Britt-Marie Was Here

Britt-Marie Was Here (titled Britt-Marie var här in the original Swedish) is a contemporary adult literary and domestic fiction novel by Fredrik Backman first published in Sweden in 2014, with the first English translation by Henning Koch appearing in May 2016. The story follows 63-year-old Britt-Marie, who finally leaves her unfaithful husband after a decades-long failed marriage. She finds a job in the small, declining town of Borg, and despite knowing little about soccer, becomes the youth soccer coach. As she adjusts to her new life, she forms connections with the villagers that help her face the trauma of her past and realize her long-repressed dreams. The novel explores the themes of Social Class as Othering; The Cycle of Trauma, Coping, Hope, and Resilience; and Self-Actualization and Independence.

The novel was a Dublin Literary Award Nominee (2018) and is both a Publishers Weekly and New York Times bestseller. It was also adapted into a Swedish film of the same name in 2019; Pernilla August, who played Britt-Marie, was nominated for Best Actress in the 2020 Guldbagge Awards.

Britt-Marie Was Here is Fredrik Backman’s third novel and fourth book. Backman lives in Sweden with his wife and two children; his work has been published in 38 languages and in over 40 countries. Backman is one of Sweden’s most popular literary authors since Stieg Larsson, author of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.

This guide references the 2016 Atria Books edition.

Plot Summary

Fastidious Britt-Marie is a 63-year-old “housewife” whose favorite cleaning agents are baking soda and a window cleaner called Faxin. Her husband, Kent, has been cheating on her for years. After Kent has a heart attack, Kent’s lover contacts Britt-Marie. Britt-Marie leaves him.

She turns to the local unemployment office, but the only work available is a low-paying temp job at the recreation center in the declining village of Borg. Britt-Marie takes it, but upon arrival, her car explodes, she sees a large rat in the vicinity of the building, and she is knocked unconscious by a rogue soccer ball. Waking in the nearby pizzeria/general store/post office/health center, Britt-Marie meets Somebody, local proprietress and linchpin of the community. Britt-Marie rejects Somebody’s offer of a tour but accepts her offer of car repairs. 

The next day, Britt-Marie attempts to shop and receives several rude awakenings in Borg: Faxin has been discontinued. Also, due to Borg’s financial straits, most people pay for goods and services using credit. Britt-Marie is aghast and widens the divide between her and the locals by insulting their impoverishment.

Around the same time, Britt-Marie recalls her sister Ingrid’s tragic childhood death in a car accident. This results in Britt-Marie’s fear of death and her main motivation for employment—so that someone will notice if she’s missing. She makes a bargain with the recreation center rat after a failed attempt at pest control: She will feed it Snickers bars if it alerts the proper authorities if she dies suddenly (and vice versa).

Soon after, the youth soccer team, including siblings Vega and Omar, requests to watch a soccer game on TV at the recreation center. Britt-Marie reluctantly acquiesces and is pulled into the world of soccer superstitions, which entail her being locked out of the recreation center and in the recreation center bathroom. Though befuddled, Britt-Marie is touched that her presence is important.

That evening, Britt-Marie meets the local policeman, Sven, who takes an immediate liking to her. He helps arrange lodging—the house of local childhood soccer star Bank, now a curmudgeon, her soccer dreams ended by her bad knee and vision loss. While Bank is reluctant to host, Britt-Marie is overjoyed—her room has a balcony, Britt-Marie’s preferred safe space.

As Britt-Marie settles in, she meets several other locals—Fredrik, hated for laying off most of Borg’s residents, and his son Max; Sami, Vega and Omar’s older brother; and Psycho, Sami’s friend with financial troubles. Britt-Marie is invited to coach the youth soccer team so they can compete in the upcoming soccer challenge cup; she reluctantly agrees and turns to Sami for advice.

Sven helps Britt-Marie move furniture to Bank’s house and asks her out to dinner. Before her date, Britt-Marie tries to hide the mark from her wedding ring via a tanning salon. An accident occurs, resulting in Britt-Marie injuring her head and breaking two fingers; humiliated, she cancels the date.

Britt-Marie remembers her past. Ingrid, Britt-Marie’s sister, once dreamed of visiting Paris. After she died, their father abandoned them, and their mother became caustic and depressed. Kent and his brother Alf were her neighbors; they both courted Britt-Marie, but both were unfaithful. In the present, Britt-Marie sends Kent a postcard. Meanwhile, Bank destroys her childhood soccer memorabilia out of grief. However, she agrees to coach the youth team so that they can compete.

Kent appears in Borg, intending to win Britt-Marie back and triggering her previous insecurities. Kent and Sven fight over Britt-Marie and become allies with Omar and Vega, respectively. This escalates until Psycho attempts to rob the store. His attempt fails; when Kent and Sven arrive belatedly at the scene and brawl over their inability to play hero, an enraged Britt-Marie kicks them out. Omar and Vega fear that Sami will kill Psycho out of vengeance for threatening them. When Sami finally appears after going missing, Britt-Marie learns about his history of abuse and determination to acquire custody of his siblings, as well as his loyalty to Psycho/Magnus, who helped protect him and his siblings.

The day of the soccer cup dawns. The soccer council attempts to bar Borg from playing, but Kent bullies them into submission. While Borg doesn’t win, they score the first goal and make a lasting impression.

Britt-Marie resolves to return home with Kent after the soccer cup. Then tragedy strikes. Magnus’s money problems come back to haunt him; Sami, despite Britt-Marie’s advice, steps in to help and dies. His death devastates Borg and forces his siblings to grow up too quickly—Vega becomes head of house, while Omar initially attempts vengeance. It is only when Max starts a soccer game after the funeral that Vega begins to recover. Soon after, the entire village offers custody for them in Sami’s stead.

Britt-Marie, no longer needed, has one final goal. She and Kent visit the neighboring town council and badger them into constructing a new soccer pitch for Borg. The council agrees, but on one condition: Britt-Marie must choose between her job in Borg or the soccer pitch. Britt-Marie chooses the pitch; as she bids her farewells to Borg, she notices rejuvenation occurring already through soccer. In a final, spontaneous decision, she rejects both Kent and Sven, and decides to journey alone to Paris, finally realizing her and Ingrid’s childhood dream.