As I had really enjoyed reading 'A man called Ove ' and I was looking forward to this book. Unfortunately I could not connect with it. At the beginning none of the stories made sense. Everything was very disjointed. You are told 'not to worry about this'.

I was very surprised to see so many positive reviews for this book as I struggled to finish it.

Written with humour - but not mine!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria for the advance copy of this book.

Fredrik Backman continues to "wow" with his amazing writing and intrigue. Prepare to laugh, cry, and feel ALL the feels! In true Backman fashion, I didn't want this one to end!

My anxious self was very excited to read a new story by Fredrik Backman and this book did not disappoint. Although this story was a bit weird, I found myself connecting with each of these unusual characters and truly looked forward to reading about how they got to where they are today. At times I felt a bit frustrated with the foolishness of the book and was even confused with some of the rambling (especially during the officer interviews), but it ultimately all fell into place and came together. A very unique read.

Even though I don't feel this was a realistic story, it was still entertaining and provided some really powerful quotes to ponder. I felt this book came to me at just the right time when so much uncertainty is still happening in the world.

Thank you to Atria Books via NetGalley for providing me with an early copy of this book!
*ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
*Publishing date 9/8/2020

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free e-ARC!

I was so excited to get the chance to read this one in advance because Backman is a favorite--uplifting fiction with quirky characters and complex relationships are always a favorite for me.
It was impossible and improbable and I loved it all. This is the life-affirming, hopeful love be letter to love and hope and being alive that we need in 2020. Just be read to suspend disbelief about the events and instead pay attention to the relationships between the characters--that's where the strength of this book lies. The characters weren't necessarily fleshed out in depth, but their relationships and interactions were. The story did at times get very reflective, almost like a commentary on itself, which I loved but I know won't appeal to everyone. I'll probably be buying a physical copy of this one at some point.


CW: mental illness, death by suicide, suicidal ideation

🏢 COMING SOON 🏢

Have you read any of Backman's books? This is my fifth of his, and while Beartown is still my favorite, ANXIOUS PEOPLE was a damn good read.

Told in a similar style to My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry, the book alternates between past and present, slowly weaving together the stories of the dozen or so characters involved in a bank robbery / hostage situation gone wrong. It's funny, it's sad, it's profoundly introspective, and I definitely wouldn't mind a spin-off like Backman previously did with Britt-Marie Was Here. (More Zara please 👀.)

The book comes out September 8th, so be sure to check it out if you like:

🔹Alternating Perspectives
🔹Jigsaw Puzzle Type Books
🔹People Who Make Mistakes
🔹Queer Rep
🔹Mental Health Rep
🔹Dry Humor
🔹4th Wall Storytelling
🔹Literature in Translation

Huge thanks to @atriabooks for my e-arc! It was a great read. 😁

A delightful and poignant book on so many levels. I laughed out loud and felt the pull of my heartstrings, sometimes all at the same time. Backman has a way with character development and plot layering that, although he makes somewhat obvious, he still does so skillfully such that you don't mind. Definitely recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and my friends at Atria Books for providing me with an ARC of Fredrik Backman’s newest novel, Anxious People. In exchange I offer my unbiased review.

“The whole thing is a complicated, unlikely story.” Well that pretty much sums up this book, Mr. Backman. I’m sorry, I’ve loved everything you’ve written in the past but this one, totally missed the mark for me. I will say I adored your author’s note at the end of the book and quickly fell back in love with your sentimental writing. While this novel contained some very insightful and lovely sentences, the overall inane banter drove me batty. I nearly bailed on the book early on, as I found the first third painful to get through. Plot felt contrived and beyond silly but then, Mr. Backman created his subtle magic and drew me back into the story.
My problem with this book was I couldn’t get past the slapstick humor, it never seemed natural or plausible. I couldn’t relate to any of the characters and didn’t care for the never ending doses of idiocies.
It pains me to say, this book was not a hit for me.

A beautiful and wise novel about all things human.and the experiences that connect us.

The day before New Years Eve, in a small, unnamed town in Sweden, 8 people come together in a surprising drama. An unsuccessful bank robber has taken 7 people hostage who have been at in open house viewing. Backman uses the backstory for the characters as well as later police interviews to slowly piece together the events of the day. Along the way, we are introduced to the various characters and begin to learn how they are connected and what drives them. Relationships are sorted out, pasts forgiven and peace made.

Backman has an incredible way of using humor and skill to show the human condition in all of its messiness. Love, loss, pain, parenthood, marriage, friendship, everything is touched upon with a deft and kind hand. Life is not easy, for some more than others.but the end of the book sums it all up and gives us hope. One of his best yet and not to be forgotten. I would recommend this to everyone I know.

