The Winners – Fredrik Backman
Expectation: A crowd-pleasing finish to a beloved series.
Reality: Uneven, but ultimately satisfying, fans of the series shouldn’t skip this one as it is a closer cousin to the first novel than the second.
My Take:
If you’re reading this review, then you’ve likely already read “Beartown” and “Us Against You,” so rather than belaboring with backstory and scene setting, I’ll dive right in.
As a whole, “The Winners” represents a return to form for the series.
Fredrik Backman revisited many of the characters and situations that made “Beartown'' so engaging, but he also didn’t fully ditch the manufactured drama that was rampant in “Us Against You.”
There are moments of greatness here, but the story is obnoxiously overstuffed. The author tried to give every character a send-off, and honestly, most of them didn't need one. Still, I’d rank it as the second best book in the series, mainly because it’s a closer continuation of the first novel, but it rarely matched the genius of that book.
Set two years after the events of “Us Against You,” it appears the residents of Beartown and Hed have short memories, because drama surrounding the hockey clubs are at new levels of insanity and a powder keg is waiting to burst - and it will, big time.
Backman, thankfully, starts the story reintroducing key characters and plots from the first two novels. I was pleased that this round most prominently featured Maya, Peter, Kira, Amat and Benji, with strong showings from Bobo, Ana, Ramona and Tails, who were mostly relegated to the backseat in book two.
From that novel, Alicia, Zackell and Teemu have the biggest arcs here, but the author thought we needed more, because several new folks were thrown in with various levels of success. Most notable are (note: guessing on spellings here since I listened to audio): Liev, a small time mob boss; Hed residents Johnny, Hanna and their four children; Alexander “Big City,” a new recruit to Beartown hockey; Mumble, the Beartown goalie; and Matteo who, no spoiler, becomes the primary catalyst.
If you’re thinking, “wow — that’s a lot of characters!,” well, there are plenty more. In fact, Backman doesn’t even bother to name a few of them, preferring to reference them by their job title only. That should tell you something about the multiple plots in play.
At nearly 700-pages, this book is way too long and had about 250-pages been cut, and many of the plot device tropes with it, this could’ve been a five-star read. However, the bloat — and some awkward translations — overshadowed what Backman does best: foreshadowing, retrospection and introspection.
He definitely cashed in some goodwill he earned in “Beartown,” as the hockey drama is borderline farce, the political drama is rudimentary and so many situations are presented and never revisited. He was going for an epic, but it reminded me of a soap opera with distinct vignettes designed to keep the characters busy until the last act.
This may make it seem like I didn’t enjoy “Winners,” and that’s not true. I actually liked it quite a bit. But, Backman has never been one of my favorite authors. Several of his books fell flat for me — notably “Anxious People” and “My Grandmother Asked Me To Tell You She’s Sorry” — and others were merely mediocre.
In general, I find his homespun proselytizing grating, and how he can never balance the kooky with the sincere and it comes across as kitsch. I’d much prefer he decide the type of story he’s trying to tell and then stick with it.
“The Winners” is an uneven split.
The first 20 percent and last 20 percent are emotionally-charged, alternating from exciting to bone-chilling. It’s some of the finest writing he’s ever done. I started the book laughing and ended it crying. Let’s just say the rest, won’t convert anyone to the church of Backman, but it might convince readers this is a world that was worthy of a trilogy.
What struck me the most — and will stick with me — is the ways Backman had Benji, Maya and Matteo address their PTSD. Each of them mourns for a life that could’ve been while recognizing that they alone are responsible for trying to push forward in the reality they are in. These three characters represent the heart and soul of “The Winners,” and their story arcs are unique, frustrating and devastating.
For members of the #16 fan club, buckle up. Our beloved Benji has a wild ride. While I wasn’t happy with how his story ended, it felt true to the character. He’s still one of my literary crushes and always will be.
At over 21 hours, the audiobook is a commitment. Marin Ireland — the narrator of the whole series — deserves credit for my enjoyment and fandom as much as Backman. She matches his cadence and emotions perfectly, and she brings each character to life in a way that makes them feel like a real person living somewhere in northern Sweden.
Her delivery of the “Beartown” series has certainly impacted my perspective, and when the author let me down, she never did. If you’re willing to put in the time and energy needed for a marathon listen, it’s worth it.
Rating (story): 4/5 stars
Rating (narration): 4/5 stars
Formats: Audiobook (library loan)
Dates read: October 31 – November 12, 2022
Multi-tasking: Okay. You want to pay attention, but Ireland will pull you along.
