“Ove had never been asked how he lived before he met her. But if anyone had asked him, he would have answered that he didn’t.”
Every once in a while, you come across a book that has everything – love, humor, sadness, relationships that start and end and an unforgettable character. Ove lives in a world that has moved past him. He believes in doing the right thing and that other people should do the right thing. He also believes people should know how to do basic things in life, like make coffee, parallel park and write a letter. The story of Ove begins where it ends, with Ove trying to buy and iPad even though he knows nothing about them.
A Man Called Ove was the June book club choice for a moms book club I’m part of. One of the moms had been recommending it to us for months, and we finally got around to reading it. I am so glad. This book is now on my list of favorite books. I really enjoyed the story.
Ove was a simple man who worked hard most of his life. His mother died when he was young and his father was a quiet, hard-working man, too. He teaches himself handyman skills so he can renovate his family’s home. His life is black and white until he sees a woman on the train one day. She adds color to his world, and without knowing why and how, he captures her attention and they end up marrying. His world revolves around her. Their story is told throughout the book, but in present day, he is living life without her and not wanting to. As he decides to end his life, the people in his neighborhood keep needing his help and interfering with his plans. Bit by bit, he starts to find other reasons to live.
The writing style of this book is wonderful and the characters come alive right away. Ove is a grumpy old man and says things in a way we have all probably heard someone say them before. It might remind you of someone. I would highly recommend this book to anyone high school age or older because it does death with suicide and death. If you do get a chance to read it, I can guarantee you will never forget it!
Buy the book here (affiliate link).
This post was shared with An Open Book on CatholicMom.com and My Scribbler’s Heart. #OpenBook