Backman has written another quirky, funny story about many disparate people and events which converge in Swedish town near New Year's. Some of the characters are a father and son police duo, a gay couple looking for a home for their growing family, an elderly widow, a man in a rabbit head, and a suicidal man on a bridge. Classic Frederik Backman!

Breathtaking!

Fredrik Backman never disappoints. Backman fills this novel with a cast of eccentric, lovable characters and a plot that keeps you guessing until the end.

The story is set around a bank robber, an apartment viewing, two policemen, and the potential buyers who have come to view said apartment. Seems simple enough, but in typical Backman style, things are not always as they seem.

Backman excels in character development and dialogue; I found something to empathize with in every single character and just as in "A Man Called Ove," I loved all of them. The story is filled with rich, evocative prose, lovely literary references, and beautifully turned phrases.

I don't want to say much more here because I don't want to reveal one single spoiler, and there are many. If you loved Ove, you will love this novel.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I have been excited to read this book for a looooong time and let me say (once again) Fredrick Backman knocked it out of the park with Anxious People! There is just something about Backman’s writing that immediately draws you in! The storyline has many dimensions/layers and I enjoyed that the story is told from many character perspectives. As per usual, with all of Fredrik Backman’s novel not every character is initially what they seem and he’s a master at conveying that throughout the book! I love a book that makes you think introspectively and this 5+++ star novel most definitely had me thinking way after I finished the last page. Anxious People is a 2020 favorite for me and I already see a re-read of it in my near future!! If you’re wondering what your next book club selection should be, I highly recommend Anxious People—this is a book you can discuss for hours lol!!!

I have read almost all of Fredrik Blackman's prior novels and have loved them all. Anxious People was different from anything that he had previously written in my opinion. It was brilliant and yet so quirky in both the writing and the plot. This story was most definitely character driven and even though each character was uniquely different they all found a connection with one another. Blackman was able to put the most unlikely people together and have them be rewarded with the gifts of self discovery, human compassion, forgiveness, love, friendship, coming to terms with grief, loneliness and even trauma. I was so excited to read Anxious People and I was not disappointed.

As I already stated, the plot was brilliant. Who thinks to base their book on a bank robbery that took place in a cashless bank, about bridges, hostages and idiots? Fredrik Blackman was able to weave an outstanding plot around all those things. The unfortunate but desperate bank robber chose the wrong bank to rob. The amount the bank robber wanted was quite specific. It was not an enormous amount of money. The amount was just enough to pay a month's rent but no matter how much or little the bank robber intended to take it was useless in a cashless bank. Faced with being caught by the police, the bank robber escaped the bank and found refuge in an apartment building across the street from the bank. The bank robber took the steps in the apartment building looking for an exit. The higher the bank robber climbed the stairs the more it became evident that there was no other way out of the building. Quite by accident, the bank robber noticed that an apartment door was open. With no apparent choice left, the bank robber entered the apartment to find that it was being viewed by potential buyers. The bank robber, still wearing a face mask and holding a gun, joined the group of perspective buyers. All of a sudden, there was a hostage situation. Could it be described as a hostage situation in the true sense of the word, though?

All the characters in Anxious People were so real. I loved how they all fit together and had connections even if those connections did not come together all at once. Some of the characters were even comical like the Rabbit hostage. Some were definitely easy to relate to, and yet complex like elderly Estelle or pregnant Julia and her fiance Ro. I laughed out loud at some parts, rolled my eyes at other parts, and even cried. This was one of the best novels I have read in a long time. The human connection was what made it so real for me. The themes of suicide, metal illness and death were apparent throughout the novel and yet it wasn't at all depressing. Finding hope, having someone to talk to and working through difficult situations in life is key.

