I enjoyed Beartown, but I didn’t love it. The story of a Swedish town that’s seen better days, its rivalry with a neighbouring town and, above all, it’s obsession with ice hockey. This book follows on from where Beartown left off. There was an incident in the last book, something that directly impacted a few people intensely but in some way seemed to impact everyone. Most of the same characters are here, but some have moved on, making way for people who were always there, we just hadn’t met them yet.

The obsession with hockey remains a major theme and the rivalry issue is given even more focus, but this book seems to be more about survival. People are carrying scars from events previously covered and more damage is about to be inflicted. How will the residents of this already damaged town cope? We’ll find out in due course, but first we have to be introduced to the new characters and re-introduced to the carry-on players. This takes some time – too much time, I think. Yes, like the first book, everything seems to happen in slow motion before suddenly speeding up to a hectic finish.

The thing I liked least about this book is the way the author, once more, left regular teasers sprinkled throughout. These promised – or at least seemed to – that something dramatic was to follow or suggested a twist in the story was about to land; it was like the punchline was being given away before the joke was told. Often these turned out to be misleading but either way it gave me the unpleasant feeling that my senses were being manipulated. But the thing I liked most about this book was the fact that, manipulated or not, the story did tug at my emotions! How odd.

The good and the bad mix constantly. I felt there was much too much focus on a band of troublemakers known as <i>the Pack</i>. It became repetitive and dull: all the chants they deployed during hockey matches and talk of how tough they all were. But the introduction of a sneaky, self serving politician was great – I wish he'd had an even bigger presence in this book. As for other characters, Peter Andersson, a big figure in the first book, is reduced to a moaning depressive here; Alan's daughter, Maya, and her friend Ana survive rather better. And, as well as the politician, there are one or two interesting new additions. But it's the pace of the whole thing that caused me most agitation. In the end I dragged myself to the finish, where loose ends were tied up in the manner of a hackneyed television movie.
.
Maybe I'm being slightly harsh and I'm well aware that most of my reading friends loved this book, but I was left with the feeling that the whole story is over told and the pace and style of the piece irritated me.

In terms of a rating, I'm tempted to go 2 stars but I did finish the book and, as I've stated, there were elements that really got to me – a tear in the eye – so it's 3 stars for me.

Us against everyone. Beartown against the rest.

I never imagined this sequel to Beartown would be just as good as the first. It was. Again I was bowled over by Bach’s insight and understanding of people, as individuals and communities, enough to reduce me to tears in several places. It is existential in tone as he examines:
“What makes us shout out loud with joy? What makes us cry? What are our happiest memories, our worst days, our deepest disappointments? Who did we stand alongside? What’s a family? What’s a team?”
Once again he shows us that we are all both good and bad and that ‘“culture isn’t just what we encourage but what we allow to happen.”

Another great book from Fredrik. I preferred the first in the series, as there was a fair bit of recapping, but I'm looking forward to the next one. I love spending time in Bear Town.

My comments about this novel reflect many of those I had about this successor and have stayed with me for a long time, which is unusual because I am one of those people who promptly forgets the minor (ok maybe major) points of books she has read just a matter of weeks ago. The ones that stay with me stay for a reason.

Firstly, if you haven’t read ‘Beartown’, read that first. I promise you it will be worth your while.secondly, if you find the narration a little hard going at first, I implore you to stick with it. Initially I felt cross that it jumped about so much and that it seemed to be quite narrow in its characterisation. But it’s like a good painting, the artist gradually laying on the layers, waiting for it to dry, adding a few more details and then, finally, standing back to reveal a thing of beauty, I should have known after the first one but I got there in the end.

I didn’t love many of the characters but there were some that just shone out from the pages: Benji, Amat and his relationship with his mother, I’d like to have grown to know Vidar more but that’s interesting in itself.

The only thing that did grate a bit was the constant vague statements about the future of characters as part of the narration (Years later she would play the song at her concert... and that sort of thing) though admittedly some were red herrings.

