Us Against You

“Everyone is a hundred different things, but in other people’s eyes we usually get the chance to be only one of them.”

4.5/5 ⭐

The sequel to the previous 5-star Beartown, Us Against You takes us back to the small, snowy, tough community that loves hockey more than just about anything.

Everything I loved about the first book is in this book as well. Complex characters, bittersweet moments, a seemingly breakneck pace unusual for a character driven book.

My favorite thing about Backman’s writing is the way he lets each and every character be multiple things at once (see the quote at the top). If a character is a hero in one chapter, they fall in the next. If a character is cruel in one moment, they are kind the next.

Backman lets his characters act as irrationally and unpredictably as real people do, and his story is better for it.

For a book called Us Against You–a seemingly simple, black and white statement–the message of the book seems to be that there is no such thing as simple. No simple people, no simple games, no simple relationships.

A person isn’t humble or prideful, they are humble AND prideful.

The same goes for other common traits we pretend are diametrically opposed– tough or weak, optimistic or cynical, brave or cowardly.

It is easier to think of people as one or the other, when the reality is we are all both. All the time.

For anyone looking for a book that feels like the pages are turning themselves, the world is all around you, and the characters are nearly tangible in their vividness, then pick up Us Against You (after reading Beartown of course).

Quotes:

“The truth always has to stick to what actually happened, whereas the lie just has to be easy to believe.”

“The complicated thing about good and bad people alike is that most of us can be both at the same time.”

“Culture isn't just what we encourage but what we allow to happen.”