In this episode, Linny and Nancy try to correctly pronounce Ove, the lead character in Frederik Backman’s A Man Called Ove. Even though Ove’s plan is to take his own life, the book is one of hope and redemption. No surprise this recommendation comes from our cousin, Denise. Nancy talks about the book making her cry. Amazingly, Linny did not. Linny is typically the one who cries. Linny says Ove has a rigid mindset, which Nancy agrees describes Ove. He is a hard person to like, what with the way he criticizes other and calls them names and curses at that. Linny enjoys that as the book proceeds, Ove becomes entangled with his neighbors and a stray cat who are constantly foiling his plans. Nancy likes the slow unfolding of Ove’s story that show Ove’s positive qualities and also the genesis of some of his negative ways of coping. His father’s sayings guide Ove throughout life and Linny shares that “Be beyond reproach” is one saying that guides a lot of her decisions, particularly in her professional life. Linny and Nancy suspect Parvenah knew more about Ove’s plans than she let on and love her for that. Linny and Nancy laugh that Ove is only 59 years old, which seems pretty young to both of them! Nancy reveals her favorite sidekick character was the cat. Linny comments on Nancy’s cat’s “interesting” personality. Nancy says her cat is a lot like Ove – quite grumpy. Nancy loves that Backman writes the cat as having full agency and judgements about everyone around it. Linny thinks Ove’s derogatory nicknames he had for nearly everyone shows he disconnection with them and his negativity toward them. Rune, his frenemy, does have a name. Linny notes that when Parvenah’s little girl calls Ove, Grandpa, that breaks him in some positive way. Ove does have a lot of good qualities and Nancy notes that Sonja sometimes referred to Ove as her superman because of all the ways he helps others. Ove doesn’t do these things out of kindness, though, but just because he can’t stand the pain of seeing others doing things the wrong way. Linny and Nancy discuss how much Ove had to overcome to purchase the iPad for Parvenah’s daughter. Linny felt Ove’s brokering a reconciliation between the young man and his father shows how much Ove valued his relationship with his father. It is also a different approach for Ove that doesn’t involve yelling and name calling. It also made Nancy think about the break between Rune and Ove also is, at its heart, about Rune’s broken relationship with his son. Ove whose dream to have a child was taken from him. Nancy thinks it’s an story about father and sons and the really strong women who are able to see beyond the wounds men have.
