Us Against You

A Novel

By: Fredrik Backman

Narrated by: Marin Ireland

The #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Man Called Ove and Beartown returns with an unforgettable novel “about people—about strength and tribal loyalty and what we unwittingly do when trying to show our boys how to be men” (Jojo Moyes).

Have you ever seen a town fall? Ours did.
Have you ever seen a town rise? Ours did that, too.

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—“the Dickens of our age” (Green Valley News)—reveals how loyalty, friendship, and kindness can carry a town through its most challenging days.

One of the greatest books about hockey ever

I absolutely loved this book. The author obviously knows what it is like to be a hockey player and a hockey parent. Each character and storyline resonated with me on so many different levels that it was difficult to stop listening. My emotions were all over the map, rejoicing one moment then crying the next. I cannot recommend this book enough for those who love the game of hockey or just want to gain a deeper understanding.

Another great Backman book!

Loved this sequel to Beartown...getting to know the characters more in depth. Every reader can relate to at least one individual in the story, or at least with the struggles the characters must overcome. The performance was perfect. Can't wait to listen to the next book in the series.

add to your library!

couldn't stop listening. The reality of the situations are in each of our own towns

Unforgettable

Did not want it to end ! You love them, you hate them and you just want to be one of them.

Glad I stuck with it

I almost bailed on this book before the halfway mark. So much sadness, it was hard to see how anyone could come out alright. Fortunately, I stuck with it (mostly because I liked the author’s other books so much.) Characters I’d grown to like in Beartown and this book aren’t all left in misery as I had feared. I was satisfied with the conclusion, which wasn’t all happy but offered glimmers of hope and redemption. Overall, worth a listen.