I FREAKING LOVE FREDRIK BACKMAN! All his books are amazing, but this is the best he’s written in a while. It was his classic blend of dying laughing, and the slipping in something so subtly deep that I’m suddenly bawling my eyes out. 100% recommend to everyone and anyone who can read. And for those who can’t, listen to the audiobook.

When a friend suggested I read A Man Called Ove I tried and just couldn't connect with the story. I'm glad I gave another Backman book a chance. The writing in Anxious People is beautiful and heartbreaking. Recommended indeed.

Fredrik Backman is obviously one of my favorite writers. His fans like him for his way of writing, but what if there is too much Fredrik Backman-ism in a book ? I think anxious people falls under this category. Its bit of a overkill. If you haven’t read this book, let me give you a tip. Its hard to get into this book. The characters behave erratically and the situation feels ridiculous sometimes. ( What the hell is happening?) . But if you get through that part, open yourself to read this book, accepting the characters and the plot and their behavior, it will be one of the most humane books you have ever read. Also, audio book is much better than reading this book, because its that kind of story.

Anxious People is about parenting, marriage, loss, insecurities, suicide, guilt, love, forgiveness , empathy and everything that makes as human.

I admire Backman’s way of writing Human emotions. It hits too close to the heart almost every single time. In this story, he writes about people and how they connect with each other. He explores humanity a bit more. What connects us? what makes us do terrible things? How can a normal person like you become a bank robber? How can that change into a hostage situation? How can you have something common with a bank robber? Is it possible to empathize with such a person? Maybe you will.

Listening to audiobook version of this book, made me chuckle and nod my head a lot of times. I could relate to a lot of things from this book even though the situation in this book is so ridiculous and there is no way it could happen in real life. The way all of the characters came together and fed off of each other’s energy was amazing. The way their pasts interwove with their presents was just as stunning

If you are new to this author, I recommend reading his other books first. If you have given up this book after few pages, I recommend you to give it one more try.

As usual, its another incredible book from the author.

4/5 Stars

100% absolute sheer perfection. Backman can do no wrong in my book. I devoured this book and have not stopped raving about it to fellow readers since.

Oh, Frederik Backman. I'm just always so impressed with his beautiful writing. At the same time, the repetition drives me crazy (how many times does the word idiots appear in this book?). The middle of this book lost me for a bit, but the ending was done so incredibly well. It's not five stars for me because it was just so depressing at times. Still, it will stick with me for a long time.

This book was filled with all emotions. I love this author because his writing is detailed and r ally allows you to connect with the characters in the story. There were so many witty moments mixed in the other moments that pulled at your heart string. I couldn't put this book down.

Interestingly written. A story about life, hope, tragedy, and love. Critically acclaimed, but not the book for me, I’m afraid. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the book in exchange for my honest review.

What if a bank robbery is more than just a bank robbery? Told through different perspectives of anxious strangers who find themselves at the center of a *not* robbery while they are at a viewing of an apartment, Anxious People tells the story about how friendship can be hiding in the weirdest of places.

I love the way Backman can write both heartache and humor and it does it well again with Anxious People. He also adds a bit of mystery with the who dunnit aspect of the robbery.

I love Fredrick Backman’s books, but I thought this was just okay. I found the book to have lots of quirky characters and a somewhat disjointed storyline. I enjoyed the book, but it is not one of my favorites.

I both read this book (via NG) and listened to it (via Audible). I love Fredrik Bachman and I love his sardonic humor! I had a bit of a time getting into the book as it kept jumping around but I"m glad I stuck with it. The audio was great, though, and I am glad I did this one twice. I loved the ending and how it all tied together.

I don't know Fredrik Bachman, but in mind he (or someone close to him) is a bit like his character Ove -- kind of prickly and curmudgeonly but with a heart of gold inside -- and that is mirrored in many of his books.

Full review to come at Beth's Book-Nook Blog drbethnolan.com

I enjoyed this one which was good because I was not a fan of his first two (I know, I know, how can that be?) I just felt the first two were so slow-paced. This moved at a better speed for me. He really is a great writer!

