Sometimes there are books that everyone likes, and you just don’t. And that’s ok! I found myself questioning if I had missed something as pieces of the story were not lining up. Well, it turns out the reason for that is because Backman gives us 8 unreliable narrators. I like things told to me straight, so realizing halfway through the story that I couldn’t trust any of the characters put me a bit on edge. While I am disappointed that I didn’t end up loving this story, I know that not every book can be amazing for every reader. We all have opinions and that is what makes conversations about books exciting!

I can see this clever and warm voice would be captivating for some .. the indirect way of getting us into the storu is correct .. assembling robbery, hostage taking plot elements and build up . Planned out .. I am just too aware of the distracting contrivance of the fiction .. to my great loss as a reader so it began to feel tedious .. I really didn't want that .. I didn't feel that way with his earlier Ove story .. :-(

I really wanted to like this novel. I have read and loved almost every other book by Fredrik Backman. There were some really funny moments in this books and I felt like the message was there but ultimately the story didn’t go anywhere. I found myself waiting for the story to end rather than waiting to see what happened next.

100% not for me. Can’t get over the writing style and how odd everything is. DNF early on. I know this book is very popular but it didn’t grab me and I couldn’t get over the way the author spoke to me as the reader and the lack of information all here, there and everywhere.

Oh Fredrik Backman, You have a magical way with words that always creates an unbelievable story with characters that stay with the reader long after the last page.

This is a book that I highly recommend reading Anxious People when you 1) can dedicate your attention 2) can dedicate your time. With many of Backman's books, he writes in a way that requires attention from the reader or I believe so much is lost. Backman drops tiny nuggets of information about his characters throughout the story and if this reader is not paying attention, they can miss what makes Backman in a league of his own. The same applies with time. Unfortunately, I got sick right when I started the book. If you are not familiar with this unique writing style, I think one could forget some of these nuggets if too much time has passed between reading.

If you have not yet come to realize, I am a huge Fredrik Backman fan. I first discovered this author with his US release of A Man Called Ove. A Man Called One still sits on my all-time favorite books and Anxious People might just land there too.

What can I say about Anxious People...... you must read it. Everything and everyone is not as they appear. The world is not as we think it is. I want to give it a few weeks and then dig in again and reread this book.


Note: SO sorry that it took so long for this review. I got Covid a few days after being approved.

I love Fredrik Backman’s books and writing style. I enjoyed how the story of this book unfolded in bits and pieces that left me wanting to keep reading to find out what was going to happen. I enjoyed the feeling that there was a narrator offer witty insights and hilarious asides as the characters and plot were developed. Another win from Backman!

I enjoyed this. I think that the character development was good. The story had a decent pace and it kept my attention too! I would recommend.

Where to even start? Backman is truly the master of capturing the truth of humanity. All the messy bits, all the heartbreaking bits, all the laughter and joy and disappointment. Every time I read one of his books I'm absolutely struck by this and with Anxious People he does it again through a wide range of characters to explore hard themes like suicide, death, addiction, and the art of forgiveness. It's a large cast but every single character exposes a new truth and you become so close to them while reading that I find it impossible to choose a favorite character. Zara's story though really impacted me in particular.

The prose itself is stark and simple, just enough to convey what the writer wants to without embellishment. I often found myself smirking at the little moments of minutiae in life, like how you can never quite seem to put a USB cable in correctly the first time. It's just another way that Backman's writing is so human, so true, it includes even the tiniest of things that you nod your head to and think, "Yeah. I get that. I've been there." That's a pretty remarkable thing.

I plan on purchasing multiple copies of this book as gifts for the holidays. Not because it's fun or easy read. Though there are many moments of hilarity in the absurdity of the situation the characters find themselves in, it's a book that will also break your heart and leave you with a deep sense of gratitude for your own life and those connected to you. This is a life changing book if you let it be and I feel honored to have read it.


Note: I received a free electronic edition of this book via NetGalley in exchange for the honest review above. I would like to thank them, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to do so.

