A man called Ove – A review

Fedrick Bachman, the Swedish author, blogger, and columnist wrote “A man called Ove” and Henning Koch translated to English. The book was adapted into a Swedish movie and Tom Hanks is about to play “Ove” in English version of the movie, which is said to be released in the month of December,2022.

Ove is a 59-year-old man whose world is just black and white. His neighbors call him anti-social, and a “grumpy old sod.” Sonia was all the color of his world. One Tuesday morning, Ove suddenly finds himself in a place where he no longer understands the language of this world. With his translator gone from his side, he starts to hate the world and starts his journey to his self-made destiny. The book shows us his journey and how his neighbors play a role in his life.

We see “Oves” around us, but we tend to conveniently ignore them and overlook their difficulties with technology and contemporary times. Ove`s experiences, made me see my dad, uncles, and elderly relatives in my family from their perspective. Things change, people leave, new people join us. But it is not always an easy task to find your comfort zone. Particularly when you no longer have your childhood friends or family members who guided you.

This book is also a revelation to all the younger generation who only witness their grandfathers or grandmothers in their ripe years needing help with the very things they take for granted, like waking up in the morning and going on with the routine. Added to that, the younger generation takes pride in ridiculing, humiliating, or passing judgmental comments about the helpless elders simply because they are not fast and skilled (technologically). But they always tend to forget that the younger generation is not as patient as the elder generation.

Ove takes us along on his journey towards his destination. The story goes on in simple and plain English. Ove made me laugh, laugh aloud, cry, and made me keep the book aside and ponder what I had just read. This is a must read for all generations, especially where the things for granted by the younger generation.