This was definitely not what I was expecting.

There are a lot of things happening in this book. Including a bank robbery that never took place. A bank robber that vanished into thin air and strangers having more in common that they thought.

There were moments when I found myself confused by what was going on but it all wrapped up nicely.

A must read!⁠
⁠
This book was beautiful in many ways. The first is the way the story is told—it weaves in and out but always centered around the main plot. It ebbs and flows, wrapping the reader in so much information but at the same time, exactly what we need to gain insight into the plot, the characters, and, most important, insight into the collective well-being—or lack thereof—of humanity as a whole. The most brilliant thing about this book is how it sets you up to judge, disregard, and even hate some of the characters, but you end up loving each one of them and wishing the well by the last page. The complexity of humankind is on full display not just for one or two main characters, but for the full cast of hostage taker, hostages, and the two main police officers involved. In a world where we are set against each other to keep us from achieving our collective power through unity, putting one another down has become the norm; books such as these remind us that even when someone rubs us the wrong way, they are probably quite good people and deserve our best.⁠

Backman does it again! Somehow he has me cracking up on one page and either tearing up or pondering deep thoughts on the next page. This book is not one to be missed. I loved it!

A humourous and touching story of a bank robbery gone wrong. Interesting to look at the different characters and what brings them together, and what assumptions we make when first introduced to them.

Interesting story and well developed characters. I found myself both laughing and crying about the experiences of the hostages in the apartment. I enjoyed the way that many of the characters stories were woven together. The way that the story came back to scenes was moving and interesting. Funny, sweet and sometimes mysterious. I thought this was a clever way to tell the story of a bank robber but relate to that character just as much as the others.

Such a beautifully written book, I love stories that give insight to our daily lives. So simple yet so intriguing and Fredrik Backman does it again with this tale of anxious people.

The day before New Years’ Eve, someone tries to rob a bank. But this isn’t a story about a bank robbery; it’s about a hostage drama, a group of people brought together by unusual circumstances, and the terrible oddness of life.

Fredrik Backman's writing is as witty and relatable as ever in Anxious People. He captured the authenticity of humanity and took care to create vivid personalities and intricate backstories for each character he wrote about. The banter between characters - which sometimes verged on downright bizarre - made this book genuinely funny. But there was also a deep emotional element to the stories too, one that added so much depth to the characters.

There were some bits I found a bit tedious, that dragged on too long or just didn't capture my attention. Or sometimes it was difficult to pick up with the fast-then-slow pace of this novel. These issues didn't detract much from the overall plot and story, though.

All in all, this was a fun but heartwrenching novel! While it wasn't as good as Beartown, in my opinion, it was certainly enjoyable!

I received this ARC for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

› Anxious People made me cry actual tears and laugh out loud. I received a complimentary e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

› I use the CAWPILE method to rate books.
0-3 Really bad
4-6 Mediocre
7-9 Really good
10 Outstanding

› Characters: 10
Every character is well-developed but completely unreliable. I love the diversity.
It's hard to choose a favourite character. Police officers Jim and his son Jack were an interesting duo, I would watch a TV show about them. Their dynamic and relationship felt so real. Jim is older, slower, and likes to tell a story whereas his son likes to "get things done". Jack likes to figure out the crime, fill out the report, and be done with it.



"Dad...," Jack said over his shoulder.
"Mmm," Jim said.
"Are you seriously googling 'what should you do in a hostage situation'?"
"I might be."



› Atmosphere: 8
The emotions were perfect but I couldn't quite picture the actual apartment in my mind.

› Writing Style: 10
Told with a mixture of witness interviews and narrative, the writing quality is outstanding. I don't know if I've ever read a book with characters that portrayed "real" human behaviour like this.

› Plot: 10
I didn't want to put it down!
This isn't just a comedy about a strange hostage situation. In one moment Backman made me want to cry, then laugh, and then hits me with weighty thoughts like:



"One technique I'd recommend is to ask yourself three questions before you flare up. One: Are the actions of the person in question intended to harm you personally? Two: Do you possess all the information about the situation? Three: Do you have anything to gain from a conflict?"




