Publication
New York : Atria Books, 2015.
Collection
Call number
Fiction B
Physical description
372 p.; 22 cm
Status
Available
Call number
Description
Fiction. Literature. Humor (Fiction.) HTML:A charming, warmhearted novel from the author of the New York Times bestseller A Man Called Ove. Elsa is seven years old and different. Her grandmother is seventy-seven years old and crazy�??as in standing-on-the-balcony-firing-paintball-guns-at-strangers crazy. She is also Elsa's best, and only, friend. At night Elsa takes refuge in her grandmother's stories, in the Land-of-Almost-Awake and the Kingdom of Miamas, where everybody is different and nobody needs to be normal. When Elsa's grandmother dies and leaves behind a series of letters apologizing to people she has wronged, Elsa's greatest adventure begins. Her grandmother's instructions lead her to an apartment building full of drunks, monsters, attack dogs, and old crones but also to the truth about fairy tales and kingdoms and a grandmother like no other. My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry is told with the same comic accuracy and beating heart as Fredrik Backman's bestselling debut novel, A Man Called Ove. It is a story about life and death and one of the most important human rights: the right to be differe… (more)
Subjects
Genres
Media reviews
A contemporary fairy tale from the whimsical author of A Man Called Ove (2014)...This is a more complex tale than Backman’s debut, and it is intricately, if not impeccably, woven. The third-person narrative voice, when aligned with Elsa’s perspective, reveals heartfelt, innocent observations,
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but when moving toward omniscience, it can read as too clever by half. Given a choice, Backman seems more likely to choose poignancy over logic; luckily, the choice is not often necessary. As in A Man Called Ove, there are clear themes here, nominally: the importance of stories; the honesty of children; and the obtuseness of most adults, putting him firmly in league with the likes of Roald Dahl and Neil Gaiman.
A touching, sometimes-funny, often wise portrait of grief. Show Less
User reviews
LibraryThing member karieh
“My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry” was the 100th book I read in 2016 – I finished it on New Year’s Eve. I couldn’t have chosen a more perfect book to finish out what was a generally not good year. This magical tale about magical tales was the perfect antidote to the
The book starts a bit slowly. As with every journey to a magical place, it takes a while to settle in. To learn the customs and rules and unfamiliar beings that make up this new world. Else, the almost eight-year-old that is the main character, is an excellent guide. She leads the reader with clear eyes and with a footing that grows surer as each chapter passes. She uses familiar landmarks and universal truths to ease the reader in, make him/her more comfortable in the house that makes up Elsa’s universe. “There’s something special about a grandmother’s house. You never forget how it smells.”
Elsa’s Granny is the creator of the Kingdom of Miamas – where everyone is different and nobody is normal. This kingdom provides the escape to the “Land-of-Almost-Awake” where Elsa can experience joy and adventure with the magical creatures there…and escape from a life where she is bullied at school and is told over and over that “she must try and fit in”. Elsa is too smart and too brave to fit into a mundane world – she is a Knight of Miamas and as such, is given a quest – to deliver letters written by her grandmother to those she feels she has wronged in some way.
This book is written with such a beautiful balance of fairy tale language, modern words, love, humor and grief that it was hard for me to stop and take note. There were some lines, however, that I had to read them again and then hold on with a tight grip. “She is still crying. Wolfheart as well. But they do what they can. They construct words of forgiveness from the ruins of fighting words.”
As fairy tales must have, there are sorrows and dark times. The heroes use what tools and strengths they have to get through those times and emerge stronger. “…Maud bakes cookies because when the darkness is too heavy to bear and too many things have been broken in too many ways to ever be fixed again, Maud doesn’t know what weapon to use if one can’t use dreams. So that’s what she does. One day at a time. One dream at a time. And one could say it’s right and one could say it’s wrong. And probably both would be right. Because life is both complicated and simple.”
“Which is why there are cookies.”
This is a lovely and sad and magical book, one about magical things and the superpowers of everyday people. Author Fredrik Backman’s superpower is the ability to weave fantasy and reality in a way that brings the reader to tears in the best possible way and to laugh in a way that gets to the heart of a serious subject. I simply loved this book and cannot imagine a better way to end a year that was anything but magical. I couldn’t agree more with the way the book both begins and ends (although I might change the age mentioned to my own for purely selfish reasons).
“Every seven-year-old deserves a superhero. That’s just how it is. Anyone who doesn’t agree needs their head examined.”
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sadness, illness, hate, fear and worry that made up much of this past year. Not only for me but for the world as a whole.The book starts a bit slowly. As with every journey to a magical place, it takes a while to settle in. To learn the customs and rules and unfamiliar beings that make up this new world. Else, the almost eight-year-old that is the main character, is an excellent guide. She leads the reader with clear eyes and with a footing that grows surer as each chapter passes. She uses familiar landmarks and universal truths to ease the reader in, make him/her more comfortable in the house that makes up Elsa’s universe. “There’s something special about a grandmother’s house. You never forget how it smells.”
Elsa’s Granny is the creator of the Kingdom of Miamas – where everyone is different and nobody is normal. This kingdom provides the escape to the “Land-of-Almost-Awake” where Elsa can experience joy and adventure with the magical creatures there…and escape from a life where she is bullied at school and is told over and over that “she must try and fit in”. Elsa is too smart and too brave to fit into a mundane world – she is a Knight of Miamas and as such, is given a quest – to deliver letters written by her grandmother to those she feels she has wronged in some way.
This book is written with such a beautiful balance of fairy tale language, modern words, love, humor and grief that it was hard for me to stop and take note. There were some lines, however, that I had to read them again and then hold on with a tight grip. “She is still crying. Wolfheart as well. But they do what they can. They construct words of forgiveness from the ruins of fighting words.”
As fairy tales must have, there are sorrows and dark times. The heroes use what tools and strengths they have to get through those times and emerge stronger. “…Maud bakes cookies because when the darkness is too heavy to bear and too many things have been broken in too many ways to ever be fixed again, Maud doesn’t know what weapon to use if one can’t use dreams. So that’s what she does. One day at a time. One dream at a time. And one could say it’s right and one could say it’s wrong. And probably both would be right. Because life is both complicated and simple.”
“Which is why there are cookies.”
This is a lovely and sad and magical book, one about magical things and the superpowers of everyday people. Author Fredrik Backman’s superpower is the ability to weave fantasy and reality in a way that brings the reader to tears in the best possible way and to laugh in a way that gets to the heart of a serious subject. I simply loved this book and cannot imagine a better way to end a year that was anything but magical. I couldn’t agree more with the way the book both begins and ends (although I might change the age mentioned to my own for purely selfish reasons).
“Every seven-year-old deserves a superhero. That’s just how it is. Anyone who doesn’t agree needs their head examined.”
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LibraryThing member SheTreadsSoftly
My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry by Fredrik Backman is very highly recommended fairytale. I love this book! Great writing, incredible storytelling, wonderful plot... My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry has it all! Elsa is 7, almost 8, years old and bullied for being
"Granny isn’t particularly good at living in the real world. There are too many rules. She cheats when she plays Monopoly and drives Renault in the bus lane and steals those yellow carrier bags from IKEA and won’t stand behind the line when she’s at the conveyor belt at the airport. And when she goes to the bathroom she leaves the door open. But she does tell the very best fairy tales ever, and for that Elsa can forgive quite a few character defects."
