I opened "My Friends" expecting the warm, character-driven story that I associate with Backman. It's cliche to say that an author can make you laugh and break your heart at the same time, but if it fits any author, it's Backman. In "My Friends," he reveals the back story of the central characters - a dying artist and his childhood friends, and Louisa, recently aged out of foster care and mourning her late best friend - in his characteristic style. The humor ranges from the small absurdities of daily life (all the fart jokes!) to the acerbic skewering of the rich and powerful who only care about status and money. If "Anxious People" had you laughing as tears streamed down your checks, grab a box of tissues and "My Friends" for another bittersweet, joyful exploration of our weird, wonderful humanity.

I was hooked on this book from the very first page. I think this is my new favourite Backman!
Backman's writing is beautiful, and I found myself highlighting and rereading his perfect phrases over and over. I laughed a lot, and cried a little. This was the book I needed right now, when so much in the world feels heavy and grim. Sure, there's some tough stuff in this book, but mostly, there was love. And art. And friendship. And farts. Perfection.

Holy moly, this was only my second Fredrik Backman book (having only read Beartown in January) and another five stars (so thankful I got access to this Netgalley ARC 🙏🏼❤️). I would even venture to say that I enjoyed this a tiny bit more than Beartown (just because the backdrop of art was a bit more interesting and relatable for me as a creative person).

So much happens in this story, in terms of life events of each of the characters, but there's also so much happening between the lines (I feel like I didn't even catch everything tbh). It's hard to pinpoint sometimes what is so striking about his writing style, you almost can't encapsulate it and need to read it for yourself. What does strike me though is how well he describes universal human emotions and experiences, so that you see how well the characters relate to each other but it also hits a very personal emotional chord. I like so far that, his stories take all the characters on quite a journey and we see a lot of pain and inner turmoil, but they eventually find a way and have a hopeful albeit imperfect ending.

I personally also really liked the relationship between Ted and Louisa throughout this story, and while they would appear to come from two completely different worlds, there are things they have in common that very little others will understand and how that bonds them. I really like how Fredrik Backman has a way of connecting characters through these seemingly invisible similarities (at least that's how I felt when I watched A Man Called Otto, still have to see how the book is).

I could go on and on and wish I could share quotes (because I highlighted a million of them so maybe I will later when the book releases). But all in all, if you love stories of seeing light in the world despite the darkness, finding "your people" in the most unlikely places, and how art can connect us all, then give this book a read (even if you've never read Fredrik Backman).

Absolutely no one can shatter my heart and piece it back together as artfully as Fredrik Backman. My Friends is the story of 4 kids coming together for a magical, tragic, fateful summer when they're teens. Years later, one of the friends, a renowned and beloved artist meets a troubled young woman who he immediately recognizes as a kindred spirit and this meeting starts a healing process and new adventures.

I loved these characters and the way the story unfolded with flashbacks, multiple perspectives, and all the various parallels between "then" and "now". If you loved Backman's other books, you'll love this one as well.

This was a such a beautiful story – about survival, friendship, and love. Louisa has been inspired by a famous painting for most of her life. It provided her with comfort on some of her darkest days. Little did she know that the painting and the story of its creation would change her life forever. I love how the story of the painting unfolds throughout the book, in the most unexpected way. I loved the characters and the love and support they had for each other – we could only be so lucky to find such true friendship and love in our lives. Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for the eARC!

I think I'm supposed to really have liked this, and it was ok, but not as good as I was expecting. I've only ever read one other book by this author, A Man Called Ove and I really liked it, but this one was hard to read. It kept going back and forth in time and repeating the same story with a little more info added each time. It had some funny lines and exchanges and the characters had potential, but I skipped through some of it just to get the main story. I'm glad I finished it, but it wasn't a life changer.

A very different book from Backman, but no less wonderful. His ability to create characters that you can't help but fall in love with will never cease to impress me. And when part of the story is hidden in mystery, he always knows just the right time to reveal it. A feel good story with a touch of sadness. Just buy me a t-shirt that reads "will read anything by Fredrik Backman.

This was such a beautifully written story. The book follows four friends and Louisa, and Fredrik Backman made me believe in every one of them. He brought the characters to life in a way that made me feel like I truly knew them. I grieved with them, laughed with them, and experienced a whirlwind of emotions. My heart was broken, put back together, and broken again. I haven’t felt this connected to characters in a long time.

Through these pages, Backman masterfully portrayed emotions such as heartache, grief, love, happiness, forgiveness, trust, determination, and the resilience needed to overcome trauma. The characters’ journeys felt deeply personal, and they have become a part of me—they are my friends at heart.

This book is one of my favorites of 2025, and I beg you to read it. I’ll be diving into Fredrik Backman’s backlist because his writing is truly phenomenal and unlike anything I’ve ever read.

Thank you, NetGalley and Atria, for the opportunity to read this book early in exchange for my honest review.

Fredrik Backman has the uncanny ability to make me laugh and cry at the same time and I love it.
There once was a small town where four teens lived the best they could with the world they were given -protecting each other, making each other laugh instead of cry and most important - trusting each other. What they couldn't find in the world they found in each other and the artist among them captured it in one painting. That painting then went out into the world and became the most important thing to another teenage artist. A chance encounter brings Louisa into the four friend's universe where one crazy roadtrip will complete the full circle. Full of love, soul rocking friendship and honesty, this is his best story yet. I fell completely for these characters and didn't want it to end. All of his fans will enjoy this but if the BEARTOWN story touched your heart this one is for you. My thanks to the publisher for the advance copy.

