Fredrik Backman's Beartown is a contemporary novel about the turmoil in a small Swedish town when the teenage star of the local hockey team is accused of rape by the daughter of the team's general manager. The allegation reverberates through town, as no one wants to believe their golden boy could be capable of such heinous actions. The victim and her friends and family are further terrorized by intimidation, threats, and ostracism as they refuse to keep quiet about what happened that night. The novel shifts point-of-view between over a dozen members of the town to examine many different perspectives while exploring themes like community, loyalty, responsibility, and sexism.