I will probably revisit this duo of books in a few years and have a new cry but for now, a very satisfying read.

I discovered the author rather late and have Goodreads to thank for setting me on the right track. When I finished this book, I turned to my husband to sigh and say that this is what we bibliophiles wait for when we wade through books that do not speak to us enough.I had not even actively registered that this book was part of a series. When I saw this second one appear on NetGalley I jumped and must have repeatedly clicked request. I got rejected from one avenue, but luckily I was given a reprieve. 

There is so much that I want to say about this book but do not want to spin too long a yarn so you could stop reading this soon enough and get to actually reading this book (or the series if you are yet to read the first). I must begin by saying this book is effectively in the third person, it makes it easier in some ways to protect your heart from the hurt of one person because you watch them all ache and grow. It may not be the best form of communication for all though. Before encountering the residents of Beartown and their beloved hockey team, I did not imagine giving five stars that easily to a book that made me that sad and powerless.

This second book picks off right where we left them all in the last book trying to justify the choices they made in a burgeoning war. There is a depth to politics that rears its ugly head in each and every event in this book. One man may think he is pulling the strings but things can get away from him.I cannot mention any one person because it is the story of all of them, both the obvious and the unseen. Life is neither cut and dried nor pretty but they make judgement calls that we should wish we never have to.Its the struggle of a small town making some changes while others stay the same, what people do to just survive. When I found out the significance of the title, I had goosebumps down my arms.

There is only one other thing I want to mention before I throw my few words into the world and add to those countless others singing this book's praises. Each focal character in this book has a woman, a strong and resilient woman or just someone they care about. This connection to women brings out the humanity in them and it is so refreshing to read in this overly complicated real world. This book is not about the sport of hockey that everything seemingly revolves around ( and the author continuously reminds us of that fact) it is way,way more than that!!!

I will be reviewing this on my YouTube channel. Beartown was my favourite book of the year last year and this, while not as impressive as a stand-alone, was a lovely chance to spend some more time with my favourite characters.

Guys never think about light, it just isn't in their lives. When guys are scared of the dark, they're scared of ghosts and monsters, but when girls are scared of the dark, they're scared of guys.

Just where do you start with a book like this ? its not an average book and its not written in an average way ! When i started I thought that I really didn't like the style of narration and that I would struggle to complete it. I was up half the night reading. This is not a book about hockey, "everyone gets a stick, two nets, and two teams, Us against You " is about fitting in and being part of something. Part of the town, part of a team, part of a pair. Its about family and extended family and its about Us against You - regardless of how you look at it there will always be an "Us"

The characters are so well developed that they really come alive. I haven't read Beartown and I will probably do so but not right away as I don't want to overdose on the problems of Beartown, it can overwhelm. I'm not sure it got much of the Swedish setting, it could have as easily been set in northern Canada however, the quality of writing and the intensity of the drama are such that this book will stay with you a long time.

If you read one book this summer - this is the one.

As far as sequels go, this is one of the best I’ve ever read! Once you get past the first 30% that is, because this one starts slowly, worryingly so, but it all came so right in the end. This novel is the sequel to Beartown and it is a must that you read them in order. In Beartown, this small Swedish town was brought to its knees, rocked by a tragedy and a scandal; Us Against You is the consequences, the fallout of last season, on and off the ice.

Like its predecessor, Us Against You is incredibly atmospheric and extremely well-written – you’re captivated by this small town and you feel their emotions as if they’re your own. You’ll meet a large number of the characters from the first book, so you’ll love them already, your heart will break for them again, you’ll cry for them, but most importantly, on and off the ice, you’ll cheer for them.

The main difference between this novel and Beartown is that the fall of this town isn’t centred around one event, the town is already broken; some residents are trying to put it back together, while others are just trying to survive. And when this town is at its weakest, we see how easy it is to be manipulated, politically, for Peter loves his club and, as general manager, he will do all he can to see Beartown play one more season.