When her grandmother dies, she leaves behind a series of letters that Elsa must deliver to people, telling them that her grandmother is sorry. Elsa only has to deliver one letter at a time before the next letter is revealed. While Elsa delivers the letters she is also dealing with her grief and anger. Anger over, in part, her grandmother's death, her mother's busyness, her parents' divorce, her new half-sibling due to arrive soon. What Elsa learns through the letters and her journey to deliver them is that the fairy tales her grandmother told her are real. The magic, heroism, tragedy, and danger in the fairytales are present and reflected in the various people Elsa meets when delivering the letters.
I simply loved this book and My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry will certainly be on the best books of the year list. For a story full of grief, it is also full of hope, forgiveness, and acceptance. You have to stick with the story until the fairytales Elsa's grandmother told her are shown to be connected to the real world and provide a poignant insight into the people surrounding Elsa.
Disclosure: My Kindle edition was courtesy of Atria Book for review purposes.
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different. She loves her grandmother who is 77 and a little bit crazy. Elsa's grandmother is her best friend and her champion. Her grandmother tells her stories from the Land of Almost-Awake and the Kingdom of Miamas "where everybody is different and nobody needs to be normal." Elsa has memorized all the stories her grandmother told her."Granny isn’t particularly good at living in the real world. There are too many rules. She cheats when she plays Monopoly and drives Renault in the bus lane and steals those yellow carrier bags from IKEA and won’t stand behind the line when she’s at the conveyor belt at the airport. And when she goes to the bathroom she leaves the door open. But she does tell the very best fairy tales ever, and for that Elsa can forgive quite a few character defects."
When her grandmother dies, she leaves behind a series of letters that Elsa must deliver to people, telling them that her grandmother is sorry. Elsa only has to deliver one letter at a time before the next letter is revealed. While Elsa delivers the letters she is also dealing with her grief and anger. Anger over, in part, her grandmother's death, her mother's busyness, her parents' divorce, her new half-sibling due to arrive soon. What Elsa learns through the letters and her journey to deliver them is that the fairy tales her grandmother told her are real. The magic, heroism, tragedy, and danger in the fairytales are present and reflected in the various people Elsa meets when delivering the letters.
I simply loved this book and My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry will certainly be on the best books of the year list. For a story full of grief, it is also full of hope, forgiveness, and acceptance. You have to stick with the story until the fairytales Elsa's grandmother told her are shown to be connected to the real world and provide a poignant insight into the people surrounding Elsa.
Disclosure: My Kindle edition was courtesy of Atria Book for review purposes.
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LibraryThing member blakefraina
In order to truly appreciate Fredrick Backman’s utterly charming novel, My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry, you must understand that it is a fairy tale, first and foremost. Initially, you might not recognize it as such because rather than taking place in some far-off mythical land,
Why there’s even an evil witch of sorts, in the person of the president of the non-existent leaseholders’ association - a hand-wringing, anal retentive busy-body and scold.
If you can suspend your disbelief almost entirely, you’ll be rewarded with something outrageously funny, extremely big-hearted and completely unique. Remember, before you put this one aside, know that if you can believe in a boy wizard on a flying broomstick or a hobbit with a magical ring, than it shouldn’t be so tough to get behind a seven year-old who uses words like “irascibility.” Not to be too clichéd but, I laughed, I cried and I just adored all the characters in this fantastical adventure tale.
Highly recommended.
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it’s 21st Century Sweden. The characters don’t get around on magnificent steeds or fire-breathing dragons but instead drive Audis and Renaults. The kingdom and castles? Replaced with a multi-family building with apartments going co-op. And our heroine is no wizard or hobbit, but seven year-old burgeoning nerd Elsa, armed for her quest with only a torn Gryffindor scarf, a homemade gun that shoots cookies and an encyclopaedic knowledge of the Marvel Universe. Oh, and she wasn’t sent on that quest by a grandiloquent, white-bearded wizard but none other than her late (great) foul-mouthed fruitcake of a granny. Why there’s even an evil witch of sorts, in the person of the president of the non-existent leaseholders’ association - a hand-wringing, anal retentive busy-body and scold.
If you can suspend your disbelief almost entirely, you’ll be rewarded with something outrageously funny, extremely big-hearted and completely unique. Remember, before you put this one aside, know that if you can believe in a boy wizard on a flying broomstick or a hobbit with a magical ring, than it shouldn’t be so tough to get behind a seven year-old who uses words like “irascibility.” Not to be too clichéd but, I laughed, I cried and I just adored all the characters in this fantastical adventure tale.
Highly recommended.
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LibraryThing member cathyskye
Now that some time has elapsed since I read this book, I'm able to look upon it more charitably. I loved A Man Called Ove, and I think that made my expectations of this book much too high.
The two main characters-- Elsa and her grandmother-- are characters who can tug at your heartstrings. Elsa is
What I never expected was the fact that this book very quickly became a chore to read. It needed editing and tightening (beginning with the unwieldy title) because the gradual unfolding of key elements of the plot was much, much too gradual. I almost abandoned the book several times, but I just couldn't. I had to know if life was going to be happier for Elsa. So... I found Backman's book to have a great idea that was poorly executed-- and this has made me leary of reading his next book.
The two main characters-- Elsa and her grandmother-- are characters who can tug at your heartstrings. Elsa is
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scary smart for a seven-year-old, and at times she's very funny. Her grandmother is known for speaking her mind and doing crazy things like standing on the balcony and shooting paintball guns at passing strangers. Even though she could be very funny, I never lost sight of the fact that the old lady would be a real pain in the neck to deal with. If I represented the middle generation between these two, I'd probably be escorted briskly (and gently) to the nearest rest home. Do not pass go. Do not collect $200.What I never expected was the fact that this book very quickly became a chore to read. It needed editing and tightening (beginning with the unwieldy title) because the gradual unfolding of key elements of the plot was much, much too gradual. I almost abandoned the book several times, but I just couldn't. I had to know if life was going to be happier for Elsa. So... I found Backman's book to have a great idea that was poorly executed-- and this has made me leary of reading his next book.
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LibraryThing member varwenea
“She stands her ground, armed with nothing but the indifference of an almost-eight-year-old to her own physical shortcomings. Which goes a long way.”
In “My Grandmother…”, we meet the almost 8 years old Elsa. She’s book-and-life smart, precocious, fierce, warm hearted, and occasionally
This book has a very good premise. Granny was larger than life; she was a surgeon, traveling the world saving lives, and leaving her impactful footprints everywhere. The book wisely addresses the positives light-handedly while more deeply addresses the consequences of life. Elsa was exposed early to the darkness and lightness of life through Granny’s custom-made fairy tales, which are shared to the reader via Elsa’s recollections, sometimes repeated as each letter and each new character are deeply explored. It’s both a strength and a weakness that the reader can easily guess the characters in the story will mirror the real people. The repeated inclusions of the fairy tales were confusing at times; I almost wanted to assemble a spreadsheet or a flowchart to map the characters and the kingdoms. Instead, I eagerly skimmed ahead to get the story going. The ending was satisfying and wrapped-up as warm-hearted as one would expect from Backman.
