Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for the free review ebook. Fredrik Blackman is an auto-buy author for me and this novella does not disappoint. His sense of humor is just perfection and his writing style is one of my favorites. Check out his instagram if you ever want to read small stories about his life told in the same manner he writes his stories. I would recommend picking this one and his other novels up.

This short story was a wonderful addition to my reading list, and I was able to finish it in about an hour. From the very first page, it had me laughing and smiling, as the humor and charm were woven seamlessly throughout the narrative. I particularly love how this author brings to life a diverse cast of quirky characters, each with their own unique traits and eccentricities. Their interactions added depth and real joy to the story. Overall, it was a delightful read that brightened my day!

This short novella starts with a quirky and intriguing premise, but it is just okay overall. The writing felt familiar and entertaining but the plot didn’t grab me. I couldn’t bring myself to care about these characters. Thematically, it leaned a little too cutesy for my taste, with everything neatly tied up in a bow. It’s polished and tight, which I can appreciate, but that’s also part of the problem. It felt too smooth, lacking the texture or depth to make it memorable or impactful. I will check out more of his books in the future, but this one wasn’t great for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for access to this novella.

A humoured short tale about a simple man with simple needs...to be left alone. When a mysterious pile of junk appears beside his apartment building and his neighbours start being intrusive, things quickly spiral out of control in only the way stupid rules and society can do. With many a familiar nod to organised religion and modern politics we see the story unfold with the uncanny humanitarian observations Fredrik Backman is famous for.
Thanks to Amazon short stories for providing me a copy of this novella via NetGalley.

This was definitely entertaining!! Lucas, the MC, has figured out the recipe to happiness.. just saying no to everything. A great quote is stated early on that humans are in therapy because of other humans. So Lucas takes on a lifestyle of being completely alone.. until that plan is upended.. by a frying pan. This story is funny with an excellent mix of real life to it. It's thoughtful, but I found a bit boring. Just not my typical read so I'm glad it was a short story.

Thank you netgalley for the earc in exchange for an honest review

this felt like a book that i would have had to read for a class and then analyze it and i would hate every second of it and think it's completely dumb. but i'd have to say it was a pretty fun story. it's cool how backman explored the ideas of happiness and whatever takes on society in such a simple and fun story.

I am a huge fan of Fredrik Backman! That being said, this book did not resonate with me. I thought parts of it were humorous and I always enjoy his observations on humanity. The inspirational message is there, I just wanted more.

I really want to love Fredrik Backman’s books but they are always just so quirky to me. I do appreciate his lessons and exploration into human nature and society as a whole. Navigating human emotion and what leads us to happiness but overall this short story was kind of weird.

In my opinion, the answer is yes to reading this book. I should have known that if anyone could write a humorous, absurd, and heartfelt short story it would be Fredrik Backman.

As soon as I began reading it, I knew that I was going to enjoy it. From the very beginning, I had a big smile on my face. I was also very quick to tell my husband that he was going to love this one (he is very picky when it comes to short stories).

Lucas was a peculiar character, but truth be told, I kind of liked his lifestyle. He was happy. He was content. He was a solitary man doing his own thing, and he was happy. Who doesn’t want to live a happy life?

For a short story, The Answer is No had a great cast of characters. They were odd, quirky, and hilarious. While the plot of the story was garbage (no, this is not an insult, it was about a pile of trash), Backman managed to give this garbage a deeper meaning. If anyone could pull this off, it is this author.

The Answer Is No is exactly what I want from a short story. It grabbed my attention right from the beginning, it had great characters, it was fun, and, yes, it made me feel.

*5 Stars

Lucas is very set in his routine and isolated ways. He does not want his life disturbed, but the board of his building has now put him in charge of a pile of trash that was all started by a discarded frying pan. As the pile grows so do his interactions with his neighbors - neither being particularly desired by Lucas.

This little novella was pure Backman - his take on the world is just so creative and funny that it is a joy to read. He creates wonderfully colorful characters and puts them in absurd situations that are much deeper than the actual plotline. It's also fun to be in Sweden for the novel, I don't feel that there are a ton of stories from Sweden. There were so many lines to highlight while reading this that I would just tell you to read it!

4.25 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon for the ARC to review

This was a lovely shot story that reflected on the importance of human connection in the classic way only Fredrik Backman can. We follow loner Lucas as he has his world turned upside down when his neighbors start interacting with him.

I think this would have been a bit more impactful as a longer novella or as a full length novel, but the intended message still shone through. This will be perfect for fans of Backman’s other works or anyone wanting a feel-good, comical short story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for access to this ebook in exchange for an honest review!

Oh my gosh. How can so much depth, humor, quirkiness, and heart be wrapped up into one little novella? Backman did a WONDERFUL job with this novella. It captivated me from the start, and I flew thought it. Such important life lessons in just a few chapters.

This book showcases an incredible ability to create deeply impactful stories in a limited space. Though brief, it is far from lacking in emotional depth or complexity. The characters are richly developed, and the narrative unfolds with remarkable meaning and resonance.

Like many of his works, the story explores the nuances of human connection, touching on themes of loneliness, love, and personal growth. Despite its length, the story doesn’t feel rushed. Every moment, every interaction, is carefully crafted, leaving a lasting impression on the reader.

Though you might wish the story could have gone on longer, it wraps up in a way that feels complete and satisfying.

