A Man Called Ove

Six months ago, Ove's wife died. Yesterday he was let go from his job. So today he has decided to kill himself. But first he has to deal with the new neighbors, who just backed their trailer into his mailbox. As Ove's various attempts to kill himself are thwarted by his neighbors, he slowly discovers that maybe he does have something left to live for after all.

This was a very sad book about a grumpy, old man who has outlived his purpose. Ove is a man of strong opinions. He knows the right way to do things and he'll be damned if he lets anyone do it the wrong way. Because of this, he often finds himself butting heads with all the people he comes into contact with. But beneath his grouchiness is a heart of gold. See, there's a right way to do things. And Ove isn't going to let a cat die of the elements, even though he hates cats. He isn't going to ignore his neighbor's request to fix the radiator, even though they've been feuding for most of their lives.

As Ove slowly lets his guard down, and as you learn more about his early life through flashbacks, both his neighbors and the reader fall in love with him a bit. It may seem like the world has passed him by, but there's still a place for him. There are still things to do and people to love, even without his wife and his job. This book is a nice reminder of all those little things we all have to live for.