Explore thought-provoking A Man Called Ove book club questions (also known as A Man Called Otto) here. This bestselling contemporary fiction novel by Swedish author Fredrik Backman has had millions of readers talking for years. You’ll foster meaningful discussion and get free printable book club questions to use as a book club resource at your in-person meeting. Let’s get literary!
Quick Review of A Man Called Ove With Themes
- #1 New York Times bestseller
- More than two million copies sold
From as early as the book cover, the reader learns that Ove Lindahl is a curmudgeon — a grumpy old man with a disdain for disorder and the modern world.
But, like the layers of an onion, as the story unfolds, so too do details of Ove’s complicated past. Underneath a tough exterior, he’s a sad and lonely man, grieving the loss of the love of his life, Sonja, and coping with other hardships, such as his friend-turned-rival Rune.
He wants to die, but he meets a young family moving in next door to him in his suburban Swedish neighborhood, including Parveneh and her husband Patrick (The Lanky One). The extroverted Parveneh brings “color” to Ove’s “black and white” view, providing each other with both companionship and usefulness in life.
Published by Simon & Schuster, A Man Called Ove is a perfect book for your book club to discuss how one life impacts many others. This is one character-driven book that’s captured my mind and heart for years now and, when I asked my Instagram followers to name their favorite Fredrik Backman book, A Man Called Ove won by a landslide (followed by the Beartown series).
You can discuss such themes as grief, healing, friendship, community, generational differences, second chances, mental health, and the power of acts of kindness.
Fredrik Backman’s A Man Called Ove: Book Club Questions
Spoiler Alert: These discussion questions for A Man Called Ove contain spoilers.
Describe the character of Ove and how you envision him.
What positive and negative characteristics does Ove have?
What has contributed to Ove’s pessimistic mindset generally?
Why do you think Ove has such an ongoing battle with the modern world?
Why does Ove confront life in such controlled, ritualistic ways?
Can you identify with any of Ove’s gripes with life?
How does Ove view himself?
Discuss Ove’s relationship with Sonja.
What do you think Sonja saw in Ove?
Do you agree with Sonja that “loving someone is like moving into a house”?
How would Ove have been different if he had been a father?
Describe Ove’s relationship with his father.
What made Ove hate “men in white shirts”?
How did Ove change after his wife died?
How does Ove cope with his grief?
Does Ove live more in the past, present, or future?
What is the significance of the specific cars Ove and Rune drive?
Describe Parveneh.
What made Ove able to connect with the cat and with Parveneh?
Discuss the significance of “the Lanky One.”
Are Ove and Parveneh “likely” or “unlikely” friends?
Why does Ove want to commit suicide?
What do you make of Ove’s failed suicide attempts?
How do Ove and Parveneh change over time?
What did Ove contribute to Parveneh and visa versa?
Discuss the concept of masculinity in A Man Called Ove.
How would this novel be different if Ove were a woman?
Did your opinion of Ove change throughout the novel?
Did Ove’s life story surprise you?
How does Ove express emotion?
Why do you think Backman wrote this story in a non-chronological format, and do you agree with his choice?
Discuss the role of community in the novel.
A Man Called Ove takes place in Sweden. Does it resonate where you live?
Did the ending surprise you?
Discuss the irony in Ove’s death.
What does the turnout at Ove’s funeral symbolize?
Do you know anyone like Ove in real life?
Did you learn any lessons from A Man Called Ove to apply in your own life?
What is Ove’s legacy?
Do you consider A Man Called Ove a happy or sad book?
Printable PDF Reading Guide of the Discussion Questions
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Book Club Ideas For Food and Games
- Eat Swedish food, such as Swedish meatballs, smoked salmon sandwiches, cheese pie, Swedish almond cake, cinnamon buns, and Swedish hot dogs.
- Drink coffee, lingonberry juice, or mulled wine, all of which are popular in Sweden.
- Perform random acts of kindness.
- Pair this novel with the movie adaptation, A Man Called Otto, starring Tom Hanks.
Watch a trailer for the movie adaptation on Youtube:
Book Club Books to Read Next
If you loved these A Man Called Ove book club questions, check out these for similar books to discuss at your next meeting:
- Discussion Questions for Hamnet
- Discussion Questions for The Midnight Library
- Discussion Questions for A Gentleman in Moscow
- Discussion Questions for Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow
- Discussion Questions for Remarkably Bright Creatures
remember, it’s a good day to read a book. – jules
