I picked up Fredrik Backman's latest novel, Anxious People, without a clue of what I might find inside. But having enjoyed all of his previous books, I just knew I would love this one too.

"A bank robbery. A hostage drama." That's the opening line. And from there we 'meet' the robber, the hostages and the two policemen tasked with the case.

Anxious People is told by an unnamed, prescient narrator who observes the goings on and the players with an eye for the human condition. There are so many truths on each and every page of Anxious People. Situations, circumstances, hopes, fears and so much more - including anxiety. "Because there's such an unbelievable amount that we're all supposed to be able to cope with these days." (Uh huh, kind of right on the money in these uncertain times)

There's at least one, if not more, observation that every reader will personally connect with - truths, wisdom and introspection. But....I don't want you to get the idea that is a strictly serious book. It is, but it isn't. I found myself laughing out loud so many times. Some of the police interviews read like a 'who's on first' skit. And each of the players is, well, quite the character. Every one of them is quirky, unique and so well drawn. I had my favorites. But, as more and more of their stories is revealed, I found my perceptions and opinions changing with each new chapter.

And....there's the crime to solve as well. It's not as straightforward as you might have assumed. Backman is a clever, clever wordsmith. I had my suppositions (happily) changed many times as the book progressed. And slowly but surely, the ties and tendrils of fate start knitting together the lives of the characters. A lovely serendipitous circle.

"But when you get home this evening, when this day is over and the night takes us, allow yourself a deep breath. Because we made it through this day as well. There'll be another one along tomorrow."

Such a fantastic read on so many levels. Absolutely recommended.

This book was funny and heartwarming, yet quirky and strange. "This was a story about many different things, but most of all about idiots. Because we are doing the best we can, we really are. We are looking for something to cling onto, to fight for, something to look forward to." Being human is hard, especially now.

It is the day before New Years in a small Swedish town when a somewhat inept real estate agent decides to hold an open house for an apartment. A group of quirky people show up and are viewing the apartment when a bank robber rushes in with a gun and they become hostages.
We learn about each of the hostages as they react to being together for a long time with other strangers. There is an older couple who are trying to salvage their marriage by renovating and flipping apartments. A wealthy bank manager who does not like people and is depressed. A lesbian couple pregnant with a child but fearful of the responsibility of parenthood. A lonely old woman who cannot cope with the death of her husband. Add to that the bank robber, a desperate parent making an attempt to steal money from a cashless bank to retain child custody. The local police responding to the call, a father and son team, have never been in a hostage situation before and resort to Googling instructions about how to proceed.
The author delves into each character and shows us why each is an “anxious person”. None of them are really like able but by the end of the story we are given hope that they will be able to overcome their problems.
I received this ARC from the publisher and Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

Anxious People is a novel that can easily be spoiled by revealing too much, and I don’t want to be responsible for ruining the experience for someone else. However, I have a vague but hopefully useful review.

In the best way possible, this reads like a bedtime story for adults. Although instead of warriors fighting dragons there are people doing the best they can to fight their personal demons. The story is funny, heartbreaking, impactful, engaging, and very well written. This is the first novel I’ve read by Fredrik Backman and I look forward to more.

Content Warning: Suicide

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for providing an eGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I will read anything and everything that Fredrik Backman writes. This book is a stand-alone story that covers a hostage situation that was never meant to happen. It's a series of unfortunate events that brings together a group of strangers - who each have their own issues. What they find together is an unlikely story of compassion, grace, and friendship. Highly recommended!

Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.

This book has restored my faith in humanity. It’s 1am and I just finished reading this book, and I really enjoyed it. Fredrik Backman is such an incredible author, he has such a great way with words and I love that he can write such a light-hearted story about such a serious subject. Here are some notes I jotted down while reading, as well as some of my favorite quotes:

