A review by nothingforpomegranted
The Deal of a Lifetime by Fredrik Backman

challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

From the very first line of this novella, I had chills that had hardly settled by the time I reached the final line, which brought them all right back. How Backman manages to create, in fewer than 60 pages, characters that are so comprehensive and heartbreaking is a mystery to me, but a beautiful and captivating one. 

A father writes a letter to his adult son, acknowledging his ego, his failures as a parent, and his undying, if uncommunicated, love. A young girl sits in the hospital, chatting with her stuffed rabbit, Babbit, and coloring a chair red. A woman in a gray sweater carries a clipboard from place to place, an omen or an angel depending on the perspective. 

There's really nothing else to say. Fredrik Backman can do no wrong.