Fredrik Backman has a seemingly effortless way of connecting readers to his characters and Anxious People is a great example of that ability. Backman's exploration into human nature are intimate, thought-provoking, and affirming.

This book was amazing. I loved A Man Called One so I was excited to read another book by Backman. This book made me feel for the characters and I was invested in the storyline from the beginning. Backman knows how to make you care about the characters no matter how unlikeable they are. He also knows how to make you want to keep reading. It took me awhile to get around to reading this book, but once I did I flew through it.

I know people loved this book so much and I love the author. I just truly could not dive into this book like I usually do. I did not connect with the characters or story.

I loved Beartown and was so looking forward to this title There is some wit and poignant passages and the characters are memorable. There are some twists to the storyline. The mystery build up didn't quite work for me and it was a little too feel good in the end. Not my favorite.

Copy provided by the publisher and NetGalley

This is the first book I have ever read from this author, but it will be far from the last. The author is an extremely accomplished talent and has some wit and just a natural way with words that kept me reading this book late into the night. The characters were well developed and the plot was so intwined and the story was extremely well integrated and thought out. I will be recommending this book to others as I found it immensely enjoyable and was one of the most superb books that I have read in a long time. This was well above a 5 for me. Thanks for the ARC, NetGalley.

Many thanks to Netgalley for providing an advanced, digital copy of Anxious People by Fredrick Backman in return for my honest review.

I have loved Fredrick Backman since I read A Man Called Ove, and with every new book that I start I am hopeful that it will be as joyous, tragic, and heartwarming as Ove. I am always looking for my next great read. Fredrick Backman’s books never disappoint, and Anxious People is no exception.
Was is as perfect as Ove? No, I don’t think any book will compare, but it is a magical read by an amazingly, talented author.

Fredrick Backman gets it, or at the very least, he gets me. Life is challenging; struggles will test us, taking us to our breaking point, but it is the moments of love, kindness and friendship that carry us through. People unsuspectingly touch our lives just as we unsuspectingly touch others, and it is those moments that matter. Further, torment can turn into triumph in an instant; if we only could foresee the future, but we cannot, and thus we can never give up. These are Backman’s messages, and no one does it better.

Anxious people took me a long time to like, let alone love. Initially, it was confusing. Not just because of the many characters, but also because it is written with an odd narration. There are clever connections to be made throughout, and as the reader makes them, the novel becomes all the more special. As the story becomes more clear, the reader cannot help but to escape into it, treasuring every word. For those who haven’t read it yet, I am envious, because an extraordinary book awaits, although patience in getting there is a must. 4.5 stars.

I wanted to thank Netgalley and Fredrik Backman for my copy of Anxious People, for an honest review!!! What can I say.. I am a huge Fredrik Bachman fan and this story did not disappoint. I didn’t know what to expect with the title but what a story. A unique group of people, in Sweden find themselves in an unlikely hostage situation. It’s the night before New Year’s Eve and they are at an open house. While there mother decides to rob this group todo she can provide for her daughters. But nothing goes right and the hostages and the robber find themselves in an interesting situation. When the police come, things get more complicated. This particular group of hostages have nothing in common but they are all human. They are all at different cross roads in their lives. This story is charming, witty and honest. Fredrik Backman, tells such a beautiful story, with the craziest scenario. This was a five star read for me. I loved the entire story, characters and the ending. I have recommended this to friends and family. See my review on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. I have also recommended it on my Instagram page.

This book is easily one of the best I have read this year. It is not easy to describe this story, as it involves many situations. It's a poignant comedy about a crime that never happened, an alleged bank robber appears, and eight anxious strangers find they have more in common than they could have ever imagined. The strangers gradually open up to each other. The conversations they have are so interesting since each one shares their experiences and their way of seeing life. The poetic narration envelops the reader in such a way that it is almost impossible to stop reading. There are many characters, but there is no way to get confused as the narration is clear and concise. Frederik Backman, you are a great writer.

