A Man Called Ove | Book Review (Spoiler-Free)

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Author: Fredrik Backman
Pages: 337
My rating: 5/5
Published: 2014

“To love someone is like moving into a house," Sonja used to say. "At first you fall in love in everything new, you wonder every morning that this is one's own, as if they are afraid that someone will suddenly come tumbling through the door and say that there has been a serious mistake and that it simply was not meant to would live so fine. But as the years go by, the facade worn, the wood cracks here and there, and you start to love this house not so much for all the ways it is perfect in that for all the ways it is not. You become familiar with all its nooks and crannies. How to avoid that the key gets stuck in the lock if it is cold outside. Which floorboards have some give when you step on them, and exactly how to open the doors for them not to creak. That's it, all the little secrets that make it your home.” 

Goodreads Description 
A grumpy yet loveable man finds his solitary world turned on its head when a boisterous young family moves in next door.

Meet Ove. He's a curmudgeon, the kind of man who points at people he dislikes as if they were burglars caught outside his bedroom window. He has staunch principles, strict routines, and a short fuse. People call him the bitter neighbor from hell, but must Ove be bitter just because he doesn't walk around with a smile plastered to his face all the time?

Behind the cranky exterior, there is a story and a sadness. So when one November morning a chatty young couple with two chatty young daughters move in next door and accidentally flatten Ove's mailbox, it is the lead-in to a comical and heartwarming tale of unkempt cats, unexpected friendship, and the ancient art of backing up a U-Haul. All of which will change one cranky old man and a local residents' association to their very foundations. 

Review
Fredrick Backman has created a very strong character that gives you both heartwarming and heartbreaking moments. Ove is someone that I think a lot of people can recognize in their own surroundings. I don't know how it is in other parts of the world, but in Sweden, I definitely think that we have people similar to Ove. Then again, Ove is a very unique character. He is the star of this book, meaning his characteristics is the best part of the book, not the plot, not the writing, but Ove. It's interesting how people that show the least emotion in social situations can be the ones carrying the most.

This brilliant novel talks about life and death. It's about the personal journey that we all take, things that break us, shapes us and makes us who we are. People of different ages and even different countries can relate to Ove because he's not alone to have loved and lost. I mean, I am to be 18 years old and even I can relate to some of Ove's feelings and thoughts. I think this is such an important read that everyone should pick up at least once in their lifetime. 

I am having a rather difficult time to write about this book because I have so many different emotions after reading this that I just don't know how to get them down in writing. But I think that I have said the most important things. I just want to discuss the writing in this book as well.

Backman's writing is at first glance pretty simple, which of course matches the vibe of the book, but after reading a bit I find that he gets more poetic in some parts of the book. He has this great balance in his language that I find beautiful. When I met him a couple years ago, I remember him saying that he did not know how to write when he started his first book, but after reading A Man Called Ove I think it's safe to say that it definitely doesn't show in this book. He writes from his heart, takes a piece from himself and gives it to this book, and as William Wordsworth said, you should "fill your paper with the breathings of your heart." That's what makes a great writer and that's what makes this book so phenomenal.

The Handmaid's Tale | Book Review (Spoiler-Free)

Author: Margaret Atwood

















Author: Margaret Atwood
Pages: 311
My rating: 5/5
Published: 1998

Goodreads Description 
Offred is a Handmaid in the Republic of Gilead. She may leave the home of the Commander and his wife once a day to walk to food markets whose signs are now pictures instead of words because women are no longer allowed to read. She must lie on her back once a month and pray that the Commander makes her pregnant because, in an age of declining births, Offred and the other Handmaids are valued only if their ovaries are viable. Offred can remember the years before when she lived and made love with her husband, Luke; when she played with and protected her daughter; when she had a job, money of her own, and access to knowledge. But all of that is gone now...