What’s so special about this book is how emotionally charged it is, how invested in the lives of these characters you are. Backman is an incredibly talented author, when you read this book, you will zone out of your surroundings and be present only in Beartown, such is the strength of the writing. Can someone give Backman an award for writing the most quotable book of the year! And can someone give Neil Smith and award for his incredible translation from the Swedish!

I think the most important thing to remember when you pick up this book is, it isn’t Beartown, I don’t think anyone, not even Backman himself, could ever recreate Beartown, it is one of my favourite books of all time. But what Us Against You is, is a fantastic sequel that carries the essence of Beartown, it is not a duplicate, it’s the next chapter.

I started this book wondering if I should have read the first book set in this community - Beartown - but I hadn't and started reading anyway. Not a mistake. This is a difficult book because it covers some tough subjects like rape and sexism and homophobia and violence and power. But it is also covers friendship and love and devotion. It's about an ice-hockey mad town but the ice-hockey is a centre stage backdrop. I know nothing and care even less about ice hockey but the game provides the rhythm and focus but not the story. I wanted things to change for the town and the characters and everything did change and yet nothing changes. Somehow the people changed yet stayed exactly the same. You'll have to read it to understand what I mean. Highly recommended. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my advance review copy.

This is a good fast paced read. I enjoyed this book a lot more than Beartown. I felt interested in the characters this time. This is about life in a small town where hockey and loyalty mean everything. The plot was gripping and there was a lot to the story.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

Let me start by saying I’m a big fan of Fredrik Backman. I’ve read most of his books and recommend them to everyone who’ll listen. This book is a sequel to Beartown, which I enjoyed so much I was almost afraid to read this book in case I didn’t like it. I need not have worried - it was almost as good. Backman has a knack of tapping into the psyche of his characters and the behaviour of human beings. I found myself reading and thinking ‘yes - that’s it, that’s what I wanted to say ‘ but articulated so much more clearly than I could have said it (that’s why he’s a famous author and I’m not!). My emotions were all over the place - anger on behalf of Maya for society’s habit of blaming the victim, fear for Benji and Leo.
I absolutely recommend this book (and Beartown) and I’ll be impatiently waiting for Fredrik Backman’s next book.

First thing to note - this is the sequel to Backman's 'Beartown' - which you can read my review of here. - https://hintonhitsthebooks.wixsite.com/blog/single-post/2018/05/01/Beartown-by-Fredrik-Backman

If you can't be bothered - I'll summarise for you - I loved it. Beartown was so unexpected and so wonderful.

However - as part of that review, I said this:

"There were a few moments that were maybe, just slightly, perhaps dare I say it..... the tiniest bit cheesy?? Just in those scenarios where Backman builds you up to believe that the character is going to do the expected thing, and then they go and do the opposite - the heroic thing. It just felt ripe for some uplifting saccharine Hollywood soundtrack to start playing over the top. But perhaps that's just my cold, dead, cynical heart talking again."


So, I loved 'Us Against You' for the same reasons I loved 'Beartown'; important themes, a strong moral backbone and beautifully written.

But the things that slightly bugged me about 'Beartown' were massively amplified in this sequel. The constant foreshadowing 'teasers' started to annoy me a bit and I found it a lot cheesier. This wasn't helped that in my opinion, the plot didn't have the same power that 'Beartown' had. There isn't really the same big momentous event that we experience in 'Beartown'. It's more about the fallout of what happened in the first book and I wasn't convinced there was enough there to keep me utterly captivated.

Backman also doesn't assume that you've taken the trouble to read Beartown and therefore a lot of time and effort has to be taken to tell a new reader who all the characters are and what happened in the first book. With the best will in the world, that was always going to feel a bit clumsy for readers already in the know.

Having said all that - he is still a superb writer and if you utterly loved 'Beartown' you are likely to be a big fan of this too. No one can deny that his books are beautifully crafted and they have an important message to get across. Also, I was really keen to see what happened with the characters I fell in love with in the first book, so it was gratifying to pick up their strands again. (despite not really appreciating the new characters as much.) I'm just not sure that if there is space in my life for a potential third in this series?

