Grief | Book Chatter

A Man Called Ove
By Fredrik Backman
Washington Square Press, Paperback, 9781476738024, May 2015, 368pp.

The Short of It:

A grieving man touches the hearts of many in this sweet story.

The Rest of It:

After the death of his wife, Ove is no easier to get along with than he was before her death. He’s particular about how things are done and whether they are done right. He’s gruff, lacks patience and is easily frustrated by stupidity. Especially that of his neighbors. But there is a sadness to Ove and that is what makes this story very special.

This book was very popular when it came out and due to the movie release it’s still popular today and I can see why. It’s definitely a “feel good” read. It’s charming and Ove is quite the character and one you will probably remember for a very long time. But this book is made even better by its cast of supporting characters. They all had a purpose, even the cat.

My book club will be discussing it this Thursday. It reminded me quite a bit of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry but I think that one had more to discuss. We shall see, but as a “feel good” read, I highly recommend it.

Source: Borrowed
Disclosure: This post contains Indiebound affiliate links.

Lost & Found
By Brooke Davis
Dutton Books, Paperback, 9780147517739, January 2016, 320pp.

The Short of It:

Quirky, touching, funny. Basically, everything you could want in a story.

The Rest of It:

Millie is just 7 years-old. After her father’s passing, Millie finds herself fascinated by dead things. One day, Millie’s mother leaves her under a rack of underwear at a department store with instructions to stay put. After a long night in the store and her mother nowhere to be found, Millie ends up at the coffee shop where she meets Karl, “the touch typist” who types out what he is saying as if he were typing it out on a keyboard.

Millie returns back home briefly, to see if her mother is there but when she returns to an empty house she goes looking for food and runs into Agatha, the cranky widow who lives across the street. Agatha has been closed off to the world ever since her husband died. She screams things at people and seems at odds with everyone she encounters, including Millie who shows up on her doorstep asking for food.

Karl, “the touch typist” is in his 80s and an odd companion to Millie but the two get to know one another and forge an unlikely friendship when he vows to help Millie find her mother. Having lost his own wife, Karl can relate to Millie’s sense of loss. And then Agatha, forcing herself to be brave, decides to head out into the world to assist Millie as well. Together, all three deal with their losses as they lean on one another for support.

What a wonderful story. I absolutely LOVED it! These three are so different from one another in personality but they all come together so well. I suppose their shared grief has something to do with that even though Millie is really too young to understand what is going on. Her youth and innocence is in stark contrast to what the other two have been through so their interactions although on the surface are humorous, usually hint at something much deeper.

This book is so many things to me! It was funny, and sad and also a little bit of an adventure. The characters are really interesting and I could relate to all of them and that’s such a rarity these days. I could go on and on but instead, I ask that you run out and get a copy right now because it’s just so good.

Source: Review copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.
Disclosure: This post contains Indiebound affiliate links.

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