My Grandmother Sends Her Regards and Apologises

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While this hasn't caused me to drop my opinion of Backman, it made me realize a story needs to work on all levels and elements to truly move or impact me. Since my cribbage/domino buddy lent it to me with eager anticipation of my opinion, I decided to carry on. It could be an amazing book, but it just doesn't work for me as I question the boundaries and the influx of species I don't understand. As each letter is delivered, more color, as well as a mysterious danger, is added to this Christmas tale. The story takes place in Sweden and follows Elsa, a 7 year old who knows she is different from other children her age.

I committed to reading it, and I did, but I probably only digested about 2/3 of the content because it just wasn't keeping my attention. When Granny dies (which I guess is kind of a spoiler, but c’mon, clearly you saw that coming) Elsa slowly learns more about the life she lived before they became friends. Her grandmother’s instructions lead her to an apartment building full of drunks, monsters, attack dogs, and old crones but also to the truth about fairy tales and kingdoms and a grandmother like no other.I have to admit at times , I was not into the fairytale but once I got what the stories were really about , I saw it in a different light . The novel is ostensibly that of a little girl named Elsa who is seven years old and her beloved grandmother. However, the last half of the book I thought was strong narratively, things started to fall into place for me with the fairy tale device, and from that point on I was fully in.

All of this sleeping in wardrobes and popping out to visit faraway lands left me thinking along the lines of 'The Lion, Witch and Wardrobe.But then looking at everyone else's ratings, there's something definitely wrong with me and most likely my hearing.