t particularly sports orientated, even I soon realised how much the sport reflected the hopes and dreams of the community, and was swept away by their love for the sport. As hockey gets embroiled in the political power games of influential people trying to make Beartown and Hed’s animosity work in their favour, the simmering tension is about to erupt into violence. With the constant foreshadowing in the story, I knew that something terrible was about to happen, which had me torn between reading quickly to find the answers and savouring the story. Backman injects so many snippets of insight and wisdom into his stories that touched me deeply, drawing out emotions that are often repressed or overlooked. I can confidently say that THE WINNERS is my favourite book for 2022 and one that I will revisit again when the open wounds in my heart are no longer so raw and I can savour the fine details I may have overlooked. Please note that this is not a stand-alone novel and needs to be read in the right order of the Beartown series to make sense and to get the full value out of this wonderful tale. I loved every minute of it and was sad to say good-bye to characters who feel like good old friends – I will miss them. A truly wonderful book! If you haven’t discovered this series yet, what are you waiting for?

Before starting the Beartown trilogy (BEARTOWN, US AGAINST YOU and WINNERS) I read everything else Fredrik Backman had written as he is one of my favorite authors. Each book is unique with different characters and a different story angle. To those who compare him to Dickens, I agree that Mr. Backman will withstand the test of time just as Dickens has--perhaps our grandchildren will be reading him in the next century! Indeed it is an absolute pleasure to find an author who can give us readers so many characters with such distinct and unique voices. Once one starts reading it is easy to keep track of which character is which by their unique personality. Not only that but Mr. Backman's understanding of human nature is astounding. To be sure the Beartown trilogy is about more than hockey, it is about the essence of being human. And what better location to show this than in a very small out-of-the-way town next to a remote forest--Beartown. One of many reasons hockey is so important to Beartown residents is because there are two anemic summer months before winter with its bitter winds and considerable snow takes hold for the rest of the year. Hence practically everyone learns to skate almost as soon as they learn to walk. Even during good times and especially during bad times, hockey is an important part of life for the youngsters, their parents, their grandparents and most all other residents. I highly recommend all three books as they are a continuation of the lives of Beartown residents along with their interactions with their arch rival Hed, the small town on the other side of the forest. It was much appreciated that the second and third books started with recaps of the previous books so that when the new story started we were then up to date. Others have summarized the books but it cannot be stressed enough that, regardless of the character and his or her circumstances, Mr. Backman gets it right. And, by the way, it is not just in Beartown that winning matters. I ended up at every game due to my child's participation in high school activities and it seemed numerous students as well as their parents were as devoted as Beartown residents. Well, okay, almost! But many do believe the point of playing is to win and when losing, then play harder next time. Giving up is not an option especially for those seeking to move on up or perhaps to move away. Most who read these three books will long remember them. The characters who are coping with difficulties and working hard to struggle their way through them and into better mental places will touch your heart. Some will not live and those residents will also be long remembered but with great sadness. It was a privilege to read THE WINNERS so that we can leave Beartown knowing what happened to all the people we grew to care so much about. As an aside, someone mentioned Mr. Backman was considering retiring so let us hope that it is just a rumor because if and when he stops writing it will be a colossal loss to quality literature.

Chegou rápido em perfeitas condições.

I’ve just finished this 3 book series in a few days. It had me hooked from the very first chapter to the very last. I almost cried when it was over. The way Backman writes… I felt everything. The ups. The downs. I was so invested in the towns and their people. I don’t think any other book has made me feel quite so connected to fictional characters as these ones have. Do yourself a favour and read this series!