My initial feeling about this book was lukewarm at best. It almost felt like Backman was trying too hard and attempts at humor just didn't feel funny. The writing felt stunted and lacked any kind of cadence. I think all of this was magnified because I just wasn't hooked into the story and didn't know where it was going. This book exemplifies the slow burn. Once I powered through the first 1/3 of the story there's a pivotal moment that throws a punch out of left field and that punch woke me up and made me eager to read more. This novel is character driven with a slow and I will just say that by the end of the book it all begins to make sense.

Anxious People will probably be one of my favorite books this year. It's quirky, clever, and smart - and it really was a rollercoaster of a book, with twists and unexpected drops and just good fun.

As the younger of two police officers interviews the witnesses and hostage victims, my first thoughts were "These people aren't anxious. They're idiots." But Bachman plays on our preconceptions, over and over.

Each of the hostage victims has a story of their own, their own demons and worries and pain. As their individual stories unfolded, my opinions shifted from "this person is an idiot" to one of sympathy and sadness. That, in my opinion, is one of the kinds of magic that Backman works in this book. He has a wonderful way of working your emotions, and capturing the human spirit. And then making you laugh out loud, before you can get too deep in the sadness of a situation.

This is a character driven novel, and it tackles the issues and challenges (and idiosyncrasies) of each of the characters, and how they are dealing with them. He creates these seemingly ridiculous or annoying characters, and then without even realizing it, he pulls sympathy for them (they you never thought you'd have) from you, with what feels like a literal sigh. "Oh, I think I was wrong about him/her."

This is one of those books where you want to shout out loud how wonderful it is, and at the same time, you don't want to give away too much, as I think part of the fun is going into a book a little blind.

In a moment’s notice, when one individual makes a decision that sets in motion a flurry of events that will irrevocably alter the lives of 11 people in such small, almost unnoticeable ways, we embark on a slow journey with a quiet, yet impactful ending.

In a story that is part mystery, part literary fiction, the author slowly weaves a storyline that both advances the plot while stepping back in time for 11 different characters without confusing or losing focus for any of those storylines. This is definitely a slower read, and you kind of just have to go along for the ride, trusting that eventually you will get to the answer. At times, this is very slow, and if it weren’t for the ending, I would have given this 3 stars, but I just loved the way it ended so much, that I am bumping it up to a 4.

4.5 stars This is the first book I've read by Fredrik Backman. I was a little afraid of the hype and what it might mean, since popular, character-driven titles are often too despairing for me to enjoy. The narrator's warm, reasonable, slightly cheeky tone set me at easy almost at once, and I relaxed into this delightful puzzle of a tale.

On the surface, this is a book about a desperate parent who fails at a bank robbery, accidentally takes hostage a group of prospective apartment buyers, strains the already strained relationship of a father and son police team, and unwittingly reveals the idiocy, wisdom, love, and humanity in us all.

It's an entertaining read that engages your heart and brain. Yes, there's melancholy and grief, and the kind of fear and desperation that makes us all act our worst sometimes. But despair has no place in this hopeful book about quirky strangers, the ties that bind us into human community, and the assurance that we're all more than our struggles and better than the worst things we've done (that's from Sister Prejean, not Fredik Backman or the lovely literary quotes found in this book, but it fits nonetheless).

Content notes: suicide, contemplated suicide, divorce, death of loved ones, addiction, alcohol, smoking, anxiety, therapy, firearms

My thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for a digital ARC.

While I love Fredrik Backman and the majority of the other titles I have read by him, this one just didn't do it for me. Even though I am an anxious and sarcastic person, I felt at times that the writing was trying too hard. The opening chapters were hard to get through as I truly could not imagine people in real life acting as those being interviewed.

Backman is a must read author for me, and his latest novel doesn't disappoint.. It's funny and poignant. Backman seems to always capture the rawness of humans and parenthood, and makes you fall in love with every character.

I loved the connections between the main "cast" and the concept of your past not defining your future. Another 5 star read from one of my favorite authors.

This one took me for a RIDE. The story starts by giving the reader a bit of whiplash. It’s a bit anxiety inducing (get it?). But as the plot progresses, you start to uncover the mastery of Backman’s writing. Was the plot twist really a plot twist? I had to go back and reread it, just to see that I had made assumptions and filled in blanks. And that’s the genius of it - knowing the reader will likely do this.

Will I cautiously think about filling in my own assumptions for the next several novels I read until I inevitably forget? Yes. Could the story have been wrapped up quicker at the end? Yes. Will I still recommend it to others? Yes.

I am so glad the author referenced the Sixth Sense since I feel that I need to reread the book to see what I missed. I know there are lines or references I missed since each revelation caught me off guard. Told in a somewhat spiral way, each layer, which was slow peeled back, shows how our stories can be interrelated. And I dare anyone to not be in tears by the end.

Fredrik Backman plays on our preconceptions when through a fumbling bank robbery, eight people become friends. The reader becomes embroiled in their lives to the point that when it comes to the actual robber, the point is moot. Stories and facts become enmeshed with all the other interwoven aspects. Accounts that don’t fully come to light until the last layer is laid bare and all the players are revealed.