Review

As I started reading this book I thought it was fictional and that the world that was created before my eyes were dystopian. I did not think that such things could be real. I would not believe it. That is why I was surprised to find out that story is actually based on several historical events. For example, the handmaids had to were red dresses and white wings on their heads as to separate them from the rest of the population. The Marthas wore green and the Commanders' wives wore blue. This can be compared to the way Nazi Germany marked their Judes with the star of David. Another parallel to Nazi Germany is the fact the handmaids were stripped of their liberties, their rights, and even their identities, as were the Judes during the Holocaust.

I really liked the characters in the book. Offred describes herself as weak compared to the other handmaids several times, but I think that it is strong to live in such a horrible society. It is strong of her to do that and not be tempted by death, even though that might seem like a good option. She cannot stand up for herself. She cannot control her life. Still, she lives. Other characters as the Commander and his wife seem like they have a lot of power because they stand higher than the handmaids, but I think that even they are being controlled. Serena Joy still has to obey rules and so does the Commander. 

The Handmaid's Tale is an excellent book that talks about the unfair treatment of women in Gilead, a futuristic North America where women have been stripped of their rights and identities. Gilead is completely controlled by the harsh government. In the book, the world has gone from a rather modern society in which the women had many liberties to a historical time period in which they did not. 


It is not only the historical references that make this book great, but also the fact that it concerns bigger subjects, freedom, justification and basic human rights. The story is not trapped in the past but contains many similarities to the modern society. The world is not perfect, people still have no liberty in some parts of the world. Women still get treated unfairly. There are many concerns about Trump as a president, especially with the banning of abortions increasing. Therefore it was just a matter of time before this phenomenal book would affect the modern protests. A book of such strong opinions about something as important as women's rights, human rights, should not be silenced. It was meant to influence the world.

The Elite | Book Review

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Author: Kiera Cass
Pages: 336
My rating: 4/5 

Goodreads Description 
The Selection began with thirty-five girls.
Now with the group narrowed down to the six Elite, the competition to win Prince Maxon's heart is fiercer than ever—and America is still struggling to decide where her heart truly lies. Is it with Maxon, who could make her life a fairy tale? Or with her first love, Aspen?

America is desperate for more time. But the rest of the Elite know exactly what they want—and America's chance to choose is about to slip away.

Review
Compared with the first book, The Elite is not as thrilling nor romantic in my opinion. I find The Selection very interesting and I loved the first book in the series, but the continuation had some problems. I loved that so many things happened in this book, it was never slow. Something that bothered me though was actually America the main character who I really liked in the first book. I found it very annoying that she could never decide who she loves, The Prince or Aspen, and even though I know it could be a difficult choice I was surprised that it took the whole book to figure it out, or actually two books to be more correct. 

Other than the fact that I liked the main character a bit less, this book was still full of action and I really liked it. It is like you can never catch your breath properly before something new happens. I liked that in a book. 

I will continue with this series, hoping that the third book will be as good as the first book now that she finally has decided who to fight for. Although I think she still has to figure out what she fights for.

Have a good day and an awesome summer!

The Selection | Book Review

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Author: Kiera Cass
Pages: 336
My rating: 5/5 

“I hope you find someone you can't live without. I really do. And I hope you never have to know what it's like to have to try and live without them.” 

Goodreads Description 
For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself—and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.


Review
Compared with The Hunger Games and The Bachelor, The Selection is an interesting story. When I picked this audiobook up, I did not think that I would enjoy it as much as I did. I thought it would be a bit shallow as if only the outside counted for Prince Maxon, but I could not be longer from the truth. Kiera Cass writes an excellent book that captures your interest at once. The characters are friendly and they develop as the story progresses, America, for example, discovers new things outside her low caste that she could never imagine and she learns that just because you're royal, does not mean that you have a perfect life. 

Some things in the plot were kind of expected and therefore not a surprise because I have seen it in other books. I can't go in too deep if I want to keep you unspoiled.  

