- “It’s a frying pan that ruins Lucas’s life. We’ll get to that.” -

This short story had me from the very first page. Fredrik Backman never fails to disappoint with his unique storytelling and his ability to intertwine multiple characters and their journeys into one hilarious, heartwarming story.

On the surface this book is about Lucas, who is perfectly content in being on his own, with his video games, wine and a pad Thai. But Backman weaves layers of depth and analogy’s throughout this story which made it an absolute delight to behold. My only issue with this book, is that I wish it was longer!

- “You can make yourself happy if you don’t let others make you unhappy.” -

A charming and quirky novella. I absolutely loved the absurdity of it all, the observational humour and realistic yet over the top characters. The story isn’t serious but there are some interesting messages underneath about humanity, happiness and contradictions. I loved the sharp prose and flew through this. Definitely a random story that is memorable and fun. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC. This is a voluntary review of my own thoughts.

So much to love in such a short story! I was smiling the whole way through. It’s absurd, witty, odd and yet I resonated with the story. This was such a good read.

Lucas is happy being alone and doing 3 things: playing video games, drinking wine and eating pad Thai with peanuts. Then one day the apartment board consisting of 2 men and 1 woman rings his bell demanding to see his frying pan. Someone left one next to the recycling room overnight. Soon his quiet life is turned upside down .

This was a short story of 68 pages. It’s a story about what makes people happy and was very thought provoking. It gives observations on human behavior. The story makes you think what makes a person happy really doesn’t and puts things/people into perspective of what/who is really important. There was a lot of wisdom and truth in this book, even in parts that made me laugh. It was a story that made me laugh but also had me agreeing to many things Lucas was thinking.

Thank you #netgalley for the ARC

This short story by Fredrik Backman is written in a similar style as the “Beartown” series. We start off with Lucas who leads a satisfying loner life, a dream for an introvert. The story progresses to show small glimpses of humanity. A quick and delightful read.

I dont even know what I just read but I think it had a good moral to the story… love and friendship is great but sometimes you just need alone time and I couldn’t agree more. A very quick 68 pages. It was a cute little story.

How does such a short story give me so many emotions?? This was chaotic, hilarious, and adorable all at the same time. I am Lucas. Lucas is me lol

First off, I adore this author. I love his Beartown series (Team Benji forever) and his writing style-long, ramblings sentences. However, this book was not it for me. I DID love some of the passages, and the meaning is very heartwarming. But I found it a bit silly. It's also a novella, which I usually don't like. I can see why people are loving it, but it just wasn't for me.

I LOVE Fredrik Backman. His humor, his prose, and his commentary on the human experience. I love his backlist so I had to read his newest novella.

This novella was great, and I laughed so many times for a short novella. He manages to tell a complete story in short order, with wit and a message and all the warm feelings.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Pub Date: 12/01/24

Thank you Amazon for this amazing novella!

Thank you so much to netgalley and the publisher for the arc of this one in exchange for an honest review!

This book follows a young man who thinks he has everything figured out. He is happy as long as he doesn’t have to interact with people. He stays in his apartment and doesn’t bother with the outside world. That is until one day his door bell rings and that changes his life.

I am a huge fan of Backman. He has a unique way of storytelling and he just understands human nature. This is a short story and it has his classic storytelling going on.

I liked the characters and how everything unfolded. It was humorous and just very real.

I do wish it was a bit longer and a bit more developed but otherwise I did enjoy it!

In The Answer Is No, Fredrik Backman once again showcases his singular witty style, creating sharply drawn characters and weaving in relatable antics. This laugh-out-loud novel captures the essence of a man’s struggle to maintain his solitude in a world that persistently refuses to leave him alone. Through humor and poignant moments, Backman brilliantly paints a portrait of solitude and the chaos of unwanted company.

This short story is hilarious, relatable, and has such a deep inspirational message you wonder how it's possible to achieve that in under 70 pages. It just proves that Fredrik Backman can do no wrong.

Fredrik Backman is my absolute favorite author for a reason, and he just keeps confirming his place as number one with each new book.

'Love is not to never fight. Love is always making up.'

This was as quirky and silly as I expected it to be and, as in every book written by Backman, it is that silliness through which he explores such little details from the human nature. It's the silly little things that make us humans human, and he writes about and around them SO well. There's always something I have never thought of before, especially not in a way he explains it. My perspective is always slightly shifted after finishing one of his stories. While his books are guaranteed to make you giggle, they are also guaranteed to make you rethink your own behavior, to dive deep into your own feelings, and to empathize more. This one was a typical Backman story, and I only wish it was longer because I always want to stay a little longer in these bubbles he creates.

Highly recommend, which truly surprises no one! If you want something sweet, profound, and extra short, pick this one up!

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance review copy in return for an honest review. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. This was so cute and quirky. Loved it.

Great short story!

I loved the combination of deep thoughts , sarcasm, and the dry humor and how it was all connected to a growing pile of garbage.

This novella is both funny and inspiring. The main character Lucas is happy being left alone by the world to enjoy his pad thai and video games. His neighbors however, have other ideas. I found Lucas incredibly relatable and even his neighbors started to grow on me. I've always connected with Backman's writing style and humor, so this was another hit for me. The Answer is No is a perfect one sitting short story!

Thank you Amazon Original Stories for providing me an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A quick fun read! Lucas is a man that enjoys his own company and is content with his video games and delivery Pad Thai until there’s a knock on his door and all of that changes due to a frying pan. A funny and heartwarming story about contentment, friendship, and how a seemingly harmless encounter can change perspectives and lives. Highly recommended this book.
Thank you NetGalley and Amazon Original Shorts for this advanced copy in return for my honest opinion.

4 stars - a decent short, implausible but quite enjoyable. Ready for Backman'd next release now. Thanks to Amazon & Net Galley for the ARC

The Answer Is No is a light and silly short story written in Fredrick Backman’s in his usual humorous style. It was perfect stress free break to relax with an easy and fun story.

I adore Fredrik Backman’s writing!!! It just works so well for me.

This follows Lucas, who slightly reminds me of a young Ove if you’re familiar with Backman’s other works. He lives alone and doesn’t particularly like people. He is happiest when not surrounded by other people and likes to be on his own.

Circumstances occur regarding a frying pan, and Lucas ends up having various visitors knocking on his door, much to his annoyance. Some of these parts made me laugh out loud, particularly “Not now, Linda”!

Backman has a remarkable way of writing characters that I don’t think I’ll ever be able to understand. He makes unlikable characters lovable without the reader even realising there has been a shift. That was also the case with this story.

I found this incredibly wholesome and sweet, and highly recommend it if you’re looking for something to warm your heart.