Us Against You: A Novel

Beartown is a hockey town. Unfortunately, the town was just rocked by a scandal that involved its own hockey star, leaving a scar that may never heal. Peter Andersson has only ever known hockey, and even though his family is at the center of the scandal, he is determined to save his team and his job as the general manager. When a politician comes to town, ready to place a bandage on the team, Andersson has to decide how far he’s willing to go to keep a team in Beartown and whether it is worth the cost to his children and his marriage.

Backman has a magical way with words. He finds words and phrases to describe things most people can only feel, thereby inspiring strong emotions about characters on a page. It’s an incredible talent. He foreshadows events that come to pass in surprising ways, keeping readers turning pages as fast as their eyes can draw in the words. The previous book, Beartown, is worth a read, but this sequel is an excellent tale on its own, with enough backstory to follow along. An incredible read that may require tissues. Backman has easily matched his bestselling book A Man Called Ove.