Some Quotes:
On animal instincts:
“And in an apartment block on the other side of town, everyone wakes up with a start when the hound in the first-floor flat, without any warning, starts howling. Louder and more heartrendingly than anything they have ever heard coming out of the primal depths of any animal. As if it is singing with the sorrow and yearning of an eternity of ten thousand fairy tales. It howls for hours, all through the night, until dawn.”
On idiots – why does this remind me of the current political landscape:
“Idiots can’t understand that non-idiots are done with a thought and already moving on to the next before they themselves have. That’s why idiots are always so scared and aggressive. Because nothing scares idiots more than a smart girl.”
On oppression – while this was written regarding bullies, it is certainly true for totalitarianism, authoritarianism:
“People who have never been hunted always seem to think there’s a reason for it. ‘They wouldn’t do it without a cause, would they? You must have done something to provoke them.’ As if that’s how oppression works.”
On being a change agent – simplistic view but there’s some truth to it:
“Only different people change the world… No one normal has ever changed a crapping thing.”
On monstrosity:
“…not all monsters are monsters in the beginning, and not all monsters look like monsters. Some carry their monstrosity inside.”
On truth – this was an argument about physical books vs. reading off an iPad; made me smile:
“Soup is soup whatever bowl it’s in.”
On disappointment:
“Maybe she was disappointed in you because you’re so disappointed in yourself.”
On seeking help – a rather valid point:
“’It’s hard to help those who don’t want to help themselves.’
‘Someone who wants to help himself is possibly not the one who most needs help from others,’ Elsa objects.’”
On missing someone, especially a grandparent:
“’Your granny was old.’
‘Not to me. I only knew her for seven years. Almost eight.’”
On death:
“The mightiest power of death is not that it can make people die, but that it can make the people left behind want to stop living.”
On fears – I have to admit I had not thought of it like this before:
“Fears are like cigarettes, said Granny: the hard thing isn’t stopping, it’s not starting.”
On living – a quote from “Doctor Glas" by Hjalmar SöDerberg:
“‘We want to be loved,’ quotes Britt-Marie, ‘Failing that, admired; failing that, feared; failing that, hated and despised. At all costs we want stir up some sort of feeling in others. The soul abhors a vacuum. At all costs it longs for contact.’”
In “My Grandmother…”, we meet the almost 8 years old Elsa. She’s book-and-life smart, precocious, fierce, warm hearted, and occasionally
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manipulative especially with her mom. Her granny is her superhero and her best friend, protecting her against the bullies in school, railing against the school administrators, and telling her fairy tales about Miamas with its six kingdoms. Early in the book, Granny, despite her superpowers, succumbs to cancer, leaving Elsa a lonely little girl. On top of that, Mom is pregnant with her half-sibling, dubbed ‘Halfie’; Elsa couldn’t possibly feel more vulnerable. As her last wish, Granny gives Elsa the task/adventure of delivering letters to a group of people, bounded by a backstory that Elsa will discover in her journey. This book has a very good premise. Granny was larger than life; she was a surgeon, traveling the world saving lives, and leaving her impactful footprints everywhere. The book wisely addresses the positives light-handedly while more deeply addresses the consequences of life. Elsa was exposed early to the darkness and lightness of life through Granny’s custom-made fairy tales, which are shared to the reader via Elsa’s recollections, sometimes repeated as each letter and each new character are deeply explored. It’s both a strength and a weakness that the reader can easily guess the characters in the story will mirror the real people. The repeated inclusions of the fairy tales were confusing at times; I almost wanted to assemble a spreadsheet or a flowchart to map the characters and the kingdoms. Instead, I eagerly skimmed ahead to get the story going. The ending was satisfying and wrapped-up as warm-hearted as one would expect from Backman.
Some Quotes:
On animal instincts:
“And in an apartment block on the other side of town, everyone wakes up with a start when the hound in the first-floor flat, without any warning, starts howling. Louder and more heartrendingly than anything they have ever heard coming out of the primal depths of any animal. As if it is singing with the sorrow and yearning of an eternity of ten thousand fairy tales. It howls for hours, all through the night, until dawn.”
On idiots – why does this remind me of the current political landscape:
“Idiots can’t understand that non-idiots are done with a thought and already moving on to the next before they themselves have. That’s why idiots are always so scared and aggressive. Because nothing scares idiots more than a smart girl.”
On oppression – while this was written regarding bullies, it is certainly true for totalitarianism, authoritarianism:
“People who have never been hunted always seem to think there’s a reason for it. ‘They wouldn’t do it without a cause, would they? You must have done something to provoke them.’ As if that’s how oppression works.”
On being a change agent – simplistic view but there’s some truth to it:
“Only different people change the world… No one normal has ever changed a crapping thing.”
On monstrosity:
“…not all monsters are monsters in the beginning, and not all monsters look like monsters. Some carry their monstrosity inside.”
On truth – this was an argument about physical books vs. reading off an iPad; made me smile:
“Soup is soup whatever bowl it’s in.”
On disappointment:
“Maybe she was disappointed in you because you’re so disappointed in yourself.”
On seeking help – a rather valid point:
“’It’s hard to help those who don’t want to help themselves.’
‘Someone who wants to help himself is possibly not the one who most needs help from others,’ Elsa objects.’”
On missing someone, especially a grandparent:
“’Your granny was old.’
‘Not to me. I only knew her for seven years. Almost eight.’”
On death:
“The mightiest power of death is not that it can make people die, but that it can make the people left behind want to stop living.”
On fears – I have to admit I had not thought of it like this before:
“Fears are like cigarettes, said Granny: the hard thing isn’t stopping, it’s not starting.”
On living – a quote from “Doctor Glas" by Hjalmar SöDerberg:
“‘We want to be loved,’ quotes Britt-Marie, ‘Failing that, admired; failing that, feared; failing that, hated and despised. At all costs we want stir up some sort of feeling in others. The soul abhors a vacuum. At all costs it longs for contact.’”
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LibraryThing member Carlathelibrarian
The main character in this story is seven year old Elsa, a girl without friends, who is teased and bullied at school. Granny, loves Elsa deeply and even though everyone thinks she is crazy, she will do whatever it takes to make Elsa feel better and take risks. As this story unfolds and you learn
Granny shares her fairytale world of The Land-of-Almost-Awake with this lonely little girl to help her to cope with her world. The cast of characters living in the apartment complex or house, come alive in the fairytales. When Granny dies of cancer, she leaves letters for Elsa to deliver. This is where the title comes from. All the letter apologize to the receiver. Elsa participates in a type of scavenger hunt trying to figure out where the next letter is she needs to deliver and in her journey discovers more about the people living in the house as well as her own family. Elsa seems to be a lot older than 7 going on 8, but with all the problems and insecurities she has you can see that little girl in her.
This book is a cross between a fairytale, coming of age type story with Wurses, knights, princesses, princes and more. I really enjoyed this book and recommend it to parents and grandparents to show them how to deal with children and help everyone understand that it it wonderful and okay to "Be Different"
Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.
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more about Granny, it is easy to see why she does what she does, she is a humanitarian who has saved numerous people all the while using her marvelous imagination. Granny shares her fairytale world of The Land-of-Almost-Awake with this lonely little girl to help her to cope with her world. The cast of characters living in the apartment complex or house, come alive in the fairytales. When Granny dies of cancer, she leaves letters for Elsa to deliver. This is where the title comes from. All the letter apologize to the receiver. Elsa participates in a type of scavenger hunt trying to figure out where the next letter is she needs to deliver and in her journey discovers more about the people living in the house as well as her own family. Elsa seems to be a lot older than 7 going on 8, but with all the problems and insecurities she has you can see that little girl in her.
