fredrik backman my grandmother sends her regards and apologises

He is a friend of Granny’s, with a troubled past but a gentle and loyal nature. Still, she delivers Granny’s letter, which is addressed to a mysterious tenant in her building, a man Elsa has always feared and refers to as “The Monster.” However, Elsa soon learns that he is not the terrifying beast she had imagined him to be. Elsa is devastated by Granny’s death and confused by her mission. She tells Elsa that with this letter, she is about to embark on a treasure hunt, a most wonderful adventure. The night before her death, Granny asks Elsa to deliver a letter for her. Granny tells Elsa the stories from the Land-of-Almost-Awake in a “secret language,” which Elsa assumes is only shared by the two of them.Įlsa is unaware that Granny has cancer because the adults in her life have kept it a secret. When times get really rough, Elsa finds solace in “The Land-of-Almost-Awake,” an imaginary, magical kingdom of Granny’s creation.

Granny is always ready to defend Elsa when she gets in trouble at school or when Elsa is upset by Mum and Dad’s divorce. Elsa, however, considers Granny to be her personal superhero. An orderly type who is always in control, Mom is often frustrated by Granny’s impulsive antics. Mum is pregnant with Elsa’s half-sibling. Elsa lives with her Mum (Granny’s daughter) and Mum’s boyfriend George in an apartment across the hall from Granny. Granny, a former surgeon who traveled all over the world saving children’s lives, is an eccentric with a great disregard for rules and conventions. At school she is bullied by the other children and misunderstood by the teachers. Both Elsa and Granny are considered “different.” Elsa is a precocious child with a sophisticated vocabulary, which makes it difficult for her to relate to others. Seven-year-old Elsa shares a close relationship with Granny, her only friend.

Fredrik backman my grandmother sends her regards and apologises