Britt-Marie Was Here

By: Fredrik Backman

Narrated by: Joan Walker

For as long as anyone can remember, Britt-Marie has been an acquired taste. It's not that she's judgmental or fussy or difficult - she just expects things to be done in a certain way. A cutlery drawer should be arranged in the right order, for example - forks, knives, then spoons. We're not animals, are we?

But behind the passive-aggressive, socially awkward, absurdly pedantic busybody is a woman who has more imagination, bigger dreams and a warmer heart than anyone around her realises. So when Britt-Marie finds herself unemployed, separated from her husband of 20 years, left to fend for herself in the miserable provincial backwater that is Borg - of which the kindest thing one can say is that it has a road going through it - and somehow tasked with running the local football team, she is a little unprepared.

But she will learn that life may have more to offer her than she's ever realised, and love might be found in the most unexpected of places.

The number-one European best seller by the author of A Man Called Ove, Britt-Marie Was Here is a funny, poignant and uplifting tale of love, community and second chances.

©2016 Fredrik Backman (P)2016 Hodder & Stoughton

Really enjoyed this audiobook narration

The book is a lovely story about a woman who has lived all her life for other people. She is socially awkward, never worked and has an obsession for cleaning. As the story unfolds, she finds herself holding a job for the first time, and being a busybody in the small town of Borg, a community by the side of the road that is in danger of “extinction” when all the businesses close down. Slowly, through her awkwardly good heart, Britt-Marie starts caring for the residents and the young people who live there, ushering in hope and possibility where previously there was none. The narrator was so skilful at all the voices and narration that I felt that I was right there in Borg with Britt-Marie! This audiobook was truly a wonderful production!

A Woman Called Ove

Who was your favorite character and why?

Everyone in this story was great, and really easy to picture and associate with.

What about Joan Walker’s performance did you like?

It was incredible.

Any additional comments?

This book is almost the exact same principle as A Man Called Ove, but staring a woman. If you enjoyed that story and wish you could read it again (as I did), I highly recommend this one!

Beautiful, funny & completely engaging

Loved the characters and character development.

At first blush, reading the summary, I thought this sounded so very like the authors other books so much so, I wondered why would I purchase this one too. Even so, given I love his work & I could return it if I was really unhappy, I decided to give it a try. I’m very glad I did!

Delightful

Heartwarming and humorous. An utterly delightful quick read which is difficult to put down. I could happily reread this book.

delightful. amusing quirky. i Loved every minute

Britt-marie , recently separated, needs a job. and so she takes a position in Borg.
this gentle amusing story about a woman who had lived in the shadows all her life, unfolds gently and yet without hesitation. Borg is packed full of amusing interesting characters.
the language is terrific. the people are wonderful. there nothing to dislike here. the narrator was perfect. A fave I will probably listen to again

Absolutely delightful and deeply touching

This is a truly beautiful book. Beautifully written, beautifully read. I could mot stop listening. Strongly recommend

Finally living a life

An interesting view inside a character that you’d never notice if she was standing right next to you.

Such an enjoyable character

A heartwarming character read by a very believable narrator. I truly didnt want it to end.

She's no nag bag!

What made the experience of listening to Britt-Marie Was Here the most enjoyable?

The narration by Joan Walker is superb. She brings the characters to life as if they're jumping out of the audio and acting out live in one's mind.

What did you like best about this story?

The colourful characters and the unexpected story line. And how it keeps one guessing until the very end.

Have you listened to any of Joan Walker’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Yes! She does not disappoint. But a lot more restrained in this one, compared to the other books by Fredrik Backman she's performed.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Not really, because I wanted to savour every minute and I needed it to last throughout my week-long commute.

Any additional comments?

I love the works of Fredrik Backman and the outstanding performance by the narrator Joan Walker. These two are the ultimate dynamic duo!

An Enjoyable Read

After falling in love with Backman's A Man Called Ove, I decided to read all of his books that I could get my hands on. This one was enjoyable. It was a bit slow going at first, and the character voice changes were a bit on the ear piercing side ;) but around halfway through, I found myself yearning to listen and yearning to find out what happens as the story unfolds. I won't spoil the ending, but even though I enjoyed it, I was a bit disappointed. Overall, I recommend anyone who enjoyed Ove also give this a listen as well.