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Jan 11, 2021JCLBetM rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
I already knew from reading "A Man Called Ove" that Backman has a gift of creating nuanced and realistic characters whose flaws you appreciate as much as their virtues. But he outdid himself with this one. I'd be laughing one moment, and tearing up the next over the various issues this mad cast of characters were dealing with. And somehow the puzzle of time he creates by shifting back and forth within the hostage episode itself, as well as events years earlier, enriches the story and helps you suspend judgment as you watch the various pieces laid into place. I didn't love it immediately, but I certainly did by the end.