From an annoying realtor, to a couple looking for their next renovation project instead of having to speak to each other, to a young couple with a child on the way, to the woman obsessed with the view to a storied bridge, to a woman who desperately misses her late husband they have bonded and shared their stories full of hope and heartbreak.

Yet this is not a sad story, like all of Backman’s books, this is a look into human nature. A dark look at hope and understanding and the possibility that things can get better. How shared events, and words of wisdom, can bring together people facing the most anxious moments of their lives.

This book is fascinating. I had high hopes. I love Fredrik Backman. I’m an anxious person. This seems like a perfect fit. And while the writing is fascinating, in a very Backman sort of way, I had a really hard time connecting with the characters and the story as a whole. Reading this is an experience because there really aren’t many other books like it. But I did feel disappointed because of the standard I hold other Backman novels to.

I'm always on board for a new Backman book and Anxious People is one to remember.

This is a story about people. It's a story about life and it's a story about connection. It's humourous, lyrical, heartwrenching and heartwarming. I mean, it's Backman!

My best review and recommendation is simple....Read. This. Book.

You won't be able to stop and you won't regret it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing a copy of this book to read and give my honest opinion.

What a book! Every time you think you know what the book is about, Backman assures you is not about that. Great character development. Each character's lives intertwined with the others. Fascinating and I'm already recommending it to my friends.

“Addicts are good at lying, but never as good as their children.”

A Very Human Story
This is something that was very true for past Backman books I read, and it was just as true for Anxious People – this story captures the human condition and experience so well. There’s not a better way for me to put it, this book just tackles issues that I am sure everyone has dealt with, and it taps into all of our daily anxieties about minor things, but major ones as well. It felt to me like I was talking to a really close friend who gets me, and I think this will be the case for many people, because Backman is very good at capturing this feeling of being a person in the world today. It feels intimate, but also really universal, and I really like that about his novels. I am someone who does not really like cliches, but nothing in this book felt like a cliche, even though it might seem like it. That’s something that I really appreciate about Backman’s writing – it showcases in a really wonderful, unassuming way how cliche the human experience actually is. And Anxious People captures that really well.

Charming Cast of Characters
I really enjoyed the cast of characters in this novel. Backman is really good at creating really believeable, realistic characters that are frustrating but, at the same time, super easy to root for. These are the kinds of characters that really get under your skin. They seem annoying and frustrating at the beginning, but it’s because everyone is kind of annoying and frustrating at the beginning. I think that also ties into how very human this story felt. Yes, it’s a premise that does not actually ever happen, but it’s used as a backdrop to showcase a number of very real characters that feel like people you meet every day and people you know and care about. I really enjoyed all of them, I think they were charming and so easy to care about and root for. I also really liked their dynamics, they really played well off of each other, so I ended up really caring about them once they started interacting with each other.

To Sum Up
And that’s just what this book is – it’s an exploration of these random people’s lives and how different they are but how ultimately the same. There’s not a lot more I can say, except that I really loved it, it made me tear up, it was funny and charming. My one complaint is that it took a while to get going, and had some pacing issues, but that just did not take a lot from my experience. Highly recommend.

THIS BOOK. 100% one of my favourite of the year- if not the number one! If you’re never read a Backman, you MUST. His writing is seriously one of a kind and it’s absolutely magical.

Things I loved:
•the writing-quirky, witty, unique, beautiful
•made me stop reading multiple times and sit and contemplate a quote...SO relatable in so many different ways
•the characters - the most unusual combination of characters, but I dare you not to fall in love with each and every one
•HILARIOUS- Backman’s humour is right up my alley
•emotional- heartwarming, heartbreaking, touching. I bawled.
•I didn’t want it to end, I could have spent even more time with this bunch and their stories.

Things that weren’t my fave:
•I can’t think of a single thing I didn’t love.

Slow burn from Backman in this exploration strangers caught in a bungled hostage situation. Took a bit of patience to get into the story, but Backman reveals the humanity of strangers in small slices.

Anxious People are idiots.

At least, that’s what you first think as you are reading the newest release by Fredrik Backman. But as you read further, you’ll find that this story is layered and more meaningful than the above statement. What starts out as a failed-bank-robbery-turned-hostage-drama becomes so much more, and Backman does this with his effortless language and layered plot. He starts the story smack dab in the middle of things, and then you go deeper into the middle of things and stay there until you’re not there anymore. And if you liked reading the tone of that last sentence, you’ll love reading Anxious People (Atria Books).

Backman’s paragraphs flow effortlessly, with the direct bluntness that’s become his signature style and will keep you turning pages. If you are new to Backman’s writing, you’ll appreciate the frank, deceptively simple statements, the way he pulls you in with his stream-of-consciousness-like flow of ideas, and the artful way he weaves a suicide from ten years ago with the current bank robbery turned hostage situation to create a sense of mystery that keeps you reading.* As he tells us about these not-so-little incidents in this small town, he moves back and forth between speaking directly to our reader and showing each main character’s point of view, the comparison pulling us in even further. But what compels us the most are the characters themselves.

Anxious People are fascinating.

