A Man Called Ove

[chocolate-chip chooky]

I'm just a small way into this book.

 

I want to push Ove away and pull him closer, all at the same time.

 

 

I wish I could remember who recommended this book back when we were discussing The Hundred Year Old Man. Thank you whoever you are.

[ashfern]

I felt the same way until the end of the book. It made me cry.  :(

[SparklyUnicorn]

I saw the movie.  Whoa...what a tearjerker. 

 

[Rachel]

Yes! That’s a great way to describe Ove.

[chocolate-chip chooky]

I'm only part-way through, so no spoilers please folks!

 

But there have already been parts that have left me teary. The cat, for instance.

 

 

[JoJosMom]

If you like it, keep reading the author's other books. I just finished Britt-Marie Was Here and think it was even better than A Man Called Ove. You should read My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry first, though. The title character is introduced in that one and it really does add to the reading of the latter.

[FriedClams]

I loved it.

[Kassia]

If you like it, keep reading the author's other books. I just finished Britt-Marie Was Here and think it was even better than A Man Called Ove. You should read My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry first, though. The title character is introduced in that one and it really does add to the reading of the latter.

 

I read A Man Called Ove first and liked it a lot, but read two of the author's other books (My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell you She's Sorry and Bear Town) and hated them.  I think I'm in the minority, though.  

Edited March 16, 2018 by Kassia

[jen3kids]

I loved it.   I'd like to watch the movie too.

 

I read Bear Town and it was hard to read due to the topic, but I still enjoyed it.

 

The others are on my list...

 

[Ausmumof3]

I feel like this is going to become a classic. There's a lot of depth to it.

[Lady Florida.]

I have such mixed feelings about that book. 

 

Two sides of me discussing it with myself:

 

-It was so predictable. I know, but I liked it anyway.

 

-And maudlin.  Yes, but I still liked it. 

 

-It has stock characters. So what? They were still the right people for the story.

 

-It was kind of sweet though.  Yeah, it really was.

 

And so on. I read it last year and am still not sure if I loved it or thought it was cliched.

[Kassia]

I have such mixed feelings about that book. 

 

Two sides of me discussing it with myself:

 

-It was so predictable. I know, but I liked it anyway.

 

-And maudlin.  Yes, but I still liked it. 

 

-It has stock characters. So what? They were still the right people for the story.

 

-It was kind of sweet though.  Yeah, it really was.

 

And so on. I read it last year and am still not sure if I loved it or thought it was cliched.

 

I felt the same way.  

[Pink and Green Mom]

I loved it.   I'd like to watch the movie too.

 

I read Bear Town and it was hard to read due to the topic, but I still enjoyed it.

 

The others are on my list...

 

I'm on page 80 of Bear Town.  And I've been reading for 2 weeks.  I cannot get in to it, and I cannot for the life of me remember who any of the characters are (it seems like there are 3 more each chapter).

 

Please tell me it gets better....

[Matryoshka]

I read it, I liked it, but I kept being annoyed that this guy whose life was apparently over and was just waiting to die was ... 59.  59???   From the way he was described, I would think 69 or even 79 would be more like it...  59 is still middle-aged, imho, not elderly.  :glare:   I had to just assume the author was a much younger person who had no clue and read the character as older.

[Nart]

I absolutely loved the audiobook. It is one of my favorite. I have listened to it three different times in that last two years. 

[wintermom]

I have such mixed feelings about that book. 

 

Two sides of me discussing it with myself:

 

-It was so predictable. I know, but I liked it anyway.

 

-And maudlin.  Yes, but I still liked it. 

 

-It has stock characters. So what? They were still the right people for the story.

 

-It was kind of sweet though.  Yeah, it really was.

 

And so on. I read it last year and am still not sure if I loved it or thought it was cliched.

 

Could this be from the translation? I've only watched the movie in Swedish, and I didn't perceive any of these things. It was authentic and quirky in a Swedish way. I didn't find it sweet at all. That isn't the word I'd have used in the least. Ove was never "sweet." His wife wasn't "sweet" either. I'm struggling to think of even one character who was "sweet" except for the little neighbour girls.

 

I'm so confused. It's like the book you read is completely different than the movie I watched. 

Edited March 17, 2018 by wintermom

[jen3kids]

I'm on page 80 of Bear Town.  And I've been reading for 2 weeks.  I cannot get in to it, and I cannot for the life of me remember who any of the characters are (it seems like there are 3 more each chapter).

