By LARRY BALLWAHN | Wilton
“Late one evening, toward the end of March, a teenager picked up a double-barreled shotgun, walked into the forest, put the gun to someone else’s forehead, and pulled the trigger.”
“This is the story of how we got there.”
The above quotation is the complete chapter one of Fredrik Bachman’s “Beartown.” It foreshadows not only the story to come, but also the author’s writing style throughout. And like the first, subsequent foreshadowing is a harbinger of trouble ahead.
The first half of the book is spent on character development. So much so that even Beartown’s personality is described in detail. Beartown is a hockey town. Bang. The word “bang” shows up frequently. At first it is quite distracting; slowly you get the picture. Beartown is a hockey town. Bang, the sound of the puck hitting the boards. Bang.
Set in Sweden, Beartown is deep in the forest, and like remote small towns everywhere, it is slowly disappearing. Its hope for a revival depends solely on a superb junior hockey team. Kevin is the star, having the kind of talent and dedication that is destined for the pros. And the team around him has the supporting talent that allows Kevin to prosper. In addition, Kevin’s wealthy parents are seldom around, making his home a natural for team parties.
Maya is the teen daughter of the team’s general manager. He had made it into the pros from Beartown and had been hired to lead the team to Beartown’s former greatness. While Maya is not a hockey fan, she is not immune to the excitement of a semifinal tournament win or the attraction of Kevin. Telling her parents she is staying at a friend’s, she attends the team’s party. Despite some last-minute resistance, one thing leads to another.
“For the perpetrator, rape lasts just a matter of minutes; for the victim, it never stops.”
Beartown is a hockey town. For the daughter of the hockey club general manager to allege that the Kevin, the star player, raped her is incredulous. Not Kevin. What kind of a girl is she? And just before the tournament final that will put Beartown back on the hockey map!
The book has a surprise ending.
“Beartown” was a selection of the Ontario Public Library book club. It is not a book that I would have chosen, but it is well worth the read. If you are a reader or would like to become one, join your local library book club. It’s a great opportunity to foster reading, friendship and insight.