This book is a cross between a fairytale, coming of age type story with Wurses, knights, princesses, princes and more. I really enjoyed this book and recommend it to parents and grandparents to show them how to deal with children and help everyone understand that it it wonderful and okay to "Be Different"
Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.
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LibraryThing member akblanchard
Maybe it's because I am not into Harry Potter references or imaginary creatures, or grandmothers who behave like Pippi Longstocking, or prematurely wise little girls, but I really didn't enjoy this intricate modern fairy tale that includes them all, in abundance. I can imagine that readers with
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more patience and with a higher tolerance for whimsical quirkiness may like it, however. Show Less
LibraryThing member mountie9
This author is positively brilliant. Beautifully written and full of unique and wonderfully flawed characters. So much insight and wisdom within a delightfully engrossing tale. Made me laugh and cry, often at the very same time. I wish I had the words to express how perfect this quirky story is.
“Elsa decides that even if people she likes have been shits on earlier occasions, she has to learn to carry on liking them. You’d quickly run out of people if you had to disqualify all those who at some point have been shits.”
“Death’s greatest power is not that it can make people die, but that it can make people want to stop living.”
“And Maud bakes cookies, because when the darkness is too heavy to bear and too many things have been broken in too many ways to ever be fixed again, Maud doesn't know what weapon to use if one can't use dreams.” 4
“Only different people change the world,” Granny used to say. “No one normal has ever changed a crapping thing.”
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I'm afraid if you don't adore this author we cannot be friends. Get thee to a bookstore pronto my friends, you will not be disappointed. Will be staff picking this along with Leslie and Jen I think. His stories will bring you hope and let you know that it is never too late.“Elsa decides that even if people she likes have been shits on earlier occasions, she has to learn to carry on liking them. You’d quickly run out of people if you had to disqualify all those who at some point have been shits.”
“Death’s greatest power is not that it can make people die, but that it can make people want to stop living.”
“And Maud bakes cookies, because when the darkness is too heavy to bear and too many things have been broken in too many ways to ever be fixed again, Maud doesn't know what weapon to use if one can't use dreams.” 4
“Only different people change the world,” Granny used to say. “No one normal has ever changed a crapping thing.”
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LibraryThing member Sean191
My introduction to Backman was in 2019 when I read A Man Called Ove. I loved the book, it was a favorite that year, but for whatever reason, I didn't give more thought to the author. I walked into a bookstore in January (mask on) and near the front, I saw this book and noticed the author. I read
Like Ove, this book starts where you initially aren't sure you like the character associated with the title. Like Ove, it quickly becomes clear that it's all a ruse by Backman. It's a slow burn to liking the character, but that quickly ignites to a blaze. And here's the thing - Backman does it over and over throughout the book. "Here's a character. You won't like them." Five chapters later, you'd be incredibly upset if anything were to happen to them. This happens over and over. But here's the thing, it's okay. The world isn't perfect, bad things happen to good people. But somehow, Backman just makes it all alright.
I loved the book. I won't say that Backman is a literary master. It's not high art, but it's not a supermarket checkout line beach read either. Backman's stories are maybe formulaic. His characters are larger than life and not really believable...but he creates characters you want to read about. They hold magic. They may be unbelievable, but you'll find yourself wanting so desperately to believe otherwise.
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the teaser on the back cover and even though I didn't NEED another book after getting seven or eight for Christmas to add to my ever-growing pile, I happily plunked down my hard-earned money and walked out of the store with this book.Like Ove, this book starts where you initially aren't sure you like the character associated with the title. Like Ove, it quickly becomes clear that it's all a ruse by Backman. It's a slow burn to liking the character, but that quickly ignites to a blaze. And here's the thing - Backman does it over and over throughout the book. "Here's a character. You won't like them." Five chapters later, you'd be incredibly upset if anything were to happen to them. This happens over and over. But here's the thing, it's okay. The world isn't perfect, bad things happen to good people. But somehow, Backman just makes it all alright.
I loved the book. I won't say that Backman is a literary master. It's not high art, but it's not a supermarket checkout line beach read either. Backman's stories are maybe formulaic. His characters are larger than life and not really believable...but he creates characters you want to read about. They hold magic. They may be unbelievable, but you'll find yourself wanting so desperately to believe otherwise.
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LibraryThing member bohemianshell
A wonderful, magical-realism tale that made me laugh (a lot) and cry (a little). Loved how the author moved the story from one genre into another. Most of all, loved Granny!
LibraryThing member Amelia_Smith
I really wanted to like this book. There were so many things in it that should have made it great, but in the end a few things irritated me so much that I wound up not really enjoying it.
First of all, this is one of those books that I can't remember why I picked it up, and I put it on e-book-loan
The grandmother's character and the way she blends fantasy and reality were great, and I felt like the author did a great job with the other characters in the building, too. I felt slightly cheated that the fantasy world wound up having been built so completely on the foundations of the real-world relationships, though. The fantasy world started out feeling like it was its own reality, but that got eroded over the course of the book. Maybe this was intentional, but it didn't work for me.
What really didn't work for me, and what kept throwing me out of the story again and again, was the main character's age. She's supposed to be almost eight, and I have a just-turned-eight-year-old daughter. Now this character is supposed to be super smart, and she's Swedish, so maybe things are different there, but I found her just not at all believable as an eight-year-old. If she'd been a year or two older, I would not have had a problem with the idea that she'd read the entire Harry Potter series over a dozen times, but it's really a stretch at this age, just based on number of years she's been alive, even if she's supposed to be the smartest thing ever. Also, we never see her reading a book in the story (or watching X-Men. I was glad that I was up to speed on the X-Men, thanks to the kids), so the wide range of books she's read feels not quite believable.
Anyway, it all ends happily enough, maybe a bit sappy, but I just got thrown out of it by the age thing and never could quite get back into it.
First of all, this is one of those books that I can't remember why I picked it up, and I put it on e-book-loan
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reserve at the library so when my turn came around I felt like I had to read it fast. I wasn't feeling great, so in a way it was perfect sick-day reading, but I started in without remembering that this is a Swedish book in translation, so I wasn't sure where the characters were (at first, I did figure it out later), and I found the present tense narration a bit off-putting.The grandmother's character and the way she blends fantasy and reality were great, and I felt like the author did a great job with the other characters in the building, too. I felt slightly cheated that the fantasy world wound up having been built so completely on the foundations of the real-world relationships, though. The fantasy world started out feeling like it was its own reality, but that got eroded over the course of the book. Maybe this was intentional, but it didn't work for me.
What really didn't work for me, and what kept throwing me out of the story again and again, was the main character's age. She's supposed to be almost eight, and I have a just-turned-eight-year-old daughter. Now this character is supposed to be super smart, and she's Swedish, so maybe things are different there, but I found her just not at all believable as an eight-year-old. If she'd been a year or two older, I would not have had a problem with the idea that she'd read the entire Harry Potter series over a dozen times, but it's really a stretch at this age, just based on number of years she's been alive, even if she's supposed to be the smartest thing ever. Also, we never see her reading a book in the story (or watching X-Men. I was glad that I was up to speed on the X-Men, thanks to the kids), so the wide range of books she's read feels not quite believable.
