This is a wonderfully absurdist short story about human nature and relationships set in an apartment building where a growing pile of junk is wreaking havoc. Fredrik Backman really knows how to write a great story.

I will literally read anything Fredrik Backman writes which is why I requested The Answer is No even though I am not big of short stories. As I have come to expect with a Backman book, I loved the characters and the quirky world they live in. This audiobook is super short but helped me get out of a reading slump because of the wonderful writing and beautiful message that is a staple in Backman books.

I really enjoyed this one thanks to NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing | Amazon Original Stories. The narration by Stacy Gonzalez is also fantastic!

listened to this in one sitting. a really short story, just a little less than 2 hours in total.

it was absurdly hilarious. about a man who only wanted a peaceful solitary life but couldn't avoid getting caught up in his apartment drama that were involving a discarded frying pan, a massive pile of junk, some cults, nosy neighbors, and pad thai. very typical of Fredrik Backman humor. an instant mood lift! i loved the narrator, overall i enjoyed it so much.

A L C • R E V I E W
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Title: The Answer is No
Author: Frederick Backman
Rating: 3.5/5 Stars
Pub Date: 12/1/2024
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I am a huge Frederick Backman fan, his writing style is just so different and it just always draws me in.
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The Answer is No was a bit of a different read for me. It was a short story by Backman with some really eccentric characters. In a very short time this story was able to really pack a punch. In his usual witty writing style Backman is able to really create that humorous while also a super heartfelt story.
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My only issue is this one is pretty much short, sweet and to the point; I just wish that it was a bit longer of a story so that the characters were drawn out more and that. There isn’t much time within the story to really slowly fall in love with the characters. With that being said, a lot of the characters are super endearing.
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I listened to this one on audiobook and Stacy Gonzalez was fantastic. I think she did a wonderful job at bringing this short story to life.
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Overall, this is a short story with a great message, I just wish it was a bit longer. I think fans of Backman will love this one. Check it out! Huge thank you to Frederick Backman, Netgalley and Brilliance Publishing for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

This was my first book by Backman. It was a good one and I will have to read more by him. This was a short and funny audio book!

The Answer is No by Fredrik Backman is a great short story! The audiobook narrator Stacy Gonzalez did an excellent job. This story is about Lucas and his apartment neighbours. I loved the humour and heart in this story. And it made me crave some pad Thai! There were lots of funny lines and such a good ending. I’d love to read a short story collection by Backman!

I never doubt that Backman can pack a punch with whatever he writes. Whether it’s a full length novel or a short story, if you want realistic and at times blunt takes on humanity, he’s your author.

I listened to this on a day that I was incredibly annoyed with my husband. It was just what I needed. I giggled and oh boy could I relate.

A fantastic palate cleanser or something to listen to in order to get out of a funk.

Will I ever dislike a Fredrik Backman book, even a short, quirky one? The answer is a definite NO! 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗔𝗡𝗦𝗪𝗘𝗥 𝗜𝗦 𝗡𝗢 is a gem of a story packs Backman’s signature humor and heart into less than 100 pages.

Lucas, a delightfully grumpy introvert, just wants to enjoy his perfect evening—video games, wine, and pad thai. Enter the meddlesome apartment board with their frying-pan witch hunt, and chaos ensues. The result? A hilarious tale of modern life’s absurdities, unexpected connections, and what truly makes us happy.

Backman’s witty writing and eccentric characters make this a must-read for fans and newcomers alike. It’s the perfect snack-sized story for a cozy evening!

Coming in at only 67 pages, it’s a bit of a marvel how much punch this little unassuming novella packs. Then again, if anyone could write a story full of witty, satirical humor and a whole lot of heart, it would be Fredrik Backman.

Perfect for when you need a little morale boost, this charming story of a loner who only wants to play video games and the neighbors who have other plans for him, will put a smile on your face.

This story is also terrific on audio, helmed by Stacy Gonzales, who adds an extra touch of charm. Definitely add this one to your TBR if not already on it.

I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

The Answer is No is the first book by Fredrik Backman that I've had the pleasure to read, and I can't wait to read everything on his backlist.
This was just the funniest, endeering, thought-provoking, and sarcastic mix of brilliant writing combined into a short story that hits your heart.
Lucas is happy being alone. He has no family, he works from home, he likes pad tai from his favourite take out restaurant that delivers at the click of a button and he enjoys playing video games and drinking red wine. What he doesn't like are people. Then, one day, there's a knock at the door of his apartment. He opens it to find 'the board' of his building, who is investigating who's left a frying pan outside the recycling room overnight. What could have been sorted out simply and quickly at Lucass suggestion becomes a huge mess and poor Lucas finds himself in the middle of the whole thing with endless knocks on his door and contact with people taking him out of his happy bubble.
This was so whitty and clever, and I loved how Fredrik took something simple that can happen to any one of us and made such a fun, heart-pulling story in under 100 pages. The audio narration was perfect for this book and added to the humour and fun elements in the story.

I have really enjoyed other books by this author so I had hopes this one would be another favourite. Unfortunately I found characters and plot to be quite dull. Given the length, I could have pushed through, but I didn't feel compelled when the story evoked no emotion from me. It wasn't inherently bad but also not very good either.

I requested this one because it might be an upcoming title I would like to review on my Youtube Channel. However, after reading the first several chapters I have determined that this book does not suit my tastes. So I decided to DNF this one.

