This was my first time reading Fredrik Backman, and his writing is truly unique. The story delivers straightforward messages wrapped in witty, clever situations. I laughed out loud so many times! This has definitely encouraged me to explore more of his novels.

4.5 Stars
One Liner: Haha… fun!

Luca was happy because he was alone and knew exactly what he wanted. Everything was great until a frying pan ruined it.
The story comes in the third-person POV.

My Thoughts:
Don’t bother with the blurb. The teeny first chapter sets the stage. Go with the flow and see where it takes you.
I wouldn’t call this laugh-out-loud funny, but it was more like a handful of chuckles and smirks along the way kind. Humor is subjective, so how well this story works depends on how much you enjoy this style of humor. It is satirical, dry, ironic, and teasing. Relatable but also exaggerated.
While I do empathize with Lucas a lot, my favorite is Linda. I mean, how can I not like her? She is the only other character named. The rest of the cast goes by identifiers that suit them well.
The pacing is a bit on the slower side, but the tempo doesn’t slack. The writing is intelligent and witty without being OTT.
To summarize, The Answer Is No is something a good portion of readers will possibly relate to an extent. The other kind might be a wee bit annoyed, but… calm down, extroverts. Go find someone else to annoy!
Thank you, NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories, for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

Fredrik Backman, known for his deeply layered and emotionally resonant storytelling, does not disappoint with this short story. This piece, like much of Backman's work, masterfully blends humor with serious themes, creating a narrative that is entertaining and thought-provoking.

The story is impeccably written, showcasing Backman's signature style of quirky yet relatable characters. Despite the often absurd and exaggerated situations they find themselves in, I can always find a piece of myself in these characters. This relatability is one of Backman's greatest strengths, making his stories resonate on a personal level.

"The Answer is No" is no exception to this rule. The humor is sharp and well-timed, providing a perfect counterbalance to the more serious undertones of the story. Backman's ability to weave these elements together seamlessly is what makes his writing so compelling.

"The Answer is No" is a delightful read that offers much more than meets the eye. For fans of Backman, this short story is a must-read, and for newcomers, it's a perfect introduction to his unique style.

Lucas is a happy person because he cancelled all human interaction - and yeah I can understand him! The first two or three chapters were funny and relatable. And then weird neighbors started popping up left and right and my blood started to boil.

Neighbor showing up - angry that the WI-FI ( not hers ) isn't working and demanding the password ( while threatening to stay there the whole evening ) HELL NO - I would have said : Listen lady pay for your own damn WiFi - and yeah feel free to stay here - I'm calling the police! Slam Door and bye!

And this is only ONE example of how I would have handled some situations. He actually was a quite dim character and made me so angry!

so I couldn't finish it.

Fredrik Backman's slightly humorous commentary on human relationships and connection.

It's easy to relate to our main character because he wants to be the human equivalent of the number zero - no wins, no failures, just vibes.

Unluckily for him, life chooses to find him through a parade of colorful characters who ask for his opinion, give him responsibilities, and challenge his peace.

If you're a fan of Backman or want to read something light and non-committal, you may resonate with the story of Lucas! Definitely give this a try.

<i>Thank you NetGalley for sharing an e-arc in exchange for an honest review!</i>

Poor Lucas is just a man in his thirties who wants to be left alone to be happy in his apartment, doing what he wants whenever he feels like it. He doesn’t want friends or relationships because people will always expect things of you and is perfectly happy without people in his life. However, his neighbours eventually intrude in his life and even though he tries very hard to ignore them, he can no longer just say No to whatever they want him to do.

This Fredrick Backman short story is full of his trademark offbeat quirky humour, especially when poking fun at petty bureaucracy. It’s delightfully absurd and guaranteed to make you chuckle.

Lucas is a happy man, an introvert who loves to play video games, order out and be left alone, having no one to worry about but himself. When three members of his apartments homeowners association come knocking on his door insisting he show them his frying pan and he asks questions that they hadn't thought of, they put him in charge of their committee and don't really give him a chance to say no.

This short story is full of Backmans usual sense of humor, silly and poignant at the same time. It has an Anxious People feel to it, so if you loved the humor in that one as I did I think you will enjoy this one as well. I enjoyed the portrayal of his neighbors, especially Linda and the lady in the purple dress, and my answer continues to be Yes to anything Backman writes including this short story.

Thank you to Net galley for this e galley in exchange for an honest review.

You will never find me rating anything below five stars for Fredrik Backman. I love the way he writes. It's always such a beautiful look at humanity and all of life's curiosities. I absolutely loved seeing things through Lucas' eyes.

Lucas opens the door with the defeated manner of a sausage that dressed itself up as a carrot to avoid being eaten by a bear, only to be found by a rabbit.

Me too, Lucas ... me too. This is exactly how I feel every single time my doorbell rings.