 

Please tell me it gets better....

 

 

It definitely took me awhile to get into it and to keep everyone straight, but I'm glad I stuck with it.

[Lady Florida.]

Could this be from the translation? I've only watched the movie in Swedish, and I didn't perceive any of these things. It was authentic and quirky in a Swedish way. I didn't find it sweet at all. That isn't the word I'd have used in the least. Ove was never "sweet." His wife wasn't "sweet" either. I'm struggling to think of even one character who was "sweet" except for the little neighbour girls.

 

I'm so confused. It's like the book you read is completely different than the movie I watched. 

 

It's not the translation it's the plot.  I haven't seen the movie so I have no idea how closely it follows the book. Since the OP hasn't finished it and there might be others reading the thread  who haven't yet read it, I'll put my answer in white. Everyone who is not wintermom, only highlight if you've already read the book, seen the movie, or if spoilers don't bother you.

 

Highlight here ---> Grumpy old man has his heart melted by a young man in love, an immigrant couple, a child, and a stray cat. That fits my definitions of  both sweet and cliched. 

[MamaBearTeacher]

I saw the movie.  Whoa...what a tearjerker. 

 

I didn't know that there was a movie but as I was reading the book I kept thinking that it was perfect for a movie, especially if they got the perfect actors for the characters.  Did they?  I hope the acting was good.

[6packofun]

I read it and liked it so much that I immediately read another by the author, Britt-Marie Was Here, and loved it more!  I haven't read any others, though, but I've heard mixed reviews of Bear Town which was next on my list.  

 

Enjoy!

[SparklyUnicorn]

I read it, I liked it, but I kept being annoyed that this guy whose life was apparently over and was just waiting to die was ... 59.  59???   From the way he was described, I would think 69 or even 79 would be more like it...  59 is still middle-aged, imho, not elderly.  :glare:   I had to just assume the author was a much younger person who had no clue and read the character as older.

 

Really?  Odd.  In the movie he was definitely older than 59.

[SparklyUnicorn]

I didn't know that there was a movie but as I was reading the book I kept thinking that it was perfect for a movie, especially if they got the perfect actors for the characters.  Did they?  I hope the acting was good.

 

I'm not familiar with the actors in the movie, but they were good. 

[SparklyUnicorn]

Ok the main actor is 63 IRL, but I think they made him look even older.  No way were they portraying a 59 year old.

 

 

[Matryoshka]

Really? Odd. In the movie he was definitely older than 59.

Because it was totally unbelievable for that character to be 59, so the people that filmed the movie fixed it... I haven't seen the movie, but if I were making one, I'd fix that... in the book, you can just forget the age he was given in the first chapter and imagine/read him being the age the he's acting. That doesn't work in a movie - it would have been a totally distracting to have, say, Viggo Mortonsen (an actual 59 yo) cast in that part, dontcha think? ;).

[wintermom]

It's not the translation it's the plot.  I haven't seen the movie so I have no idea how closely it follows the book. Since the OP hasn't finished it and there might be others reading the thread  who haven't yet read it, I'll put my answer in white. Everyone who is not wintermom, only highlight if you've already read the book, seen the movie, or if spoilers don't bother you.

 

Highlight here ---> Grumpy old man has his heart melted by a young man in love, an immigrant couple, a child, and a stray cat. That fits my definitions of  both sweet and cliched. 

 

Wow. We certainly gleaned different things from the story. I thought Ove's character had a ton more depth to it than "grumpy old man." And his heart wasn't melted by anyone other than his father and wife until very near the end of his life. That is pretty darn amazing if you think about it. Especially the exact people who did bring out those feelings. They weren't the amazing, have-it-all-together type of people he admired. 

 

I can see how reading the book and not having any clue about what life growing up in Sweden would be like, would make it difficult to understand the growth the character's emotions went through. Sweden is a highly socialist country, with people still trying to be individuals doing their own thing despite the government's intrusion. And the transition of Sweden from a country full of Swedes who have lived in a purely Swedish society for centuries, to a country only recently learning how to live with immigrants, is quite fascinating.

 

I think you must miss a lot of that by reading a book and "seeing" the story unfold using images and setting you are familiar with and make up, instead of the visual from the movie with real places and people from Sweden. Having lived in Scandinavia and knowing the history and culture of the country helps a lot to understand the people and the story, too. 

