He hires Elizabeth Zackell as the new coach of Beartown Ice Hockey's A-team, and gets goalie Vidar Rinnius.Īt the Beartown versus Hed game, the latter are in the lead 4-0. Upon the threat of liquidating Peter Andersson's club, politician Richard Theo intervenes, interested in 'saving' it. Meanwhile, the Beartown Ice Hockey team is suffering due to many of its players leaving for Hed, with only Benjamin Ovich, Amat, and Bobo remaining. Maya's younger brother, Leo Andersson, feels extreme guilt that he was unable to protect his sister, and turns to self-harm to cope.

Us against you.Ī lot of the town's residents have distanced themselves from Maya Andersson being raped by former star hockey player, Kevin Erdahl. By the time the last goal is scored, a resident of Beartown will be dead, and the people of both towns are forced to wonder if, after everything, the game they love can ever return to something as simple as a sheet of ice, two nets, and two teams.

But bringing the team together proves to be a challenge as old bonds are broken, new ones are formed, and the tension between the towns continues to simmer.Īs the big game approaches, the not-so-innocent pranks and incidents between the communities pile up and their mutual contempt intensifies. Soon, a team starts to rake shape around Amat, the fastest player you'll ever see Benji, the intense lone wolf always dutiful and eager-to-please Bobo and Vidar, a born-to-be-bad troublemaker. What makes it worse is the obvious satisfaction that all the former Beartown players, who now play for a rival team in the neighboring town of Hed, take in that fact.Īs the tension mounts between the two adversaries, a newcomer arrives who gives Beartown Hockey a surprising new coach and a chance at a comeback. So it's a cruel blow when they learn that Beartown Ice Hockey might soon be disbanded. But no matter how difficult times get, they've always been able to take pride in their local hockey team. A small community tucked deep in the forest, Beartown is home to tough, hardworking people who don't expect life to be easy or fair.

Fredrik backman beartown