A man called Ove – Review

GRUMPY OLD BASTARD!

How many of us know such people in the real world? People who seem rude, arrogant, know-it-all. And what do we do when we cross paths with them? We judge them. Left, right and center. Maintain our distance thinking who has the strength and patience to deal with such an ass.

This is the story of Ove.

Grumpy, annoying and interfering. Ove has a problem with everybody. In his eyes, we are all dumb, careless creatures, who care even less when it comes to learning the right ways of life. If it says on the board ‘Do not park bicycles here’, well, then you shouldn’t. Change your car every three years to get a good price for it. Know how to drive, because only an idiot wouldn’t learn how to. Mend and fix your broken air-conditioner yourself, how difficult is it?

The only thing Ove wants to do at this point in his life, is commit suicide.

Do not take this as a sadist thing. This book encourages you to hate Ove, right from the beginning. I wouldn’t have thought in any way that my opinion about Ove would change and how. This annoyance transcends into understanding as the story of his life unfolds before us. You see him as a boy, sharing meals with his father. You see him on the train, sitting next to the love of his life. You see him loving her dearly. And that’s when you start sympathizing with this old guy.

More than anything, this book is about love. Not just love between a man and a woman, which, of course, is a beautiful kind of love, but it’s about loving other people who will be there for you when you lose your special person. It tells you, there are people in this world who will embrace you in your hurt, comfort you in your sorrow, share a laugh over a meal with you and give you more than you could ask for, only if you let them through.

Mind you, it’s a funny read. There is an underlying sense of humor in every chapter. This book is for the young and the old. If you think you hate books, try reading this for once.

RATING: 4/5

Favorite Quotes from the book:

“People said Ove saw the world in black and white. But she was color. All the color he had.”

“We always think there’s enough time to do things with other people. Time to say things to them. And then something happens and then we stand there holding on to words like ‘if’.”

“Men are what they are because of what they do. Not what they say.”

“He went through life with his hands firmly shoved into his pockets. She danced.”

“You only need one ray of light to chase all the shadows away,”

(Disclaimer: All opinions expressed are strictly my own and in no way influenced.)