tw: suicide, death of a loved one, depression, suicidal thoughts
•The way this book talks about anxiety and depression just really hit me, it was all so relatable
•This book feels so light-hearted but it deals with such heavy subject matter, and I just love his writing, not many authors can have this perfect balance like this
•I love the relationship between the father and son who are both cops, they were so soft and adorable
•All the characters are so well fleshed out
•I like the way the timeline jumps back and forth and includes interview clips
•The audiobook is fantastic
•The ending made me tear up a bit 😭
•I love the theme of this book: we are all just doing our best and nobody really knows what we are doing
•”Our hearts are bars of soap that we keep losing hold of; the moment we relax, they drift off and fall in love and get broken, all in the wink of an eye. We’re not in control.”
•I love the discussion in this book about parenthood and how far parents will go to keep their children safe, and I love the quote: “parents are defined by their mistakes” because I think it’s super thought provoking and interesting
•”It’s so damn difficult to admit that something is... broken. That it’s an ache is our soul, invisible lead weights in our blood, an indescribable pressure in our chest. Our brains are lying to us telling us we’re going to die”

“They say that a person’s personality is the sun of their experiences.”

Fredrik Backman’s novel Anxious people is a story of idiots, I kid. Seriously this book is about a robbery that never happened and then a hostage situation that was never meant to be. But consequently this story is about 12 lived that are all entangled. These characters come alive through their anxieties. They work through their issues with each other, and really that is what we all need right, people??

I don’t want to give away anymore about this book because the twists and turns are amazing. I will say that if you are listening to the audiobook like I did that it starts off a little slow, and then there is a turning point where it all starts to make sense, and then BOOM – the story twists and makes you smile the biggest smile ever. I do appreciate the narrator changing their voice for each character in the audiobook version, it did help to follow the different characters.

Thank you for this gifted ebook. It was wonderful 5/5!

First of all, Fredrik Backman really knew what he was doing publishing a book called “Anxious People” in the year 2020. But seriously…I really do think this is a book everyone will relate to in one way or another.

It’s hard to preface this book with a summary, because what it’s “about” is really not what it’s about. It’s about a bank robbery gone wrong and a resulting hostage situation, and follows the people involved, from the robber, to the hostages, to the police officers monitoring the situation. But ultimately, this is a story about human nature, mental health, love, loss, and, as Backman says a number of times throughout the book, it’s a book about idiots. And that’s all I’m going to say about plot, because that’s all I think you should know going into this.

I’m not going to lie, this one started out slow for me. Not slow in terms of plot…I was an English major, so trust me, I’m used to slow books. It just wasn’t resonating with me at first, and I was afraid I was finally going to encounter a Fredrik Backman book I didn’t like. But about halfway through, things pick up, the fragments of storytelling start to come together, and I embarked on the emotional roller coaster that is the second half of this book. Backman does such a good job conveying his message without coming right out and saying it, which is one of the skills I value the most in an author. Sometimes this came across as confusing (I’m thinking of one moment in particular, but I can’t elaborate without spoiling it), but when I finally learned the truth, it hit me so hard I almost cried. I don’t normally cry while reading books, so this is big for me.

The characters in this book are so dynamic — they all have their quirks, which adds to the charm of the book. They all meshed so well, and seeing the most unlikely assortment of people joining together in unfortunate circumstances was such a nice feeling. This book is about humans doing good, even when they’ve been dealt horrible circumstances. It says a lot about human nature, and I thought the overall message was so powerful.

Again, this is such a hard book to talk about without spoiling it, but if you like character-driven novels that will really hit you right in the emotions, read this book. And of course, if you’re a fan of Backman’s other books, I don’t think this one will disappoint. I don’t know if I’ll ever love a book he writes as much as I loved Beartown, but this one came pretty close.

I am a big fan of Frederik Backman and was very excited to read this book. In true Backman fashion, he does take complex and quirky characters and make us grow to love them, but for me it didn't happen until nearly the very end of this story. Perhaps in this case the cast of characters was too large for it to really work? I will continue to read more from this author and might watch the Netflix series adapted from this book, but Anxious People is not one of my favorites of his.

Thank you to netgalley for an eARC.

I have eagerly anticipated reading Backman novels ever since his first, A Man Called Ove. I have loved each one, having never felt let down. The characters he conjures up are unique, his creative and complex storytelling brilliant.

This book was yet another joy to read. Backman’s interconnecting characters are flawed humans, quirky and unpredictable. His insight into the ups and downs of human behavior, the ins and outs of relationships flow in an absolutely perfect way. One of my favorites of the year!

