Vintage Backman - in the very best way! It's got the humor and heart that we've come to love in his books. This one is no exception. Pitch-perfect.

I am a fan of Fredrik Backman and this is another good read. It is a study into people and human nature. When a bank robbery goes wrong the the robber crashes a real estate open house the "hostages" are an unusual group. Always great characters in his books this is no exception. You feel empathy for several of the unusual people who populate this story. I enjoy books that are character driven and this one surely is. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

"He was my echo. Everything I do is quieter now,"

It's line like this one that make Frederick Backman a true artist. He is a master of words. Every time I read a book by him, I am impressed by his literary skill. Anxious People is brilliantly written with many other insightful lines that ring so true.

While this is not going to be my favorite Backman book, it still ranks as one of the better books I have read this year. It took me about a third of the book to adjust to the narrative technique. Backman goes back and forth in time and often writes in a second person point of view that takes some getting used to. Once I acclimated to it, it did not impede my enjoyment of the story. The characters also take some time to grow on you. They all seem quite unlikable at the start of the book, to the point of being annoying. I found myself wondering if any of them were going to have redeeming qualities. However, in true Backman style, he develops the characters slowly and exposes their true qualities gradually. In the end, I had changed my mind about most of them.

The plot is very intricate and sometimes to hard to follow, but it seems that is done on purpose. The author wants the reader to be confused along with the police officers. While it frustrated me at time, I appreciated it in the end when everything came together. Backman has a real talent for weaving his story elements together in a complex pattern that somehow, in the end, seems so simple when you look back on it.

Backman does not disappoint. I will continue to read anything he writes, and I feel that other readers should do the same.

Fredrick Backman never disappoints! The way he hooks his reader right from the beginning is magical, his words are poetic, and the ending will leave you shocked and possibly in tears.

I'd like to thank NetGalley, Fredrik Backman, and Atria Books for the advanced reader's copy in exchange for my unbiased review.

I was so excited to read Fredrik Backman’s new book, since I have read many of his and was excited to be lead into a new adventure created by his brilliant mind. And I was not disappointed!

It is a tale of a bank robber who accidentally stumbles into an apartment viewing (while trying to avoid the police) and takes a group of people hostage.
What next?
How does the bank robber handle this situation?
How do the hostages handle this situation?
How do the police handle this situation?
Well…. It’s a pretty complicated, entertaining, and heartwarming story. And you’re going to love it!
During the telling, the reader gets to meet, and develop an intimate relationship with, all involved: the bank robber, all the hostages, and the two policemen. The details become intertwined with each other as your heart goes out to each and every one of these people. The story twists and turns as facts are revealed and circumstances evolve.
This description may sound kind of vague, but I just don’t want to give anything away.
This story is very intricate, put together piece by piece in a way that only Fredrik Backman could bring into existence. You’ll feel a range of emotions: sadness, happiness, joy and despair, but most of all “Hope.” The feeling that when people get together and start to care about each other, anything can happen!
I hope you enjoy this one as much as I did! I highly recommend it!

“This is a story about a bank robbery, an apartment viewing, and a hostage drama. But even more it’s a story about idiots. But perhaps not only that.”

This is a story about love, navigating complex relationships, being there for your person. It is a story about hope and resilience. It is a story about empathy, compassion, and meeting someone where they are. It is a story that we all need to read right now.

With his wry wit and deeply connected storytelling, Fredrik Backman has produced a work of fiction that is funny, heartfelt, and emotional. I want desperately for this to be turned into a play brought to life by equally talented stage actors. It is one of the best books I have read, certainly this year, if not ever.

Advanced copy provided courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Trigger warnings: suicide, anxiety disorder, death

Backman really nailed what it’s like to be anxious with his new book, with humor and lots of heart. The characters were quirky and the story was good. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free copy in exchange for review.

4.5/5

Father and son police officers investigate a hostage situation. An attempted bank robber has accidentally held a group of people viewing an apartment at an open house, after trying to rob a cashless bank. As the hostages are finally released, the bank robber can't be found. What follows is a deeper look into the lives of eight interesting strangers, spliced with interview transcripts, and scenes from the hostage situation- all packed with the whip smart dialogue that I look forward to whenever I read Backman's books.

