After enjoying 'Anxious People' recently I am looking forward to spending time with grumpy middle-aged (my age!) Ove ...

(13/07/24) *includes spoilers* I can see why this was so popular, with its gentle pace, comedy, and emotional touchpoints. And I did enjoy it, I’m not a monster! However, Ove troubles me a bit … not least because I am also 59; the questions-for-book-groups doesn’t pull any punches asking, “why are late middle aged men so grumpy?” Ove is painted almost as a cartoon figure, an unbelievably bad-tempered, buttoned-down, and anti-social curmudgeon. We find out through the flashbacks the ‘causes’ of these behaviours (flaws, neuro-diversities?) with tragic events throughout his life and his recent bereavement, but also the consequences of his character and actions. The ‘comedic’ and humane elements come from his failed suicide attempts and the glorious cast of neighbours and adversaries that gravitate toward, not away from, Ove. This is my first problem, as a real man Ove would be shunned or ignored. To balance this, Ove has a highly developed need for order and the skills and desire - urging on compulsion - to fix things, which makes him useful, if not loved, the long-suffering Sonja excepted. And this is my second frustration; despite the idea that his heart is ‘too big’, we are led to believe that he doesn’t help others for altruistic or kindly purposes, but simply to fix, or by proxy, try to control the world around him.

As a last word, did I say that I really enjoyed this and am looking forward to seeing Tom Hanks as Ove :)

Addendum: on reflection, maybe Ove is an unreliable narrator in his own head, maybe he wants to be good and kind and be part of a community, but doesn't know how?

Restocking and shifting things around in the sharing shelf :) If you get this far, welcome to bookcrossing!