It’s always such a treat to read a Fredrik Backman book.

I confess, my reading slump is the worst it’s been in many years. So that is why this book being such a huge hit in my eyes was even better! I loved the plot and the concept of this book and how he brought everyone’s stories together.

I can't wait to read more from this author.

Title: Anxious People
Author: Fredrik Backman
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 5 out of 5

Looking at real estate isn’t usually a life-or-death situation, but an apartment open house becomes just that when a failed bank robber bursts in and takes a group of strangers hostage. The captives include a recently retired couple who relentlessly hunt down fixer-uppers to avoid the painful truth that they can’t fix their own marriage. There’s a wealthy bank director who has been too busy to care about anyone else and a young couple who are about to have their first child but can’t seem to agree on anything, from where they want to live to how they met in the first place. Add to the mix an eighty-seven-year-old woman who has lived long enough not to be afraid of someone waving a gun in her face, a flustered but still-ready-to-make-a-deal real estate agent, and a mystery man who has locked himself in the apartment’s only bathroom, and you’ve got the worst group of hostages in the world.

Each of them carries a lifetime of grievances, hurts, secrets, and passions that are ready to boil over. None of them is entirely who they appear to be. And all of them—the bank robber included—desperately crave some sort of rescue. As the authorities and the media surround the premises these reluctant allies will reveal surprising truths about themselves and set in motion a chain of events so unexpected that even they can hardly explain what happens next.

I guess I should say that I’m a big fan of Backman’s voice and style. A BIG fan. I read My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry last month and now it’s in my top five favorite books ever. The voice in this one is phenomenal as well. Examples:

"This story is about a lot of things, but mostly about idiots."

"Hand on heart, which of us hasn’t wanted to pull a gun after talking to a twenty-year-old?"

"The policeman clenches his teeth so hard that he looks like he's trying to breathe through his toenails."

Lines like that are priceless, am I right? I laughed a lot while reading this—straight through in one sitting, by the way—and I thoroughly enjoyed all the different characters and the vignettes we saw of their lives and personalities. This was not what you’d expect from a novel about a bank robbery and a hostage situation, but it is what you’d expect from Fredrik Backman: pure delight.

Fredrik Backman is a bestselling author. Anxious People is his newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Atria Books in exchange for an honest review.)

I know that this has been a highly anticipated book by many, and his other titles have been well loved, but I'm not sure Backman's writing style is for me.

I felt as though it was a bit frivolous and a bit odd, as the author would interject thoughts from the author/narrator that were at times really off subject? Or unneccessarily repetitive? I found it odd putting and struggled with the slow burn of this story combined with how it was written. A friend told me to keep pushing, that it would get better, so I finished the book so I knew what happened, but it wasn't a favorite book for me.

When the bank robber realized the bank he was trying to rob was a cashless one, he felt like an idiot. He ran, trying to escape what his folly had caused and when he raced to the top of a staircase (where is he likely to escape from there?) and charged through an open door, the room was filled with people viewing the apartment with a real estate person. Suddenly they were hostages, and the bank robber was in even more trouble. As the robber/hostage taker tried to work out what to do next, the people – including an elderly couple and a pregnant lady – began talking and arguing with each other; getting to know one another.

Two police officers – Jack and Jim – were in charge. Jack was the son of Jim, and while they shouldn’t have been working together (it was obvious why when reading the story) they tried. As the hostage crisis moved forward, the building surrounded by police and journalists and a negotiator on the phone – hours away and stuck in traffic, the hostages were hungry. After pizza was delivered and everyone was satisfied, the bank robber/hostage taker knew he would let the hostages go. What would be the outcome for him?

Anxious People by Fredrik Backman is filled with anxious and uncertain people; of people who’ve made mistakes and people who try to amend those mistakes. There are also people who are kind and empathetic, who do their best for people whether they know them or not. I enjoyed the “actual story” which was poignant and moving - and showed us the meaning of the bridge... But, while many others have laughed out loud at this book, my sense of humour doesn’t seem to fit with Fredrik Backman books. For those who are Backman fans, go for it – you’ll love it! Recommended.