I would highly recommend Anxious People by Fredrik Blackman. My rating is 4.5 stars. It is set to be publish on September 8, 2020. I received a complimentary digital version of this book from Atria Books through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

ANXIOUS PEOPLE by Frederik Backman
A theme of ANXIOUS PEOPLE is that people are idiots doing the best we can.
I’m grateful to be one of the idiots lucky enough to read this book. I still won’t remember all my passwords---but I will always remember this book.
The world’s least likely group of people are held hostage, after a failed bank robbery the day before New Year’s Eve, at an open house for an apartment for sale. That group, and those involved in investigating the events of the day, are the core of the book. Their stories are sort of like people; sweet, inspiring, implausible, hilarious, frustrating, not quite what they seem.
Fun topics include: financial failure, divorce, loss of job, death by suicide, loneliness, addiction, cancer, family fissures, and infidelity. In Backman’s hands, those stories make you laugh as much as they make you cry.
And the way he tells the story: so the idiots reading get it.
Who’d think you would read a book and come out cheering for the bank robber/hostage taker? (Did you ever consider the toll moneyless banks must have taken on the bank robbery business?)
I am in love with the characters; I’ll mention three.
Banker Zara is one of my favorite new characters. She is judgmental, self-absorbed, unfiltered, unkind, and hilarious. She goes to apartment sales as a hobby, largely to mock the lives of those who live in those apartments. She tells her therapist she has cancer just to prove how people will believe anything.
Are there uncomplicated mother/daughter relationships?
Married couple Julia and Ro are nervous about their relationship, and the birth of their first child. Julia’s mother asks her how they decided which of the couple should carry the child. An annoyed Julia says we played rock, paper, scissors. The mother asked who won.
During labor, Julia squeezed Ro’s hand so hard that both Moms needed pain killers, one before the birth and one after.
If you are a reader notes of a passage you want to remember, you might find this book exhausting. To say it is a charming read downplays how smart and how funny it is. This book is a treat to read.

This ARC was provided by ATRIA BOOKS via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

"All we’ve managed to find out about the boundaries of the universe is that it hasn’t got any,"

Backman really knows how to write. He has a particular style and it might not resonate with you but his books have so much heart that it's not possible to not love his people by the time you finish his books.

This book is no exception.

This is the story of a bank robber who ends up having to run away from the robbery and ends up taking a bunch of people at an open house hostage. Backman tells you that part from the very beginning.

As it seems common in his books, the characters don't seem all that lovable on the surface. Some are downright annoying. And yet, as he often does, he slowly unwinds the story to show you how we are all connected to each other with invisible strings that tie together all of humanity. How we are each only a handful of steps removed from each others' lives.

How each of us is struggling and striving to make a life for ourselves in different ways and coping with loss, grief, fear and anxiety.

"But she found ways to cope, to tunnel her way out of herself, to climb down. Some people accept that they will never be free of their anxiety, they just learn to carry it. She tried to be one of them."

As is always the case, you can't help but fall in love with each of his characters and they, of course, fall in love with each other too. Each other's humanity. Each other's frailty. Each other's flaws. They see the beauty of each other and help each other. And in return they end up less alone, and more healed.

As if all that wouldn't be enough, the writing in the book is also so beautiful:
"the sky doesn’t seem to bother even attempting to impress us, it greets us with the color of newspaper in a puddle, and dawn leaves behind it a fog as if someone has been setting fire to ghosts."

And here's the other magical thing about Backman: he leaves no loose ends. Everything ties up in this book, even the things you didn't remember, he does. Everything comes full circle. There are surprises, sadness, happiness and of course hope. So much hope.

I cried big, fat tears as I finished this one. I am so so grateful I got to read it, especially in the middle of all that is going on in the world right now, I needed a book with this much hope and heart in my life. Thank you, Frederik Backman.

with gratitude to netgalley and Atria Books for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

Anxious People by Fredrik Backman. Do not have the words to describe or do justice to the story, Wow, incredible, fantastic seem too mild. One of those books that will have each reader feel and take away something from the characters' stories. Highly recommended.

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

A Man Called Ove changed my life!
I have been a big fan since reading that book. I tell everyone who asks me for a
Top Author- Fredrik is in my Top 2 Best Authors!! I have his books on my home bookshelf.
I keep referring patrons, friends, even strangers to read his books.
I have been waiting 1 year, 2 months for this book to be translated.

Now, I am opening the book,
I can hardly breathe …
I am feeling faint with excitement …


...YES, YES, another winner by Fredrik Backman!! This book is so superb, I can't wait for others to read
it so we can talk about it. Fredrik, you have a talent that I treasure!
I will be excited to buy this book and read it again and again.
I will also be counting the days until your next book.

