From the #1 u003ciu003eNew York Timesu003c/iu003e bestselling author of u003ciu003eBeartown u003c/iu003eand u003ciu003eA Man Called Oveu003c/iu003e, hailed as “a writer of astonishing depth [with] the remarkable ability to make you understand the feelings of each of a dozen different characters” (u003ciu003eTheu003c/iu003e u003ciu003eWashington Timesu003c/iu003e), a heart-wrenching story of how loyalty, friendship, and love carry a town through its darkest days.u003cbru003eu003cbru003eAfter everything that the citizens of Beartown have gone through, they are struck yet another blow when they hear that their beloved local hockey team will soon be disbanded. What makes it worse is the obvious satisfaction that all the former Beartown players, who now play for a rival team in Hed, take in that fact. Amidst the mounting tension between the two rivals, a surprising newcomer is handpicked to be Beartown’s new hockey coach.u003cbru003e u003cbru003eSoon a new team starts to take shape around Amat, the fastest player you’ll ever see; Benji, the intense lone wolf; and Vidar, a born-to-be-bad troublemaker. But bringing this team together proves to be a challenge as old bonds are broken, new ones are formed, and the enmity with Hed grows more and more acute.u003cbru003e u003cbru003eAs the big match approaches, the not-so-innocent pranks and incidents between the communities pile up and their mutual contempt grows deeper. By the time the last game is finally played, a resident of Beartown will be dead, and the people of both towns will be forced to wonder if, after all they’ve been through, the game they love can ever return to something simple and innocent.u003cbru003e u003cbru003eu003ciu003eUs Against Youu003c/iu003e is a declaration of love for all the big and small, bright and dark stories that form and color our communities. Compelling and heartbreaking, it’s a roller-coaster ride of emotions and a showcase for “Fredrik Backman’s pitch-perfect dialogue and unparalleled understanding of human nature” (u003ciu003eShelf Awarenessu003c/iu003e).