Anyway, it all ends happily enough, maybe a bit sappy, but I just got thrown out of it by the age thing and never could quite get back into it.
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LibraryThing member riofriotex
I gave up halfway through. The audiobook reader is terrible on the voices of 7-year-old Elsa and her grandmother - too screechy! Elsa is way too knowledgeable even for a precocious child. The fantasy and fairy-tale aspects (too much Harry Potter and X-Men) were wearing, and I found myself skipping
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over many of those, and yet still very little had happened halfway though the book. So I quit. Show Less
LibraryThing member jphamilton
Oh, my, why didn't I go with my gut and pass on this story of a young child (eight) and his strange grandmother? Well, I really know the answer, because I truly loved the author's previous novel, The Man Called Ove. The two books have some very nice and humorous writing in them, but this book being
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centered on a young kid and the kingdoms and creatures that her grandmother created for her was jut too cute and nerdy for me. I think of this as a kind of D&D style story ... without the special dice. Without the humor I would never of made it to the end, but on reflection, I should have just passed on it. Show Less
LibraryThing member nyiper
I was expecting to love this after "A Man Called Ove" so I, like a couple of other reviewers, was unable to get all the way through the story. Just too much "magical otherworldly" information to wade through. I'm sure I would have loved the dog AND the Monster once we could get the "facts," but I
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gave up at page 126, sadly. Show Less
LibraryThing member gogglemiss
Big disappointment, after the brilliance of 'A Man Called Ove' I found it slow moving, to many characters and not a lot happening.
LibraryThing member dorie.craig
I'll admit to being a little disappointed with this book. There just wasn't enough plot, and the histrionics of the child protagonist got old after a while.
LibraryThing member Itzey
After I finished Man Called Ove, I don't think I met a friend or stranger that I didn’t encourage to get a copy. It was my favorite book last year. When I saw Fredrik Backman had a new book, My Grandmother Asked Me To Tell You She's Sorry I jumped on the chance to read it like a dog on a bone!
Opening sentences are generally my favorite part of a new book and MGAMTTYSS put a smile on my face and I thought, OK, Mr. Backman. Here we go! "Every seven-year-old deserves a superhero. That's just how it is. Anyone who doesn't agree needs his or her head examined. That's what Elsa's granny says, at least." Who can argue with the logic? Well….
So many reviews have given glowing reviews, but sadly I just don't think I can. The story just didn't come together for me. I certainly understood that Granny was "different" and that Elsa was very precocious. It just didn't feel right that this seven year old would consult Wikipedia to seek guidance on every little thing. Surely, if she was smart enough to read at an adult level, she would seek better sources to educate herself. And bottom line for me, Elsa is an obnoxious child.
I get that Granny's tales were based on reality and spun to entertain and educate Elsa. The moral, of course being you can't judge a book by its cover. I just couldn't figure out what was going on in this house filled with such disparate people; is there a plot? "Where's the beef?"
The letters really were bizarre to me and I never could grasp the treasure hunt story-line. Bottom line, I felt like I was having a dream and I woke up too soon to understand what was going on.
Sorry. I really wanted to love this book but I just didn’t like it.
Disclaimer: I received an advance copy of this book from Simon & Schuster through Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
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Opening sentences are generally my favorite part of a new book and MGAMTTYSS put a smile on my face and I thought, OK, Mr. Backman. Here we go! "Every seven-year-old deserves a superhero. That's just how it is. Anyone who doesn't agree needs his or her head examined. That's what Elsa's granny says, at least." Who can argue with the logic? Well….
So many reviews have given glowing reviews, but sadly I just don't think I can. The story just didn't come together for me. I certainly understood that Granny was "different" and that Elsa was very precocious. It just didn't feel right that this seven year old would consult Wikipedia to seek guidance on every little thing. Surely, if she was smart enough to read at an adult level, she would seek better sources to educate herself. And bottom line for me, Elsa is an obnoxious child.
I get that Granny's tales were based on reality and spun to entertain and educate Elsa. The moral, of course being you can't judge a book by its cover. I just couldn't figure out what was going on in this house filled with such disparate people; is there a plot? "Where's the beef?"
The letters really were bizarre to me and I never could grasp the treasure hunt story-line. Bottom line, I felt like I was having a dream and I woke up too soon to understand what was going on.
Sorry. I really wanted to love this book but I just didn’t like it.
Disclaimer: I received an advance copy of this book from Simon & Schuster through Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
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LibraryThing member sgilbraith
This book was NOTHING like A Man Called Ove. I had such high hopes for it after reading "Ove" and kept thinking it had to get better, but it just plodded along with its strange story. Where the author wrapped up any unanswered questions in "Ove", he left a few hanging here. I spent the entire book
If this had not been a bookclub read I would have put it down. If I had read it before A Man Called Ove, I would never have read another of this author's books. 2 stars is actually generous.
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asking why, why, why? If this had not been a bookclub read I would have put it down. If I had read it before A Man Called Ove, I would never have read another of this author's books. 2 stars is actually generous.
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LibraryThing member thewanderingjew
Grandmother is in her late 70’s, and her health is failing. She is stoic, unusual and very rambunctious, but she is also ornery, contrary and fun to be with for her almost 8 year old grandchild. She can only be described as whacky, but a really nice whacky, as far as Elsa is concerned. Elsa is 7,
Elsa and her grandmother have a very unique, loving relationship. Often, though, it seems as if her grandmother is the child and Elsa is the adult who knows what is right from wrong. Nevertheless, this grandmother teaches Elsa what is important in life, and in her own quirky way she attempts to make things right in the world. Actually, she spent her life trying to do just that. Grandma spins yarns to make life easier for Elsa. She takes her to fairytale places with fairytale characters, and soon it is hard for the reader to decide if she is telling Elsa a story to help her get through the travails of childhood, or if the story has already happened in some way, in real life. Elsa’s grandmother is in the habit of rescuing those who are different, those who suffer, those that seem needier than most.
Is Elsa living inside a fairytale? Is there a bit of magic afoot? There are certainly magical creatures and even a magical wardrobe. There are allusions to famous children’s books and Elsa has her favorites. She approaches the world with the mind of a child, but understands in the way of adults, at times, in bits and pieces, though, not completely. She knows that adults often don’t tell her the entire truth to protect her, (and sometimes she doesn’t either, to protect them), but she always sets out to discover what it is anyway. She also interprets life through her books, books that she calls good literature, like the Harry Potter series, of course.
When Elsa’s grandmother dies, Elsa is grief stricken. She is angry with her grandmother for leaving her. Furthermore, her grandmother has left her with a puzzle to solve. She has to find a series of letters and deliver them. It is through these letters, that those people grandmother apologizes to learn to solve their problems, with Elsa’s outspoken help, that is. Elsa asks the most awkward questions, at times. Neither she nor her grandmother has a proper filter through which to sift the right and wrong ways of doing things. Both simply react and do what moves them at a particular moment in time. Elsa’s Grandmother flaunts all the rules. Elsa learns that some rules, perhaps, need to be broken to accomplish a greater goal. Grandmother has no patience with triviality or injustice. She hates war but understands that sometimes war is necessary to preserve a way of life. She tries to teach Elsa how to survive life’s roadblocks. She knows Elsa might actually be the brightest bulb in the room.