[Lady Florida.]

Wow. We certainly gleaned different things from the story. I thought Ove's character had a ton more depth to it than "grumpy old man." And his heart wasn't melted by anyone other than his father and wife until very near the end of his life. That is pretty darn amazing if you think about it. Especially the exact people who did bring out those feelings. They weren't the amazing, have-it-all-together type of people he admired. 

 

I can see how reading the book and not having any clue about what life growing up in Sweden would be like, would make it difficult to understand the growth the character's emotions went through. Sweden is a highly socialist country, with people still trying to be individuals doing their own thing despite the government's intrusion. And the transition of Sweden from a country full of Swedes who have lived in a purely Swedish society for centuries, to a country only recently learning how to live with immigrants, is quite fascinating.

 

I think you must miss a lot of that by reading a book and "seeing" the story unfold using images and setting you are familiar with and make up, instead of the visual from the movie with real places and people from Sweden. Having lived in Scandinavia and knowing the history and culture of the country helps a lot to understand the people and the story, too. 

 

I understand character development and depth. I understand, as much as is possible from a distance, Sweden. I understand they are dealing with an immigrant situation and are conflicted as to how to handle it.

 

I thought the story was sweet, cliched, and without much depth. I read a lot. I read literary fiction, classics, non fiction, and fluffy fiction (aka brain candy). IMO A Man Called Ove fits the latter. It's fluffy and sweet no matter how much the author tried to pretend it was deep. No matter where you live, where you grew up, what type of government you live under, those characters are cliched. And they have no depth because they're cliched, not the other way around.

 

ETA: It appears I'm not alone. Nearly every description of the book calls Ove grumpy or a curmudgeon. Many reviews and summaries call it a heartwarming tale. It's not enduring literature. It's a sweet story of grumpy (not so old) man and the people around him.

 

 

Edited March 17, 2018 by Lady Florida.

[wintermom]

I understand character development and depth. I understand, as much as is possible from a distance, Sweden. I understand they are dealing with an immigrant situation and are conflicted as to how to handle it.

 

I thought the story was sweet, cliched, and without much depth. I read a lot. I read literary fiction, classics, non fiction, and fluffy fiction (aka brain candy). IMO A Man Called Ove fits the latter. It's fluffy and sweet no matter how the author tried to pretend it was deep. No matter where you live, where you grew up, what type of government you live under, those characters are cliched. And they have no depth because they're cliched, not the other way around.

 

I appreciated the straight forward, fairly realistic way the story was presented. I have no idea to the depth of description the book had, and I don't care too much about detailed descriptions. Les Miserables was amazing in its character depth and description, but not all stories need this, I don't think. How would people find the time to read them all. ;)

Edited March 17, 2018 by wintermom

[Zebra]

I liked A Man Called Ove.  I didn't love it, but it wasn't bad.   

 

I actually liked the movie more, which is a rarity for me.   I felt like they streamlined the story well.

 

I also thought it was weird that Ove was only 59.   He was playing an old grouch who felt like he had nothing more to live for.   It seems like he should have been at least in his 70's.

 

I liked Britt Marie...a little less, but it was fine.   I did not like My Grandmother...it did not connect with me in at all.   And the worst book by far was Bear Town, IMHO.   The subject matter was tough.   I'm not sure if I have just gotten tired of his style of writing at this point or Ove was his best book.

 

YMMV :) .

[Lady Florida.]

I appreciated the straight forward, fairly realistic way the story was presented. I have no idea to the depth of description the book had, and I don't care too much about detailed descriptions. Les Miserables was amazing in its character depth and description, but not all stories need this, I don't think. How would people find the time to read them all. ;)

 

I agree - I don't think they do either. And I don't think we should only read such stories. That's why I read a mix of amazing stuff like Les Miserables and lighter stuff like A Man Called Ove. I'm not saying people shouldn't read it because it isn't deep, I'm just saying read it and enjoy it for what it is.

[Mothersweets]

I've read it...and was kind of meh about it. I did think it was cliched but figured maybe it didn't tranlate well? That said, I did see the movie and enjoyed that much more. 

[wintermom]

I've read it...and was kind of meh about it. I did think it was cliched but figured maybe it didn't tranlate well? That said, I did see the movie and enjoyed that much more. 