But it's not really about the bank robbery, or the hostages. It's about how adulthood is just about doing your best. Giving a little grace to others, taking chances despite your assumptions, and how that can change lives.

Fredrik Backman has a gift for giving his readers the most interesting group of characters and delicately weaving them all together. Some you know are connected right away, but other ties are revealed along the way. Zara may be my favorite of all the characters, but it is a seriously difficult choice, as all of them are chock full of personality. Jules and Ro bicker like my wife and I do.

This book was funny, smart and engaging. I stayed up way too late to find out how everything turned out for all of the characters. It was just the escape from reality I needed. I don't think I've ever not loved a Fredrik Backman book, but this one goes up near A Man Called Ove- my favorite book. 5/5 stars

This book releases in the US on September 8th. I've already pre-ordered my own physical copy to re-read.

I was provided an ARC by the publisher, Atria Books, via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

*will post to Instagram on publish date!

I have always loved Fredrik Backman's style and tone of writing, and this book did not disappoint. The witty and insightful observations to human behaviour, a skillful weaving of a story and a satisfying reveal at the end.

This will definitely be a top 10 book for me this year!!

I have now read all of Mr. Bachman’s books and have enjoyed them all. This book had me engaged from the very beginning.

There are a handful of characters and they are all well developed. He is a genius when it comes to portraying people, their emotions, their habits, their “quirkiness”.

This book reminded me of a Seinfeld episode. There are lots of things going on involving most of the usual cast and they don’t all get tied together until the end. I knew that there were underlying connections but I didn’t really guess all of them until they were revealed.

As you know from the quite extensive blurb this is “ a poignant comedy about a crime that never took place, a would-be bank robber who disappears into thin air, and eight extremely anxious strangers who find they have more in common than they ever imagined.”

I took a lot of notes about things that made me laugh but to share them would ruin the surprise for you, the new reader. I have never been so amused while learning lessons about life.

“Everyone inside the apartment had their own complexes, their own demons and anxieties: Roger was wounded, Anna-Lenna wanted to go home, Julia was tired, Ro was worried, Zara was in pain, and Estelle . . .well . . .no one really knew what Estelle was yet. Possibly not even Estelle”

Along with the narration of the events taking place there are also pages of interviews. After the event the police are trying very hard not to personally implode as they interview the hostages who really weren’t hostages!!! Why are they being so uncooperative????

This book is best gone into blind, you won’t understand how incredibly well written it is until you immerse yourself in the story.

If you have read any of Mr. Bachman’s books before, BUY THIS BOOK. If you have never read any of Mr. Bachman’s books, BUY THIS BOOK.

There are some serious issues dealt with along with the lighter tone of the novel including: divorce, lack of leadership, father-son relationships, betrayal by someone you love, psychological problems including thoughts of suicide.

I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through NetGalley
It is set to publish on September 8, 2020

Will post to Amazon upon publication

I know I'm going to be in the minority by not giving this book 5 stars because Backman is such a popular writer right now, but I had such a hard time getting into <i>Anxious People</i>. I loved <i>A Man Called Ove</i> and <i>Beartown</i> but I really struggled getting started with Backman's latest book, which takes place in a small apartment in small town right before the New Year. The story switches between perspectives of the eight people being held hostage by a very inept bank robber, the bank robber, and the police officers trying to solve the mystery of what happened to the bank robber after the hostages were freed.

The book was just too emotional overwrought for me. It hits with heavy emotions from the very beginning and continually hits you over the head with intense emotions on every single page. It made reading it almost exhausting at some points, especially with The Big Life Lessons that were peppered throughout.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

This story is mostly about idiots and a failed bank robbery and an accidental hostage situation.

Right off the bat we get to know so much of the story, but it isn’t until the end of the book that we see how everything weaves together.
It’s almost like a painting-by-numbers project, where we sometimes wonder why we colour certain fields in that exact number and question how it will all make sense, but at the end we are left with a masterpiece.

This is exactly how reading “Anxious People” felt like. Backman draws us in with his superb characters, their little quirks and oddities. At the end you find that everyone is an idiot of some sort, but loveable idiots nonetheless.

I may have cried once or twice and definitely lots at the end.

Favourite book I have read this year for sure!

