So I started reading “A Man Called Ove” after seeing such hype about it and I’m currently at 11% of the book (chapter 5) and I’m pretty bored. If the rest of the book continues like this boring short stories of how ove is, as a person, I don’t want to continue it. After 5 chapters, I get that Ove is an “Angry at the world” type of person but stretch it so long?

Is there really anything good going to happen in the book? Or should I stop?

NB: I read books without reading synopsis because I don’t want to kill the thrill and no spoiler in the comments also please

  • boxer_dogs_dance@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    1 year ago

    It depends what you are looking for. It’s not an adventure type book.

    By the end I found it very satisfying.

  • little_carmine_@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    1 year ago

    Ok I’m here to say put it down. I absolutely hated it and I don’t understand why it’s so loved. I personally couldn’t stand this unbelievable charicature of a man (he’s 59, doesn’t know what a laptop is. Come on). I hated the constant supposed-to-be-funny similes.

    I rarely put books down, but this is the kind that you know pretty fast if you like or not. Like Hitchhikers guide - if you haven’t smiled a single time for the first 3 pages, chances are you’re not going to enjoy it.

  • Mymdai@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    1 year ago

    I only finished ‘A Man called Ove’ purely on the basis of wanting to know what I was missing out on and why everyone loved it so much. When reading it I was like I hate this, when is this going to get good. I should have DNF’ed it.

    I had read ‘Anxious People’ before and absolutely loved it so had been putting off reading ‘A Man called Ove’ because I thought the subject was going to emotionally ruin me because it hits home for me, I was left like ok everyone has hyped this up too much for me. I do think I may try watching the film, see if that added any life into the story.

  • charismelia@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    1 year ago

    To put it as simply as possible, the stories are different vignettes of Ove’s life that all come together to a cohesive end.

    If you like melodrama and feel-good stories, I think you’d like this book. Personally, I’ve read both Anxious People and A Man Called Ove, and they felt like unedited, unabridged scripts of a Hallmark family film.

  • ottprim@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    1 year ago

    If you feel that way so far, you are unlikely to enjoy the rest of it. It is what it is and you either like that type of storytelling and story or not.

  • xoxo_anon@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    1 year ago

    Initially I had the exact same reading experience as you had, but I finished the book and am very happy I did: they payoff was well worth it. Without giving any spoilers: the “short stories” help you understand the main character, why he is the way he is. I REALLY don’t want to give away too much but all the background information makes the final part of the book much more satisfying.