Absurdist humor isn’t my favorite, and this is a sweet story that suffers a bit from being buried under a lot of nonsense obstacles created for the protagonist to overcome for the sake of, um, overcoming something.

I liked Anxious People a lot but mostly find Backman to be at times too saccharine and at times too nonsense-y (if you’ll permit me to make up a word).

He’s a lovely storyteller and the sentiment of this is solidly done, but there’s an absurdist aspect to the myriad hurdles the protagonist must clear that gets a bit irritating.

If you like Backman’s style in generally then this novella will likely also work for you. For me, there’s too much tediousness in the repetitive nonsense stuff for it to truly be an enjoyable read.

THE ANSWER IS NO reminded me so much of A MAN CALLED OVE meets ANXIOUS PEOPLE. It was more quirky than sad (actually, it’s not sad at all, just moderately heartwarming!) It’s a suuuper fast read. This one is available for free for #KindleUnlimited readers!

A fun and original short story from Backman featuring the quirky writing style that I've come to love from him. I loved how this story was simultaneously ridiculous and mundane, and I'd definitely recommend it for anyone looking for a short and interesting read. 3.5/5

Only Fredrik Backman can make me laugh out loud and cry real tears in only 68 pages. No one writes like him - he’s absolutely the best. He has such a keen eye for all the parts that make up a community - in this story the community is comprised of odd residents of an apartment building. On the surface, this novella is about an HOA, an introvert, and unclaimed pile of trash but in true Backman style this is really about so much more.

Fredrik Backman is unmatched he’s in his ability to use humor and candor to discuss very real and very human feelings. I always find his writing to be extremely relatable and always a good time.

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.

Quality, possesses the general wit of a Backman novel with a rapidly progressing plot that devolves into the best sort of chaos with some character-growth throughout. Is it all believable? No, but it's fun! Recommend on both audio and paper. Easy to read in one sitting.

🅰🆄🅳🅸🅾🅱🅾🅾🅺 🆁🅴🆅🅸🅴🆆

🚫 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝘼𝙣𝙨𝙬𝙚𝙧 𝙄𝙨 𝙉𝙤 by Fredrik Backman🚫

▪️ 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗳 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: As a proud extroverted individual, I also enjoy doing things by myself but I will usually always want to be in the mix of people. I don’t particularly do well with introversion so much so I saw the beauty of Lucas engaging with the neighbors in his apartment. Nonetheless, I also saw the exact moments those people crossed boundaries. As a society, we do not get to choose how others belong and Lucas has a say in how he moves.

▪️ 𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿’𝘀 𝗠𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗲: Although it seems like it’s fine to tell people you would rather be alone, we the majority of people often feel like you just haven’t been around the right company and want to force friendships and relationships that don’t exist. Backman does a good job looking into the introverted soul. I think his overall message is that we all have our place in society and determine our own happiness.

▪️𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗼𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸: Most definitely. Thanks to @brillancepublishing for the free ALC on @netgalley. This audiobook is narrated by Stacy Gonzalez—a “feisty, bright, and expressive” creative. Gonzalez is also a 4-time Earphones Award winner and the voice to over 150 titles. Her titles include 𝘼𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙖 𝙙𝙚 𝙈𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙚 𝙇𝙖𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙨 𝙇𝙖𝙨𝙩
𝙃𝙤𝙧𝙧𝙤𝙧 𝙈𝙤𝙫𝙞𝙚, 𝙑𝙚𝙧𝙤𝙣𝙞𝙘𝙖 𝙍𝙪𝙞𝙯 𝘽𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙠𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘽𝙖𝙣𝙠, and 𝘿𝙤𝙣𝙖 𝘾𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙣𝙬𝙚𝙡𝙡 𝙇𝙚𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙨 𝙃𝙤𝙢𝙚. I appreciated the vibrant voices, silly nature, and authentic sounds of all the different, nameless characters. With Gonzalez’s touch, I enjoyed a lighthearted and funny novel.

▪️𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (3.5)

▪️𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱: For readers of contemporary fiction, quirky scenarios, and humorous banter, with topics discussing solidarity, communal belonging and friendships, the act of peopling, introversion and loneliness, and navigating the modern world.

Big thanks to #partners @brilliancepublishing & @netgalley for the #gifted ALC! Please swipe left on the images to see more about my reading journey.
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Fredrik Backman has this delightful knack for whisking readers right into any quirky scenario you can imagine! In *The Answer is No*, he serves up a hearty helping of communication chaos between friends and family. This pint-sized novella is like a wise old sage, dishing out crucial life lessons on talking, taking responsibility, and what it really means to be human. I dove into the audiobook version, and let me tell you, Stacy Gonzalez nailed it with her vibrant voices for the nameless cast! Her giggles and authentic sounds made it feel like you were eavesdropping at a lively gathering. She juggled a whole crew of chatty characters who had plenty to say but were a bit lost on how to say it. The whole audio experience is a delightful mix of lighthearted fun, giggles galore, and some solid insights into the introverted soul!

3.5. Overall Stars
4: Narrator Performance
3: Story

**Round up to 4 stars

A humorous, fun, quick short story that left me contemplating my own life a bit. This story starts off captivating and takes you through a whirlwind of wild situations and humorous scenarios of a man who wants nothing more than to be left alone. I did not expect to enjoy this as much as I did, but this left me thinking about life. Definitely recommend!