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!

This is a dry humor and satire kinda book. It's either u ll love it or hate it but to me I relate it to a lot and I really love it . This is my first book of Backman's and i going in for many more of his books. I'm pretty sure as an English lecture you can expect it be a text in your syllabus and students reconstructing it or analysing it

With his signature dry sarcastic humour, Frederik Backman weaves a short story that is essentially about the power of saying NO. That one simple word, that so many of us find so difficult to utter, may just be the key to human happiness! While not as charming and heart-warming as his novels — probably due to its much shorter length — this is still a lovely story that you can easily breeze through in an evening.

This story showcases Backman's quirky, humorous writing style to perfection. Lucas is a single man living in an apartment complex, whose ideal is a solitary peaceful life.
Enter bunch of fellow apartment dwellers who are trying to solve absurd problems in an absurd way, and you have an entertaining read.

Review: "The Answer is No" A Short by Fredrik Backman (Author) @backmansk
Elizabeth DeNoma (Translator)

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟💖

"Dear readers, Instead of falling in love, have you tried to not do that ?"It really saves a lot of time.😌

Fredrik Backman has done it again with The Answer is No, a 52-page short story that’s both funny and clever. As a fan of his books A Man Called Ove and Anxious People, I loved this story just as much—it’s pure magic.

The story follows Lucas, an introvert who is happy living a quiet life with his video games, wine, and pad thai (don’t forget the peanuts!). He doesn’t like dealing with people, so when the apartment board knocks on his door about a frying pan left near the recycling room, things quickly get out of hand.

Backman’s witty and relatable writing shines through as Lucas tries to avoid the chaos caused by the board members, or as I like to call them, “the three board animals.” I laughed at their silly behavior and Lucas’s reactions, which felt so real. I could completely see myself in Lucas—except for the video games!

The purple dress lady annoyed me at first, and I wanted to slam the door on her face
. But by the end, I found myself liking her, along with the green shirt lady and even the quirky board members. Lucas, though, remains my favorite—he’s me in book form.

What I loved most about this story is how Backman uses humor to show the strange habits of people today. It’s not just funny; it’s also a smart look at modern life.

If you’re looking for a short, entertaining read that will make you laugh and warm your heart, The Answer is No is a must-read. It’s full of relatable moments, clever humor, and unforgettable characters.

P.S. After reading this, I’m craving pad thai with peanuts! And yes, I’m proudly team Angel. 😏🤪

This was a short story that was really sweet. It seems the secret to happiness seems to be saying NO (which totally works for me). Lucas lives alone but he is happier that way. Until one day when a frying pan ruins his life. This story was funny and charming and I wish it had been longer since I liked the characters quite a bit. Also I would like to take a short coma. The writing was great and definitely I need to read more by this author.

the beginning of this was so strong that i was so sure i was going to love it.

but then it became too much for me.

i liked the start and had hoped the story would be about this early thirty guy just being happy in his own in his own life, living happily just being himself -saying no to any pressure or people around him trying to tell him that life should be more than just a single person doing what he loves.

but sadly it went into a very bizarre direction about the apartment building and an enormous pile….
i don’t know if this was supposed to be funny and it just wasn’t my type of humor or what it was doing but it didn’t work for me after the first 20 or so pages.


oh well i am sure there will be more than enough people loving this since Backman’s humor (?) seems to be something that works for most people. apparently i only enjoy his heartfelt sad stories.

i do recommend it if you want something strange and different, if you want to try this author or already know you love him.

The Answer is No by Fredrik Backman is a humorous short story.
This book was full of emotion, funny moments and fantastic characters.

This is the first book I’ve read by Fredrick Blackman, although I’ve sent them recommended so many times. But now I’m hooked.
Can’t wait to read the next one.

I am a huge fan of anything and everything Fredrik Backman writes especially his short stories. This was Perfection. Humans are in fact the worst (but maybe there are a few who are alright)