Us Against You

A Novel

By: Fredrik Backman

Narrated by: Marin Ireland

Length: 14 hrs and 17 mins

Publisher's summary

The number-one New York Times best-selling author of A Man Called Ove and Beartown returns with “a lyrical look at how a community heals, how families recover and how individuals grow” (The Washington Post).

A small community tucked deep in the forest, Beartown is home to tough, hardworking people who don’t expect life to be easy or fair. No matter how difficult times get, they’ve always been able to take pride in their local ice hockey team. So it’s a cruel blow when they hear that Beartown ice hockey might soon be disbanded. What makes it worse is the obvious satisfaction that all the former Beartown players, who now play for a rival team in the neighboring town of Hed, take in that fact. As the tension mounts between the two adversaries, a newcomer arrives who gives Beartown hockey a surprising new coach and a chance at a comeback.

Soon a team starts to take shape around Amat, the fastest player you’ll ever see; Benji, the intense lone wolf; always dutiful and eager-to-please Bobo; and Vidar, a born-to-be-bad troublemaker. But bringing this team together proves to be a challenge as old bonds are broken, new ones are formed, and the town’s enmity with Hed grows more and more acute.

As the big game approaches, the not-so-innocent pranks and incidents between the communities pile up and their mutual contempt intensifies. By the time the last goal is scored, a resident of Beartown will be dead, and the people of both towns will be forced to wonder if, after everything, the game they love can ever return to something as simple and innocent as a field of ice, two nets, and two teams. Us against you.

Here is a declaration of love for all the big and small, bright and dark stories that give form and color to our communities. With immense compassion and insight, Fredrik Backman reveals how loyalty, friendship, and kindness can carry a town through its most challenging days.

©2018 Fredrik Backman (P)2018 Simon & Schuster

Best of the best

Expect to laugh and to cry.

One of the best books I have read lately.

A fabulous book.

I spent hours with these characters. A sequel to Bear Town. Or your first introduction to the characters, it doesn't matter, you will learn to love and be confused by them because that's the type of story it is. It is a reflection of life. Not everyone gets a happy ending.

nice

a bit dramatic and way too repetitive first half. But i still loved it and it still makes me cry!

Didn’t want it to end

Been a long time since a book made me cry out loud. I rushed through it but wanted to slow down so it wouldn’t end. Great book - with characters you love. Now let’s make this into a TV series so I can re live it all again.

Makes you feel part of the Bear Town community

Such a great story and the second instalment in a two book series. Refreshing narrative and terrific characters. A back and forth that allows a glimpse ahead without seeming to jump chapters. Great narration. Swept through both books with barely a pause positively inviting the next commute.