Thanks to the Publisher and Netgalley for this preview copy in return for an honest review.

Us Against You is out now by Penguin UK - Michael Joseph.

Fredrik Backman does it again with his gentle yet powerful insights into the human psyche. His observations are so empathic and the way he transcribes everyday people and events onto the pages of his books is breathtakingly authentic. Us Against You is the follow-on to the totally amazing Beartown (published as The Scandal in some countries). At first I thought I was going to be disappointed as I loved Beartown so much, but as usual Backman won me over within just a few pages. He manages to create an incredible sense of foreboding, so that I was desperately worried for the characters I’d come to know and love. He very cleverly tells his readers what’s going to happen long before it does (or does he?), in a way that totally messed with my mind. And at times he tells the story from the point of view of the whole of Beartown, which I found unique and wonderful. We meet most of the same characters we did in the first book, and follow their lives after the scandal that rocked the town. Backman certainly knows how to create characters that stay with you. On the surface, this is a story about ice hockey, the one thing that unites and inspires the people of this downbeat town. But it’s far, far more than that. It’s an amazing story of human nature, anxiety, politics, hurt, loss, love and unity. If you like your stories interesting, but slow to unfold as they expose human nature in all its frailty, courage and complexity, you’ll love this book. Neil Smith, who translated both this and Beartown, deserves huge credit and must be a brilliant writer in his own right. I also loved the chapter headings, which included such gems as ‘The Same Blue Polo Shirt’ and ‘Violence Against a Horse on Official Service’. If you haven’t already read Beartown, you really should before you read this.

Something happens to me when I start reading a Fredrik Backman novel. A sort of chemistry I can’t quite explain. It almost feels like falling in love with the words and the characters. There’s something incredibly magical about Backman’s writing. Even when it seems little is happening, I find myself completely enthralled as if I’m under a spell.

Us Against You is the sequel to the fabulous Beartown/The Scandal, which ended up being my favourite book last year. Picking up after the dramatic events, it only took me a few seconds to become reacquainted with the forest, the town and its residents. The town is struggling in the aftermath of the big scandal and the ice hockey club is threatened with closure due to a lack of players and sponsors. But if Beartown doesn’t have its club, what does it have? What is left when the heart of the town stops beating?

Us Against You is sometimes moving and quite heartbreaking. At times it managed to leave a smile on my face, other times I had a massive lump in my throat. The story is always realistic, its characters believable while constantly showing the worst and the best side of mankind, making it incredibly thought-provoking and also hopeful.

Fredrik Backman is a wonderful storyteller. It almost feels as if you’re sitting in a pub with someone who’s telling you the story of Beartown and I once again became utterly invested in the lives of these characters, hurting with them and rooting for them. They wormed their way into my heart from the start and I won’t be forgetting any of them in a hurry.

Beautifully written and incredibly captivating, Us Against You is as much of a gem as Beartown/The Scandal is and it has caused another massive book hangover. I’m quietly hoping for a third instalment in this series. There are more stories to tell, I’m sure, but quite frankly, I’d take any excuse to return to Beartown. In the meantime, I’ll be trying very hard to catch up on some of Fredrik Backman’s other novels.

Yet again another five star novel from a master storyteller, I will always read whatever he writes and know that it will always be brilliant; I must remember to save the next one for a time where I will not have to pause, cook a meal, go out or anything that is not reading the story until the end. This is the style of novel that should be read by students of literature, it should be appearing on every curriculum. It can be read simply as a story about people and their hopes, dreams and fallibilities or entered into as a debate on how we behave or should behave.

It made me pause many times and reflect on life, it made me re-read a page just because it was beautiful, it made me cry and laugh. This author is not just a writer, he is a philosopher and makes us look at our own lives, he is, for me, a genius and I can recommend reading anything he has written unreservedly.