The story is told with innuendo and tongue in cheek humor and an occasional word that is crude, especially from the mouth of a child. Sarcasm is often used to express a particular principle. Many ideas presented have double meanings, so even though the book’s style is rather juvenile, and hard to get into sometimes, in the end it will leave the reader with lots to think about, although it did take me almost 300 pages to figure out that the book really had a greater purpose. I was actually reading a fairytale for adults, complete with odd creatures, both good and bad, a fairytale meant for adults because it splayed open and tackled the world’s most difficult problems head on: politics, religion, the problems of being different, abandonment, war, good and evil, life and death, bullying, lying, secrets, divorce, remarriage and the children involved in the kerfuffles, sibling rivalry, sexuality, cancer, autism, terrible loss and grief, fear and danger, the norm and the abnormal, tragic natural events like tsunamis, tragic unnatural events like car accidents, and even environmentalism. You name it, little was left out. There was no problem that was too difficult for grandmother to deal with, often at the expense of her own family. She was, however, noble in purpose, and she inspired Elsa to make her own heroic effort to solve problems and help others. Too bad we don’t all live in a fairy tale. Too bad we grow up and make things complicated. Too bad we don’t often notice our own heroes.
As each of the characters is developed by the author, a more adult concept is realized, although it is a tale told through the eyes of a child. Through the letters, and what then transpires, Elsa, and the reader, learn the relationship between the real characters in her life and the fairytale characters of her grandmother’s stories. The book is not a page turner, but, like “A Man Called Ove”, it sure tackles the ills of society and is definitely worth the read. Be patient, it does come together in the end. Perhaps it is only through the innocent, unambiguous eyes of a child and the world of the make-believe, that all of our problems can be solved.
Show More
almost 8, and she can only be described as very precocious, old beyond her years, nerdy, but nice nerdy. Elsa likes everything to be exact in perfect grammar and spelling. Elsa has a near perfect memory and studies lots of things using Wikipedia. No one has explained to her that it may not be the best way to learn, since not all things on Wikipedia are accurate. Elsa and her grandmother have a very unique, loving relationship. Often, though, it seems as if her grandmother is the child and Elsa is the adult who knows what is right from wrong. Nevertheless, this grandmother teaches Elsa what is important in life, and in her own quirky way she attempts to make things right in the world. Actually, she spent her life trying to do just that. Grandma spins yarns to make life easier for Elsa. She takes her to fairytale places with fairytale characters, and soon it is hard for the reader to decide if she is telling Elsa a story to help her get through the travails of childhood, or if the story has already happened in some way, in real life. Elsa’s grandmother is in the habit of rescuing those who are different, those who suffer, those that seem needier than most.
Is Elsa living inside a fairytale? Is there a bit of magic afoot? There are certainly magical creatures and even a magical wardrobe. There are allusions to famous children’s books and Elsa has her favorites. She approaches the world with the mind of a child, but understands in the way of adults, at times, in bits and pieces, though, not completely. She knows that adults often don’t tell her the entire truth to protect her, (and sometimes she doesn’t either, to protect them), but she always sets out to discover what it is anyway. She also interprets life through her books, books that she calls good literature, like the Harry Potter series, of course.
When Elsa’s grandmother dies, Elsa is grief stricken. She is angry with her grandmother for leaving her. Furthermore, her grandmother has left her with a puzzle to solve. She has to find a series of letters and deliver them. It is through these letters, that those people grandmother apologizes to learn to solve their problems, with Elsa’s outspoken help, that is. Elsa asks the most awkward questions, at times. Neither she nor her grandmother has a proper filter through which to sift the right and wrong ways of doing things. Both simply react and do what moves them at a particular moment in time. Elsa’s Grandmother flaunts all the rules. Elsa learns that some rules, perhaps, need to be broken to accomplish a greater goal. Grandmother has no patience with triviality or injustice. She hates war but understands that sometimes war is necessary to preserve a way of life. She tries to teach Elsa how to survive life’s roadblocks. She knows Elsa might actually be the brightest bulb in the room.
The story is told with innuendo and tongue in cheek humor and an occasional word that is crude, especially from the mouth of a child. Sarcasm is often used to express a particular principle. Many ideas presented have double meanings, so even though the book’s style is rather juvenile, and hard to get into sometimes, in the end it will leave the reader with lots to think about, although it did take me almost 300 pages to figure out that the book really had a greater purpose. I was actually reading a fairytale for adults, complete with odd creatures, both good and bad, a fairytale meant for adults because it splayed open and tackled the world’s most difficult problems head on: politics, religion, the problems of being different, abandonment, war, good and evil, life and death, bullying, lying, secrets, divorce, remarriage and the children involved in the kerfuffles, sibling rivalry, sexuality, cancer, autism, terrible loss and grief, fear and danger, the norm and the abnormal, tragic natural events like tsunamis, tragic unnatural events like car accidents, and even environmentalism. You name it, little was left out. There was no problem that was too difficult for grandmother to deal with, often at the expense of her own family. She was, however, noble in purpose, and she inspired Elsa to make her own heroic effort to solve problems and help others. Too bad we don’t all live in a fairy tale. Too bad we grow up and make things complicated. Too bad we don’t often notice our own heroes.
As each of the characters is developed by the author, a more adult concept is realized, although it is a tale told through the eyes of a child. Through the letters, and what then transpires, Elsa, and the reader, learn the relationship between the real characters in her life and the fairytale characters of her grandmother’s stories. The book is not a page turner, but, like “A Man Called Ove”, it sure tackles the ills of society and is definitely worth the read. Be patient, it does come together in the end. Perhaps it is only through the innocent, unambiguous eyes of a child and the world of the make-believe, that all of our problems can be solved.
Show Less
LibraryThing member TooBusyReading
From the first page, I loved Elsa's grandmother. And I loved the very precocious almost-8-year old Elsa. So why does Elsa have to tell people her grandmother is sorry?
Lots of different people, all somewhat odd people, live in the apartments where Elsa lives. And, as in all good fairy tales, and
The writing, as in Backman's A Man Called Ove, is gorgeous. The story is imaginative. There are monsters and superheroes and everyday heroes and not-so-normal people. Of course, Elsa is way too bright to be almost-8, but I don't care. This is a charming, engaging story, and a delight to read.
Lots of different people, all somewhat odd people, live in the apartments where Elsa lives. And, as in all good fairy tales, and
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this is a fairy tale intertwined with reality, some are not quite what they seem at first impression.The writing, as in Backman's A Man Called Ove, is gorgeous. The story is imaginative. There are monsters and superheroes and everyday heroes and not-so-normal people. Of course, Elsa is way too bright to be almost-8, but I don't care. This is a charming, engaging story, and a delight to read.
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LibraryThing member EdGoldberg
My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry, Swedish author MyGrandmotherFredrik Backman’s second novel starts out like this. “Every seven-year-old deserves a superhero. That’s just how it is. Anyone who doesn’t agree needs their head examined. That what Elsa’s granny says, at
You see, Granny is the kind of granny every almost-eight-year-old needs. She’s a non-conformist. She’s a staunch advocate of her granddaughter. She applauds those who are ‘different’, such as Elsa. Elsa has no friends, other than Granny, but they are the closest two friends can be.
