Beartown

1. General Impressions 

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

• Initially, the novel’s central focus seems to be on hockey and its importance to the town. At what point did you understand that the novel touched on darker subjects? What was your reaction to this shift?
• The novel’s opening features the scene that concludes the book—Maya threatening to shoot Kevin with a gun. Did you find this circular structure effective? Why or why not?
• Compare and contrast Beartown to other novels by Fredrik Backman that you have read. Which book did you enjoy the most or find the most compelling? If this was your first time reading Backman, what other writers or novels does Beartown remind you of?

2. Personal Reflection and Connection 

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

• The small-town setting is instrumental in sparking the conflict that underlies the novel. Consider your own hometown: What aspects of Beartown did you find relevant or similar? If you grew up in a large city or otherwise dissimilar setting, what aspects of Beartown are relatable or perhaps universal?
• The novel is rooted in a community’s passion for hockey and its investment in its local team. What is the appeal of sports for spectators, in your opinion? Do you share in that enthusiasm? If not, have you found other outlets for similar emotions?
• In your view, is Kevin worthy of forgiveness? Does he display the potential for redemption? Why or why not?
• Players on the hockey team enjoy the accolades and praise of the town, but this comes at a price. What do specific players sacrifice to be part of the team? Have you ever had to make a similar compromise to secure group membership? How did you weigh the benefits and rewards against the cost of the sacrifices?

3. Societal and Cultural Context 

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

• In what way are gender norms and gender stereotypes an important force in the novel? What does the novel suggest about the dangers of such norms?
• Gun violence is a widespread problem in US society. What factors does the novel identify as contributing to such violence, particularly among young people?

4. Literary Analysis 

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

• The novel is presented by a third-person, omniscient narrator. How would a first-person narrator change the novel? Which character would you choose as the narrator?
• How is the novel’s pacing manipulated to convey the emotions or inner states of characters or to create tension? How does the pacing impact and shape the reader’s experience?
• Benji and Amat are important secondary characters. How do they function in parallel ways? What are the key distinctions between them, particularly in regards to their interactions with Kevin?
• Compare how hockey functions for Kevin and other players to the way the guitar functions for Maya. What do each of these items suggest about the joys and harms of obsession?

5. Creative Engagement 

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

• Music and the guitar are valuable hobbies to Maya. Imagine a song she might write about her experiences in Beartown. What musical style would be most fitting? Which musical artists or specific songs speak to her experience? 
• The novel ends 10 years in the future with a meeting between Maya and Kevin. Predict what the characters’ lives might be like in 20 years. If you could fashion an ideal future for each of them, what would that look like?
• Beartown is the first book in the trilogy about the titular town. What expectations does the first novel create for its sequels? If you were its author, which storylines or side plots would you choose to develop in the second and third installments?

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