The Answer is No is a hilarious short story by the talented Mr. Backman. I don't normally enjoy “sappy” reads, but Fredrik Backman is forever on my very short list of exceptions (which currently consists only of him and TJ Klune). Not that this one is super sappy, really. I mean, yeah, Backman has once again pulled out his favorite “reclusive person makes friends and kind of enjoys it” trope, but this one is much more silly and whimsical than I remember his novels being. And perhaps Lucas doesn't entirely succumb to the power of unrelenting extroverts at the end? It's rather refreshing – why do introverts in stories always have to become social butterflies in order for it to be considered a happy ending? Many of us are fine not “other people-ing” on a regular basis, thank you very much.

Poor Linda from the board, though. The woman is just enthusiastic about her job and no one appreciates it.

But, yeah. I loved this story and I loved Lucas and his neighbors. If you're a fan of Fredrik Backman (or just want a short, lighthearted read to occupy a bit of your time), definitely give this one a go.

My overall rating: five shiny gold stars.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for providing me with a copy of this story to review. It's on sale now.

I have loved everything I've read so far from this author and I really enjoyed this one as well. It's a short story but still has a very good meaning to it. It seems like a sad story at times but in the end it turns into a happy one nonetheless.

Loved it! This was HILARIOUS with a great message buried under the pile (<get it, LOL) of humor!
The descriptions were great, I laughed out loud for most of the scenes where Lucas had to talk to people, and it's a super quick read. Loved the overall message and outcome of this :)

A cute short story by Fredrick Backman about living life saying "No", then finding the fun, complications and friendships in saying "Yes." It's a quirky quick read by a must for fans of Backman!

The Answer is No by F. Backman is a witty and fun short story. I greatly enjoyed reading this gem of a story.
Blurb: Lucas knows the perfect night entails just three things: video games, wine, and pad thai. Peanuts are a must! Other people? Not so much. Why complicate things when he’s happy alone? Then one day the apartment board, a vexing trio of authority, rings his doorbell. And Lucas’s solitude takes a startling hike. They demand to see his frying pan. Someone left one next to the recycling room overnight, and instead of removing the errant object, as Lucas suggests, they insist on finding the guilty party. But their plan backfires. Colossally.

Fredrik Backman is my favorite author and I was so excited to read this short story! It did NOT disappoint. I loved it so much. It was his usual mix of laughing out loud and crying with how beautiful his prose is. This is definitely a story that I will be re-reading and adding so many quotes to my journal. Everyone should take the time to read this short, wonderful story. I wish I could give it 10 stars! I received a free copy of this book from netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

I knew I would love this because I am pretty familiar with this author. It’s short and sweet and I laughed basically the entire time. Just a fun, quick story about a guy who just wants to be left alone and doesn’t get his wish. Backman has a way of making readers care about all the characters mentioned which is what makes his books so memorable. I thoroughly enjoyed this one and would tell check it out.

Thanks to NetGalley for the arc.

Brilliant.

You really must read it.

The perfect short story, I don’t know how Backman gets so much in, in such few pages.

Lucas wants to be alone, but others won’t let him be. And so begins this novella which is full of a nice mix of absurdity, manipulation, and meaningful parts.

Perhaps the quirkiest book I’ve ever read, this story was a delight! The search for happiness is different for everyone, as shown here, and Frederick thinks he knows it all! But does he?!? I read this in about 30 minutes and loved it!

"...not now Linda!"

The story follows Lucas, who prefers a simple night of video games, wine, and pad thai, with peanuts as a must-have snack. He prefers solitude but is thrown into chaos when the apartment board demands to see his frying pan after finding it left outside. The situation escalates hilariously, showcasing Lucas's struggle to maintain his alone time in a world that keeps intruding.

This short read was absolutely hilarious! I recently discovered this author and already have a few of his books on my TBR list. It has been quite some time since I found myself laughing out loud throughout an entire book.

This satirical novella brilliantly captures the essence of unnecessary life happenings. The underlying message is crystal clear - if you're not happy, it's time to make a change by removing something that is making you unhappy. While this story was unlike anything I've ever read before, it was impossible not to chuckle and ponder the deeper meaning hidden between the lines.

The character development in this novella was superb. Lucas, the protagonist, was incredibly likable and relatable. The other characters provided a perfect balance of head-shaking moments and chuckles.

Overall, this book was a delightful and comical read, offering a much-needed break from the everyday hustle and bustle of life. I highly recommend this quick and entertaining novella for anyone in need of a good laugh.

Thank you, Amazon Original Stories for the digital copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Maybe because of its short form, this story lacks most of the depth that makes, say, A Man Called Ove so moving. The characters are cartoonish (to the point of three being imagined as a three-headed beast) -which maybe is the point? Either way, superfans will probably like this, but sweet as it is, I think this is a pass for the casual fan.