Us Against You

The #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Man Called Ove and Beartown returns with an unforgettable novel ΓÇ£about peopleΓÇöabout strength and tribal loyalty and what we unwittingly do when trying to show our boys how to be menΓÇ¥ (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 forestBeartown is home to toughhardworking people who donΓÇÖt expect life to be easy or fair. No matter how difficult times gettheyΓÇÖve always been able to take pride in their local ice hockey team. So itΓÇÖs 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 playerswho now play for a rival team in the neighboring town of Hedtake in that fact. As the tension mounts between the two adversariesa newcomer arrives who gives Beartown hockey a surprising new coach and a chance at a comeback. Soon a team starts to take shape around Amatthe fastest player youΓÇÖll ever see; Benjithe intense lone wolf; always dutiful and eager-to-please Bobo; and Vidara born-to-be-bad troublemaker. But bringing this team together proves to be a challenge as old bonds are brokennew ones are formedand the townΓÇÖs enmity with Hed grows more and more acute. As the big game approachesthe not-so-innocent pranks and incidents between the communities pile up and their mutual contempt intensifies. By the time the last goal is scoreda resident of Beartown will be deadand the people of both towns will be forced to wonder ifafter everythingthe game they love can ever return to something as simple and innocent as a field of icetwo netsand two teams. Us against you. Here is a declaration of love for all the big and smallbright and dark stories that give form and color to our communities. With immense compassion and insightFredrik BackmanΓÇöΓÇ£the Dickens of our ageΓÇ¥ (Green Valley News)ΓÇöreveals how loyaltyfriendshipand kindness can carry a town through its most challenging days.