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Beartown
- Narrated by: John Sackville
- Length: 13 hrs and 43 mins
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Summary
Penguin presents the audiobook edition of Beartown by Fredik Backman, read by John Sackville.
Beartown is a small town in a large Swedish forest.
For most of the year it is under a thick blanket of snow, experiencing the kind of cold and dark that brings people closer together - or pulls them apart.
Its isolation means that Beartown has been slowly shrinking with each passing year. But now the town is on the verge of an astonishing revival. A bright new future is just around the corner.
Until the day it is all put in jeopardy by a single, brutal act.
It divides the town into those who think it should be hushed up and forgotten, and those who'll risk the future to see justice done. At last, it falls to one young man to find the courage to speak the truth that it seems no one else wants to hear.
With the town's future at stake, no one can stand by or stay silent. Everyone is on one side or the other.
Which side would you be on?
Previously published as The Scandal.
Critic reviews
"As popular Swedish exports go, Backman is up there with ABBA and Stieg Larsson." (The New York Times Book Review)
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- t k darienzo
- 01-05-20
Who knew, ice hockey can make a good story.
I had a little break halfway when things were heavy but glad I came back to it. A fascinating glimpse into this world, on many levels.
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- Nicky
- 15-11-18
Great story even if you don't like hockey
The book is well written and the plot moves at a good pace, while at the same time giving your the back story to each character. This review is more about the reading of the book. The book is well read except when it comes to the narrator reading the voices, he puts on the most awful accents that spoil the story. The book is set in Sweden yet his accents sound like some poor West Country accent from Cornwall, why did he do that? When he narrates the story in his normal voice it is extremely well read and a delight to listen to, but those accents are shockers!
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- Kim Driver
- 10-02-21
Fascinating story line, interesting style
A very thought provoking story. Narrators accents more west country than Nordic. Would recommend
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- Anonymous User
- 05-02-23
What a great book, performance and story.
I found the first few chapters harder to get into, but the reward after fully worth it. One of the best fiction books I have read for a long while.
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- amalia
- 28-04-23
Slow start and amazing ending
I really liked this book. It started really slow, almost boring, but I think this helped creating the atmosphere of the town. As it went on, it become brilliant. The narration was a little weird, thought 🤔
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- Anonymous User
- 22-01-24
Wooooow the intensity, the pace. Couldn't stop listening!
It's an incredible social commentary on patriarchal society, on socio economics and human psychology. It's got huge depth and an incredible story. Highly recommend
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- Fiona
- 10-01-19
thought provoking good read
I wasn't sure about this book as I have no particular love of Ice hockey. However although the backdrop of the story is about this it is so much more than that. Its about the stuggle of a town torn in two trying to come to terms with a situation that few know the truth about. the characters are very well described, very real and believable. The author paints a situation that I could easily imagine happening in my own town and makes me think how would I responded, is being part of a team more important that being an individual? I thought it was brilliant, thought provoking and that everyone needs a friend like Bobo, Anna and Benjie. Definitely worth a listen
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- Amazon Customer
- 11-12-22
Phenomenal
Loved it. Highly recommended for anyone even with only a passing interest in hockey.
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- WomanoftheWorld
- 28-03-23
Great insightful story
This might not sell the book to many people but it is brilliant exposition of patriarchy. Very impressed a man could write it. Narration okay, but too often a new section began with absolutely no pause. That could be editing, though, and not the narrator. In all a good read.
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- J. Dey
- 10-05-23
Very enjoyable, well written
I was transported to Beartown and it was very well described what the mentality of the small hockey town was like. It was mostly a gripping and interesting book, a bit repetitive and lagging at times, but a good reflection of the town.
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