Beartown (Beartown, #1)

Beartown by Fredrik Backman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Loved it!!! I made the mistake of reading Us Against You first so I expected to hate Kevin but I didn't. I am not excusing his raping Maya there is no excuse for that but I don't think it was entirely his fault, there was enough blame for everyone. The father that told him "Successful people take what they want", the Mother the pretended not to know he was throwing parties when she was out of town with his Father, Maya's parents who allowed a 15 year old girl to go to the party (and OK she lied about what she was doing but the Mom admitted she knew where Maya and Ana were going)., the coach David that looked the other way when rape jokes were told. So at the end of the book in 10 years time I am glad Kevin has a happy ending.

I also expected to loath the town for taking Kevin's side but most of them in the end did stand by Maya and her family. And Maya did make it hard to believe her by waiting to come forward and by destroying some of the evidence, in a misguided effort to protect her family. I am glad that in 10 years time she is a successful singer.

Benji, knew Maya and Ana shouldn't be at the party he told Kevin "he didn't party with little girls" and then left.I often wondered if things would have been different if he stayed. Nevertheless afterward Benji did what he could to protect Maya.

Amat actually interrupted them and gave Maya a chance to get away, he tried to follow Maya and begged her to call the cops. I often wonder if things would have turned out differently if she had. Perhaps the town wouldn't have been so divided. And Amat did speak up for her and tell what he saw both at the Hockey Club meeting where they were going to sack Peter and later to the police.

And the most unlikely heroes of all The Pack stood by Peter and Maya allowing Peter to keep his job. (sigh) I really can't blame The Pack for not liking Peter he won't fight (not even for his friends) and he isn't loyal (not even to the Pack that saved his job and protected his kids) two qualities they most admire.

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