In a Nutshell: My answer to this story isn’t No, but it isn’t exactly a strong Yes either. A good story with enough wit and enough thought-provoking quotes, but the humour seems forced at times. Not Backman’s best work. Better if read as a satire, though it isn’t promoted as one.

Plot Preview:
Lucas is not exactly a people-hater; he just isn’t fond of them. He lives his life in a way that his interactions with people are at the bare minimum level. And he is perfectly happy with this status quo. Until one day, when a frying pan changes the situation! Suddenly, Lucas is forced to interact with people regularly – Yikes! How can he get his life back to normal?
The story comes to us in Lucas’s third-person perspective.

I am such a huge fan of Fredrik Backman’s work that I didn’t even read the blurb before I grabbed this story. His name on the cover was enough! And yet, I will still not hesitate to say: even though Backman’s Instagram posts are hilarious, he is way better when he writes serious stuff.

Woohoos:
🍳 Lucas’s portrayal as an introvert. As an introvert myself, I empathised with Lucas’s dread whenever the doorbell rang! He certainly knew how to live his life avoiding people. I loved this line: “He would rather be hit by a truck than be in your group chat.” Me too, Lucas! 😆
🍳 If you follow this author on Instagram, you would know his self-deprecating wit. He has a marvellous sense of humour that works excellently because he is one of those rare people who joke while staying serious. His typical tongue-in-cheek humour is in ample supply in this work. He doesn’t resist poking fun at some of his own lines from other novels, including that beautiful line from ‘a Man Called Ove’ about love bringing colour in our lives.
🍳 Though the overall tone of this story is somewhat light, it has plenty of quotable quotes: some sarcastically clever, and some seriously thought-provoking. Sample this: “Love isn’t powerful enough. But spite? Spite can change the world.”
🍳 Of the other characters, I loved Linda! Many of her remarks had me responding like that viral meme: “But Linda! Listen, listen to me, listen! Linda, Linda, Lindaaaa, listen!!!”


Hmmms:
🔪 The middle section goes much overboard at times. If you read it as a satire, it does work better. But is it marketed as a satire? Nope. It is just sold as a “hilarious short story”, which is not the same.
🔪 Lucas’s turnaround from introversion to being receptive to people – too instant to be convincing. The ending redeems this change to some extent.

All in all, as an introvert myself, I loved the first half of this story. The final scene was also quite satisfying. If the silliness of the interim events had been a bit more toned down or if the story had been promoted as a satire, I have no doubt I would have rated higher.
Backman’s writing style is quite literary, and when he chooses to be serious, he offers plenty of insightful observations on humankind that seem to make universal sense. Glimpses of this attribute can be seen even in this short story. However, when Backman tries to be funny, he often tends to go over the top, and this doesn’t always work for me.
To Backman fans: Your answer could still be Yes to this story, but don’t expect anything like the Beartown series or even Ove.
To those wondering if they can test the waters of this author’s writing with this tale: My Answer is ‘Maybe’. I wouldn’t strongly recommend beginning with this short story as this isn’t in his typical writing style. But it’s definitely not bad if you go in expecting a satirical tale.
3.5 stars, rounding up coz it’s Backman, y’all!
My thanks to Amazon Original Stories for providing the DRC of “The Answer is No” via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the story.

This book is lovely! Perfect gift for a nonreader in your life, a fan of Backman's previous books, or it would make a great book club book. Initially I didn't quite have a handle on where the book was going - as is usual with Backman's work, but everything came together beautifully. Highly recommend. Thanks to NetGalley for an early copy!

I like it because it is thought-provoking with a touch of ‘feeling good’ although also irritating.
Well, I guess that is the point of this novella. In the style of other Backman’s works that I read previously, he shakes a solitary person into mingling with other people to show us the significance of relationships, society and its flaws.
This story began with a minuscule problem that became a huge one. Why no one made the simplest or the easiest decision? Which were the consequences? The plot drove us through many situations, some were 'almost' fun and others more moralistic.
Do I recommend it? The answer is 'Yes'.

I WOULD READ EVERYTHING THAT FREDRIK BACKMAN WRITES AND THIS WAS NO EXCEPTION WHAT A FUN AND SHORT READ REALLY ENJOYABLE FROM THE START

Fredrik Backman’s writing always has that way of drawing you in. I just absolutely love his style of writing, and somehow it fits regardless of the tone of the story he’s telling. This story followed our protagonist, Lucas, through a comedic series of unfortunate events despite his desire to be alone. Even through such a story meant to be overall comedic, Backman manages to make you feel things. And for characters that don’t even have names, as Lucas never bothers to learn any of those. Reading this has brought out my desire to read all the Backman books I’ve yet to read as I am overcome with the need to read everything he’s ever written and ever will write.

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for the copy to review.

The Answer Is No, written by Fredrik Backman and translated by Elizabeth DeNoma, is a short story featuring main character Lucas and revolves around the apartment that he lives in. Lucas doesn’t mind being alone, and he is happy, and this is because he knows how to say no. But unfortunately some people, or animals, make it hard to say no, or simply don’t take no for an answer.
I loved this book, just like I have loved this authors other books. I love the humor that is shown, as well as the growth of the characters and the care that they show for one another. I appreciated this book, and definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a feel good story!
Thank you to NetGalley, and to the author, publisher, and translator of this book for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved this short little story! It was actually the first thing I’ve read by Fredrick Backman, and I really liked it from start to finish!