Review By: Sara Tripp
Title: The Winners
Author: Fredrik Backman
Series: Beartown Series #3
Published: 2022, Atria
Genre: Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Sports
Audience: 9, 10, 11, 12
Triggers: Reference to Sexual Assault, Gun Violence
Professional Review: Two years have passed since the events that no one wants to think about. Everyone has tried to move on, but there’s something about this place that prevents it. The residents continue to grapple with life’s big questions: What is a family? What is a community? And what, if anything, are we willing to sacrifice in order to protect them?
As the locals of Beartown struggle to overcome the past, great change is on the horizon. Someone is coming home after a long time away. Someone will be laid to rest. Someone will fall in love, someone will try to fix their marriage, and someone will do anything to save their children. Someone will submit to hate, someone will fight, and someone will grab a gun and walk towards the ice rink. So what are the residents of Beartown willing to sacrifice for their home?
Review: As a high school teacher who enjoys reading young adult literature, I approached The Winners, the third book in Fredrik Backman’s Beartown series with anticipation. Having read and appreciated the previous books, I found that this novel continues to deliver an emotional and thought-provoking story about a small town where hockey is more than just a game, for the community.
Set two years after the tragic events in Us Against You, The Winners returns to Beartown and its rival town, Hed, as they continue to wrestle with the fallout of past choices. The sexual assault committed by a Beartown hockey player still casts a shadow over the town, dividing residents on whether they should protect the team’s legacy or seek justice. The financial future of both hockey teams is uncertain, with deep-pocketed investors favoring Beartown while Hed struggles to keep up. As tensions rise, both towns are further shaken by an unexpected tragedy that forces everyone to reevaluate what truly matters.
Characters from the previous books return, including Maya, who is still healing from her trauma, and Benji, whose struggle with belonging and grief remains a constant in the story. Meanwhile, new players and town officials enter the picture, making the competition between Beartown and Hed even more intense. The novel explores how the love of a sport can both unite and destroy, pushing people to make impossible choices in the name of loyalty and pride.
That said, I did find that at times the book leaned heavily on hockey jargon and game strategies, which might be a bit redundant for readers who are less interested in the sport. However, l connect deeply with the characters and their struggles.
Overall, The Winners is a worthwhile read for mature young adult students, particularly those who appreciate character-driven narratives that explore community, morality, and resilience. While it would be most impactful for students who have read Beartown and Us Against You, this series offers a powerful look at how a town is shaped by both its tragedies and its triumphs.
