This heart-warmer of a novel is one of the most emotionally rewarding things I’ve read in a long time. Ove is a grumpy old man who literally just wants to die. An idiot has driven over his mailbox, a pregnant immigrant has infiltrated the neighborhood, and a moronic cat won’t do its business anywhere except inside his house. Good god, why can’t the world just let him commit suicide in peace?
Beneath Ove’s joyless exterior lurks a goodness that the gruff old guy can’t hide, as well as a strangely appealing moral code. His story is chick-lit for dudes—and for everyone. It’s warm and life-affirming and almost guaranteed to make you laugh and cry and feel a little wistful once you’ve finished reading, because you’ll want to spend more time with the story. It’s a powerfully affecting book.