Where to even begin with sharing my love for this book??!! Even if it did leave me a complete emotional mess, and even writing this review a day after I finished it, the thoughts and feelings I have towards the inhabitants of Beartown are as strong as ever and it is fair to say this is going straight in my list of 2018 favourite books - as Beartown did in 2017.

I'd highly recommend reading Beartown, if you haven't already, before picking up this book. The emotions and connections you make towards so many characters begin in book one, and just makes the impact of this follow up more hard hitting, more heartbreaking and more heartwarming.

It follows on story in a way I didn't think it would be able to manage! After book one the town of Beartown is completely divided after the shocking events witnessed by some, disbelieved by many. A lot of the hockey players have switched to the rival team at Hed, and the story follows Beartown trying to get back its' team, its' pride and its' community. The hatred felt between Beartown and Hed has gone on for years, but this year it is ramped up to a level like no other and the levels that some - on both sides - go to in their pursuit of making others suffer is often staggering.

It was fascinating to see how the main characters from Beartown evolved in this book - how they dealt with the brutal aspects of the events of the first book, how it affected everyone and the ripple effect that the one incident caused.

I'm still at a loss to explain why this book affected me so much! The way the author gets under the skin of so many different characters is astonishing, and the situations he puts them in is perfectly judged to add to the drama that envelops the community. He has an amazing connection with all the characters and they all seem to get equal billing in their struggles and the way the story flows from one to the other seamlessly makes you feel part of the community - a very messed up community! I felt emotionally drained with the pace of it all as it never let up from page to page and I couldn't put the book down for too long before I was desparate to get back into that world, no matter what sickening twist would be next for me to face!

This isn't a sports novel as I have seen some mention this and why it puts them off reading it. It's a book with a sport at the heart of it but it focuses more on the impact that the team brings on the inhabitants - how it connects a community, and how it can split it apart. The author does a great job of conveying through certain characters of how much the team means to them and why they put themselves through so much just to benefit the team.

I found this to be a truly astonishing read and the quality of writing was staggering. I was very wary before picking this book of how the story could be added to after book one, but this was the perfect sequel. It was more than hockey, it was more than outrage, it was community, it was fighting on and showing strength and weaknesses.

It was all encompassing, shocking, inspiring, heartbreaking - thank you Mr Backman for such an amazing cast and story!

I'm often asked why I love reading...... books like this are why!!!!

Once again Fredrik Backman has written with so much emotion that you are taken straight back into these characters life's. Following on from the devastation of the previous incident, the repercussions are still unfolding and the with people's actions causing even more distress and destruction, you become part of their community and their situations.

These books are well written and addictive.


Thank you netgalley, Fredrik Backman and Penguin for allowing me to read and review this book.

I loved returning to this community and its wonderful cast of characters. Backman truly has a gift for making you care about the most unexpected of people. This is another emotional read that will make you laugh and break your heart.

In theory this is a book about ice hockey and all those involved in it but it’s really not. Like the first book, Beartown, this is much more about people and a community that’s struggling. Hockey is just the thing that gives them hope and a sense of identity. As you can probably tell from the title this is a book that focuses on the divisions between factions that can tear a community apart.

The story picks up not long after the first book (which you really should read first) and despite it seeming that the community were starting to come together there are in fact more divisions than ever. Beartown’s star hockey player has left town for good and most of the other key players have moved to rival team Hed. The council struggling for money and wanting to distance themselves from “The Scandal” want to get rid of what remains of Beartown’s team, something the pack are unhappy about and hold General Manager Peter Andersson responsible for and there’s an ambitious new politician in town who’s stirring things up as much as possible to boost his own position. Essentially tensions are rising and it’s only a matter of time before it escalates out of control.

Similar to the first book this is not an action packed read, but rather a slow build to some truly devastating events. It’s very much a character driven story which is good as that’s where Backman really excels. He has this incredible ability to create characters you can’t help but care about and oftentimes it’s the one you least expect or the one you don’t really like that you end up caring about the most.

