Book Review: The Deal of a Lifetime

A beautiful story about what life is worth (A spoiler free review)

Fredrik Backman is an artist. Ever since I read his novel “A Man Called Ove” I fell in love with his work. Realistic fiction is not my usual genre. My normal reading includes a variety of sci-fi and fantasy that brings you into another world from the likes of authors such as Brandon Sanderson, Terry Prachet, and Orson Scott Card. But Backman is able to capture the fantasticalness of the life of an everyday person. His characterizations, dialog, and descriptions create magic within these seemingly simple stories of life.

The 2016 Novella “The Deal of a Lifetime” is no different. It collects Backman’s thoughts about what a life is worth and what makes life meaningful. It is a letter from a father to his Son questioning what his life is worth. It interrogates the Father/son relationship just as Backman’s other Novella “And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer” does. The Novella gives a beautiful moment finding the essence of the human condition and what gives it value. It recognizes that as much as one person tries to set themselves apart, despite their dedication, achievements, or money, we are all one and the same inside.

I highly recommend this book to anyone is looking for something short to read that will make them cry. It is a bit more serious than Backman’s other novels but has all their other aspects. I hope you give it a try.

p.s. it was one of my favorite Christmas presents in a while. Thanks Amor