The Book Bump

First published: 2019
Author: Fredrik Bachmann
Language: Swedish
Genre: Humour / Psychological
My rating: 5/5

A failed bank robber, armed with what they believe to be a fake gun, accidentally turns an apartment viewing into a hostage situation.
Two local but rather incompetent policemen arrive to diffuse the situation while waiting for the Boys from Stockholm to get there.

I don’t often give full marks, but this book boggled my mind. And I can find very little to complain about.

I was hooked from the very beginning and remained hooked throughout. I found a few passages a tad wordy and a little long, but overall… WOW!

The book starts as a story about a bank robbery gone wrong; however, when you delve deeper, it’s about humanity and empathy. It’s about choosing to act with kindness, no matter the situation you find yourself in. It’s about understanding, that you cannot judge someone by their acts without first trying to understand their motivations.

The characters are written extremely well. Initially, I felt the characters were a little caricatural. For example, Roger comes across as a male chauvinist, and Zara is nothing more than a heartless bank manager. But as the story progresses and we learn more about their backgrounds, it is not all as it would seem.

Readers will grow to love all the characters. Bachman has an amazing ability to understand the reasoning behind why people might make the decisions they do. As stupid as a decision might seem to the outside world, it may possibly have been the only solution for the person involved.

The character development is great. In the short space over which the novel takes place, every character grows and evolves into a better form of themselves. My personal favourites are Roger and Jim. It resonated with me that we shouldn’t be so quick to judge.

It might just be me, but I projected a lot onto the characters who are scarcely described in the story. As the novel unfolds, I realise how much you have projected your ideals and beliefs. There are some things I could almost swear I read, but when I looked back, I didn’t.

As a reader, I felt that Bachman knew his characters better than they knew themselves. He has a unique ability to capture the human spirit. Many times throughout the novel, I found myself smiling or laughing in agreement with what he said. Many of his perceptions of life are 100% on the ball.

So many times, I thought I had a grip on the story, I was sure I knew what was happening, but then you stop dead in your tracks. The story takes on a whole new turn. But in the end, it all makes perfect sense, despite having the appearance of something farcical.

Despite the light-heartedness, Bachman explores sensitive issues, such as divorce, lack of leadership, father-son relationships, betrayal, custody, and suicide.

His style of writing was new to me, which I thought was refreshing. On occasion, it was almost as if Bachman was speaking directly to me and that he understood my biggest anxieties. But I guess, we are all human and for the most part, all worry about the same things.

I highly recommend this book to everyone. It has restored my faith in humanity.