I loved it! I absolutely loved it!

I suppose it was about what causes anxiety in people in today’s world. But what it was really about was helping others become their best selves. It was about encouraging each other; it was about accepting one another (warts and all); it was about solving one’s own problems or needing and accepting help from others to do that; it was about humanity – timeless humanity – in the midst of inhumane situations. At the same time there was a lot of humor and a tremendous amount of depth.

The flow of the story was definitely hither and thither – even a bit hurky jerky. But then that’s the aspect of life the story was depicting. Things don’t always go smoothly nor the way we plan them. Even though at times the style made it a bit difficult to follow, I appreciate the author’s genius in giving the storyline the same insecurity as the life it was portraying.

Excellent character development.

I received a review copy of this book from Net Galley and the publisher, Atria Books, in exchange for an honest review.

You know the saying, "Be kind. You never know what someone is going through"? Anxious People by Fredrik Backman is the epitome of that saying.

Backman is a master storyteller. He has a way with creating these characters that feel three dimensional and touches on heavy themes with a slightness of hand, rather than smacking you over the head with it. Subtlety is Backman's strength and I am always here for it.

I am a die hard Backman fan, so of course I enjoyed Anxious People. I love how he is able to touch on so many topics with a slew of characters that are relatable. The reigning theme of Anxious People is that we are all struggling with our own internal battles. Even someone who is composed and seems to have it all together, has their own things they are struggling with. Each character brought their own set of issues and this bizarre "hostage" situation ended up being a cathartic experience for all of them. We live in a day and age where everyone's lives are plastered all over social media. And not their "real" lives, the parts of their lives they choose to share. Not many people share the hard, ugly parts of their life, so all we see is this happy, go lucky façade that you can't help but compare yourself to. Anxious People breaks down the façade and tells us the story of how we all have a struggle in common and connecting at that level can be lifechanging.

This book has no shortage of characters: Jim and Jack, the father/son law enforcement duo, Ro and Julia, wives who are expecting their first child and searching for the perfect apartment to settle into, Anna-Lena and Roger, empty nesters who use house hunting and flipping apartments as a way to stay connected, Estelle, a sweet elderly woman who misses her husband, Zara, a complicated business woman who is a cynical as they come, the real estate agent who is as bizarre as they come, the bank teller who is "held up" and experiences a pretty traumatic situation, but uses sarcasm to avoid dealing with it, and Zara's therapist, who wants to connect with Zara and make a difference in her life.

It is easier than it seems to keep track of all of these characters and their internal battles. That is what I love about Backman. He is able to throw a ton of literary characters at you, but in a way the reader can keep up with. I really enjoyed each of these strange, anxious people and how real and relatable they all were.

Backman has done it again! He has to be a great observer of people. He always seems to nail human nature! This one will hit even closer to home for some. These characters have feelings we have all felt at one time or another. I love how he weaves the lives of these seemingly unrelated people together so (seemingly) effortlessly. There are a lot of characters in this book but it was surprisingly easy to keep them all straight.

As always, I will be eagerly awaiting the next book by Fredrik Backman.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book.

Well this wasn't quite put it down since it took me a month to read, but that's me and not the book. I'll tell you what, this was beautiful and amazing and he is a fantastic writer and an amazing storyteller... but goodness gracious this was not a light easy fun covid read, you know? I mean, it was so good, I cried, I loved so many lines, it was fantastic. I'm not mad I read it at all and highly recommend it. It's one of those books that you get so immersed in that you feel like you know all the people in real life, so you still think about them weeks later. It was good. I loved it. It's just heavy, and I know a lot of us aren't in the mood for that right now.

Fredrik Backman is a gift to the world. In a madcap book about a harebrained bank robbery, we gain insight into the human experience, relationship, and ourselves. Who else is capable of making you laugh so hard you think. Or think so hard you laugh. This is one of my favorite books of 2020.

A bank robbery that never becomes a bank robbery. A hostage situation that might not be a hostage situation. Yet, there is intent, a mask, and a gun involved.

Eight stranger's anxieties that are all in one apartment viewing when a masked individual walks in, a suicide, a psychologist, and two cops trying to get to the bottom of it all, becomes the perfect mixture for a good novel.

Atria Books and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of Anxious People. I voluntarily chose to review this book and my opinion is freely given.

Who knew that a cashless bank robbery, followed by a hostage situation at a real estate open house, could be humorous? Anxious People, not unlike other offerings by author Fredrik Backman, is quirky, witty, but has both heart and a message as well. There are parts of this book that beg to be heard in audio format, especially the interviews with police, but the overall story comes through loud and clear. The unlikely group of people who find themselves held together against their will end up finding the time to talk, reflect, and ponder their own situations. Their shared experience concludes in a very different manner than I had expected and though, not especially plausible, I was sorry to see the book end. Author Fredrik Backman has a way of developing characters that guarantee that the reader will forge a connection. The story has movement despite the fact that Anxious People takes place in an apartment and a police station.

