{"title":"Series: Beartown","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBeartown\u003c\/strong\u003e invites readers into a compelling exploration of human nature and community dynamics, blending the tension of crime and thriller with rich psychological insight. This series navigates the complexities beneath the surface of small-town life, offering a thought-provoking intersection of personal struggle and collective identity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWith a range of themes crossing into philosophy, sports, and emotional resilience, \u003cem\u003eBeartown\u003c\/em\u003e captivates with its multifaceted characters and vivid storytelling. Whether drawn by the intensity of the plot or the nuanced portrayals, readers will find a profound reflection on loyalty, ambition, and the ties that bind us.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"us-against-you-by-fredrik-backman-9781501160806","title":"Us Against You","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe #1 \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eA Man Called Ove\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eBeartown\u003c\/i\u003e returns with an unforgettable novel \"about people--about strength and tribal loyalty and what we unwittingly do when trying to show our boys how to be men\" (Jojo Moyes).\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eHave you ever seen a town fall? Ours did.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ci\u003eHave you ever seen a town rise? Ours did that, too.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eA small community tucked deep in the forest, Beartown is home to tough, hardworking people who don't expect life to be easy or fair. No matter how difficult times get, they've always been able to take pride in their local ice hockey team. So it's a cruel blow when they hear that Beartown ice hockey might 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 the neighbouring town of Hed, take in that fact. As the tension mounts between the two adversaries, a newcomer arrives who gives Beartown hockey a surprising new coach and a chance at a comeback.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSoon a team starts to take shape around Amat, the fastest player you'll ever see; Benji, the intense lone wolf; always dutiful and eager-to-please Bobo; 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 town's enmity with Hed grows more and more acute.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAs the big game approaches, the not-so-innocent pranks and incidents between the communities pile up and their mutual contempt intensifies. By the time the last goal is scored, a resident of Beartown will be dead, and the people of both towns will be forced to wonder if, after everything, the game they love can ever return to something as simple and innocent as a field of ice, two nets, and two teams. \u003ci\u003eUs Against You\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHere is a declaration of love for all the big and small, bright and dark stories that give form and colour to our communities. With immense compassion and insight, Fredrik Backman--\"the Dickens of our age\" (\u003ci\u003eGreen Valley News\u003c\/i\u003e)--reveals how loyalty, friendship, and kindness can carry a town through its most challenging days.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Simon \u0026 Schuster NZ","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47398082445548,"sku":"9781501160806","price":52.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/12887683482722.jpg?v=1773741109"},{"product_id":"the-winners-by-fredrik-backman-9781982112806","title":"The Winners","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReturn\u003c\/em\u003e to the close-knit, resilient community of Beartown with this \"engrossing page-turner\" (\u003cem\u003eWoman's World\u003c\/em\u003e) about first loves, second chances, and last goodbyes—from the #1 \u003cem\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/em\u003e bestselling author of \u003cem\u003eAnxious People\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eA Man Called Ove\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOver the course of two weeks, everything in Beartown will change.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eTwo 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 destruction caused by a ferocious late-summer storm reignites the old rivalry between Beartown and the neighbouring town of Hed, a rivalry that has always been fought through their ice hockey teams.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eMaya Andersson and Benji Ovich, two young people who left in search of a better life, come home and joyfully reunite with their closest childhood friends. There is a new sense of optimism and purpose in the town, embodied in the impressive new ice rink that has been built down by the lake.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eMaya's parents, meanwhile, are caught up in an investigation of the hockey club's murky finances, and Amat—once the star of the Beartown team—has lost his way after an injury and a failed attempt to get drafted into the NHL. Simmering tensions between the two towns turn into acts of intimidation and then violence. All the while, a fourteen-year-old boy grows increasingly alienated from this hockey-obsessed community and is determined to take revenge on the people he holds responsible for his beloved sister's death. He has a pistol and a plan that will leave Beartown with a loss that is almost more than it can stand.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDiscover what it means to forgive with this \"hell of a conclusion to an outstanding series\" (\u003cem\u003eBooklist\u003c\/em\u003e, starred review). A poignant and moving read perfect for fans of \u003cem\u003eFriday Night Lights\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Simon \u0026 Schuster NZ","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47643437039852,"sku":"9781982112806","price":54.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/5ad572279c2e430b71092e47971a8b8c.jpg?v=1779227045"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.live\/collections\/series-beartown.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}