Read for our local reading group. The book features a rather obsessive woman in her sixties who turns out to be quite vulnerable. She wants a job, and is given one... and it opens up a new world to her.

Britt-Marie is a surprisingly likeable character, and one or two of the people she meets are also warm (albeit quirky). There are rather a lot of extra characters whom I found it hard to distinguish from each other, and quite an emphasis on football. I could appreciate its metaphor of building community life, but the whole idea of competitive sport tends to leave me cold, so I didn't find that very interesting.

Still, the writing is excellent, there's humour here and there and a lot of poignancy. Recommended.

Longer review here: https://suesbookreviews.blogspot.com/2024/11/britt-marie-was-here-by-fredrik-bac... ( )

Described on the blurb as a " Brilliant mix of belly-laughs, Insightful and touching I was really looking forward to my 4th Novel my Fredrick Blackman having recently read and loved [b:Beartown|33413128|Beartown|Fredrik Backman|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1482108618s/33413128.jpg|54171514] but unfortunatly Britt-Marie was a real let down as on completion I found it neither witty or touching and am afraid this book was quite twee and dull in my opinion.

I didnt connect with Britt-Marie as a fussy passive aggressive busybody and while I know other readers might connect or empathize with her I just found the story bizarre and far fetched and found myself disliking quite a lot about this book and on completion this one is going in my newly created Dull Shelf. Some of the conversations in the novel left me annoyed and bewildered as the characters actions and conversations rarely made sense and the humor was totally lost on me.

I think having read [b:Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine|31434883|Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine|Gail Honeyman|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1493724347s/31434883.jpg|47327681][bc:Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine|31434883|Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine|Gail Honeyman|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1493724347s/31434883.jpg|47327681] and found it fun, touching and insightful, "Britt Marie was here". just paled in comparrison and therefore a disappointing read for me. ( )

Britt-Marie is a miserable, judgmental curmudgeon......and I love her. Yes, you read that right, of course she wasn't so lovable at first but she grew on me as I came to understand and relate to her. She was mostly the same Britt-Marie throughout the book but I got to see a softer more caring Britt-Marie as the story progressed. Talk about character growth, one of the most significant growth of a character I've ever read. And not because she became more likable but mostly because I got a glimpse of who Britt-Marie could be without all the scars of the life experiences she wore on her sleeves. I loved that she could find people that accepted her as she is and didn't even seem to notice her curmudgeon ways. A very compelling and unexpectedly surprising read for me. ( )

Loved it, like both the others ( )

Britt-Marie leaves her husband when the 'other woman' shows up at the hospital when he suffers a heart attack. The unemployment office sends her to Borg to maintain the recreation center, a job that was mistakenly posted since the building will be shut down in 3 weeks. There Britt-Marie meets a group of kids obsessed with soccer who want to participate in an upcoming cup match and quirky town folk living in a dying town. As she begins to get drawn out of herself and into their world she has to decide where she fits and where she wants to fit. Humorous and touching. Well done. ( )