Nǐ hǎo, I'm Julia.

I seem to be on a Backman reading streak at the moment. I recently wrote about why I read Anxious People, and have just finished The Winners, the final book in the Beartown trilogy.

why fredrik backman

I already wrote about this here. 😉

why the winners

This is the final book in the Beartown series. I’d read Beartown (my first Backman) in August 2024 and my thoughts were:

This book is beautifully written with some really memorable characters, and a sense of “realness” that’s a bit uncomfortable at times. There’s not a lot of black and white, and loads of grey.

If you've not heard about or read it, the books are set in Beartown, a small hockey-obsessed town where loyalty and rivalry blur into the same thing. Throughout the series, the books explore what binds people together and what tears them apart.

Underpinning it all, Backman poses a question at the heart of the story: What are we willing to sacrifice for the people and places we love? The novel doesn't offer easy answers, but it does force you to sit with the discomfort of the question. Do you agree with some of the dubious things the characters do, for the sake of family and friends? And what if you were in their position?

why it resonated

Backman leans heavily on foreshadowing, planting seeds early on that make you brace for impact before you even know what's coming. At times, it's frustrating—he misdirects, teases, and withholds just enough to keep you turning pages—but ultimately, it works as it simultaneously makes me more invested in the characters, while also preparing me for the landing.

The book's exploration of sacrifice and belonging was poignant for me. As someone who values both independence and deep connections, I'm constantly navigating the balance between self and community. What does it mean to be part of something bigger than yourself—whether that's a family, a community, or a team? The Winners does this exceptionally well, showing the weight of responsibility people feel toward one another, even when that responsibility is crushing. Characters have to make difficult choices about what they're willing to give up for the people they love, and it made me reflect on my own boundaries and values.

Having followed these characters across three books made this final instalment especially meaningful and it (thankfully) had a great ending which offered closure. I've watched the characters grow, make mistakes, and find redemption. New characters were also introduced, which made me question how they would impact the existing dynamics and whether my loyalties would shift.

what i've taken away

🧩 On character complexity

• People are multifaceted and contradictory – capable of both tremendous kindness and devastating cruelty.
• Our judgment of others is often incomplete without understanding their full context and backstory.

👪 On family and community

• What defines family extends far beyond blood relations – it's about who shows up when it matters.
• Communities can be both nurturing and suffocating, providing both protection and limitation.
• The question of what we're willing to sacrifice for our community is rarely straightforward and changes as we evolve.

💭 On emotional truth

• Small, seemingly insignificant moments often carry the most emotional weight.
• Foreshadowing gives us time to process difficult emotions rather than being ambushed by them.

other interesting bits

• Here is a transcribed interview with Backman from 2017 that talks about his motivations for writing Beartown.