I couldn't read this book fast enough! A wonderfully witty and heartfelt title from Fredrik Backman. He weaves a tale out of very different threads. At times you may wonder where it is all going but it comes together so beautifully! The day before New Year's Eve a desperate and not very good bank robber accidentally takes several people hostage at an apartment viewing. Strange premise but amazing story. I'd give it 10 stars if I could! Wonderful, funny relatable characters, excellent reminder of the power of community.

Fredrik Backman is a master at running you through the gambit of emotions-- searching for tissues one minute, only to be snorting in laughter the next. Anxious People is no exception to this and falls very much in the same path as A Man Called Ove and Britt Marie was Here (two of the most adorable characters in all of contemporary literature). The book is essentially set over the course of one very long day when a bank robber completely blunders the holdup and then inadvertently takes a group hostage while they are looking at an apartment for purchase. Then, there's father/son cop team attempting to thwart the thief, but instead are humorously bungling it from the beginning. The best, as always with Backman, is his cast of loveable characters-- the funny one, the depressed one(s), the curmudgeon, the romantic one, plus a few more that slowly becoming irrecoverably interwined in such a way that they will be altered permanently because of the relationship formed.

This book, however, should probably be read by all human. The author's light and funny narrative is heavily laced with deep mental health awareness issues. Suicide plays a prominent role throughout; however, not in such a way to depress the reader... But rather the opposite. The book gives a great perspective on the importance of human connection-- and how it is the one true healer for our disconnected, online world.

If you've never read a Fredrik Backman book, I heavily suggest them all. You'll get all the feels and meet some very memorable characters along the way!

*I received this ARC from Netgalley for an honest review.

Is it possible to fall in love with an author’s work, EVERY SINGLE TIME ???? Apparently so! I have just been WOWED again. 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 @atriabooks 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐢𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐀𝐑𝐂 𝐨𝐟 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐤 𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐦𝐚𝐧’𝐬 𝐮𝐩𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤, 𝘈𝘯𝘹𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘗𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦! Not only is this one of the most anticipated reads of this fall (𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟗, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟎), but Backman @backmansk is my all time favorite author.⁣ There is a chance that I may be changing the name of my blog from Dear Mr. Hemingway to Dear Mr. Backman 😂🤣😂!
⁣
Though all of Backman’s books are different, they have one thing in common...PEOPLE. 𝘈𝘯𝘹𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘗𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 is no exception. Backman’s gift is that he allows his readers to view the world from someone else’s perspective. 𝐎𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧 𝐚 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐚 𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲. He once again turns his characters inside out on the pages of his books exposing all of their flaws, all of their most vulnerable sides. Whether you are fond of his characters or not,you will no doubt understand them at the end of his story. What I love about his new book (and all the rest of his books), is not only his talent for meshing together quirky and oftentimes struggling folks, but that 𝐡𝐞 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐥𝐲 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐨𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐮𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐬. From everyday life to the absurdities that are thrown our way, Backman will get you to smile. ⁣
⁣
Back understands the human spirit. 𝗪𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐦 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬, 𝐚 𝐟𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝! At the end of the day...𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫. ⁣

I love the way that Fredrik Backman makes you think about bank robbers, policemen, real estate agents, bank managers, actors, retirees, flower shop owners, and lesbians. He says they are all idiots, which I don't doubt. In his story the bank robber flees the bank because it is one that doesn't use money. We're talking Sweden. The robber runs out of the bank and across the street up into an apartment which is showing with a lot of people in it. The bank robber holds the people hostage. This is how the story goes with all the people and their stories told to make you believe each and every person, but you wouldn't believe what they tell you. It makes for an interesting story. You learn why Backman says their all idiots. Each one in a different way makes mistakes that lead to other truths and funny and sad stories. Each person knows something about some of the others and that's as far as I will go. Read it for yourself to find each person.

Backman has such a beautiful way of writing about humankind. This book was heavy, but the quirky characters and eloquent writing make this a great read. The storyline is done in a unique and intriguing way and comes full circle at the end (which is a craft hard to master) but Backman is a true storyteller and Anxious People did not disappoint. Thank you again to @atriabooks for the free copy. This one comes out 9.8.20 and I anticipate it will be a Fall must read!