 

I'm thinking this is the one movie I don't want to read the book. Usually it's the other way around.  :laugh:   Maybe it's better in Swedish. I'm thinking all the Swedes are saying, "You North Americans need to read the book in its original language. It's like Homer in Ancient Greek." Ove does go through his own Odyssey, doesn't he?  :lol:

[Matryoshka]

I'm thinking this is the one movie I don't want to read the book. Usually it's the other way around.  :laugh:   Maybe it's better in Swedish. I'm thinking all the Swedes are saying, "You North Americans need to read the book in its original language. It's like Homer in Ancient Greek." Ove does go through his own Odyssey, doesn't he?  :lol:

 

I read it in German, which I figured was a bit closer to Swedish.  I do think it would have been even more jarring to read it in English, especially some of the slang.  Don't read Swedish, so that wasn't an option... ;)  I also thought the cat behaved absolutely nothing like a cat, but now I'm just nit-picking.. :lol:  I was enjoyable enough for what it was... so, not Homer.   

 

I actually was looking for something to read in German that wasn't  "heavy" and "meaningful" and, well, fraught and depressing.  The Germans have a tendency toward that kind of writing.  So reading something light was kind of my goal for that book... 

[SparklyUnicorn]

I read it in German, which I figured was a bit closer to Swedish.  I do think it would have been even more jarring to read it in English, especially some of the slang.  Don't read Swedish, so that wasn't an option... ;)  I also thought the cat behaved absolutely nothing like a cat, but now I'm just nit-picking.. :lol:  I was enjoyable enough for what it was... so, not Homer.   

 

I actually was looking for something to read in German that wasn't  "heavy" and "meaningful" and, well, fraught and depressing.  The Germans have a tendency toward that kind of writing.  So reading something light was kind of my goal for that book... 

 

In the movie the cat doesn't act like a cat. 

 

Guess I'm glad I saw the movie rather than read the book!

[wintermom]

In the movie the cat doesn't act like a cat. 

 

Guess I'm glad I saw the movie rather than read the book!

 

How is a cat supposed to act, anyway? They do what they want.   :laugh:  I've got a cat that is complete scared of everything and anything. Perhaps he's got acting issues. All I know is that he is non-fiction.  

Edited March 17, 2018 by wintermom

[Matryoshka]

How is a cat supposed to act, anyway? They do what they want.   :laugh:  I've got a cat that is complete scared of everything and anything. Perhaps he's got acting issues. All I know is that he is non-fiction.  

 

Well, that's my entire point.  The cat followed him around even when outside, jumped into his car when asked, sat quietly while taking rides in said car, jumped out and followed him around town in and out of stores, then hopped back in the car for the ride home. I think at one point he sat on a bar stool and enjoyed watching the conversation Ove was having, then dutifully followed him back out when he was done. I have never met a cat that would do one of those things, no less all of them.  They might follow you around when it suits them (like when they're hungry!) but not walking around shopping!  At some point they'd wander off on their own business and good luck finding them to bring them back home.  And I guess there could be one mutant cat out there that jumps in and out of cars and enjoys riding free in the car, any cat I've ever had would freak out, usually involving some bodily fluids being spilled by either the cat or whoever tries to calm said freaking out cat.  And when the ride was over they'd either be so nauseated they couldn't move or so freaked out they'd bolt at mach 3 and never be seen again.  Cat carriers are a must for car rides here...

 

I think that was a dog.

Edited March 17, 2018 by Matryoshka

[Lady Florida.]

Matryoshka I remember thinking that cat was acting more like a dog. 

[dirty ethel rackham]

I had a hard time getting into this book.  I was put off by his crotchety way and his numerous attempts.  Perhaps it was a subject very close to me.  But, as I got into it and learned more about his backstory, I was hooked. I had been listening to the audiobook and caught myself mid-sob on the treadmill at the gym.  I later saw the movie (the Swedish one) and it was fantastic.  I'm kind of sad that Hollywood is making another version.  

[kewb]

I hated this book. And the ending just ticked me off.

[dirty ethel rackham]

I read it, I liked it, but I kept being annoyed that this guy whose life was apparently over and was just waiting to die was ... 59.  59???   From the way he was described, I would think 69 or even 79 would be more like it...  59 is still middle-aged, imho, not elderly.  :glare:   I had to just assume the author was a much younger person who had no clue and read the character as older.

When I read the book, based upon the description of Ove, I had completely forgotten he was 59.  I was so sure he was much older.  He sounded a lot like my dad.