Overall, Anxious People made me laugh out loud in places and, to me, that is the sign of a well written book. Some of the story is absurd, some is unrealistic, but the overall book is entirely entertaining and well thought out. For these reasons, I would definitely recommend Anxious People to other readers.

I would love to bear witness to the intricate planning it must have taken to weave this story together. Each character has a precise role to play with such nuanced differentiation that makes each person feel like you could have just passed them on the street. And the critique of society's ills is exactly the kind of conversation that could increase awareness, if not promote change. It is a story that slivers off a tiny piece of humanity and sticks it beneath the microscope. While the story is set in a suburb of Stockholm on the day before New Year's Eve, it could be any place where the normal, average, every day person lives-- but the time is important because it feels like the clock is running out for us-- all of us. We can be saved or we can be the savior. And we play both roles, switching on and off. Suggestion - would be an excellent novel for high school students. So much to discuss and connections to be made.

This is a story about a bank robbery gone bad as the robber ends up mistaking lily robbing a cashless bank - which then ends up in an apartment viewing hostage situation among eight people. Throughout the story, Backman is able to deep dive into each of the characters deeply, that you will be able to get to know each of the characters well.

Anxious People is really a story about love, kindness, humanity, and the difficulties of living day to day, trying to survive to be a good and responsible person. Backman reminds us that we are always just one step away from making an idiotic decision. Overall the story is also about mistakes and second chances.

This contemporary adult literary fiction, dark comedy with some mystery element read is unlike any other books I have read recently. Written in a unique construct, I found the book fascinating and creative. The plot twist and the masterful weaving of the characters and how they connect in the story, made this a five star read for me.

Absolutely fantastic. Loved the writing. Loved the story. There were so many passages I stopped to reread. I received this book both from NetGalley and from Libro.fm's ALC program, and I STILL purchased the book for myself because I had to have this book physically in my hands. I'm not one to write in my books, but there were so many passages I wanted t o highlight and underline. Backman's writing style is so unique and so brilliant.

“Some people accept that they will never be free of their anxiety, they just learn to carry it.”

I am huge Fredrik Backman fan and this book delivers again with a cast of quirky, yet likeable characters. A single event, an apartment open house, is the setting for the drama that unfolds. A bank robber bursts onto the scene and takes the group of strangers hostage. As the day unfolds, you find about each of the characters anxieties and how they react to the situation. Ripe with humor and feelings that feel so real, this story gives the reader an insight into friendship and forgiveness.

A bank robbery, a hostage situation, and a police investigation may seem like the elements of your favorite police procedural that you've read a million times, but I can assure that you have not read a book quite like Anxious People, because those books simply examine the facts, and lack the examination life's most important variable the human condition.

Anxious People is a beautifully crafted novel. Fredrik Backman's writing is simple but the unusual story he tells is anything but, it is layered and intricately woven, complex themes and social commentary are masked by dry, satirical or ironic humor. Through its characters' individual narratives, the book challenges the reader's presumptions, perspective, perceptions, pity, an principles. Hence, even if the reader walks away with their assumptions confirmed and/or their personal and societal canons intact, the novel still accomplishes the feat of forcing the reader to not just read the story but reflect on it, which is a rarity these days since at some point in time we are all anxious people in one way or another.

When I started reading this book, I was not sure about it. I have loved everything I have read by Fredrik Backman and thought I might finally be disappointed, but NO! Stick with this one if you feel like I did at the beginning, because I loved it. This is a story about human nature. There are a group of strangers looking at an apartment. They are so diverse and have different reasons for being there. Enter the bank robber, who holds them hostage. Then there is the cop who is investigating and his father, also a police officer. Throw in the real estate agent and a man in a rabbit costume and you have an extremely eclectic group of strangers who are forced together.

Backman has a very distinctive writing style. His humour is very dry, yet extremely witty. His insight into what makes people tick is amazing. This story uses their doubts, motives, secrets and embarrassments to show us their vulnerability. He also shows us what people will do for love, friendship and family. Many actions are not the best decisions in this book, but the motives are pure. I loved all the characters, even the cantankerous ones. This is a story about being a human being and surviving in this crazy mixed up world. It is about compassion and understanding. It is a must read for everyone who loves to laugh at human nature and can smile and totally get it.

Backman’s range of writing is no surprise to his dedicated readers, but somehow still is. This is like no other of his books, but will resonate with everyone who loves his work.

