i’m pleasantly surprised how the author has accurately and consistently presented sexism on a basic level, on a small town level. i have been burned (i think we all have) by ignorant male authors who write women as if they’ve never met a real woman before, but Backman’s writing (so far) has been surprisingly authentic to the female experience. a couple examples: the young female teacher being disrespected by her male highschool students and she is the one reprimanded when she reacts to their misogynistic taunts kira feeling the pressure of being a woman with children, a “career woman” and the duality of her husband Peter never being described as a “career man” or never having to face judgement about being successful and a parent the way kira does.