With thanks to Ariele Fredman, Atria Books/Simon & Schuster via NetGalley for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

“They say that a person’s personality is the sum of their experiences. But that isn’t true, at least not entirely, because if our past was all that defined us, we’d never be able to put up with ourselves. We need to be allowed to convince ourselves that we’re more than the mistakes we made yesterday. That we are all of our next choices, too, all of our tomorrows.”

Anxious People is a fictional “mystery” about a bank robbery gone wrong. After failing to rob the bank, the suspect flees to an apartment open house and accidentally takes hostage of everyone in the apartment. Now, these hostages are quite possibly the “worst hostages ever” which Backman makes sure to remind you of in every chapter. The entire book alternates between the events that occurred during the hostage situation; and the police interrogation of the hostages at the precinct. We also get to learn the backstory of each hostage and ultimately why they are all viewing an apartment on New Years Eve.

So, let me start with what I liked about this book. I liked the occasional beautifully worded phrases about life (like the quote I started this review with); and I actually did enjoy the backstory of most of the characters - it was interesting seeing where people and events connected.

As for what I didn’t like, it would have to be Backman’s writing style. This is my first book by Fredrik Backman and I found that he just tends to go off on a tangent for no real reason. Although the backstories of the hostages and the officers were interesting, I felt the delivery was slow and extremely repetitive.

I get the sense that this was supposed to be a hilarious and ridiculous thriller but I just found myself annoyed and irritated throughout most of the book. I’m sure other people appreciated Backman’s sense of humour because I’ve seen a lot of hype about this one lately but unfortunately, this just wasn’t for me. If you want comedy and ridiculousness and characters that have found themselves in an accidental murder mystery, I’d recommend watching the movie “Game Night” instead lol.

It took me a few days after reading this novel to figure out how to write a review without giving too much away. You see, this is the sort of book you need to read with no preconceived ideas or spoilers....not because it gives the plot away, but just because it's so much better to have it all be a surprise.

So, I'm going to review this book carefully.....and I'm not telling you anything about the plot.

Fredrik Backman never ceases to amaze me. The first book I read by Backman was Beartown. Then I figured the second book, Us Against You, couldn't possibly be as good....but it was. Then I read A Man Called Ove. I was prepared to be disappointed...but I loved that one too. When I read the blurb about Anxious People I really expected to find the plot annoying and tedious, but I remembered my surprise at the Beartown series and Ove....so I decided to chance it.

Glad I did. This book mixes deep emotions and humor....seriousness and comedy. Backman does it flawlessly. This was an emotional mind trip! And at the end, I wasn't sure if I should cry, laugh or just smile.

Great book! With all the mess going on in 2020, I really needed this book. I need to listen to the audio book next...because this book deserves a second read.

Another book I loved from Fredrik Backman! No more doubting him.....if he writes a book on car stereo installation I will read it with no second thoughts. I can't wait to see what he comes out with next!

See? I reviewed it without giving anything away! :) Yay me!

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Atria Books. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

In Anxious People, an ill-prepared and not very talented bank robber inadvertently seeks shelter in an apartment that’s open for viewing, turning a failed robbery into a hostage situation. For the people at the apartment viewing, being held hostage (by a robber none view as particularly dangerous) is the least of their worries.

The eight people present at the apartment all have stories to share, which we learn over the course of the book. How and why they all end up at this apartment on New Year’s Eve is complicated, and as they open up to one another, we see common threads of worry over relationships, living up to expectations, family drama, success, and finding meaning in life.

The narrative jumps around in time, taking us back 10 years to a suicide that occurred on a bridge visible from the apartment balcony, through the events of the day of the viewing, plus the police interviews that take place after the hostages are released.

We also get to know two police officers in this small Swedish town, Jim and Jack, father and son, whose professional interactions are more than a little influenced by their sometimes difficult personal relationship and their shared losses and fears. The deeper they delve into the witness statements, the more the bank robber’s motivations and actions become clear, but that doesn’t answer the fundamental question of what happened once the hostages were released.

