Britt Marie Was Here by Fredrik Backman

Britt Marie knows how she likes things, and they must be done in the right way. Coasters must be used, cutlery must be in order and cleanliness is a high priority. You meet Britt-Marie and her husband Kent in Fredrik Backman’s previous book My Grandmother Sends Her Regards and Apologises but you don’t need to have read that first to really appreciate Britt-Marie Was Here. This book takes a deeper look at who Britt-Marie is, how her past has influenced her as a person, and how she changes after taking a job in a place called Borg. It is quite similar to Fredrik’s A Man Called Ove, but I found the story explored so much more than the central character.

Borg is a very quiet place where most of the shops and community buildings have closed down due to the financial crisis. Here Britt-Marie meets a strange mix of people and a wonderful bunch of kids who are all trying to get by as best they know how. Britt-Marie came from the city so this quiet and quirky place is quite a shock for her.

As Britt-Marie gets to know the residents, we get to know more about what made her into the person she is today. Britt-Marie isn’t someone you love as a character straight away, but gradually as you watch her develop.

The book shows how Britt-Marie changes Borg, and how Borg changes Britt-Marie. It is full of humour, but also a touching story exploring the lives of each character in turn. Secrets are revealed and heartbreaking stories develop as the community comes together. Fredrik Backman has a stunning way of making you feel for the characters without overly describing them. Their personalities shine from the page and finishing the book leaves you missing them.

I absolutely adored Ove, but I think this has to be my favourite book from Fredrik Backman. I loved how Britt-Marie developed through the book into a loveable character, but also how I got to know each member of the community and their backstory.

Find out more and buy the book here Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com

I received an advance copy of the book from the publisher.

You can read my review for Fredrik Backman’s other books here: My Grandmother Sends Her Regards And Apologises and A Man Called Ove.