Tale of a crusty codger and nosy neighbor. Craftily makes a taciturn curmudgeon a sympathetic character.

Reserved for maggiesma (tag). Mailed, 06/08/16.

Thank you for sharing this wishlist book with me ghir.

Ova seems cranky while he's really a nice guy. A solid friend that fights the idea of being social.

Mailed to eponine38 as a wish list tag.

Thank you, maggiesma! Looks great. I appreciate the tag!

I read this several months ago and forgot to journal it – sorry! Better late than never, I guess. Wish I had reviewed it right away when it was fresh in my mind…
This was delightful! Ove is prickly, but deep down he does care about others – and himself, to some extent. I had trouble picturing his neighborhood, but the neighbors themselves were an interesting bunch! The story moves seamlessly between amusing and sad, and we come to learn some of the reasons for Ove’s pessimism.
I’ll definitely read more by Mr. Backman!
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Offering in bookstogive's General Literature VBB.

Traveling to perryfran via bookstogive's General Literature VBB. Hope you enjoy it!

Thanks for sending this from the Lit VBB. I've read good things about it and look forward to reading it.

I really enjoyed this novel about a cranky man and his life in a Swedish community after losing his wife. Ove is 59 and drives a Saab. He frowns upon anyone who drives anything else. He rises early to inspect the neighborhood—checking doors, making sure people properly recycle their trash, putting waylaid bicycles in the shed where they belong, and making sure everyone observes the sign stating that no vehicles are allowed in the residential area. He feuds with a neighbor who has a feisty dog that pees on his cobblestones and wants to attack a stray neighborhood cat. And then some new neighbors move in who can't even back up a trailer without smashing Ove's mailbox! What has life become for him? But deep down, he has a heart of gold and eventually comes to love his new neighbors along with his friend who he has been feuding with for years. He longs to join his wife in the next life but something always happens to keep him from her.

This was a very touching story and before it's through, most of its readers will shed a few tears. I would whole-heartedly recommend this one. I actually decided to read this after it languished on my shelves for a few years because it is now a movie titled A Man Called Otto starring Tom Hanks that will be released in January. I saw the trailer for it and I'll be looking forward to seeing it!

Sending to a PaperbackSwap member in El Paso, TX. Enjoy!

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