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“He was a man of black and white. And she was color. All the color he had.”

• Fredrick Backman, A Man Called Ove 

“A Man Called Ove” tells the story of a cantankerous, grumpy yet lovable elderly man who lives alone in a suburban street. From his ridiculously loud beef with modern technology to very devious plans to get rid of a stray cat from his yard, the story is filled with wit and humorous scenes to love the character for. Over the loss of his beloved wife, Ove no longer has her to repaint his dark, muted world blanketed with problems. He had always cherished his wife deeply, but could never fully understand what she saw in him. As he tries to tackle his own absolute-viewed, bitter world, Ove finds an unexpected friendship with a young family that gives him a new meaning to live for. If you are looking for a warm-hearted story to provide you with a colored perspective in life with moments to laugh or moments to step back and cry as a reader, this book will be for you. Keep in mind that this book covers dark topics such as suicide and loneliness; however, it is still worth a read as it only covers them subtly.

Tackling difficult times: 

Even through the darkest times, Frederick Backman shows us that there will always be a spark of hope if we simply reach out to others. Humans are always prone to bottling our feelings, which stops us from living our lives. What is stopping Ove from living his life is the loss of his wife. When Ove simply interacted and helped out with a young family moving into his new suburban area, he was grateful for even the most minor things he had, even through the darkest times. Instead of holding onto what I’ve always resisted, I learned to adore the process of creating all of the memories with my friends and family. And recollect the times I felt I was meaningful.  

Holding the grudge: 

Throughout this book, Ove reminded me of my grandfather at times in my head, where I would picture him as Ove in the story. It reminded me of the struggles that I had lived with my grandfather. In the house, he often holds a grudge and blames me for taking responsibility or raising my voice at others over the most minor things that shouldn’t be easily angered about. Usually, I tried to shake this off; however, I am reminded that my grandfather or others who fight for it have the heart to empathize and be supported, no matter who they are.