Great read. Quirky characters that come together to tell a heartwarming and uplifting story. Backman ties the story up beautifully.. This and Ove are my two favorite books by this author. It will be a great book for book club discussions.

The first chapter of this book instantly hooked me! I'm afraid to admit that I had actually never read a Fredrik Backman book prior to this one so now I need to go back a read a few to see if his writing style is always this brilliant. Backman unwrapped the details of a hostage situation gone wrong, one non-linear layer at a time, and kept me up way past my bedtime in a "just one more chapter" fury. Early on the book starts out as a farce-like gathering of characters, but somehow smoothly morphs into an important reflection on the various types of anxieties that we humans experience....such a great bit of bibliotherapy for this anxiety-ridden reader! Thank you to NetGalley, Fredrik Backman, and Atria Books for the advanced copy.

As a Fredrik Backman super fan, it's tough to give this book only a 3 star review. The first half felt like it took forever, but I ended up reading the end of the book in less than a day. To even describe it is difficult. The story focuses on an accidental hostage situation. It mainly takes place on the day of the event, both inside the apartment and afterward as the hostages are interviewed. Our main characters are the hostages, the robber, and the two policemen on the case. So, we get to know them and what's happening in their lives over the course of the story.

If you've read Backman before, you know he's a master at writing humans. He has the ability to perfectly describe our thoughts, feelings, and emotions. And that is no different in Anxious People. Part of the reason I loved the second half of the book was because he shined here, when the individuals started to make connections and reveal more of themselves.

In general though, this book felt like it was trying too hard to be clever. He wrote as if someone was telling a story, jumping from one place to the next and back and forth in time. I usually like his unique writing style but this was too much.

Also, simply put, not a lot happened in this novel. It felt like the beginning was dragging because almost no plot was taking place. The insight into these characters lives might have felt more meaningful or interesting if there was more happening to them.

I probably wouldn't recommend this to anyone except readers who already have read and loved Backman's books. He has so many other gems that I'd recommend first

This new book by the talented author of A Man Called Ove, was like a gorgeous nesting doll. Everytime you thought you got to the last layer there was more to come. It wasn't just in the unfolding of the story but in the hidden connections between the characters. You become so invested in them as you read it's almost as if you are holding their beating heart in your hands. Within each part there are so many gifts from the author. He gave me words to so many feelings as a parent. Feelings that people don't always talk about , possibly because it can be so hard to articulate. So I feel blessed to have read this book. I will be buying a finished copy for myself . Thank you to Atria and Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy.

I love everything by Fredrik Backman and this book did not disappoint! I love how he twists the character's stories together in the most unexpected ways. The book shows a lot of heart and shows how humans can really help take care of each other even in the worst of times. It gives me hope that there are good people who will read this book and be inspired to be even better people by lifting others up. It also shows how desperate people can be and the downsides of life, if we let them get to us. Although it's fiction, it deals with very real concepts and is so relevant in today's world!

Backman has done it again. Another heart-warming tale of flawed human beings desperately seeking a connection. Backman is a master at creating authentic, relatable characters, people who want to be loved, accepted, understood. The dialogue is witty yet thoughtful in expressing human desires, frailties, and vulnerabilities. In this story, he uses humor to relate the conditions that lead to feelings of anxiety and panic and how that anxiety can lead to disastrous consequences. In the end, though, Backman believes in the essential goodness of people and their ability to empathize to overcome.

This ARC was provided by Atria Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The novel proclaims itself to be "about idiots," and it definitely is. I expected the novel to be funnier, and it has funny moments, but mostly i found the characters annoying and ridiculous.

“Anxious People” is a very disjointed novel, told in pieces, which don’t come together until Chapter 11. Not too long after Chapter 11 I gave up on reading it, and therefore I will not be writing a formal public review.

The book definitely lives up to the title. The wannabe bank robber is anxious. The hostages are anxious. The father-and-son police officers are anxious and have Issues. Everything moves at a snail’s pace among too many characters. It’s all very twee and precious. Backman’s formula works when it works, but this novel seems to draw out all of its inherent weaknesses.

Backman doesn’t know how to plot a mystery, and he can’t stop pulling on the reader’s heartstrings long enough to move the plot along. To me, it felt like, “Would you like to cry over the characters now?” “Not particularly, no.” “How about now?”