Britt-Marie Was Here by Fredrik Backman (November 2018)
This was the third and final Frederick Backman novel I read in 2018. I didn’t give much thought to the order I chose to read these books but in hindsight the order worked out very well for me. The reason was that the end of the second book I read, My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry, included a scene about the character Britt-Marie moving out of home. This scene turned out to flow smoothly into the start of Britt-Marie was Here, the novel dedicated to following and fleshing out the story of that character.
Britt-Marie's first chapter in her new life starts in Borg, a tiny Swedish town that has so little it wants for nothing. Here, she explores the fundamental question everyone should face at some point – how should I live my life? As Britt-Marie answers this question, she encounters the little nuggets of insight that seem to be Backman’s trademark – you can’t be alone if someone needs you, for example, or that most people can find strength for others despite being unable to do so for themselves.
The friend who recommended I read Backman’s first book, A Man Called Ove, asked me if this story was about the same Britt-Marie from My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry. When I confirmed his suspicion, he mentioned he wasn’t excited about reading Britt-Marie was Here because he didn’t like her character very much in her prior appearance. It’s a fair concern but one that might miss the biggest lesson in this book – people do and can change at any stage in life. However, it always takes a lot of work. In Britt-Marie’s case, it really does take a village to change an adult. Borg’s unconditional acceptance of her is the catalyst for her transformation. As her initial irritation with others showing an interest in her gives way to something approaching affection, Britt-Marie finally faces the obstacle that has always stood in the way of her growth – herself.