Backman is such a crafter writer and author, and I have thoroughly enjoyed his previous books, so I was excited to read his upcoming release, Anxious People.

Just as I’d hoped, the writing sweeps you up from the start, and I felt so connected to each character, as the reader gets glimpses into just exactly happened that New Years Eve day of the alleged hostage situation.

Little by little, the mystery opens up and you get to see how each person is connected, and I just loved this book.

*thank you Atria for the gifted copy for review. All opinions are my own

The writing was MAGNIFICENT! How very clever was Backman to weave the story and the characters the way he did. It is easily 5 stars!

What a perfect title to a book that will leave you a bit anxious at the start of each chapter, and just when you get to the close of it another little hint is dropped and you start all over again with the next chapter. I simply love this about Backman's writing.

You will fall in love with all the characters and still think of them when you turn the last page. This book was that good! I am so very thankful to be given the opportunity to read this prior to release day, as it is my most anticipated read of 2020!

I love Backman's writing and this novel was amazing. It's a character driven novel the impact people have on each other's lives and was so deep and insightful while also being humorous and leaving you feeling happy and warm inside.

This will end up being one of my favorite books of the year hands down. Anxious People is funny, moving and will break your heart in half at times. This was a fast paced book that I could re read often. The words in this book are filled with compassion and humanity. Backman is a writer who truly understands human nature and it shows in every one of his books.

Without spoiling anything, the story begins with a bank robbery, that leads to a hostage situation, that leads to the exploration of every individual involved, including the reader. My favorite stories are the ones that make you reevaluate who you are and what makes you that way, and this was no exception.
Thank you Fredrick Backman for once again giving us a treasure.

Thank you to Simon and Schuster and Netgallery for gifting me an advanced copy.

Absolutely brilliant, as always. How one person has such imagination to come up with this level of original, creative, inventive plots is beyond me. No one writes like Backman -- he is truly in a league of his own. "Anxious People" is nothing short of a wonderful gem.

This is a story about a bank robbery gone wrong.
It's also a story of a hostage drama, in Apartment Viewing. (Open House)
And, it's a story about idiots. (Author’s words!)

Now Picture Abbott and Costello as a father and son, Police duo in a small town-

First they have to "google" what to do in a hostage situation and then they have to interview the hostages after they are released to try to determine how the bank robber, turned hostage taker, managed to get away...and why the hostages turned witnesses are so:uncooperative and hostile?!

The humor of these situations reminded me of the Abbott and Costello skit:
Who's on First? (see a clip on YouTube)

If this is the kind of humor that has you laughing out loud, this is a book for you!

Favorite quote from the book:
"People want to be good. Deep down. Kind.
The problem of course is that it isn't always possible to be kind to idiots, because they're idiots"

The writing is folksy.
The ending is heart warming and reaffirming of the human spirit.
The message is clear.

It may be difficult to be kind to idiots...but cut them some slack, and be kind anyway!
PS: Being human is hard! We have all been an idiot at one time or another, trying to get it right!

Isn't that the perfect antidote for our present Covid-19 World?

Available Sept. 8, 2020

Thank You to Simon & Schuster for my gifted copy! All opinions expressed are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books and Isabel DaSilva for my electronic ARC in exchange for my honest review. This book will be published September 8, 2020 in the United States.

This is my SEVENTH book by this author. Like many, I discovered him first from A Man Called Ove. I admire his ability to tell stories that are vastly different from each other! From a grumpy old man (Ove) to a hockey team (Beartown) to Anxious People. I got to hear him speak in June 2017 at Powell’s Books, when he was on tour promoting Beartown. I could have listened to him for hours. Seriously. He was that interesting.

So where to begin my review? Let me be the first to say it started off rough. Rough because I didn’t understand the plot yet. Rough because the two cops were extremely frustrating. Rough because the characters were a mess. Anxious People became Anxious Reader for me. But here’s the thing I should have known: I TRUST THIS AUTHOR. The way he reveals his story is deliberate and I need to trust that it will all make sense in the end. It’s worth it. So keep on reading. Every quirky story line (the failed bank robbery, the rabbit, the cops, the seven strangers who are taken hostage at an Open House and the man who jumped off the bridge) is relevant in the end.

Original review posted on GoodReads.