I thank NetGalley and Atria Books for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

This book will make you feel good about people. There is a bit of a suspension of reality as you know that these people are simply characters, but what a wonderful way to spend time getting to know these characters and follow their stories. Bachman brings his usual humor and empathy to the storytelling, and it leaves you feeling satisfied.

Thank you to Atria Books for providing me with a copy of Fredrik Backman’s latest novel, Anxious People, in exchange for an honest review.

After a failing to rob a bank, a would-be thief enters a nearby apartment complex and takes a group of hostages. The hostages are an eclectic bunch of strangers who have come for an apartment viewing. The two police detectives on the case are a father/son pair who are struggling to communicate and their situation is further strained when they cannot figure out how all of the hostages were freed, yet no one has any idea what happened to the robber. After making no demands other than pizza to feed the hostages, she seems to have disappeared.

Anxious People is told via flashbacks to the hostage situation, flashbacks to important moments from the lives of the key characters, and police interviews following the release of the hostages. The suspense is high and Backman’s story unfolds in a way that allows readers to solve the mystery as they read.

More than a mystery, Anxious People is a drama, a story about how failure to communicate with others leaves us feeling isolated and anxious. It’s a story about being human. It’s about the flaws and needs of every human. Backman often breaks the forth wall and speaks directly to the reader, pulling us into the emotional core of the story. We are the hostages, we are the robber, and we are the police. Their story is our story.

In 2020 we need hope more than ever and Backman provides hope. His characters choose kindness and compassion. It isn’t trite, it is human. Yes, I cried buckets.

I’m loath to use the phrase “trigger warning,” but I feel that I must mention that part of the story involves suicide. My father committed suicide when I was four and it is certainly a sensitive subject, but not one that I shy away from. I’m not sure how it might affect others. The suicide aspect of Anxious People has more to do with the people left behind, the people who feel they could have prevented the suicide.

Anxious People is an entertaining mix of genres. It’s surprising, humorous, and has a big heart. I’ve been a fan of all of Backman’s previous novels and I look forward to reading his next one.

Fredrik Backman's "Anxious People," expertly translated from the Swedish by Neil Smith, is a complex, farcical, hilarious, and poignant novel about the angst of people brought low by financial insolvency, grief after a cherished spouse's death, divorce, and disappointment. What makes Backman special is the way in which he views our crazy world, with its endless conflicts, senseless tragedies, and overall incomprehensibility. Believe it or not, this is a generally upbeat book that makes us laugh at loud, even though the plot deals with suicide, mental illness, marital strife, and alienation.

An unnamed and desperate individual tries to rob a bank and subsequently holes up in an apartment with eight hostages. The robber and each of the hostages have interesting histories and, in fits and starts, we learn about their personalities, concerns, and dreams. Zara is a neurotic and angry person who has been a banker for years, but has become disenchanted with her job. Julia and Ro are a married couple who argue incessantly, but adore one another nonetheless. Two other pairs who squabble frequently are a father and son, Jim and Jack, (both police officers), and a retired couple, Roger and Anna-Lena, who have been drifting apart.

The convoluted and improbable minutiae of who does what to whom and why are difficult to follow. It helps to look at "Anxious People" as a large jigsaw puzzle that will become a recognizable picture only when Backman connects all of its myriad pieces. Among the book's universal themes are the importance of knowing that perfection is neither possible nor desirable (except, perhaps, when one is building a rocket ship), that we should not take our loved ones for granted, and that we enrich our lives when we offer a helping hand to those in need. "Anxious People" is a heartwarming, entertaining, and thought-provoking look at maddening, vulnerable, and misguided human beings who are fumbling their way forward, looking for peace of mind and a modicum of joy.

This was a very quirky story about strangers stuck together in a hostage situation. The depth of the writing was amazing. The character melded their life style differences and shared their stories with the strangers they met .They showed heartwarming compassion to their hostage taker and through lots of discussions learned alot about themselves. Throughout all the ups and downs, it came to a satisfying conclusion.