› Intrigue: 10
Did I want to keep reading? YES. I didn't want it to end!

› Logic: 10
I didn't see anything that didn't make sense.

› Enjoyment:
overall experience 10

Average 9.7 (that might be my highest rating for 2020)

1.1-2.2 = ★
2.3-4.5 = ★★
4.6-6.9 = ★★★
7-8.9 = ★★★★
9-10 = ★★★★★

My Rating ★★★★★

› Final Thoughts
• Anxious People is almost a perfect story for me. Weird, sad, funny mystery about a very strange hostage situation. We learn to never judge a person because we never know what others are going through.



Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the complimentary copy in exchange for my honest review.



*Quotes taken from an ARC copy and subject to change*

A special thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books, and Simon and Schuster Canada for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

At an open house for an apartment, a failed bank robber bursts in and takes the people at the viewing hostage. As the day goes on, the eight strangers discover that they have more in common than they could've imagined.

With the police surrounding the building and the story being aired on live TV, the tension escalates. But the robber has a choice to make: surrender to the police, or stay inside the apartment with this group of impossible people.

Eight people's lives intersect in Anxious People, a novel about a crime that never took place by an aspiring bank robber who vanishes into thin air.

Basically...Fredrik Backman is a magician. His slight of hand throughout is absolutely brilliant. In typical Backman fashion, he diverts his reader's attention, almost dropping the plot, and then blindsides them with startling revelations as well as how he's connected the characters.

Last year I attended an event for Us Against You where when asked what he had been working on, Backman spoke about Anxious People which had just been published in his native Sweden. He also mentioned that there would be another Beartown book (jumpy claps).

Anxious People is hilarious and heartbreaking, both a comedy and a drama. It is about how a shared experience can change multiple lives, no matter someone's background or social standing—ultimately we are more alike than we are different. Backman fans will love this book. It is heartfelt and moving, and filled with his signature quirky dry wit.

I’m just so enamoured with anything Fredrik Backman writes, I’m always excited to open a new novel. His characters are so human and sweet that you absolutely fall in love with them. His stories are always part heartwarming and part bittersweet, I always want to live in the worlds he creates.
Anxious People was a lovely story that had an amazing cast of characters with an added bonus of a little mystery. I just loved it.

This was my first Fredrik Backman book and I'm glad I finally took the plunge. I'm really on the fence between 3-4 stars, because I thoroughly enjoyed the writing and there were some amazing thoughts in this book, but it was missing something for me.

An apartment viewing suddenly turns into a hostage situation. A bank robber tries to rob a cashless bank and makes one mistake after another, running into a building with an open apartment door, locking themselves in with 8 strangers, who now have hours to spend together to get to know their stories.

I'm really not sure how to explain how I felt about this book. There were a lot of characters to keep track of and at times I was a little scrambled on who was who. The interviews were pretty confusing to be honest, but also incredibly infuriating with who rude and uncooperative everyone was. I think at the end of the book, I decided I liked the book more than I did while I was reading it. After finishing the book, I realize there was so much more to it than just random people stuck in an apartment together. This book explored the six degrees of separation, along with how different people can play important roles in our lives without realizing it. I think I possibly just maybe don't fully understand Backman's writing style, but I can absolutely appreciate it.

“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.”

This is my first Backman read and unfortunately my opinion is going to be somewhat of an unpopular one. There were so many great things about this. The unique writing style that grabbed my attention from the start. The characters as well were all so unique. Each of them with their own story to tell and lesson to learn. But I got a little lost when the structure of the story started jumping around. And I just didn’t connect to the comedy of it all. It felt a bit too far fetched for me. Perhaps just not my kind of humour. I found myself putting it down a lot, hoping to come back with fresh eyes, but never really overly enjoying it. I did like the takeaway of how strangers can come together, like a family, when faced with unknowns. I am still looking forward to reading more by this author and have several others already lined up on my TBR.

TW: Suicide

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for graciously providing this arc for my honest review.

He’s done it again. I always marvel at how Backman makes me feel so much for such seemingly normal, everyday people. (Which brings me to ask, are any of us really normal/everday? I think we are all extraordinary in our own ways). I laughed, I cried, I loved it.