Anxious People by Fredrik Backman was phenomenal. There is no one who writes characters like Backman does. This one was such a unique premise, and it worked in such an incredible way. The book focuses on a botched bank robbery that intersects with a real estate showing. Fleeing the scene of the crime, the bank robber ends up at the showing and takes those who are at the showing hostage. This sounds like a total thriller, right? Plot Twist - It's not that at all! Instead this is a character-driven story that has both emotional and comedic spins. Part of what is shown during the hostage situation and investigation following is how the characters are connected. It is a truly fascinating web as their stories are literally woven together. Again, this was brilliantly done. While being the story of these strangers, there is also some great commentary on what it means to navigate life as an adult. I absolutely loved the journey that this one took me on. It was so, so, so very well done. Thanks to NetGalley for the early look at this September 2020 release. If you're a fan of Backman (or even if you're looking to see what the deserved hype is about), this is one you absolutely want to check out.

It is New Year’s Eve day. There is an apartment for sale and for some unknown reason the viewing has been scheduled on this particular day by the real estate agent. This is also the day when an armed person decides to rob a bank.

Unfortunately for the robber, the bank is a cashless bank and the robber escapes from the bank with nothing. The police, however, have been called so to avoid being apprehended the robber seeks shelter in the nearby apartment that is open for viewing. Upon entering the apartment the robber takes all of the prospective buyers as hostages.

As the situation progresses, each of the individuals in the motley group at the apartment viewing, begins to reveal personal information to the others. As each them offers personal insights in turn, the robber feels the need to reveal the reason for the attempted bank robbery.

Meanwhile the police, father and son partners, make an attempt to defuse the situation, persuade the robber to surrender and to release the hostages. Their personal stories are told in intermittent chapters as they go about the process of piecing together the bank robbery and the hostage situation.

The book tells the story about a bank robbery gone wrong. But it is also a story about a group of people who are the worst hostages ever. They are complete strangers who begin to confide in one another concerning the trials, tribulations and anxious moments of their lives. As they get to know each another they are soon engaging in an unexpected conspiratorial partnership fueled by their newly acquired compassion for each other.

Backman does not disappoint in his latest book. He returns with his quirky writing style and his unconventional characters. His narrative style is purposefully distracting as he digs deep to expose the true nature and anxiety issues found in all of the characters.

The story has twists and surprises to hold the reader’s attention. It is both humorous and sadly emotional. It is very character driven as the plot moves quickly from scenes in the apartment to scenes at the police station. Sometimes none of it appears to make sense and then suddenly it all comes together just as Backman has skillfully planned it will.

With this book, Backman takes an attempted bank robbery and makes it into a situation that offers entertainment, commentary, and food for thought. I highly recommend this title and thank the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this ebook from which this review is written.

Through the first half or so of this book, I didn't like it. It was confusing and convoluted and there were different characters that weren't connected (and then other chapters with these characters connecting to other characters) and it was just too much. It wasn't hard to follow, but it was like dumping out a 1,000 piece puzzle and having no idea which pieces fit where or how to start.

This is a book about people. I know the author says it's a book about idiots, but it's about people. People who make mistakes. People who aren't 100% honest. People who try to please other people but end up hurting them instead. It's about real people with real issues and real anxieties. I loved that about this book. I loved the people and I love how Backman lets you get to know and love the people. Often, authors write about characters that not only can you not connect to, but you genuinely dislike (even if you were supposed to like them). These characters are all appealing because they are REAL.

The story itself? Is a little odd and far-fetched. It's a bank robber that didn't rob a bank and accidentally held people hostage in an apartment that is listed for sale. The police are a father-and-son combo that think a box of Christmas lights is a bomb (so you can imagine how they treat a hostage situation).

The writing is pure Backman, weaving in and out of the future, the past and the present, giving a 360-degree view of the characters and the situation, but never revealing what is most important until the last 10 percent of the book or so. Honestly, I loved the way this all came together, and if I was rating it on the last quarter of the book, it would be five stars. But because of the weirdness, the confusion, and almost a bit of pretentiousness in the first 3/4, I dropped it to 3 stars. It was a tough rating because I loved a lot... but I also really disliked a lot and wasn't sure I even wanted to keep reading after the first 25% or so.

I think Backman lovers will love this book, but don't expect another Beartown (hopefully the third one will be out in 2021 though!).