I'd like to thank the publisher via NetGalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Right from the start I loved this book. Is it a story about a bank robbery? A hostage taking? A love story? The story we think we are about to read from the beginning turns out to be so much more. The characters are so diverse and loveable in this book. The story is so well written it has you second guessing the whole way through. I laughed, cried, and just genuinely loved this story. Backman does not disappoint in his stories and I'd have to say this was my favourite one yet of his. I'd definitely recommend this book!

Backman does it again. Wonderfully written small town "family drama" in which few are actually related but become one large family after it is revealed how all the characters are intertwined. Backman doesn't pull his emotional punches, so be prepared. I noticed the print of my copy got blurry about 75% of the way through, and strangely so did everything else in the room.

I'm still in awe of how real his characters are; he lets us see their full humanity. Well developed plot, but you read Backman for the characters. And the humor. One of the best books I read in 2020, and one I recommend to those I love.

Reader Advisory: for people who enjoy family drama, Backman fans, people who need to escape their heads for a bit.

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

I love Backman! Entertaining yet there is a lot below the surface as usual. This was funny but with an edge, and the characters were quirky and endearing.

One of the best books of the year! This book is funny and witty while also being powerful, relevant and soul-splitting. Backman's writing style is magnificent. This story captivates you from page one and keeps you emotional involved the entire read.

I am a huge fan of Fredrik Backman's writing, and I was super excited to read this one. The book did not disappoint. Wonderful, heartfelt, and charming. A must-read book.

Contemporary Fiction | Adult
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I’m a big fan of Fredrik Backman‘s work, ever since I read A Man Called Ove. He is a prolific Swedish writer, and I’ve enjoyed his subsequent writing, though some more than others. He is a talented writer with a fierce eye for human folly, and he delivers characters brimming with honesty and vulnerability. Here’s a quote from early in this novel, on the challenges of being human in a complicated world: “Some of us never manage to get the chaos under control, so our lives simply carry on, the world spinning through space at two million miles an hour while we bounce about on its surface like so many lost socks.” Even more remarkable is that this imagery is a translation of the original Swedish, though the collaboration between Backman and Smith is longstanding. That breathtaking observation is why I read his work, though in this one, I enjoyed the second half much more than the first.
It may be a translation issue, but the dialogue-heavy writing quickly grew exhausting at the start. The premise is intriguing – a hapless bank robber flees without any money (it’s a cashless bank), and ends up in a nearby flat that’s for sale and open for a viewing. Several people are checking it out, and it unexpectedly turns into a hostage-taking. Fast forward to after the incident and two police officers (a father and son) are trying to figure out where the robber is, and what happened in the apartment. That’s done largely through interview transcripts, and that’s the literary device that just about did me in. I’m sure these transcripts are realistic; sentences are half-formed, conversations go in circles and make little sense, and you have no idea what the truth is. I figured out one key bit of information right at the start, which kept me amused as I followed Backman’s masking of this detail, a good thing while I worked past the confusing unveiling of the plot at the start. I did enjoy it by the end, and appreciate his ability to connect all the people in the story, but it felt rather artificial this time. Don’t make this the first or only Backman book you read; consider skipping it, and if you do take it on, stick with it as it does deliver in the end. My thanks to Atria Books for the digital reading copy provided through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Local pals will find a copy in the adult fiction collection at the Grand Forks & District Public Library.
More discussion and reviews of this novel: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53799686

I received an arc copy of Anxious People by Fredrik Backman back in the summer of 2020. This is the first book of Backman's that I have read. To be honest, at first i really struggled keeping track of all the characters and their seemingly unrelated storylines. I couldn't fathom how all these independent story lines could be connected. Regardless of my struggles, I persevered and I am so glad I did. Backman is a gifted writer, weaving together in a magical way the interconnections between the characters in a witty, empathic and quirky way. I have to say I absolutely loved this book. I am not going to lie, I even shed a few tears. I am so happy to be introduced to Backman and will surely read more of his books.

This book made me sad but was a good read! This was my first book by this author and it truly delivered.

The only other Fredrik Backman books I've read were the two Beartown books. I didn't know what to expect going into this book, but was pleasantly surprised by the end. Backman has a way of connecting his characters for a truly magical experience. He finds ways to connect to the core of who a reader is, as they come out better on the other side. "Anxious People" tells the story of a bank robbery in a small Swedish town. The bank robber holds a group of people hostage in an apartment open house. What unfolds in those hours is discovered at the end of the book, but let's just say that the wait was worth it.