I also loved the drama between the competing girls, as well as the friendship. It's easy to picture the characters in front of you, laughing or smiling. Kiera Cass has a very descriptive way of expressing herself and she leaves space for her characters to develop as the story progresses. The flaws in different character, not least America, makes them easier to relate to and therefore easier to love.

I do not have much more to say about this book, because  thoughts can be summarised in one sentence: I love it! It is a five-star read. It is entertaining and unique. When the voice in my ear suddenly told me that the book had ended I was at first surprised, even though I kind of felt that it was over, because the time passed by so fast when I listened to it and because it ended while I still had questions and while there still was a lot left of the story. But I guess that's what they call a series. You don't get the whole story in one book. I just have to read the next book to find out what happens, and I am very excited about that. 

Have a good day and an awesome summer!

Ps. I hope you know that all of my book reviews are spoiler-free unless I warn you about spoilers. 

Red Rising | Book Review

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Author: Pierce Brown
Pages: 382
My rating: 4/5

“I live for the dream that my children will be born free. That they will be what they like. That they will own the land their father gave them.' 'I live for you,' I say sadly. She kisses my cheek. 'Then you must live for more.”

Synopsis
In a future society on Mars people are divided into different colors. The highest caste, Gold, is dominant and ruling, the Silvers are financiers and businessmen, the Yellows are doctors and researchers, the Grays are soldiers and police, the Browns are servants, the Reds are manual laborers and so forth. 

Darrow is of the lowest Red caste. He works hard all day in the mines. He and other Reds believe that their work contributes to a better future where many generations will be able to live on Mars, for example, the people left on Earth. But the most motivating factor for Darrow must be that he wants to make the world better for his potential children. 

But when the goal of the Reds work turns out to be a lie and Darrow realizes that everything he has ever believed is being crushed into pieces, and when new people he has never met tells him that he has an important mission, his life sets into a frightening and important new direction. He has to bring justice to the world. To succeed with his goal, he has to become the very thing he hates the most, a son of the Gold caste.


Review
This book can be compared to The Hunger Games, but with a splash of science fiction. At the beginning of the book, you meet the main character, Darrow, his wife Eo and his family. The story started out great, building interest for the coming events. We learn about the world and all of the rules. We learn that it is harsh and brutal. Darrow is presented as impulsive, confident and humorous. I liked him right away. He does not seem to think about having a better life for himself. All he cares about is Eo. And even though Eo loves Darrow with all of her heart, she dreams of something greater than this unfair world. She dares to believe that this can't be it for her and every other Red. 

As the book develops I liked Eo even more and compared her to Katniss Everdeen, even though Darrow probably is more like her. I just thought about Eo's singing and her courage, standing up to the rulers without a glimpse of fear in her eyes. But Darrow gets chosen to change the world. He has to fight not only for his own life but for the breath every single Red. He becomes Gold, not only on the outside but on the inside as well. At first, I knew he had to act like the Gold people, looking down at the other colors, behaving like he is better than everyone else. In order to win the competition that the schools created, something he has to do if he wants to break the system from the inside, he must act like a Gold, meaning becoming one and he does. This is where I stop liking him. I know some of the things he does, he has to do and I know that his goal is important, especially to all of the low colors, but he kills people and hurts people. 

Something that I think makes many readers still like Darrow is that he's full of regret after realizing what he has become and starts acting better, making his group follow him not in fear, but in respect. The plot is intriguing and is very action-packed. I found it difficult though to get into this book. Even though Darrow started behaving better, I did not like him any longer and I had a hard time keeping up with the fast-paced plot. A reason for this can be that I listened to the audiobook while working, but I've done that with other books and still liked them better. If you want to read this book I recommend reading the physical book. It probably makes it easier. 

I really wanted to like this book. Now I don't know if I am going to continue with the trilogy or stop after the first book. A part of me thinks that it will get better, but another part of me thinks that I have so much to read that I should just skip it. I'm keeping the option open for now, but it's not a priority. 

I hope I wasn't too harsh and negative, but I actually liked parts of the book as well, I mean I did give it 4 stars. And I can give you another positive thing with this book. It would make an epic movie. 

