The readers are clearly the real winners here
So - here´s a spoiler-free review of Vinnarna. The spolerish one is far longer, and I´m still so in awe of the whole book that I have to think it through. This book is probably one of the most important books I´ve ever read!
"SHE is the bear", might be all about Alicia. Then again, Backman crafted the book to feel like it´s also directed at Mira, Maya, Ramona, Adri, Fatimah, Hannah, Tess and all the other women. The mothers, sisters or daughters flocking about her, taking up their daily struggles to help her, or to help "the next Maya", for that matter.
And about the men who care for them and support them, who have also factored into making Alicia everything she is to become.
I´m just so grateful this book was written by a man. A man who seemes to have understood more about being a woman than most men. Maybe even more than a few women I know.
I love how he respects and really has an eye for people who stand out, who are different in one way or another - be it country of origin, skin-colour, faith, orientation, health or any number of things great or small.
This tale is about amazing feelings of unity a family, a group of friends or being part of a team can bring us, but it´s also about the vulnerability of beeing left out and the destruction that may cause. It´s so spot on concerning what it´s like to be a single individual in a complex society. How each person has their own struggle and their own reasons for making their choices.
The complete stories of Björnstad are both marvellous fairy-tales and hard-hitting tragedies all at once. Every single person is taken seriously. They get to be heroes or villians in the eyes of their people and of society - depending on their life-choices.
I´ve been awaiting this book for a long time, but I didn´t expect it do go even deeper than it´s predecessors. It did, though. Made me laugh so hard I cried and cry helplessly. It stared right back at me from the abyss it created, made me furious and grief-stricken but really hit my heart. Violence begets violence, bullying seems to be hereditary, and even worse - it seems to spread. Men will be brought up in the image of their fathers and society moves forward at a painstakingly low pace - evil seeping in through every crack.
Love is our only weapon, our only consolation - and it´s fearfully fragile and easily shot down. These are uncomfortable truths. Especially if we try to silence them and push away those who speak them. To not be part of it, you need to stand up against misogyny, bullying and hate-speech whereever you see it.
If you don´t get in the way - who will?
This saga started with a poem on Amat´s wall. The one about doing good anyway. After reading Vinnarna, those words feel like the sum of everything Backman is trying to tell us.
There will always be good people - who build (cathedrals) anyway. They won´t always win, but when they do, it will be glorious and it will shine in the most unexpected of places.
The books about Björnstad are a very real example of that. They are all masterpieces, and though we readers suffered some heavy losses along the way, I do consider us the real winners.














