A fun read in true Fredrik Backman style. The main character is quirky, and some of the supporting characters are just ridiculous, in the best way.

Spend an hour or so with Lucas, you will not regret it.

Thank you to Fredrik Bachman, Amazon Short Stories and NetGalley for the ebook in exchange for my honest opinion.

I’ll read anything Backman writes. This one was too short, but filled with his signature style of downplayed wit. The words flow off the page and you’re left wondering how you were so interested in reading about a frying pan. But that’s what’s magical about his style! Lucas is your typical slightly awkward Backman character. But that’s what makes him relatable and someone I wanted to keep reading about.

Backhand knows how to write about people and for people. He knows how to touch the reality of life. He always makes me smile and cry a little. I’ve read almost all of his books and all of them were 4 and 5 stars. This one is a 4 stars and I won’t lie, but I wanted a little bit more.
It’s nice to see how many different things are making us happy and how different, yet the same we all are. A cat, friends, a pan, family, pad Thai, peanuts..

Fredrick Blackman knows how humans are.

3.5★

I had fun reading this one. With laugh-out-loud moments this short story was enjoyable and can be read in one sitting. Recommended. With thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for my digital copy to read and review.

Synopsis: Lucas has a perfectly happy solitary life. Until it spins out of control.

Thoughts: This short story is labeled “hilarious,” which I did not agree with. It’s cute and I smiled, but was not laugh out loud hilarious like I was anticipating. Regardless, it was a cute short read by a well loved author.

Thank you to Fredrik Bachman, Amazon Short Stories and NetGalley for the copy.

Come una caramella: la consumi in fretta, ma ti lascia un buon sapore in bocca (frizzante, in questo caso) molto dopo che è finita. ;)

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an electronic copy to read in exchange for an honest review.

This book was everything to me. It reminds me soooooo much of my best friend and myself, but in book form. I cannot stop thinking about this book or recommending it. I wish so much that I could find a hard copy of it.

MY FAVORITE AUTHOR! This was such a wholesome short story by Fredrik Backman. I love how he writes realistic characters and their growth, journey, and connections throughout the story.

THE ANSWER IS NO by Fredrik Backman, New York Times bestselling author of A Man Called Ove, and Anxious People is a new novella/short story (just 68 pages) about Lucas, a late middle-aged man who is perfectly happy with an isolated life. He has his rituals and enjoys his "treats" – playing video games and Pad Thai with peanuts. However, things start to happen in his apartment building and he is suddenly involved in the changes. A quick read that may cause some personal reflection, THE ANSWER IS NO is funny, absurd, and entertaining.

This was a short little story - but a delightful one at that! This was my first Frederik Backman read and i absolutely adored it! It was odd, and humerous, and full of small moments that just honestly made me smile, and to top it all off the inspirational message it carries throughout is beautiful, and Backman's observations on humanity really resonate with me

Despite being little in length (although, thinking about it, it might be the perfect length for this story), It was heartwarming and hilariously funny in equal measure. Lucas is a bit of a grump and a complete loner - but he is happy, of course. The source of his happiness? The fact that he is alone, he does what he wants, when he wants - with nobody to answer to or provide unnecessary input...All he wants is to be left alone to play video games and eat pad thai, and that's exactly what he does.
"Absolutely zero people go to therapy because yesterday they were sitting in a comfortable chair, eating a perfect pizza, drinking a good glass of wine and watching a really funny movie.” So, that’s how Lucas lives his life-all of the time....at least he did until a frying pan ruined his life.

The characters were caricatures in the best way possible. I loved how Lucas identified everyone by their clothing colours. The characters honestly reminded me of old slapstick comedy sketches. Put simply, this was an excellent pallet cleanser andI highly recommend it to anyone who needs a good laugh at the moment.

The Answer is No by Fredrik Backman is a hilarious and heartwarming short story that perfectly captures the quirks of modern life. Lucas, the introverted protagonist, just wants to enjoy his perfect evening—video games, wine, and pad thai with peanuts.
Instead, the absurd apartment board drags him into a ridiculous frying pan mystery.
Backman’s witty storytelling and sharp characterizations make this quick read laugh-out-loud funny and surprisingly relatable, especially for introverts.
At just 68 pages, it’s a delightful dose of humor and humanity. If you’re looking for a quick, uplifting read, this gem is a must!
Very grateful to the publisher @ for my copy, opinions are my own

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