Blogpost by Dhanu

Ove is not a curmudgeon, he has generous heart.

✨Book : A Man Called Ove
✨Author : Frederik Backman
✨Genre : Fiction, Diaspora, bildungsroman
✨Pages : 295
✨Publication: 2012, Sceptre

Content 5🌟/5
Cover Design 4.5🌟/5

They said that Ove is a grumpy and antisocial old man who does not like anyone as if they were born to useless. But he is actually not so. I have travelled with another dimension of Ove. He is at the age of 59 and living all alone in his perfect single-storeyed mansion in the residential area (where driving is totally restricted, mind this before taking the journey with him!).

The story opens that Ove has gone to buy a newly launched iPad which eventually end up as confusing the salesperson with his “philosophies”, a thoughtful grandparent philosophy. From there, the story takes back to the events with zigzags, funny and emotional plot.

This novel is about a story of an old man in his solitude with his perfectionism (you may call it “OCD”). And he loves to drive his Saab. It would be always fun when we have someone like Ove. But Ove is an undeserved person to this inhuman society except for his Sonja, the love of his life.

“People said Ove saw the world in black and white. But she was colour. All the colour he had” (40).

Ove always keeps Sonja as his only real companion even in his solitude. They both have an amazing bond that others failed to give to him. The comfort and heartfelt love will happen for a real soulmates without any completions. Thus it happens for Ove with Sonja.

And there comes Parvaneh, the Iranian pregnant lady who blooms out the fatherly love of Ove. Often they both seem like father and daughter where the father quietly obeys the demands of his daughter (especially who hates his daughter’s husband for being lanky). Sometimes the arguments between Ove and Parvaneh, I am sure you will enjoy their together time.

There comes the cat which can be personified with the life of Ove and travels towards the storyline with Ove (meow, meow). The savage one too. You will like the cat even if you are not a cat person like me. Ove concerns about everything and cares about everyone without lamenting much before others. It is cool whenever the people around him disturb whenever Ove wants to implement some solo action performance (that you have to read to know about).

Overall the story was well-written where the author cleverly handles the real emotions of the readers along with his characters. The characterization is also fairly used without giving claustrophobia. The writing style is so lucid and easy with the flow of the plot. At last, Ove is not a grumpy and annoying old man. He is a perfect dad, a daughter needs. He is an affectionate grandfather, a kid needs and an amazing husband for a girl like Sonja needs to spend the rest of her life. You want proof about Ove, let me show you a line from the book.

“‘Hey! I want her to have the BEST ONE! Understand?'” (279).

Thank me later. And tell me about your experience with Ove! If you are yet to read it, I highly recommend this book for a great time. But read slow to get more into Ove.

Happy Reading!