18 Book Club Questions for A Man Called Ove
By: Author Megan Bidmead
Posted on Published: 11th May 2023 - Last updated: 14th October 2024
Categories Book Club Questions , Books
Looking for A Man Called Ove book club questions for your next reading group meeting? Here are 18 thought-provoking discussion questions to get you guys going!
Released in 2012, A Man Called Ove is a beautiful novel with a quirky main character.
It is the debut novel of Fredrik Backman, and it has an interesting history: Backman read an article about a real man named Ove, which inspired him to write blog posts in the voice of a grumpy older man.
From those original blog posts, the idea for a novel blossomed.
The main character, Ove, is isolated and difficult; he’s very judgmental and short-tempered, and he has a specific routine (which involves regular inspections of his neighbourhood).
However, Ove’s life is changed when his new neighbours accidentally back their trailer into his house. What follows is a sweet, and sometimes heartbreaking, story of love, grief, and community.
If you have chosen A Man Called Ove for your book club, the following book club questions may be helpful to facilitate your group discussion!
A Man Called Ove Book Club Questions
The opening section of the book paints a pretty strong picture of Ove’s character. He’s rude and snappy with a sales assistant, and is described as ‘the kind of man who points at people he doesn’t like the look of, as if they were burglars and his forefinger a policeman’s flashlight.’ (p.5)
What did you think of Ove in the opening chapters?
Ove is blunt, but clear and straightforward. He says what he thinks, no matter what the cost. Similarly, Backman’s writing style is clear and concise, and the story is written in the present tense in the current-day sections of the book.
What do you think of Backman’s writing style? Do you like the present tense in novels, or do you prefer the past tense?
The novel deals with ageing, with Ove reflecting on how he doesn’t like to be grouped in with other people his age: ‘Because nowadays people are all thirty-one and wear too-tight trousers and no longer drink normal coffee. And don’t want to take responsibility.’ (p.14)
What do you think of Ove’s stubborn refusal to be lumped into a category and the fact that he casually does the same thing to younger generations? Why do you think he feels this way?
Ove has many opinions, from the amount of make-up women wear to the idea of neighbours drilling after dark. Some of his opinions are pretty controversial!
Did you find yourself agreeing with Ove at any point? Did you feel sorry for him at all in the beginning of the book?
The novel delves into Ove’s past, and it quickly becomes clear that his life is marred with grief and tragedy. For example, he lost both his parents at a young age.
How do you think Ove’s upbringing impacted his older years?
Every morning, Ove inspects the neighbourhood, giving (arguably quite mean) nicknames to his neighbours.
Why do you think Ove does this? What do you think he gets from it?
Ove is automatically suspicious of anything he thinks is too modern: the internet, iPads, fancy coffee. Ove’s feeling of irrelevance contributes to his irritation, as he starts to feel that the world is moving on without him.
Do you sympathise with Ove and his suspicion of the modern world? Have you ever experienced that ‘left behind’ feeling when observing younger generations?
Ove is carefully planning to end his own life when he is interrupted by new neighbours backing their trailer into his house. To make amends, the wife, Parvaneh, brings him some homemade dinner, delivered by her children. These interruptions continue throughout the book.
Do you think Ove would have gone through with the attempt on his life had he not been interrupted? How does Parvaneh and her family impact Ove as the story develops?
We find out that Ove was married and that his wife, Sonja, died of cancer, leaving Ove alone.
What did you think about the flashback sections of the book, in which we learn about Ove’s earlier life with Sonja?
Ove unexpectedly bonds with a cat, despite disliking the idea (he tries to shoo the cat by telling it ‘this is private land!’ on p.44). The cat has an unexpectedly huge impact on Ove and he even brings the cat to visit his wife’s grave.
Why was Ove’s relationship with the cat so important, and what do you think would have happened to Ove had he not adopted the cat?
Ove was much more community-minded in his younger days. For example, when he and Sonja took a trip to Spain, he helps the locals without a second thought. This is in contrast to his present-day persona, which is grumpy and isolated.
How did Ove become so closed off? What could have stopped this from happening in the wake of Sonja’s death?
Unexpectedly, Ove becomes an important figure in the community he despises.
Did this turn of events surprise you or did you have a good idea what direction the book would go in?
There have been a few novels over the years dealing with difficult and sometimes unlikable characters (recent examples include Gail Honeyman’s Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine and The Maid by Nita Prose).
Do you enjoy reading about these kinds of characters? Do you think Backman did a good job in bringing Ove’s character to life?
Ove softens dramatically at the end of the book, supporting Parvaneh and her family and becoming an important person to many people.
Do you think this was realistic? What do you think the book was trying to say about loneliness and the importance of local communities?
Cars are important in the book, with Ove being fiercely judgmental of strangers depending on the cars they drive.
Why does he ascribe such importance to car ownership?
The book’s ending (without getting into heavy spoiler territory!) is very touching.
How did you feel when you finished the book? What feelings, values, or thoughts did you take away from it?
A Man Called Ove was adapted into two movies, with the latest release making some big changes. Named A Man Called Otto , this switches up the location from a small town in Sweden to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Did you see either movie and, if so, how do they compare to the book? Do you think the original setting of the book is important, or could it have taken place in a small town anywhere without changing too much of the story?
Much of Ove’s later suffering (and subsequent anger towards others) could have been avoided if he had a good community around him to begin with.
Did the book make you reflect on lonely people within your own community? How do you think loneliness can impact someone’s life, especially as they grow older?
A Man Called Ove is a beautiful novel with some deeply touching moments. It’s a great choice for a book club meeting! I hope these book club questions for A Man Called Ove will help to direct your next discussion.
If you liked this post, check out these: Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine Book Club Questions The Midnight Library Book Club Questions
Megan Bidmead
Guest writer
Megan is a freelance writer based in Somerset, England. When she’s not writing about books, video games, and pop culture, she’s running around after her two kids and trying to squeeze in the occasional walk in the countryside.
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“A charming debut…You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll feel new sympathy for the curmudgeons in your life. You’ll also want to move to Scandinavia, where everything’s cuter.”
"In turns moving and funny. . . I wager that you’ll soon fall in love with Ove and be deeply moved by his situation, and after spending time with him, may perhaps gaze at the world around you with a little more empathy than when you turned the first page."
– Eric Larson
“Even the most serious reader of fiction needs light relief, and for that afternoon when all you want is charm, this is the perfect book."
– San Francisco Chronicle
"A magnificent homage to humanity and to the possibility of friendship and faith in long-lost love. It covers a lot of ground: marriage, love, race, class, division, gentrification. It's one of those good stories that connects."
– James McBride
“You will laugh, you will cry, as his heartbreaking story unfolds through the diverse cast of characters that enter his life, all uninvited. You will never look at the grumpy people who come into your life in quite the same way. A very memorable read."
– San Diego Union Tribune, Best Books of 2015
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