Granny spent much of her adult life away. A doctor in a time when few women were doctors, she traveled around the world assisting in disaster areas, leaving Elsa’s Mum in the care of others, primarily Britt-Marie, another tenant in the leasehold Granny lived in. But when Elsa was born, all that changed. Her main focus, her only focus was being a good Granny.
She developed the six kingdoms of the Land-of-Almost-Awake, a fairy tale land that Elsa could go to when she was frightened and couldn’t sleep. She developed a secret language that only Elsa and Granny knew. She told Elsa all of the fairy tales on this land. And together, they could go on adventures. I wish I had that when I was almost eight.
When the book opens, though, Elsa is dealing with two major life changing events. It soon becomes clear that Granny has cancer. Secondly, Elsa’s Mum is expected a baby, Elsa calls Halfie since she doesn’t know the sex yet. She’s afraid of losing Granny and afraid of losing Mum whose attention will be devoted Halfie. This is tough stuff for an almost-eight-year-old, no matter how different or how precocious she is.
My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry is a marvelous story which blends fantasy and reality, as Elsa, the adventurous knight of the Land-Of-Almost-Awake, navigates her world. There are quirky characters (my favorite kind) galore, such as George who seems always to be making eggs, Lennert who is always brewing coffee, Britt-Marie who always picks invisible specks of something off her clothes and Alf, the always cursing taxi driver. But my favorite character is the wurse (find out for yourself who that is).
AManCalledOveI will admit, as I usually do, that I was a tad misty at the end of the book, but Backman neatly wraps everything up in a tidy package which will make you smile. This is the kind of book worth having in your own personal library. I’m off to snare his first book, A Man Called Ove. There seems to be one copy on my library shelf and I want it before anyone else gets it.
My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry is a contender for the best adult book I’ve read this year.
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least.” And from this auspicious beginning Backman weaves a touching reality/fantasy story about Elsa and her granny and all the tenants in her apartment building.You see, Granny is the kind of granny every almost-eight-year-old needs. She’s a non-conformist. She’s a staunch advocate of her granddaughter. She applauds those who are ‘different’, such as Elsa. Elsa has no friends, other than Granny, but they are the closest two friends can be.
Granny spent much of her adult life away. A doctor in a time when few women were doctors, she traveled around the world assisting in disaster areas, leaving Elsa’s Mum in the care of others, primarily Britt-Marie, another tenant in the leasehold Granny lived in. But when Elsa was born, all that changed. Her main focus, her only focus was being a good Granny.
She developed the six kingdoms of the Land-of-Almost-Awake, a fairy tale land that Elsa could go to when she was frightened and couldn’t sleep. She developed a secret language that only Elsa and Granny knew. She told Elsa all of the fairy tales on this land. And together, they could go on adventures. I wish I had that when I was almost eight.
When the book opens, though, Elsa is dealing with two major life changing events. It soon becomes clear that Granny has cancer. Secondly, Elsa’s Mum is expected a baby, Elsa calls Halfie since she doesn’t know the sex yet. She’s afraid of losing Granny and afraid of losing Mum whose attention will be devoted Halfie. This is tough stuff for an almost-eight-year-old, no matter how different or how precocious she is.
My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry is a marvelous story which blends fantasy and reality, as Elsa, the adventurous knight of the Land-Of-Almost-Awake, navigates her world. There are quirky characters (my favorite kind) galore, such as George who seems always to be making eggs, Lennert who is always brewing coffee, Britt-Marie who always picks invisible specks of something off her clothes and Alf, the always cursing taxi driver. But my favorite character is the wurse (find out for yourself who that is).
AManCalledOveI will admit, as I usually do, that I was a tad misty at the end of the book, but Backman neatly wraps everything up in a tidy package which will make you smile. This is the kind of book worth having in your own personal library. I’m off to snare his first book, A Man Called Ove. There seems to be one copy on my library shelf and I want it before anyone else gets it.
My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry is a contender for the best adult book I’ve read this year.
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LibraryThing member SignoraEdie
I loved this story!!!
LibraryThing member swingdancefan
When I saw this book mentioned in Bookpages, I rushed right over to NetGalley, hoping I could get my (figurative) hands on it. Lucky me—I did!
In some ways, the narrative style reminds me of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close—a “special” child is the point-of-view character. The
The book is told in present tense, not my favorite narrative style, but it works for this story. (Still bugs me, but not enough to ruin my enjoyment in this case.) One surprise at the end was totally not surprising, but again, that doesn’t ruin the story.
I will read this one again.
Possible objectionable material: Mild cursing, mostly by adults, but occasionally by Elsa. Some violence and tense moments. A husband cheats on his wife. Elsa’s mother lives with a man she’s not married to.
Who would like this book: People who like child narrators (Room, Extremely Loud, etc.). People who like stories about family and finding one’s place in the world. Approximate Lexile: 960
In some ways, the narrative style reminds me of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close—a “special” child is the point-of-view character. The
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third-person limited point-of-view character in this case is Elsa, nearly eight years old and brilliant. In many ways, she reminds me of my very bright almost-eight-year-old daughter, but mine is not as precocious as Elsa. Elsa is gifted with an eccentric, strong-willed Granny who is her best friend. When Granny dies, Elsa is tasked with delivering letters of apology to the various inhabitants of their apartment building. On the way, Elsa discovers that the fairytales her grandmother told her explain the lives of the people around her.The book is told in present tense, not my favorite narrative style, but it works for this story. (Still bugs me, but not enough to ruin my enjoyment in this case.) One surprise at the end was totally not surprising, but again, that doesn’t ruin the story.
I will read this one again.
Possible objectionable material: Mild cursing, mostly by adults, but occasionally by Elsa. Some violence and tense moments. A husband cheats on his wife. Elsa’s mother lives with a man she’s not married to.
Who would like this book: People who like child narrators (Room, Extremely Loud, etc.). People who like stories about family and finding one’s place in the world. Approximate Lexile: 960
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LibraryThing member thewanderingjew
Grandmother is in her late 70’s, and her health is failing. She is stoic, unusual and very rambunctious, but she is also ornery, contrary and fun to be with for her almost 8 year old grandchild. She can only be described as whacky, but a really nice whacky, as far as Elsa is concerned. Elsa is 7,
Elsa and her grandmother have a very unique, loving relationship. Often, though, it seems as if her grandmother is the child and Elsa is the adult who knows what is right from wrong. Nevertheless, this grandmother teaches Elsa what is important in life, and in her own quirky way she attempts to make things right in the world. Actually, she spent her life trying to do just that. Grandma spins yarns to make life easier for Elsa. She takes her to fairytale places with fairytale characters, and soon it is hard for the reader to decide if she is telling Elsa a story to help her get through the travails of childhood, or if the story has already happened in some way, in real life. Elsa’s grandmother is in the habit of rescuing those who are different, those who suffer, those that seem needier than most.
Is Elsa living inside a fairytale? Is there a bit of magic afoot? There are certainly magical creatures and even a magical wardrobe. There are allusions to famous children’s books and Elsa has her favorites. She approaches the world with the mind of a child, but understands in the way of adults, at times, in bits and pieces, though, not completely. She knows that adults often don’t tell her the entire truth to protect her, (and sometimes she doesn’t either, to protect them), but she always sets out to discover what it is anyway. She also interprets life through her books, books that she calls good literature, like the Harry Potter series, of course.