Hilariously funny and consistently heartbreaking throughout, this is a story of how friendship and art triumphs over darkness.

The story is woven between four friends 25 years earlier from troubled backgrounds. Their parents are addicts, abusive, impoverished. They also face physical and verbal abuse from their peers. By banding together, they survive. And one of them, an artist, paints a picture that will become worth millions.

Now, Louisa, who also had a difficult childhood, has just turned 18. She’s carried a postcard of the painting through her many foster homes. When she sees it in person, events will collide to change her life.

NetGalley provided an advance copy of this novel, which RELEASES MAY 20, 2025.

Thank you NetGalley and Publisher for allowing me to read and review this book.

Heartbreaking, but very enjoyable. This one will stick with me.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of My Friends.

I've read A Man Called Ove and Beartown and enjoyed it. The author writes well about loneliness, friendship, and loyalty.

My Friends rides on the author's strengths and revolves around a group of teenagers whose love and commitment to each other inspires a work of art that resonates with a young woman 25 years later.

I wasn't a fan of My Friends, even though I do enjoy novels about friendships, loyalty, and angst.

I didn't like the writing style, which was written as a summary format for the most part.

I didn't like the circle of friends; they were just too damaged and traumatized.

I understand the biggest reason they're all friends are because they come from unhappy families.

I couldn't stand Ted; I thought he was a wimp, dull, and boring.

All the joking and joshing around got monotonous fast and the pacing of the narrative dragged.

It didn't help that not much happens; its about the summer that inspired the painting and how they all met one another, their personalities and their personal lives.

I didn't like or dislike Louisa; I didn't find the narrative engaging and just wanted to get to the end.

I do love the theme of finding your tribe is, in many ways, more important than the family you're born into.

You can't choose your family into but you can choose who you love and who you want to be friends with.

Thank you to NetGalley for the chance at an early read.

This is a heartbreakingly beautiful story told in a dual timeline. It made me laugh and cry and then it broke my heart just to put it back together again…thanks Mr. Backman, your books always put me thru an emotional rollercoaster and I live (and love) every minute of it!

To me this story is about friendship and family and what kids will do to protect and save each other when no one will. It’s about the last summer before you turn 15 when your whole life will change and about a chance encounter with the best people we will ever meet. There is mention of physical abuse (but not depicted in much detail), mental health issues, kids and stupid ideas and farts…yes farts.

It was a wonderful reading journey for me, thanks again to NetGalley for the advance digital read.
(Thoughts and opinions of this book are my own)

I think this might be one of the most beautiful stories I've ever read. I think this might be Backman's best book yet. My Friends is so sad and beautiful. It's funny and witty. It's heartfelt and heart breaking. I laughed out loud, I snot cried, I felt all the feel in between. At the risk of sounding terribly redundant, there just really is no other word for this book than beautiful.

Wow, just wow. This book is everything that friendships are made of. You'll laugh and cry. There's ups and downs. Heart warming but also heartbreaking. I felt so much reading this book. It's just amazing.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review!

Fredrik Backman captures the beauty of art and friendships in his new novel, “My Friends.”

The story speaks of how grief can shape us, and how art can heal and help us to survive.

It follows a group of four friends, and is told in a non-linear manner, that makes for some very tense moments. You have no idea what the next chapter will bring, and which timeline and set of characters it will follow.

There are so many evocative moments in this novel, that if I had wanted to highlight the phrases that moved me, I would have had to highlight the entire book.

I felt this book in my gut. Just read it. You’ll be so thankful that you did.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Atria books for providing me with an advanced copy of this book for my honest review.*

Backman's insights into humanity are unmatched. In this story we follow Louisa as she traces the history of a painting and its painter. An homage to art and the human spirit in the best way.

Thank yoiu NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to be emotionally wrecked by this beautiful book.

My Friends tells the story of four friends and the bond that saves them all, and their families, in many ways.

Thank you so much to netgalley and the publisher for the arc of this one in exchange for an honest review!

This book follows a young woman who finds a painting that she connects with. When she finds the painter, she finds out the story behind this famous painting.

I usually love Frederik Backman and his writing. It always touches on the human condition and he writes great characters. However, this book didn’t hit for me like his others.

I think the characters were still great and they had that signature backman quality to them. The story was also touching and emotional.

However, I think it just drug on a bit. I was a bit bored halfway through and it just kept dragging on for me.

I would still recommend this one but his other books are better in my opinion.

When I finished reading this novel I looked at my husband and said "I don't know if I have ever read the perfect book. This is the perfect book" as tears streamed down my face. I have read each and every one of Fredrik Backman's books and each read leaves me with a new sense of hope and wonder about the world. This book is no exception. I was laughing, crying, screaming, and reflecting with each page I turned. I cannot reccomend this book enough. Fredrick Backman writes humanity in a way I have never experienced before. This book is new, its fresh, and absolutley stunning. The characters, the plot, everything about this book was so human and relatable. Truly a work of art.