As we’re introduced to our ensemble of characters, your first notion may be to roll your eyes. I did. Everyone feels self-important, like their needs should be cared about, like their stories should be heard. It’s like watching a few episodes of Seinfeld, wondering why you started watching this show about nothing with these irritating people. Backman’s characters remind me of this lady I work with. She’s always going on about things that have nothing to do with the subject at hand just to be heard … but I digress.

And when you find yourself — like I did — inadvertently thinking about the anxious people in your own life and relating to many of the actions of these characters, you’re already too far gone, empathizing with these dysfunctional, nonsensical, wonderfully anxious people. Probably a lot like you felt after those first few episodes of Seinfeld where you realized you were laughing, and you felt a little better about your own life issues, and you wanted to watch a few more — purely to see what was going to happen next.

If you went into Backman’s first novel A Man Called Ove thinking that book was about a man named Ove then realized it was really about a person named [insert your name here], then prepare to feel the same way again. If you have yet to read it, you’re in for an eye-opening treat with this story.

You are Anxious People.

The aftereffects of what these characters do, and the impact those actions will have on their lives, will stay with you long after the last page of this novel.

*Trigger warning: contains scenes of suicide and near-suicide.

Swedish author burst onto the American book scene in 2014 with A Man Called Ove. Backman has a very distinct writing style, and it’s on full display in his new novel Anxious People. I’m sure his style is not to everyone’s taste, but Backman really speaks to me. I loved A Man Called Ove and Beartown; maybe I didn’t love Anxious People quite as much but I still loved it. There are a lot of characters in this book and no main character, and I didn’t quite feel like I connected with anyone like I did with Ove. I still enjoyed this earnest, heartfelt story.

I heard Fredrik Backman speak in a webinar recently, and he suffers from anxiety. Anxious People was not supposed to be about anxiety, but that’s what it turned into. Backman can’t keep thoughts on anxiety and suicide out of his books, but they are somehow happy anxiety books. By that I mean, people who are depressed and anxious and who feel inadequate carry on and do the best they can and do some things very well.

The story in Anxious People is “spoiled” for us by the narrator straight off. The story meanders all over, doubling back to explain things we’ve already read. It’s repetitive, in an OCD kind of way. And yet to me it does not feel like Backman is trying to be <i>clever.</i> I believe this is how his mind works.

This book addresses the need to understand that everyone is out there struggling and the need for kindness and empathy. It’s a rare book that makes me cry, and I can legit say I was crying at the end.

I read an advance reader copy of Anxious People provided by Netgalley. The book was published in early September 2020 and is available at the Galesburg Public Library in print, audio, and digital.

An open house for an apartment becomes the scene of a tense situation when a bank robber breaks in and holds the group hostage. This in turn for some obvious reasons leads to a group of anxious people. As book progresses each individual is forced to face there anxieties. First time I’ve read anything by this author but won’t be the last.

“This is a story about idiots.”

Who can’t love a book with this sentence?

I had no idea what this book was about. I just knew that I loved Fredrik Backman books. From this beginning this book had me laughing out loud, saying WTCrap, and wanting to hug everyone…except the rabbit.

At the crux of it, this book is about being human. We all have insecurities with the people we love the most, and we all fumble with these insecurities. We want to be the best for people. There are times in our lives that trying to be our best sends us on this spiral of error after error. It takes the compassion from strangers to get us back on our feet. That’s what you will find in this book.

The author has to be brilliant to pull this story together. The connections between each of the characters are knitted well together. The conversations are humorous and heartwarming. There are twists you don’t see coming and make you stop dead in your tracks and say “OMG...what?” But it all made perfect sense in the end.

5 Stars – Just loved it!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

3.75 stars - I found this to be a good book but had a hard time finishing it. Usually if a book grabs my attention I can’t wait to finish but this book took longer than usual. Still quality writing and a solid storyline. I think audio may have been the better route to go for me.

It has been a while since I last read a Fredrik Backman novel. For some reason, Bear Town and Us Against You didn't capture my interest. However, after reading Anxious People, I'm leaning toward checking out some of his books that I missed!

Overall, this was a great novel. There were parts that I didn't see coming at all and I was pleasantly surprised. I liked all of the characters and the way they interacted, as well as how their stories unfolded throughout the novel. It was so clever how everything was threaded together. One of the situations reminded me of something a close friend is going through and I hope things will happen for them the way they happened in this novel.

The only thing that didn't work for me was that some phrases translated strangely and it was hard to make sense of what was being said. It didn't detract from my enjoyment, but I had to re-read some sentences more than once.

I definitely recommend this novel for a cozy fall read!

Movie casting suggestions (even though this story takes place in Sweden, they've moved other stories to America, so I chose accordingly...and it was still a challenge, so bear with me!):
Jack: David Corenswet
Jim: Brendan Gleeson
Julia: Stefanie Martini
Ro: Hannah John-Kamen
Anna-Lena: Joanna Cassidy
Roger: Craig T. Nelson
Estelle: Rosemary Harris
Lennart: Scott Bakula
Zara: Elizabeth Perkins

Thanks to Atria for the book in exchange for an honest review.