Book Summary
"Britt-Marie Was Here" is a novel by the famous Swedish author Fredrik Backman, who is listed among the New York Times bestsellers. Britt-Marie is a 63-year-old woman who starts to think about making changes in her life at this age. Recently, she has experienced the loss of her sister and still remembers her, often questioning why she survived instead of her sister, and what the reason for her existence is. Britt-Marie has obsessive tendencies and possesses a very sensitive nature.
Despite her approach to life—always being careful not to hurt or upset anyone—she is betrayed by her husband, which brings her immense pain and suffering. After some time, when she adjusts to her new circumstances, she decides to fulfill her dreams. In this pursuit, she chooses a job and moves to a town called Borg, where the locals have chosen two pastimes for entertainment: pizza and football—two things Britt-Marie has no interest in and no knowledge about. However, these are just the beginning of the exciting adventures that await her, and her life's narrative takes a different turn with the new events that unfold.
A woman who has never judged others, even if they behaved wrongly in her view, and who, despite her strict exterior, has a very kind heart, now tries to find her place in life. Of course, stepping into an unfamiliar community makes things a bit challenging for her, but her imagination always holds a special place in her heart, and she never fears pursuing it. Backman's novel, which first appeared on the market in 2014, has various ups and downs that will captivate readers.
About the Author
Fredrik Backman is a Swedish author and blogger born on June 2, 1981, in Stockholm. He married Neda Shafati in 2009 and is most famous for his book "A Man Called Ove," which was adapted into a film that received an Academy Award nomination. He has written various works, including: "Bear Town," "Us Against You," "Winners," and "Things my son Needs to Know About the World," the last of which is based on his own experiences in parenting. Backman currently has two children.
Who Should Read the Book?
Readers of social stories that address societal issues and problems while narrating a tale are those who are recommended to read this novel.
Book Quotes
Borg is a place where a street comes in from one side and goes out the other. It has been a long time since anyone found work there. The only things that haven't closed down are the pizzeria and football. Britt-Marie doesn't like pizza and knows nothing about football.
When David and Pernilla were kids, Kent always told them that you couldn't play this game with Britt-Marie because "she doesn't know how to play." But that wasn't true. Britt-Marie knows how to play rock-paper-scissors very well; she just doesn't think that using paper to cover a rock is right. And don't even get me started on scissors! God knows what those hands have touched before.
Britt-Marie wanders around the youth club, just like a wandering spirit whose coffin lid has been opened, wanting to join in on the nightly gatherings.
At a certain age, almost all the questions that occupy your mind revolve around one topic: How should one live?
Love for everyone doesn't have to come with fireworks and a symphony orchestra; I think that's perfectly normal. Love for many of us can be something else. Something that makes sense!
Britt-Marie never understood what Kent actually wanted. What would satisfy him? Was a lot of money enough for him, or did he want even more? When David and Pernilla were teenagers, they once gave Kent a coffee cup with the words printed on it: "The one who dies with the most possessions win." They said that phrase was "a jab," but for Kent, it was a strong motivation.
All marriages have a dark side because all people have weaknesses. Everyone who lives with someone else learns to cope with their flaws in some way.
Usually, they call her "the second wife." But Britt-Marie could never give that title to Kent's other woman. Perhaps because Britt-Marie herself knew what it felt like to be the second wife. The truth is, Kent divorced on the very day of Britt-Marie's mother's funeral, but Kent's children never looked at it that way. As far as David and Pernilla were concerned, Britt-Marie was the second wife; it didn't matter how many storybooks she had read to them or how much food she had cooked. Maybe Kent saw her that way too. It didn't matter how much laundry she had done for him; perhaps Britt-Marie didn't see herself as the first wife either.
Britt-Marie sits on the balcony and watches the dull morning sunrise over Borg; her mornings are reminiscent of January mornings. There’s no sun, but everything is bright. She still holds Eswen's painting tightly in her hand. Eswen is not a skilled painter by any means, and if Britt-Marie knew much about nature, she might criticize the lines and shadows in the painting and say he must see her in the same disorganized way. But whatever it is, Eswen sees her. That can't be denied.
Britt-Marie picks up her mobile phone and calls the girl at the employment office. The girl answers cheerfully, and this is when Britt-Marie realizes it's the answering machine. She decides to hang up because leaving a message for an answering machine—unless it's from the hospital or drug unit—isn't proper. But for some reason, she doesn’t hang up; instead, after hearing the beep, she pauses and finally says, "This is Britt-Marie. One of your football team members managed to score a goal. I thought you might find that interesting." When she hangs up, she feels like she has done something foolish. Surely, the girl has no interest in this topic. If Kent were here, he would definitely mock her.
