A Man Called Ove (novel)
| Industry | Publishing |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2012 |
| Products | Books |
A Man Called Ove () marks the first novel by Swedish writer Fredrik Backman, initially published by Forum in 2012. The English translation appeared in 2013 and made its way onto the New York Times Best Seller list a year and a half later, where it stayed for 42 consecutive weeks.
This novel has been transformed into two cinematic adaptations: the 2015 Swedish film A Man Called Ove, with Rolf Lassgård in the lead role, and the 2022 American version A Man Called Otto, starring Tom Hanks.
Inspiration
The genesis of the story traces back to an article about a man named Ove who experienced a public meltdown at an art gallery. Relating to the character’s social ineptitude, Backman began composing blog entries entitled "I am a Man Called Ove," which centered on everyday irritations and grievances. These writings ultimately laid the foundation for the novel.
Characters
- Ove — A grumpy, recently retired 59-year-old widower
- Sonja — The deceased spouse of Ove
- Parvaneh — Ove’s pregnant neighbor of Iranian heritage, mother to two children
- Patrick — Parvaneh’s spouse
- Rune — Once a friend and neighbor turned adversary, now suffering from Alzheimer's disease
- Anita — Rune’s wife
- Adrian — The mail carrier serving the neighborhood
- Jimmy — Neighbor with obesity
Reception
Kirkus Reviews commended the book for its "simple, fablelike" narrative and "hysterically funny" contemporary scenes, highlighting how witty portrayals and well-executed pacing counterbalance any moralizing tone. Meanwhile, Publishers Weekly labeled it a "fuzzy crowd-pleaser" that combines humor with poignant meditations on love and loss, notwithstanding some repetitive elements.
Film
The story was brought to the screen in Sweden as A Man Called Ove, which premiered on 25 December 2015. Directed by Hannes Holm, it featured Rolf Lassgård in the titular role. The film garnered six nominations at the 51st Guldbagge Awards in 2016, winning two, and also received Academy Award nominations for Best Foreign Language Film and Best Makeup and Hairstyling at the 89th Academy Awards.
An English-language version titled A Man Called Otto, starring and produced by Tom Hanks, was subsequently released.
Theatre
In January 2015, a theatrical adaptation debuted in Stockholm, Sweden, with Johan Rheborg portraying Ove. Later, in June 2016, Rheborg co-developed a stage version for Oslo Nye Teater, performed alongside the Norwegian Touring Theatre and Thorsson Productions under the direction of Bjarni Haukur Thorsson. Actor Sven Nordin took on the role of Ove and earned a nomination for best leading actor at the 2017 Hedda Award.
Audiobook
An English audiobook narrated by American actor George Newbern was released by Dreamscape Media in July 2014. Another English audiobook edition featuring narration by American actor J.K. Simmons was published by Simon & Schuster in November 2019.