I loved this book! I don't think there is an author who is better than Fredrik Backman at creating unique and intriguing characters; even the unlikable characters are likeable in this book. You will immediately be drawn into the story and not want to put it down. The book begins with a bank robbery but turns into a narrative about personal struggles, family relationships, and fears. Once you think you know where the story is heading, it surprises you and switches direction. You'll be laughing at the crazy, dimwitted situations one minute and crying the next. Fredrik Backman can craft a story like no other - I highly recommend this book.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance e-copy!!

If I were to rate only the first half of this book, I would honestly have nothing positive to say. The characters were absolutely insufferable and I was really struggling to care about anything that was happening. HOWEVER, as the book went on, I really grew to love all of the characters and ended up sobbing my way through the last 10% of the book. While I did end up really liking this one in the end, it definitely did have it's issues. Not only with the rocky first half, but there were also a lot of weird ableist/insensitive jokes that definitely could have just.. not happened? and the book wouldn't have suffered without them. But overall, this book and these characters snuck themselves inside my heart and I am SO glad that I read it. If you can handle the subject matter (this book deals VERY heavily with suicide and suicidal ideation), I definitely think this is worth the read.

TW: suicide, depression, addiction, terminal illness, dementia, death of a loved one

This is a quirky novel that made me chuckle aloud several times.

People are at an apartment viewing when a bank robber, trying to avoid capture after a robbery gone wrong, stumbles into this group, inadvertently creating a hostage situation. Each of the people involved in this standoff has their unique stories, their flaws, their issues.

This book is so funny and touching. It’s a lot of fun and you should definitely put it on your To Be Read list.

Thanks so much to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this novel, which RELEASES SEPTEMBER 8, 2020.

I didn’t particularly like it because, although it was kind if humorous, I felt the humor dragged. It was the kind of humor where conversations go in loops repeating the same thing over and over and, frankly, I got it the fist time, okay?

The writing is excellent as always, it wad just that I got bored with the redundant stupidity of some characters.

Thank you for providing me with a free copy of this title.

Netgalley and Atria Books were kind enough to let me read this title ahead of publication in September.

I’ve never read Backman before and his style is quite unusual from what I typically read.

A group of people attending an apartment showing, which must be a New York thing because we don’t do it here in Seattle, are held hostage by a bank robber. Or not. Each one of them has their own unique story of why they want to buy this apartment. Or not.

Much of the book includes the police interrogating everyone who was at the apartment showing. None of them can give straight answers to the questions they are asked.

Until about the last quarter of the book, I was captivated and couldn’t wait to get back to reading it. Then I got very confused and my confusion lingered long after I finished the book.

It’s a good character study and an apt closed room mystery.

The dialogue is perceptive yet challenging. I would definitely read Backman again.

I was so excited to get this. I love Fredrik Backman’s novels and this one did not disappoint. It revolves around a bank robber and all the lives they affect by their decision to rob the bank. It’s also a mystery and an examination of life. Just like all his other novels, Backman is able to evaluate humanity and it’s many nuances with his signature voice and viewpoint. This is one that I will definitely be rereading.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of Anxious People by Fredrik Backman in exchange for an honest review.

I will read everything Fredrik Backman writes and gobble up every word. He has quickly become one of my favorite authors. He has such a talent for bringing to life characters who are quirky, flawed, and lovable -even when they shouldn’t be- because they are so delightfully human. In Anxious People, he has done it yet again. I loved it.

When a bank robbery goes horribly wrong and hostages are taken in a small town in Sweden, a group of people's lives are forever changed.

This is my first Backman novel, but I know I'll have to go back and read his previous novels. Backman writes in a sarcastic/darkly humored tone. He speaks to his audience as if he can see them, and peppers his narrative with little anecdotes that can make you laugh, roll your eyes, or feel like you've just been punched in the heart. Thus these were the wide array of emotions I experienced whilst reading <u>Anxious People</u>. The little twists thrown throughout were fun and entertaining, but the real heart of this novel is how Backman writes his characters. They are all so perfectly, wonderfully, likably flawed (yes, even terrible Zara). Sometimes it's fun to read a book with unreliable narrators and terrible villains. But sometimes, it's just fun to read a book filled with characters that you want to hug and grab a cup of coffee with after. And <u>Anxious People</u> was definitely filled with the latter. This was such a heartwarming, humorous, brutally honest novel and I truly enjoyed every page.

What starts as a typical day is upended in every conceivable way. A bungled robbery, misplaced loyalty, and looking for approval at any cost. These are the themes that stand out in this mirality play for modern times. Can you ever sympathize with a criminal. An open house becomes the escape plan for a robbery gone wrong and from there the introspection begins. Each character weighing the life affirming or questioning moments in their own way. A treatise on life and how we live it takes center stage. Happy reading