Point of View

Beartown is told from the point-of-view of a third person omniscient narrator. This allows the author to provide the perspectives of multiple characters and explore their thoughts, motivations, and feelings. Because of this, Backman is able to explore controversial subjects, namely violence and misogyny in the world of youth sports, in a nuanced and multi-faceted way. We see how the rape affects the victim and her family, but also how it affects the perpetrator and his family, and numerous other people who have some peripheral level of involvement.

As the victim, Maya is naturally devastated and terrified after her assault, however her parents are depicted as equally (if not more so) at loose ends. As the narrator flits from one perspective to another, we see Peter's shock and despair, and Kira's rage and doomed devotion to getting justice. On the other side is Kevin, the...