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The Winners

By: Fredrik Backman
Narrated by: Marin Ireland
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Publisher's Summary

WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO STAND TOGETHER?

‘It’s often said that winners write history, but there are no winners here’

This is a small story about big questions.

It's a story about family, community, life.

It starts with a storm - and a death.

But how does it end?

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?

Everything.

©2021 Fredrik Backman. English language translation ©2022 Neil Smith. Originally published in Sweden in 2021 by Forum as Vinnarna. Published by agreement with Salomonsson Agency. (P)2022 Simon & Schuster, UK

Critic Reviews

'I utterly believed in the residents of Beartown, and felt ripped apart by the events in the book' JOJO MOYES

What listeners say about The Winners

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The narrator from the first 2 was my favourite

Just not the same without the previous narrator it detracts from how good the story is

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Be prepared to not recognise characters!

The story is typical, brilliant Backman... but the fact that the narrater pronounces the names so differently really threw me. The first time she mentioned 'Audrey' rather than 'Adri' I literally had no idea who she was talking about. It's a shame the production team didn't do research to ensure consistency with the previous books.

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Beautiful finish to this hard hitting story

Loved this to the max. This is just as good if not better than the last two. Narrator was perfect again.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Long walk for very little pay off

I wasn't a fan of the change in narrator. The story felt drawn out for no reason in particular.
I like Fredrick's writing style but the story itself could have been better come to a better conclusion.

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  • Overall
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A wonderful ending to a fantastic series

Review: A superb conclusion to the Beartown series. This town, these people, the awful events, the wonderful camaraderie, the sadness, the light, the villains, the heroes - they make up such an amazing story that you never want to let them go.

We have lost a few along the way but more Beartown and Hed members will be lost. Tragedies will befall these towns again and how they deal with these are what makes the story so breathtaking. There are mistakes and there are victories but from this, we learn.

Backman has a beautiful way of writing, almost lyrical. I love how he captures the little details of life in a few sentences that can linger with me for days. It's not just a story, it's an insight to all of us. How would we react? Would we get caught up in the hype or act reasonably? Would we do the right thing even if it goes against everyone else? Can we forgive and forget or do we let it fester to the point of no reason? So many stories, so many reactions, so many lessons. I'm sad to say goodbye but I will remember this series and these people always

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  • Overall
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  • Dan
  • 15-06-2023

Insightful and sad

Such beautiful writing. The setting is crystal clear- I am immersed there whenever listening to one of these books. The characters are hauntingly believable.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Great trilogy, highly recommend:)

This was a great story with lots of good lessons. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Must read all three !

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The Winners

Wonderful end to a fantastic trilogy. Such great writing and characters. Thank you Fredrik Backman

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    1 out of 5 stars
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dross.

couldn't finish it. good voice but too pious. bored very quickly. poor ending to what started well

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Fantastic series

I have loved this entire series. it elicits all of the emotions and shows the best and worst of what it means to be human. It's probably my favourite series of the past decade.

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