There are a lot of the same characters from the first book and it was both wonderful and awful to catch up with them again and see how they’re doing. Some are moving forward but it has to be said the majority are still having a rough time of it and dealing with the aftermath of the events of the first book. They do however all grow and develop over the course of the story and I felt like I really came to know them. I was incredibly proud of some of them, some frustrated me and made me angry and some of them broke my heart. All of them left an impression.

I will admit I continue to have the biggest soft spot for hockey player Benji, he’s just such a mess of emotions and secrets but always tries to do the right thing. He breaks my heart and I found myself constantly worrying about what he would do. I loved the close relationship between him and his family but I couldn’t help but feel so sorry for his poor mother and sisters.

While it was good to catch up with the characters I knew and loved the new characters made for some welcome additions. The new Beartown hockey coach is possibly my new favourite character. I’m not going to say too much about them other than that they are definitely different and shake things up a lot. The relationship between coach and general manager Peter is just hilarious and some of the dialogue is just brilliant. A much needed bit of lightness in what is occasionally a very dark and depressing story.

There’s also a lot more on the elusive “Pack” (a group of dedicated and loyal fans you don’t mess with) and it’s members which really showed how they’re more than just thugs and criminals (although there is a bit of that too), why hockey is so important to them and how much they really do for the community despite their reputation.

I have to say too that while politician Richard Theo is a horrible character who deliberately causes problems and stirs up trouble for his own ends he is brilliantly done and makes for a truly Machiavellian villain and gives the author the chance to have a little dig at the current political situation.

The writing style is pretty similar to that in Beartown, something I both love and hate. It’s told almost like a story from a narrator reflecting back on the events. There’s a lot of foreshadowing of what’s to come something I have to say really frustrates me. It’s difficult to enjoy a story when you’re constantly being warned of the violence and tragedy to come. I was terrified my fave character would be the victim of this tragedy. There are also short sections from multiple povs to contend with which does take me a bit of time to get used to. It’s a little harder to connect to one character when you’re only with them for short time and then it’s on to the next, and the next.

Somehow however I did find myself connecting with each and every one. Even those who’re only very briefly featured felt like very real people. I laughed a lot, I cried a lot more and I fell in love with this community even with all of it’s problems. It may be set in a country I’ve never even visited and center around a sport I know next to nothing about but it’s just so incredibly easy to relate to and could be the community I live in (if you switched the sport to football).

Overall this is another incredibly emotional and wonderfully written story from an author who is quickly becoming one of my favourites. Given how it ends it feels like everything has been wrapped up but I would very happily read more in this series.

This is both one of the strangest books i have read this year and also one of the best. One single event provides the catalyst for the demise and resurrection of a small town in America. The rape of Maya is like a rolling stone that, unlike the saying. manages to gather plenty of moss. The narrative style is very different from other novels it is sparse, precise and includes commentary on what is happening and how maybe it could have been different. These are real people living real lives and at the same time being controlled by circumstance and some political machinations. Backman describes this book so well in the text when he says "in many years we may not know what to call this story, we will say it was a story about violence, about hate about conflict .... but that won't be true, at least not entirely". to my mind it is also about love, family and so much more. There were parts where I was unsure of the time line and where we were going but overall this is an excellent read and very different from other books written by this author

Us Against You follows on from the wonderful Beartown and if you enjoyed that book you will welcome the opportunity to reunite with the characters and go into more depth about what makes the hearts of the people of the small isolated community tick. This is a long book and the narrative goes very deep indeed, which is fine if you love the characters as much as I did, but it could all prove a bit too much for some less committed readers.

The book takes a while to reach its climax, and even though it wasn’t the satisfying outcome I was looking forward to reading, I thoroughly enjoyed it and was very sorry when it was finished. It is gentle, thoughtful and sublimely well written with some outstanding characters who will remain with me for a long time to come.

Many thanks to Penguin, to Fredrik Backman and to NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this tremendous book.