Britt Marie Was Here by Fredrik Backman

If you have read My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry by Fredrik Backman, then you will definitely want to read this one.  Britt Marie is an intriguing part of the Grandmother book and this book answered all of the questions I had about her.  But, this book is also a great story involving Britt Marie in which the answers about her come to light.

Even if you have not read the Grandmother book, it is OK, because this is a total stand alone book.  Britt Marie is a late 60 ish, early 70 ish woman that has been married to the same man for a long time, when he dumps her for a younger model.  So, for the first time in a very long time, Britt Marie finds herself all alone and in need of a job.  The thought of working outside the home is terrifying.  Britt Marie has a social anxiety disorder, therefore she has great difficulty communicating with others.  In addition to this she also has obsessive compulsive disorder, especially when it comes to housekeeping..  She has no children of her own and she feels as if no one even knows she exists.  She decides she wants to  make a difference in the world and leave her mark on it.  She calls the unemployment agency and meets a young woman that ends up helping her find more than work. I think the thing I liked most about this book is that it shows that we should never give up on what we really want out of life and that it is never too late to change our life for the better.

I haven't been disappointed yet with Frederik Backman's books.  I plan to read them all and am looking forward to read his newest, Bear Town, which was released late last month.