A MAN CALLED OVE by Fredrik Backman
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Ove is ready to leave the monotony of this life behind. He is tired of making his morning rounds to insure that all of the neighbors are abiding by the residential association’s rules. He is particularly tired of dealing with people, most of whom he finds to be incompetent and lazy. And most of all, he misses Sonja, who has been dead for six months now. As soon as his affairs are in order, he has resolved to join her. That is, until some new neighbors move in and drive their vehicle down into the residential area (although the sign Ove installed clearly states that this is a violation of the rules!) and back into his mailbox. Somehow, the reluctant Ove gets swept up into their lives and reinvested in his community which, as it turns out, needs him as much as he needs them.
This international bestseller is humorous, quirky, feel-good book about the importance of community and relationships. Engaging and occasionally absurd plot threads propel this story about a diverse cast of unconventional but lovable characters. I highly recommend it to adult readers of realistic fiction who like humor in their thought-provoking novels.
Susan the Librarian 