Review: Britt-Marie Was Here

Britt-Marie Was Here by Fredrik Backman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the second book I've read by this author, and like the first book I read, it didn't disappoint in the least!

Britt-Marie can seem a little, hostile, nosy, sometimes what comes out of her mouth is taken the wrong way then what it's intended to be. The humor she portrays will have you literally laughing out loud, at times your heart goes out to her, other times you sit there and have the same look on your faces at the character's in the book are giving her. But underneath all this, there is a person who is just wants to be needed, to be wanted, to be noticed, to be loved.

Britt-Marie is early in her sixty's when she's finally had enough of her husband, basically treating her like a child, he hides the truth about the economy too her, he always puts gas in her car, doesn't want her to work, criticizes her by saying things like "Britt-Marie can't play with you, she has no imagination." and he cheats on her.

Finally Britt-Marie has had enough of his cheating ways, she seeks out employment and is offered a job in Borg, a broken down town who hasn't recovered from the industrial plant closing, houses are on the market, a pizzeria, pub, post office and a rec center, where Britt-Marie gains employment as the caretaker.

When she pulls into the town, her car breaks down and the local police officer, Sevn soon takes an interest in Britt-Marie. He finds her a place to stay at Banks' house. Bank is a woman who is blind, has a dog, and is also the auto mechanic. Britt-Marie is also introduced to some of the children who like to play soccer, but they aren't on any teams, until one day Britt-Marie is asked to be their coach so they could play in the Cup. Britt-Marie doesn't know anything about soccer let alone coaching children. She gets some help from Sami, the older brother of Vega and Omar, two of the children on the team, and from Bank's herself, who in her glory days was a well know soccer player herself.

Britt-Marie, for the first time in her life is finally feeling wanted, needed, noticed and most of all, loved. You see the changes from a broken down town, and a broken down Britt-Marie, to a town that starts to change, and so does Britt-Marie, she starts to stand on her own two feet, well with the help of the children and the other towns folk who accept her and actually like and care for her. No one knows for certain if it was Britt-Marie who helped the town or was is the town helped Britt-Marie.

This was a very heartwarming story, and at times mad me cry. The characters were very well developed and the story moved along at a nice pace. I laughed, I cried, I shook my head at some of the things Britt-Marie said or did, I cheered her on, and watched her change. Some of her quirkiness stayed with her, which is what made her Britt-Marie. This book also showed that no matter how old you are, you can still follow your dreams.

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