There was a mystery that kept me wondering until the very end, which is always fun. The premise was interesting, but my favourite part of the book was getting to know the characters, hearing their stories, and falling in love with their imperfections.

…

Okay, when’s his next book coming out?

This was my first novel by Backman. At first I had no idea what direction the story was going. The more I read the more I enjoyed the story.

Thank you Netgalley, Simon & Schuster Canada and Fredrick Backman for free e-ARC in return of my honest review.

Fredrick Backman is one of my favourite male authors, and seeing his new book available on Netgalley I immediately requested it and was very grateful to be approved.

Anxious People is a novel about a crime that never took place, about mistakes people do consciously and unconsciously, it is about strangers who became a family after being part of a hostage drama which turned out not be a drama at all, more like satire of our everyday life. Anxious People is about decisions people do every day, it is about being a parent of new generation and about fears that surround parenthood and livelihood. Anxious People is about suicide, loss and humanity of people.

It was not easy to read due to several mental health topics. On the other hand, I do think that Backman did brilliant job in terms of showing how important it is to talk and to listen about mental health. He approached with all seriousness and, at the same time, without oppression.

Anxious People is probably one of the books that has the most beautiful character development I have ever read. Every one of the characters has their story told interchangeably. Backman only shows a glimpses of any give storyline, never fully connecting the dots until the very end. It kept me intrigued. At the end, he manages to bring everything together and wrap it up nicely.

The narration style is quite unique and it took me a while to adjust. I cannot say I am a fan of it, by the end I grew tired of this way of narration. Nevertheless, I would be adding this book to my own library.

Overall, I did enjoy Anxious People and would suggest anyone to read unless the reader is uncomfortable with above mentioned mental health issues.

I enjoyed this book from the first page to the last. It really did make me laugh and cry.

This is the story of a group of people thrown together when a bank robbery goes wrong (who knew that there was such a thing as a cashless bank?!). We are introduced to the bank robber, the hostages, and the police officers trying to bring the situation to a successful conclusion before the interlopers from Stockholm arrive to take over. Piece by piece the picture is assembled like a jigsaw until finally all the pieces are in place and we can see how everything, and everyone is connected in some way.

I would recommend this book to anyone who needs a laugh, and wants to believe the best of people. A perfect book for an imperfect year.

Fredrik Backman has an understanding of the human condition that resonates so beautifully in all his novels. Anxious People is a delightful story of a day in the life of a very eclectic group of people. It is heartwarming, funny, and as in all Backman's novels...kind.

I was excited to read this latest release by Backman especially as the novel centres on mental health issues. However, I did not enjoy the style in which the story was written. I found the repetitions to be tedious as well as the rambling nature of the text. I did appreciate, though, that Backman slowly reveals the connection between all the characters. On the whole, this was an okay read for me.

Well, this was very interesting.
Ha! I enjoyed it although it took me a long time to read. Perhaps i need to read it again.
I like the cover and the title - i have enjoyed other books by Fredrik Backman.
It was quirky and unique and thought provoking, both funny and sad. The characters were likeable and charming and charismatic.
There were many little surprises and a multitude of lessons to be learned, about life, human nature, relationships and more.
I don't think i am smart enough to fully understand it - it would make a very good book for a book club as there is much to discuss and perhaps that would help me realize all the undertones

This was an interesting one.
I think that this will appeal to a lot of people.
Once the story got going, I really enjoyed it. Each character was unique and the book does a good job at exploring each characters problems and how those problems got them to where they are.
The book takes on a theme of interconnectedness and how people can effect and change each others lives without even knowing it. I think it explores these things really well.
It's a book that touches on many sad topics but leaves the reader feeling uplifted.
The first half of this book I found incredibly hard to get through. The dialogue was so over-the-top and ridiculous that I had a hard time seeing the characters as anything other than caricatures. This does get remedied in the second half of the book though.
The inner monologue of the characters has a tendency to ramble in ways that I found super annoying. One sentence would turn into a full page of rambling about some small detail.
Personally, I found the ending to be very cheesy and a little too sappy but I think a lot of other people will enjoy it.