This was a quick, captivating read, and yet the level of whimsy in the storytelling is set very, very high. Your tolerance for this kind of quirky, whimsical storytelling will determine whether you’ll enjoy this book. For me, it was mixed. I’ve loved some of Fredrik Backman’s books in the past, yet there’s at least one (My Grandmother Asked Me To Tell You She’s Sorry) where I couldn’t get past the first few chapters because of the whimsy factor. It was just too much.

Here, the quirky storytelling leads to some very funny observations and comments, yet it’s all a bit much as a whole. The writing veers toward the precious at times, which tried my patience. A lot. I often enjoy quirky writing, but the sheer volume of it throughout Anxious People made it tough for me to enjoy.

Overall, I really liked the strange bunch of characters who find unexpected common ground through this one weird experience, an experience that teaches them all about how lives becomes mingled and how random occurrences can lead to profound change.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4 stars

It's official. I'll read anything by Fredrik Backman. This novel had me in its spell from the first chapter... perhaps even the first few sentences. I am amazed at how Backman can take simple subject matter and make it deeply layered and emotional.

This story is not about a man on a bridge. But it is. And it's not about a bank robbery. But it is. It's about families and marriage and parenting and love and trust and community. The best part of this book had to be the writing. No detail was idly placed or insignificant. The slow unfolding of the layers was brilliant and I applaud Backman in his ability to craft this kind of story with such seeming ease.

I started reading this book, I immediately began talking to my co-workers and family about it from literally page 1. It got me right then and there. I simply love Fredrik Backman's writing and the amazingly unique yet realistic characters he creates. He finds a way to say things that are so insightful and at the same time, completely relatable.

As the author said, this story is about many things. And it really is. For me, it was about the human experience and how important our relationships with each other can be. I don't want to give away any special moments from this story, so I will just say you need to read this book. I was over half way through the book when a certain plot twist happens that I in no way saw coming and I had to go back to the first chapter to see how I missed it. I loved that!

Anxious People touches on so many important topics: suicide, guilt, grief, belonging, family, desperation, love, and a world of others. I hope that you enjoy this book as much as I did. It was a glowing five star read for me and a novel that I see myself reading again just to experience it once more.

I received this book courtesy of Atria Books through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Anxious People by Fredrik Backman is a very highly recommended about a bank robber and a hostage situation - only it isn't. It is a poignant, charming novel about idiots, connections, coincidence, parents, relationships, anxiety, death, life, love, and more. I loved this novel! One of the best books of the year!

A would-be bank robber runs out of the bank, across the street, into an apartment open house, and inadvertently takes eight strangers hostage. The hostages include Roger and Anna-Lenna, an older couple who buy and flip apartments; Julia and Ro, a pregnant first-time home-buying lesbian couple; Zara, a wealthy bank director; Estelle, an eighty-seven-year-old woman, the real estate agent, and a surprise guest locked in the bathroom. When the hostages are released, the bank robber appears to have somehow disappeared, leaving a pool of blood behind. The police team are father and son, Jack and Jim, are interviewing the impossible group of hostages who are all anxious, impossible to get straight answers from, and, well, idiots. They are the worst group of hostages in the world for the failed bank robber, but no one is exactly who they seem to be and all of them need to be rescued in some way.

I loved Anxious People by Fredrik Backman. I love everything about this novel. Every. Single. Thing. Backman has the ability to tell his story but include all manner of other observations and reflections about... everything. And then he includes a thought that will knock the breath out of you. There is no other author who can have me gaffawing, giggling, shaking my head in agreement over something (probably in regards to Stockholm or Stockholmers), and then sobbing - all on one page of text. There is an unsurpassed understanding and insight into human nature present in everything Backman writes. What other author can include so many truisms that reach the very core of your thoughts? (For example: Hand on heart, which of us hasn’t wanted to pull a gun after talking to a twenty-year-old? - which I found especially funny but that is based on my real life.)

There is a plot, but it is a meandering reveal of so many tangents, connections, and unexpected information that will take the whole narrative to reach the end and pull it all together. It all does reach a perfect ending. In between chapters that tell the story of the hostage situation are excerpts from the police interviews with the hostages. All the characters are wonderful in their own way. Yes, they are impossible, but they are also all too human. He does develop them, in his own special way as the plot evolves. This is most certainly one of the best books of 2020!

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Atria.
The review will be posted on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.