⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Fredrik Backman has a way of writing that makes you feel like you’ve known his characters your whole life. The Winners brings us back to Beartown, a place weighed down by old wounds, fierce loyalty, and hockey that means more than a game. It’s the final chapter in this world, and it lands with real force.
Backman understands what makes people tick. He doesn’t dress up feelings or try to impress. He simply lays them out, and somehow they go straight to your chest. The way he writes about grief, pride, fear, and love feels so true you almost forget you’re reading fiction. There were moments that made me laugh, and others that I had to sit with for a bit before turning the page.
This is a story about a town, but it’s also about belonging. It’s about the ways we protect one another, and the ways we fail. It’s messy, warm, and full of heart.
I’ve now read six of his books, and every time I think he can’t top the last one, he surprises me. The Winners is not just a great ending to a trilogy. It’s one of his best.
** Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for a complimentary review copy. The opinions are my own.