Have a good day and an awesome summer! 

June Wrap Up

Hello book lovers!

Today is the first of July and I want to take a moment to look back at June, what I read and which books were my favorites. I read 7 books in June, which is pretty good for me considering the fact that I only read 2 books in May. It was a good reading month.

In May I started reading A Wrinkle In Time, which I continued in June. I gave the book 4 stars because it wasn't as good as I expected, but at the same time, it was really good. When I read it I wasn't intrigued or longing to know what's to happen next. A Wrinkle In Time wasn't a book I read growing up and I did not even know it existed until I saw a Booktube video. Then I realized how popular it was and wanted to read it, especially when I found out that it was being turned into a movie. The book was great, don't get me wrong, but it wasn't phenomenal. I still haven't seen the movie, but I really want to.

Another book that I actually read during A Wrinkle In Time, as a break, was The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. It was a short and quick read and I enjoyed it. This story was different from anything I've ever read. I gave it 4 stars. I'm thinking about changing it to 3 stars because when I think about it the book is not amazing and I think the movie could be better. I still need to watch it though, so no promise.

My third read was Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda. This is, without doubt, my favorite read of June. This book was amazing and after finishing it I wanted to read it again. It gave me intrigue, happiness, sadness, weirdness, important lessons, and love. I need to order Leah on the Off-beat because I want to get back into the world of Creekwood. I highly recommend this book. If you aren't following me on Instagram you probably don't know that I actually won tickets to the movie Love, Simon. I can't wait to go see it with my best friend. We decided to bring Oreos to eat during the film. A great decision, if you ask me. Oreos are great! Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda got 5 strong stars.

Then I started working at a warehouse and I did not read that much. Instead, I listened to audiobooks. The first one was Treasure Island. This is the classic pirate tale that inspired a bunch of other pirate tales. I love Pirates of the Caribbean and recognized the pirate song about rum that was repeatedly mentioned in the book. But the actual book was not in my taste. I even got a bit confused at times. It's a great story, but I think I prefer the modern adaptions more. I gave it 4 stars.

The book I read during work was Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. I read it before going to bed and then on the days, I listened to a different book. I loved Miss Peregrine and her children. The story itself was so special and I enjoyed it a lot. It took me longer than expected to finish this book, but I think the reason for that is that I was so tired from work that I came home, ate, watched a couple of episodes of a TV series and then went to bed haha. But it was a great book and yesterday, I watched the movie with was again amazing. I love this story and the setting and the plot. This is a series that I'm definitely continuing.

I also listened to One Plus One. Sometimes you just need a lighter read with romance in it. Of course, there were things going down in this book as well, but it wasn't the end of the world things and it was stuff that could happen to anyone basically. I loved this and gave it 5 stars.

The last book I read in June was Red Rising. I thought this was going to be epic and the idea itself really is, but I did not like it as much as I wanted to. I thought the book would turn out different and the surprise was not that positive. I liked that the characters were strong and all. In the beginning, I really liked the main character, because he stood up for himself, was a bit funny and reminded me a little of Katniss Everdeen. But as the book progressed I started to like him less. I did not like all of his actions and choices. I understand that he had to do some things in order to reach his goal, but I was still surprised in a bad way. I still liked the idea of a color system, instead of factions or districts. I gave it 4 stars.

If you think about it I only read 4-5 star books, which is great. I found some new favorites and liked most of my reads. I also enjoyed reading more this month than May. Sometimes I just do not want to pick up a book and that feels strange and I don't love the feeling, but I just have to not stress about it and try to read books that I enjoy, over books that I only pick up because of their popularity. This is something I need to work on. I want to find more books that haven't been talked about that much because I think it's a good idea to try to discover new reads. Just because no one knows it exists, doesn't mean that it isn't a phenomenal read.

I want to leave you with something I wrote a while ago.

Stop being the society's version of beautiful and start being your own.