Title : Britt-Marie Was Here
Author : Frederik Backman
Narrators : Joan Walker
Genre : Contemporary
Publisher : Simon & Schuster Audio
Listening Length : 9 hours 18 minutes
Rating : 4.5/5
Narrator Rating : 5/5
Frederik Backman’s books are always nice and often moving. However they can be a little “glib” overdong the sweetness of some scenarios – so I kind of expect that whenever I pick up one of his books. I have to say that Britt-Marie Was Here is my most favorite of all of Backman’s books that I have read because it is just right and has all his regular ingredients – sweetness, heart-breaking sadness and poignant emotion – in perfect proportion.
Britt-Marie is married to Kent who has stopped paying her any attention. Once they were apparently in love but that time has gone, and Kent, a self-professed entrepreneur has taken to spending time away from Britt-Marie. Britt-Marie is a creature of habit and hygiene. She relaxes by cleaning and organizing her home from top to bottom – bicarbonate of soda is a cure for everything. She also loves the familiarity and routine of her everyday chores and her predictable life.
But one day, she leaves Kent and her 40 year old marriage and takes up a job in the little town of Borg as the caretaker of the community center. It is an ill-paid job and a short-lived one; the community center will be closed down soon. There, Britt Marie, an eccentric creature if there ever was once, slowly finds her footing, new friends and confidence in herself. But then Kent lands up on her doorstep, begging forgiveness, promising the world if only she will return with him to their home.
Britt Marie is a character easy to root for. She is a good person, although her goodness is hidden away under her outspoken, unfiltered, behavior where she speaks what she thinks. This good person is shoddily treated, but still manages to retain her core of kindness, and we all root for her to be her own person, and dish it back to all the naysayers in her life.
Backman builds his characters beautifully, not just Britt-Marie but all the people she interacts with – the brother and sister pair of football players and their older brother Sammy, Somebody, the pizza place owner-car mechanic, Sven the policeman and her landlady who once played football. Also Joan Walker is a superb narrator – I’d probably pick up a book just because it was narrated by her.
Britt-Marie Was Here is a fabulous feel-good book – highly recommended!
