What a good book! Ove is an older man who lost his wife a few years ago. Going back and forth in time, you read about incidents in his life from when he was younger that contributed to his present-day outlook interspersed with present day antics involving his neighbors. To me Ove seems to have Asperger's. His mindset is very inflexible (e.g., Saabs, men in white shirts). He marries Sophia, who is likely out of his league but has a father so much like Ove that she's attracted to him for that reason. Ove is out of touch with his feelings and reminds me of the main character in the "Rosie Project."

This book is humorous with lovely messages. You don't know what path each person has trudged when you come across him in your life. It's never too late to change. If it wasn't for the mention of Swedish currency and a few references to Sweden, I would have never known it was a translation.

If you have an Ove in your life, you will look at the person with a new tenderness after reading this. My grandfather was an Ove. His whole day consisted of grumbling and complaining about everything, including my grandmother. She was sick for many years before she died, and he became her caregiver despite having his own health issues. He loved her with all his heart, but it came out as curmudgeonly behavior.

And even if we find that we are the Ove in our social circle, it's never too late to change our ways.