When Elsa’s grandmother dies, Elsa is grief stricken. She is angry with her grandmother for leaving her. Furthermore, her grandmother has left her with a puzzle to solve. She has to find a series of letters and deliver them. It is through these letters, that those people grandmother apologizes to learn to solve their problems, with Elsa’s outspoken help, that is. Elsa asks the most awkward questions, at times. Neither she nor her grandmother has a proper filter through which to sift the right and wrong ways of doing things. Both simply react and do what moves them at a particular moment in time. Elsa’s Grandmother flaunts all the rules. Elsa learns that some rules, perhaps, need to be broken to accomplish a greater goal. Grandmother has no patience with triviality or injustice. She hates war but understands that sometimes war is necessary to preserve a way of life. She tries to teach Elsa how to survive life’s roadblocks. She knows Elsa might actually be the brightest bulb in the room.
The story is told with innuendo and tongue in cheek humor and an occasional word that is crude, especially from the mouth of a child. Sarcasm is often used to express a particular principle. Many ideas presented have double meanings, so even though the book’s style is rather juvenile, and hard to get into sometimes, in the end it will leave the reader with lots to think about, although it did take me almost 300 pages to figure out that the book really had a greater purpose. I was actually reading a fairytale for adults, complete with odd creatures, both good and bad, a fairytale meant for adults because it splayed open and tackled the world’s most difficult problems head on: politics, religion, the problems of being different, abandonment, war, good and evil, life and death, bullying, lying, secrets, divorce, remarriage and the children involved in the kerfuffles, sibling rivalry, sexuality, cancer, autism, terrible loss and grief, fear and danger, the norm and the abnormal, tragic natural events like tsunamis, tragic unnatural events like car accidents, and even environmentalism. You name it, little was left out. There was no problem that was too difficult for grandmother to deal with, often at the expense of her own family. She was, however, noble in purpose, and she inspired Elsa to make her own heroic effort to solve problems and help others. Too bad we don’t all live in a fairy tale. Too bad we grow up and make things complicated. Too bad we don’t often notice our own heroes.
As each of the characters is developed by the author, a more adult concept is realized, although it is a tale told through the eyes of a child. Through the letters, and what then transpires, Elsa, and the reader, learn the relationship between the real characters in her life and the fairytale characters of her grandmother’s stories. The book is not a page turner, but, like “A Man Called Ove”, it sure tackles the ills of society and is definitely worth the read. Be patient, it does come together in the end. Perhaps it is only through the innocent, unambiguous eyes of a child and the world of the make-believe, that all of our problems can be solved.
Show More
almost 8, and she can only be described as very precocious, old beyond her years, nerdy, but nice nerdy. Elsa likes everything to be exact in perfect grammar and spelling. Elsa has a near perfect memory and studies lots of things using Wikipedia. No one has explained to her that it may not be the best way to learn, since not all things on Wikipedia are accurate. Elsa and her grandmother have a very unique, loving relationship. Often, though, it seems as if her grandmother is the child and Elsa is the adult who knows what is right from wrong. Nevertheless, this grandmother teaches Elsa what is important in life, and in her own quirky way she attempts to make things right in the world. Actually, she spent her life trying to do just that. Grandma spins yarns to make life easier for Elsa. She takes her to fairytale places with fairytale characters, and soon it is hard for the reader to decide if she is telling Elsa a story to help her get through the travails of childhood, or if the story has already happened in some way, in real life. Elsa’s grandmother is in the habit of rescuing those who are different, those who suffer, those that seem needier than most.
Is Elsa living inside a fairytale? Is there a bit of magic afoot? There are certainly magical creatures and even a magical wardrobe. There are allusions to famous children’s books and Elsa has her favorites. She approaches the world with the mind of a child, but understands in the way of adults, at times, in bits and pieces, though, not completely. She knows that adults often don’t tell her the entire truth to protect her, (and sometimes she doesn’t either, to protect them), but she always sets out to discover what it is anyway. She also interprets life through her books, books that she calls good literature, like the Harry Potter series, of course.
When Elsa’s grandmother dies, Elsa is grief stricken. She is angry with her grandmother for leaving her. Furthermore, her grandmother has left her with a puzzle to solve. She has to find a series of letters and deliver them. It is through these letters, that those people grandmother apologizes to learn to solve their problems, with Elsa’s outspoken help, that is. Elsa asks the most awkward questions, at times. Neither she nor her grandmother has a proper filter through which to sift the right and wrong ways of doing things. Both simply react and do what moves them at a particular moment in time. Elsa’s Grandmother flaunts all the rules. Elsa learns that some rules, perhaps, need to be broken to accomplish a greater goal. Grandmother has no patience with triviality or injustice. She hates war but understands that sometimes war is necessary to preserve a way of life. She tries to teach Elsa how to survive life’s roadblocks. She knows Elsa might actually be the brightest bulb in the room.
The story is told with innuendo and tongue in cheek humor and an occasional word that is crude, especially from the mouth of a child. Sarcasm is often used to express a particular principle. Many ideas presented have double meanings, so even though the book’s style is rather juvenile, and hard to get into sometimes, in the end it will leave the reader with lots to think about, although it did take me almost 300 pages to figure out that the book really had a greater purpose. I was actually reading a fairytale for adults, complete with odd creatures, both good and bad, a fairytale meant for adults because it splayed open and tackled the world’s most difficult problems head on: politics, religion, the problems of being different, abandonment, war, good and evil, life and death, bullying, lying, secrets, divorce, remarriage and the children involved in the kerfuffles, sibling rivalry, sexuality, cancer, autism, terrible loss and grief, fear and danger, the norm and the abnormal, tragic natural events like tsunamis, tragic unnatural events like car accidents, and even environmentalism. You name it, little was left out. There was no problem that was too difficult for grandmother to deal with, often at the expense of her own family. She was, however, noble in purpose, and she inspired Elsa to make her own heroic effort to solve problems and help others. Too bad we don’t all live in a fairy tale. Too bad we grow up and make things complicated. Too bad we don’t often notice our own heroes.
As each of the characters is developed by the author, a more adult concept is realized, although it is a tale told through the eyes of a child. Through the letters, and what then transpires, Elsa, and the reader, learn the relationship between the real characters in her life and the fairytale characters of her grandmother’s stories. The book is not a page turner, but, like “A Man Called Ove”, it sure tackles the ills of society and is definitely worth the read. Be patient, it does come together in the end. Perhaps it is only through the innocent, unambiguous eyes of a child and the world of the make-believe, that all of our problems can be solved.
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LibraryThing member c.archer
This was a fun and quirky fairytale for adults. It's always fun to bring a little fantasy into daily life. I was a little hesitant at the beginning. Eventually, I discovered this to be a heart touching tale that redefines what family really is all about.
Awards
Dublin Literary Award (Longlist — 2017)
Los Angeles Public Library Best of the Year (Fiction — 2015)
LibraryReads (Monthly Pick — June 2015)
Lariat Adult Fiction Reading List (Selection — 2016)
Language
Original language
Swedish
Original publication date
2013
ISBN
9781501115073