A MAN CALLED OVE (B FORMAT)

A simple and easy-to-read story, without any intricate plot or twists. This one just flows gently through the day-to-day life of a man called Ove-who had a difficult childhood and has now lost the wife he loved so deeply. Once a strong man, he now finds himself in a dilapidated pause of life. The story keeps us hooked throughout with the presence of warm and interesting characters around him. An emotional and humorous read.

I generally don't do book reviews. I read for pleasure, gaining more knowledge, passing time, having a wider perspective. Basically for consumption. I might bring about some anecdotes learnt from books in casual conversations here and there. But nothing more. Books are a gateway for me to reflect. It has always been this way. But there are some rare books that demand an exception. A kind of book that moves you on so many levels that it becomes important to bare you heart out. It demands being talked about. It compels you to share what you are feeling. Because what you are feeling is a combination of so many emotions that if you don't talk about it you will be overwhelmed. And you know that once you talk about it, you will feel so much lighter. Because you know that you will have spread a story that is, without an iota of doubt, a kind of story that is needed so much in today's times. It's importance in today's world cannot be overestimated. Such purity in emotions is rare and that is what makes A Man Called Ove such a rare treat. At it's heart, A Man Called Ove is the story of a 59 year old widower. Ove is a principled man. A man who feels that what defines a man is not what he speaks but his actions. A man with such strong beliefs that he is ready to fight with anyone for it. An inflexible man. A grumpy man. A man who doesn't care even a bit of how he is perceived. A simple man with tremendous clarity of thought. A man who never minces his words. A man whose behavior is completely in sync with his feelings and a man who's beliefs are unwavering even in the most difficult of times. But to understand Ove is not so simple. Ove is not simply a product of his circumstances. Neither is what Ove is simply a product of heredity or upbringing nor he is an output of a combination of these factors. Ove is simply himself despite everything around him. And what happens when such a man loses the only person he loved? A person for whom Ove has fought day and night with the world. A person who is the only source of color in his life. A person who had accepted Ove as he is and never ever demanded that he change. A person who loved Ove wholeheartedly just as he is. The only person whom Ove could speak what was in his heart. How do you cope up with such a loss? This is the heart of Ove's story. Ove has lost his wife to cancer. It has been 6 months now. Ove's work has kept him engaged in the meanwhile. But now Ove has been asked to resign from a pace where he has worked for more than 3 decades and never taken a day off. He decides that it is time he meet his wife. The same day a family moves opposite to Ove's house. A pregnant Iranian women with her husband a two daughters. The events that unfold hereafter is what makes book. Ove's attempts to take his own life are interrupted every time by fate. And slowly, with time Ove rediscovers his purpose. The book also shows glimpses of Ove's life till date. His relationship with his father, his wife, his neighbors and the people he worked with. At the face of it it might seem an ordinary tale. But Ove's story is anything but ordinary. I am not going to give any spoilers here. Because I suggest every person to read this book. There is so much to learn not only from Ove but also from other characters in the book. Sonja, Ove's wife is the epitome of positivity. Parvaneh, Ove's pregnant Iranian neighbor, sees beyond Ove's tough facade and understands his heart. Ove's boss at work knows that the character of a person is more important than anything. All the characters in the book is powerfully enriching. A note also to Fredrik Backman's exceptional writing style. It is extremely engrossing and never preachy. He has a rare quality that can bring both tear and smile on your face with a single sentence. And leave you either spellbound or restless for more with a few lines. Definitely an author to look forward to. Let me say at last that there are only two books that have made my heart swell. A Thousand Splendid Suns and A Man Called Ove. I am going to go back to Ove. Definitely again and again. For it has touched me on so many levels.

The quality of the cover and pages are quite good, the pricing is not over too. The book itself is quite nice. It is one of those books you would like to read over a few days, slowly enjoying your free time with a tea/coffee or as a light bedtime read.

