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A review by jenbsbooks
Britt-Marie Was Here by Fredrik Backman
5.0
I've read A Man Called Ove and I liked this better! Beartown and Anxious People were both 5* ratings from me too. Backman's other books are on my list!
I went with the audio edition, and right off, the narration is PERFECT. The voice here IS Britt-Marie, and always will be in my mind. Even though this was written in the 3rd person/present tense (probably my least favorite combo) it worked. Heavy English accent, which also added to the overall ambience.
This starts off with a quick discussion of a cutlery drawer, and the proper arrangement. This really isn't important to the story overall ... but it shows right off the bat what kind of a person Britt-Marie is. The cutlery drawer reference is repeated a few times throughout the book. But NOT as many times as "bicarbonate of soda" (baking soda to Americans). Seriously, Britt-Marie has a serious relationship with bicarbonate of soda. It is referenced 59 times. I know this because I did a search in the kindle copy ... the kindle copy which "GASP" says "baking soda" instead of "bicarbonate of soda". I seriously think I need a refund of my kindle copy! Britt-Marie would be appalled at the Americanization of the text for the Kindle copy. To add insult to injury, another integral item (mentioned 233 times) football (in the audio, and everywhere in the world except the US) is called "soccer" in the kindle text. I realize this is a translation from Swedish, and it could be translated into "English" or "American" ... but when Liverpool, Aston Villa, Manchester United are the sports teams being referenced, it seems one should stick with the the version that matches most, which is the English "football!" There were still other switches too (cart instead of trolly, cashier instead of till) but then there was the English spelling of "councillors" and petrol was still used (instead of gas) and kronor was left alone.
What I'm saying is ... I had gone ahead and purchased the Kindle copy because I wanted to review the story myself after listening, and I'm super frustrated with the switches! Totally takes away from what I heard originally in the audiobook (even though the rest of the translation seems word for word).
Back to the book~ Britt-Marie is prickly and we/the reader are likely more like the girl at the unemployment office in our opinion of her. I found it interesting that we never learn the girl's name (did Britt-Marie ever learn it?) A little later when "Somebody" helps her after "the boy" and "the girl" kick a soccer ball at her head ... I wondered if any of the other characters WOULD be named (ala Blindness - no names, The Handmaid’s Tale, we don't know the MCs name, The Book of the Unnamed Midwife ... well, it's the title!) This didn't turn out to be the case, although as mentioned, we never learn the name of the girl at the unemployment office, nor if "Somebody" has a name.
It was pretty heart-wrenching when it is fully understood WHY Britt-Marie is looking for a job at the unemployment office. She just wants someone/anyone to "see" her, to notice if she were suddenly absent (ie died in her apartment alone). She "wants someone to know I'm here." When the girl realizes this. When we/the reader realize this. The title hits. Perhaps hits me harder than it might others. "You are not alone when someone needs you."
Anyway, I loved the unraveling of the story. As Britt-Marie goes to Borg, and ends up making such a difference to the people there, which makes such a difference to herself.
I went with the audio edition, and right off, the narration is PERFECT. The voice here IS Britt-Marie, and always will be in my mind. Even though this was written in the 3rd person/present tense (probably my least favorite combo) it worked. Heavy English accent, which also added to the overall ambience.
This starts off with a quick discussion of a cutlery drawer, and the proper arrangement. This really isn't important to the story overall ... but it shows right off the bat what kind of a person Britt-Marie is. The cutlery drawer reference is repeated a few times throughout the book. But NOT as many times as "bicarbonate of soda" (baking soda to Americans). Seriously, Britt-Marie has a serious relationship with bicarbonate of soda. It is referenced 59 times. I know this because I did a search in the kindle copy ... the kindle copy which "GASP" says "baking soda" instead of "bicarbonate of soda". I seriously think I need a refund of my kindle copy! Britt-Marie would be appalled at the Americanization of the text for the Kindle copy. To add insult to injury, another integral item (mentioned 233 times) football (in the audio, and everywhere in the world except the US) is called "soccer" in the kindle text. I realize this is a translation from Swedish, and it could be translated into "English" or "American" ... but when Liverpool, Aston Villa, Manchester United are the sports teams being referenced, it seems one should stick with the the version that matches most, which is the English "football!" There were still other switches too (cart instead of trolly, cashier instead of till) but then there was the English spelling of "councillors" and petrol was still used (instead of gas) and kronor was left alone.
What I'm saying is ... I had gone ahead and purchased the Kindle copy because I wanted to review the story myself after listening, and I'm super frustrated with the switches! Totally takes away from what I heard originally in the audiobook (even though the rest of the translation seems word for word).
Back to the book~ Britt-Marie is prickly and we/the reader are likely more like the girl at the unemployment office in our opinion of her. I found it interesting that we never learn the girl's name (did Britt-Marie ever learn it?) A little later when "Somebody" helps her after "the boy" and "the girl" kick a soccer ball at her head ... I wondered if any of the other characters WOULD be named (ala Blindness - no names, The Handmaid’s Tale, we don't know the MCs name, The Book of the Unnamed Midwife ... well, it's the title!) This didn't turn out to be the case, although as mentioned, we never learn the name of the girl at the unemployment office, nor if "Somebody" has a name.
It was pretty heart-wrenching when it is fully understood WHY Britt-Marie is looking for a job at the unemployment office. She just wants someone/anyone to "see" her, to notice if she were suddenly absent (ie died in her apartment alone). She "wants someone to know I'm here." When the girl realizes this. When we/the reader realize this. The title hits. Perhaps hits me harder than it might others. "You are not alone when someone needs you."
Anyway, I loved the unraveling of the story. As Britt-Marie goes to Borg, and ends up making such a difference to the people there, which makes such a difference to herself.