I really enjoyed this book!

This is my first read from Fredrik Backman, and it will not be my last! This was such a poignant look into the human condition, and how flawed but good most people are. I loved every character. There was such heart at the center of this book, and I think that is what made me enjoy it the most.

The plot was also captivating though. Backman's writing style is so unique, and I loved going along the journey of this story and watching the events unfold. It kept me guessing in the best way, and all the twists and turns along the way just kept me completely enthralled the entire book.

Overall, very well done and really excited to now dive into other Backman books from the past.

For some reason, I normally don't enjoy books by Scandinavian authors but I think I found one that I enjoy! This book is a hot mess in a really good way. A failed bank robbery turned hostage situation turned situational comedy, it's a mess and I loved it. All of the characters in this book are messed up in there very own ways and handle themselves in different ways but being taken hostage by an inept bank robber shows that even though people are messed up they can still find ways to help each other and themselves. The characters are inept, sad, wonderful and awful and in the end connected in surprising ways. This is a really hard book to review as I don't want to give to much away beyond that I really enjoyed it even though I often thought "these characters are idiots".

A story about the human condition.

This story looks a the life stories of 9 individuals all caught in an unfortunate situation. There is a bank robber, a real estate agent, and 7 others who have come to an open house. Stuck together in a "hostage situation" for the better part of the day, we get to know each of the characters and how they ended up where they are. Both literally and figuratively.

How often do we pass by someone and barely notice that they're there? This story really highlights the minimal degrees of separation between people and how we may cross paths with someone and it could change our life forever, potentially without us even realizing it. It's also a reminder to remember that no matter how precarious the situation or confrontation, we don't know that person's story, and it could just be the worst day of their life.

I've read Backman's previous book Bear Town and it was similarly beautifully written. Backman does a great job at getting to the heart of the characters and we really get to know them and love them.

3.5/5, rounded up to 4. The story was a bit slow at times but it ties together beautifully at the end.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the eGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

Love. Love. Love.

I don't know how I could even describe the silliness. The ridiculousness.
The hysterical dialogue and quirk of the characters.

It's like if you wanted a warm hug, but a few giggles of the snort kind, a bowl of delicious homemade soup, and phone call from your mom all in one.

This book is Mom hug giggle snort soup.

And I loved it.

I can easily count the number of authors who can make me almost weep tears of joy when I crack open their newest book: Louise Penny-author of my literary comfort food, Amor Towles and Anthony Marra-IF THEY'D EVER RELEASE ANOTHER NOVEL (please hurry, gentlemen). Matt Haig and Alix E. Hawley are starting to do that for me also. And....Fredrik Backman.

I had to stop reading Anxious People for a beat or two after the third page because I realized how frightfully happy the book was going to make me, and how frightfully sad I was going to be when I finished.

That being said, once I dipped back in, I will admit I was a smidge worried. There were so many storylines, so many people...I worried Backman had stretched himself too thin. I could imagine him at work on this novel, with so many incredible characters and backstories just bouncing around in his head and begging to be let out onto the page. I worried he should have honed his cast list down to a smaller group - it felt scattered and unfocused. In fact, the first note I typed out on my Kindle was, "This whole thing is one weird cluster." :D

But as I kept reading, I decided it was intentional. He wrote a book about a group of anxious people. The story's beginning made me feel incredibly anxious and chaotic, just like the characters - messy and flawed, struggling for the next foothold on the rock face. Scrambling, falling, getting back up and starting again....ah, Backman, I see what you did there.

I envisioned it as a spiral -with each go-round of the story, he connected more dots, more of the people and their stories, until at the end, as it always does, everything connected with a burst of feeling and more than a little emotional magic.

Backman always leaves me with an extra smile, a dash more of hope, and a full heart. Well done, sir. Once again.

"We can't change the world, and a lot of the time we can't even change people. No more than one bit at a time. So we do what we can to help whenever we get the chance, sweetheart. We save those we can. We do our best. Then we try to find a way to convince ourselves that that will just have to...be enough."-Fredrik Backman, Anxious People

Welp, I feel like I'm the only person on Earth that this one didn't speak to. Don't get me wrong, it's well written, it's creative but it just wasn't for me. I had to force myself through it and in the end it didn't feel like the payoff was enough for me. The premise was far-fetched in a way that just wasn't enjoyable for me. I thought I would like the layers and the connections but they just were a bit of a shrug for me.

This is definitely me and my opinions, I have seen hundreds of glowing reviews. I'm giving this 2.5 stars because I wish I'd DNF-ed but I do acknowledge it's well written and clever.

Also I completely identify with Zara, does that help you understand my opinion and why it will be unpopular and also why I don't feel bad about it?