Bear Town

I was entranced, disgusted, and pulled in. This is definitely my favorite Fredrik Backman book to date. It is MUCH heavier than his other material, but it is written in such an amazing way. Bear Town is known for one thing and one thing only, hockey. It unites the sleepy little town and is the only thing holding the community together. But what if something were to tear it apart? The junior team is the best hockey town the club has seen in decades - they are on track to win the finals, at the center of the team is Kevin, an insanely talented high school player. The story alternates between perspectives of the players, the coaches, and other townsfolk and really gives readers "all sides" to the story as it unfolds. The book does center around a sexual assault and how it pits the community against each other, it's so believable because it mirrors what we see in the news and our lives. There is victim blaming, slut shaming, and boys will be boys mentality - and behind all that is the mental anguish for the the victim of assault. Eye opening, thought provoking, and masterfully done. A story that may be triggering to some - but is such a compelling read.