After months of reading self-help, I finally decided to pick up a fiction and delve into some good storytelling. I have been hearing a lot about this book and the movie adaptation starring Tom Hanks. Hence, I gave it a read to be a judge of all the attention this book (and movie) has been garnering. And yeah, it did not fail to overwhelm me and make me contemplate about everything that the character was going through. Ove, a 59-year-old man, grumpy to be specific, decides to end his life because he has nothing to live for. His wife has passed away, he was asked to quit his job because they longer needed his service. The day he decides to do that, a new family moves in to the neighbourhood. The neighbours start coming over and start asking him for tools, ladders, etc. and Ove ends up helping them. Although, he misses his wife every second and wants to go where she is. He has paid all his debts, took care all the documentation and legal affairs, even washed the last mug he drank his coffee in, covered the floor with plastic so that the floors remain good, booked a place right beside his wife, Sonja. The book takes us on a journey where Ove comes in contact with his neighbours and his interaction with them. It takes us in a flashback where Ove thinks about his mother, his father with whom he spent most of his time, how he met Sonja and his black and white life filled with colour, his reconciliation with Anita and Rune, his friends and neighbours. The book beautifully describes Sonja and the compassion she carried. We won't doubt Ove's love for her even for a microsecond, because we'd feel ourselves falling in love with such a wonderful soul, Sonja. There are some books which make you stop reading and look at the wall, and wonder over what has been written. This book gave me many such instances. Ove's love for Sonja and the things he did for her was heartwarming. The way Ove picked Sonja up every night and took her to their room, despite she asking him to shift to the room downstairs, and Ove's rationale as to why he will never stop doing it, will give everyone the hope. Sonja's analogy where she compared moving into a house to falling in love, welled up my eyes. When Parvaneh feels that she won't be able to drive the car when people kept honking behind her, and the talk that Ove gave her which made us realize how powerful women are. These are probably a few parts in the book which I will never forget. Quotes worth mentioning: 1. “You only need one ray of light to chase all the shadows away.” 2. “But if anyone had asked, he would have told them that he never lived before he met her. And not after either.” 3. “They never had much, but they always had enough.” 4. “Men like Ove and Rune were from a generation in which one was what one did, not what one talked about.” Overall, an amazing book written in a simple language, all one has to do is understand Ove and his emotions. The book will sure take you on a journey, and you'll be tempted to watch the movie and give an embodiment to such lovely characters. I'd recommend kids to not read it as it has some depiction of suicide.

This book creates a narrative that’s both heartbreaking and joyful. It’s a story about how love doesn’t always follow expected paths and how a person’s impact on the world can be far greater than they ever imagine. This novel is a beautiful reminder that it’s never too late to open yourself up to change, to forgiveness, and to the possibility of new beginnings. Whether you’re looking for a laugh, a tear, or just a good story, A Man Called Ove delivers in spades. It’s a book that will make you reflect on your own relationships and, perhaps, prompt you to reach out to someone who might need a little more kindness in their life.

Se trata de un cascarrabias poco sociable que se enfada por cualquier cosa.Es también comico a la vez. Más avanza el libro mas te das cuenta que este hombre tiene un buén corazón. Me encantó el libro y voy a leer mas libros de este escritor.

I loved this book! Ove is a typical, grumpy old man with his own unique perspective on life that will leave you crying with laughter while tearing your hair out in frustration! It's heartbreakingly sad but also hilariously funny at the same time. A beautiful story of a good man trying to make sense of a crazy world, and finding his place in the end. Highly recommend.

If there were a scale that allowed for more than perfection, A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman would transcend it. This book is a profound, heartwarming, and unexpectedly hilarious tale that takes the seemingly mundane life of a curmudgeonly man and turns it into a symphony of laughter, tears, and triumphs. Ove, the titular character, is the grump we all recognize—the kind of man who yells at stray cats and meticulously measures parking spaces. But as Backman peels back the layers of his life, we discover a man of profound love, loss, and resilience. It's in these small, intricately woven moments that the story truly shines. Backman’s genius lies in his ability to mix dry wit with deeply emotional storytelling. One minute you're laughing out loud at Ove's cantankerous antics; the next, you're wiping tears as his past is revealed. Every character is wonderfully drawn, from Ove's persistent neighbors to the stray cat that becomes his reluctant companion. This book isn’t just about one man—it’s about life itself, in all its messy, beautiful complexity. It’s a celebration of community, compassion, and the connections we make when we least expect them. Backman’s prose is deceptively simple, yet every word carries weight, resonating with a truth that hits home. Few authors can make you feel as though you've lived an entire life within the span of a few hundred pages, but Backman does it effortlessly. A Man Called Ove is more than a book—it’s an experience. It will break your heart and put it back together in a way that makes you see the world a little brighter. If you haven’t read it yet, you’re missing out on one of the greatest literary gifts of our time. Final Verdict: 6/5 stars. A must-read for anyone with a pulse.

Just loved it. I read it after reading the Anxious People. Now reading Britt Maria Was Here. One can not get enough Fredrick Backman books.

A story starts with a lonely man trying to commit suicide. He has nothing to live for after he loses his beloved wife who was the only one who could ever break the hard crust that hides his big heart. Every time he is just about to kill himself, he is interrupted by a highly pregnant young Iranian neighbor continuously stumping into his house and demanding help in a very spontaneous, un-Swedish manner - to lend her husband a ladder; tu rush the husband to hospital after he falls from the ladder, and so on. She manages not only to prevent him from committing a suicide, but she actually gets to thaw all the ice that had built around this man's big heart. She brings warm humanity inside the lonely man's empty home. Although there is nothing much exceptional happening, we get completely involved in these relationships that develop between the hard dry lonely Swede and his various neighbors - all thanks to this warm hearted young Iranian woman. Years pass and he ends up a happy old man with everything life was denying him for most of his life. A good writer can make a fascinating reading experience even out of the most uneventful story. So many little moments that throw light on the psychology, tragedy, humour, love, affection and so much more that make a human life what it is . The story ends with the man dying years later of natural death, having after all lived a full and meaningful life, loved by many. Leaves a reader with a warm feeling. A story of tenderness that can be found in the most unexpected places by those who know how to look for it.