T-REVIEWS: BEAR TOWN

"You might be playing with bears. But that doesn't mean you have to forget that you are a lion."
I am feeling slightly emotional (and philosophical) as I just concluded the book Bear Town. I've never been a sports fan in general (don't ask why I landed a role in sports PR; I am just grateful to God everyday for putting me on this unexpected path that I come to love so much) but I love the qualities and the values that underlie every sport. I love how sports unite and bring people together, regardless of background, heritage or nationality. Team work, loyalty, tenacity, dedication, salvation and passion are just some of the things that make me love not the game, but the concept of sports. This book is about all of that, but so much more.

Bear Town is about the lives of a bunch of Ice Hockey players in a small town, called (you know this one) Bear Town. The author has such an amazing gift of keeping every paragraph short and sweet but still able to make every single character in the book relatable. Trust me, there were so many characters in the book to keep track of, each of their lives entwined with one another but, yet I shed tears for every single one of them, knowing each of their struggle, pain and dilemmas after they were affected by a tragedy that happened in town. I can't choose a single favourite character because most of them are awesome but I must say, I love the women in the book so much.

"But you haven't lacked a role model. All your best qualities come from the fact that you've been raised in a house full of women." - Kevin's mom

The book touches so many grounds of humanity - justice, family, courage, sexuality, gender stereotypes and essentially, exploring the depth of loyalty one is willing to go for the team and family, even if it is a battle between good and evil. There is no good or bad characters in the book, only flawed humans. The pages make beautiful reminders that everyone is going through something and that before a stone is cast, we need to remember that there are too many things about other people that we don't know.

"Sometimes life doesn't let you choose your battles, just the company you keep."
I must say too that if you need good quotes for your Instagram posts, look no further than within this literature.

If Bear Town were made into a movie, I would watch it solo, wrapped in a blanket because that is the best way to watch such a heart-warming story while getting all mushy and such. Fredrik Backman earned a spot as an author to look out for because he managed to turn a book I thought I wouldn't enjoy to one that is currently ranked top 2 of the year. Heck, I might even start watching Ice Hockey (or maybe not).