My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry by Fredrik Backman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a wonderfully unclassifiable novel that is first and foremost CHARMING.

But if I was to classify it... or rather just list a bunch of things it is or has... I'd say it's about stories within stories, a quirky weird reverse-telling of Red Riding Hood, it's a popular culture nostalgiafest for things like superheroes and Harry Potter and even a bit of Star Wars, it's about death and loss and family and having a personality bigger than life and also making the best of everything that comes your way and believing that there ARE real superheroes in the world and they might be everywhere you look if only you open the door and get to know them.

And that's kinda the point. The book is full of tons of great characters. Sometimes they annoy the hell out of you but more often than not, after UNDERSTANDING them, it's hard to keep hating them. Or keep yourself from that begrudging love that you know you love to hate because it's JUST NOT FAIR that these people can turn around and surprise you by not being complete jerks.

I'm trying to say this is a good book. Despite, or perhaps because, it throws everything it is into this big pile and still charms us into believing it ALL MEANS SOMETHING. :)



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