Synopses & Reviews
From the author of the internationally bestselling andlt;Iandgt;A Man Called Oveandlt;/Iandgt;, a charming, warmhearted novel about a young girl whose grandmother dies and leaves behind a series of letters, sending her on a journey that brings to life the world of her grandmotherand#8217;s fairy tales.andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Elsa is seven years old and different. Her grandmother is seventy-seven years old and crazy, standing-on-the-balcony-firing-paintball-guns-at-men-who-want-to-talk-about-Jesus-crazy. She is also Elsaand#8217;s best, and only, friend. At night Elsa takes refuge in her grandmotherand#8217;s stories, in the Land of Almost-Awake and the Kingdom of Miamas where everybody is different and nobody needs to be normal.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;When Elsaand#8217;s grandmother dies and leaves behind a series of letters apologizing to people she has wronged, Elsaand#8217;s greatest adventure begins. Her grandmotherand#8217;s letters lead her to an apartment building full of drunks, monsters, attack dogs, and totally ordinary old crones, but also to the truth about fairytales and kingdoms and a grandmother like no other.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You Sheand#8217;s Sorry andlt;/Iandgt;is told with the same comic accuracy and beating heart as Fredrik Backmanand#8217;s internationally bestselling debut novel, andlt;Iandgt;A Man Called Oveandlt;/Iandgt;. It is a story about life and death and an ode to one of the most important human rights: the right to be different.
Review
andlt;Bandgt;Praise for A MAN CALLED OVE:andlt;/Bandgt;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt; and#8220;A charming debutand#8230;Youand#8217;ll laugh, youand#8217;ll cry, youand#8217;ll feel new sympathy for the curmudgeons in your life. Youand#8217;ll also want to move to Scandinavia, where everythingand#8217;s cuter.and#8221;
Review
"An inspiring affirmation of love for life and acceptance of people for their essence and individual quirks. andlt;Iandgt;A Man Called Oveandlt;/Iandgt; is a perfect selection for book clubs. It's well written and replete with universal concerns. It lacks violence and profanity, is life-affirming and relationship-driven. The book is bittersweet, tender, often wickedly humorous and almost certain to elicit tears. I contentedly wept my way through a box of tissues when I first read the novel and again when I savored it for a second time.and#8221;
Review
"andlt;Iandgt;A Man Called Oveandlt;/Iandgt; is exquisite. The lyrical language is the confetti thrown liberally throughout this celebration-of-life story, adding sparkle and color to an already spectacular party. Backman's characters feel so authentic that readers will likely find analogues living in their own neighborhoods."
Review
"Readers seeking feel-good tales with a message will rave about the rantings of this solitary old man with a singular outlook. If there was an award for 'Most Charming Book of the Year,' this first novel by a Swedish blogger-turned-overnight-sensation would win hands down."
Review
and#8220;A funny crowd-pleaser that serves up laughs to accompany a thoughtful reflection on loss and loveand#8230; The author writes with winning charm.and#8221;
Review
and#8220;This charming debut novel by Backman should find a ready audience with English-language readersand#8230; hysterically funnyand#8230; wry descriptions, excellent pacingand#8230; In the contest of Most Winning Combination, it would be hard to beat grumpy Ove and his hidden,generous heart.and#8221;
Review
"There are characters who amuse us, and stories that touch us. But this character and his story do even more: A Man Called Ove makes us think about who we are and how we want to live our lives. A Man Called Ove seems deceptively simple at the start, yet Frederik Backman packs a lifetime's worth of hilarity and heartbreak into this novel. Even the most crusty curmudgeon will love Ove!"
Review
and#8220;One of the most moving novels I have read this year. I defy anyone to read this book and look at a quiet withdrawn person the same way ever again.and#8221;
Review
and#8220;Firmly in league with Roald Dahl and Neil Gaiman. A touching, sometimes funny, often wise portrait of grief.and#8221;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;u5:pandgt;andlt;/u5:pandgt;
Review
and#8220;Every bit as churlish but lovable as Backmanand#8217;s cantankerous protagonist in his debut, andlt;Iandgt;A Man Called Oveandlt;/Iandgt; (2014), precocious Elsa will easily work her way into the hearts of readers who like characters with spunk to spare. A delectable homage to the power of stories to comfort and heal, Backmanand#8217;s tender tale of the touching relationship between a grandmother and granddaughter is a tribute to the everlasting bonds of deep family ties.andlt;Iandgt;and#8221;andlt;/Iandgt;
Review
andlt;xmlandgt; andlt;/xmlandgt;andlt;xmlandgt; andlt;/xmlandgt;"In his second offering, Backman (andlt;Iandgt;A Man Called Oveandlt;/Iandgt;) continues to write with the same whimsical charm and warm heart as in his debut."
Review
and#8220;[and#8230;] Believable and fanciful. Backmanand#8217;s smooth storytelling infuses his characters with charm and wit. . . Engaging. . . A delightful story.and#8221;
About the Author
Fredrik Backman is a Swedish blogger and columnist. andlt;Iandgt;A Man Called Oveandlt;/Iandgt;, his first novel, has sold more than 500,000 copies inandnbsp;its native countryandnbsp;and has been published in more thanandnbsp;twenty-five languages all over the world. His second novel, andlt;Iandgt;My Grandmother Sent Me to Tell You Sheandrsquo;s Sorryandlt;/Iandgt;, will be published by Atria in 2015.