 

 

Because it was totally unbelievable for that character to be 59, so the people that filmed the movie fixed it... I haven't seen the movie, but if I were making one, I'd fix that... in the book, you can just forget the age he was given in the first chapter and imagine/read him being the age the he's acting. That doesn't work in a movie - it would have been a totally distracting to have, say, Viggo Mortonsen (an actual 59 yo) cast in that part, dontcha think? ;).

:iagree: This is an area where there was improvement.  Also, the film made him more human.  I saw much of what he did as funny ... black humor.  I didn't get that from the book.  I have to say that I enjoyed the film more than the book.  And that is a rarity for me.  

[wintermom]

Well, that's my entire point.  The cat followed him around even when outside, jumped into his car when asked, sat quietly while taking rides in said car, jumped out and followed him around town in and out of stores, then hopped back in the car for the ride home. I think at one point he sat on a bar stool and enjoyed watching the conversation Ove was having, then dutifully followed him back out when he was done. I have never met a cat that would do one of those things, no less all of them.  They might follow you around when it suits them (like when they're hungry!) but not walking around shopping!  At some point they'd wander off on their own business and good luck finding them to bring them back home.  And I guess there could be one mutant cat out there that jumps in and out of cars and enjoys riding free in the car, any cat I've ever had would freak out, usually involving some bodily fluids being spilled by either the cat or whoever tries to calm said freaking out cat.  And when the ride was over they'd either be so nauseated they couldn't move or so freaked out they'd bolt at mach 3 and never be seen again.  Cat carriers are a must for car rides here...

 

 

The cat did none of those things in the movie. No wonder I was confused. 

 

Sounds like an awful lot was changed when the movie was made. At least someone saw the potential for a good story there. ;)

Edited March 17, 2018 by wintermom

[Matryoshka]

The cat did none of those things in the movie. No wonder I was confused.

 

That's because no amount of treats or training could make a real live cat act that way... :lol: I haven't seen the movie.

[Kassia]

That's because no amount of treats or training could make a real live cat act that way... 

 

We have a cat that acts very much like a dog in some ways.  Dd even taught her to sit on command (using treats).  But she hates being in a car and gets quite traumatized over it.  Treats could never change that.  

[Matryoshka]

We have a cat that acts very much like a dog in some ways.  Dd even taught her to sit on command (using treats).  But she hates being in a car and gets quite traumatized over it.  Treats could never change that.  

 

I have very dog-like cats, as cats go.  People remark on it.  But they are still cats.  No taking walks outside going where I want to go (rather than exploring under bushes or wandering randomly off where outdoor cats go when they're outside), and yeah, cars are evil.

[Kassia]

I have very dog-like cats, as cats go.  People remark on it.  But they are still cats.  No taking walks outside going where I want to go (rather than exploring under bushes or wandering randomly off where outdoor cats go when they're outside), and yeah, cars are evil.

 

Oh, that reminds me of a neighbor's cat - this cat goes for walks with my neighbor for dog walks.  No leash, just trots along with my neighbor and the dog down the road.  I've never seen a cat do this before!  I think the cat just wants to be close to its owner.

[Rachel]

Oh, that reminds me of a neighbor's cat - this cat goes for walks with my neighbor for dog walks. No leash, just trots along with my neighbor and the dog down the road. I've never seen a cat do this before! I think the cat just wants to be close to its owner.

Our neighbor has a cat that is quite social, when we go for walks, she often follows us. It’s the funniest thing.

[Ottakee]

We had a cat that would follow along like a dog when we went horseback riding.

[wintermom]

That's because no amount of treats or training could make a real live cat act that way... :lol: I haven't seen the movie.

 

Perhaps there was enough other material in the book that they could pick and choose what they'd spend precious time with.  The fact that Ove ended up helping people, as well as the cat, did come through without the cat having to follow him around.

[Alte Veste Academy]

I loved the book, need to see the movie.

 

Mostly I just posted to say that over the years we have had two cats who LOVE car rides and two that like them. DH used to take one of the cats for rides just like you would do with a dog. She ate chocolate donuts with him. They were quite the cute pair.

Edited March 18, 2018 by Alte Veste Academy

[chocolate-chip chooky]

Just finished it. 

Ah, Ove.

[Mom25girls]

Love this author and this book (too much to see the movie). His novella (And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer), left me weeping periodically for a few days (perhaps because my mother has early stage dementia) .  I have loved all of his books.