I read most of Backman's other books so I knew going into 'My Friends' that I would love it - and I wasn't wrong! This book made me feel everything - anger on behalf of the friends & Louisa, joy when I laughed out loud along with them, sadness when they had tough situations and even harder decisions. This book made me both relive childhood friendships and reminded me to be a better adult whenever possible.
Thank you so much for the early copy!

4.5 stars
I really struggled to pick this up during the first 60%, even though I was enjoying it as I was reading it. I think it was a case of right book, wrong time. But I flew through the last 40% in about three days. It’s such a beautiful testament to friendship and the bonds we create.
Backman is the master at dropping in quotes and creating such tension leading up to character tragedies because even though you know that something bad is going to happen to a specific character, the way he delivers the blows leading up to the tragedy makes your stomach drop. He writes about the smallest facets of grief so beautifully. The way that he develops his characters is, in my opinion, unmatched by any other author I’ve ever read.
I adored the dynamic between Ted and Louisa, and Joar later, and it was so heartwarming to watch them come out of their shells and become comfortable with each other in such a short amount of time.
He does the found family trope so so well. Of course I cried at the end.

Favorite quotes:
- “Friendship is special when you’re a teenager, you can feel it in your skin when there’s something wrong.”
- “Stories are complicated, memories are merciless, our brains only store a few moments from the best days of our lives, but we remember every second of the worst.”
- “He laughs so hard that summer arrives on the roof, even though it isn’t even May yet.”
- “‘He said that thing you always said, the thing that painter said. That you should paint like the birds sing. But Kimkim said it was never like that for him. He said he painted the way we laugh.”’

Thank you Atria and NetGalley for the e-ARC!

4.75 ⭐️ thank you Netgallery for this wonderful ARC! As always, Fredrik Backman did it again and I will forever continue to read anything he writes. This one was so good. It did take me a while to get through with school or life in general, but I really loved the unique storyline and how it focused more on friendships and found family. It was cool to see it was also generational as it started with C. Jat and the friend group but Louisa got passed the baton. Overall, highly recommend this one once it’s published!!!

2 1/2 stars, rounded down

I did not care for this… it had a “Beartown” vibe to it, and I was not a fan of that series either. I’ve never cared for stories that revolve around teenage angst, and this novel had it in spades.

It had some excellent writing, but not enough to make up for the frequently boring (to me) plot.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. My thanks to the author, the publisher and NetGalley

3.5 stars rounded up. This was a highly anticipated 2025 read for me. Fredrik Backman writes easy to read prose that tugs at the heartstrings. This story focuses on art, friendship and belonging through the unlikely pair of 39-year old Ted and 18-year old Louisa in the present day. The highlight of the novel for me was this developing relationship and buddy comedy. These were the only characters I really felt like I knew in a 3D way and I appreciated the humor in these sections mixed with more substantive dialogue around art and grief. The painting as a plot device also worked really well to draw me into the story and lead to a satisfying conclusion.

I found the childhood memories parts of the novel to be meandering and under edited. The story is otherwise a series of retelling of primarily Ted’s friendships but also Louisa’s backstory. At these chapters best they will remind you of long days spent at the lake as a teen, laughing and hijinks with friends and the fierce loyalty and tenderness that can come with youth friendships. But there is a darkness to every chapter (violence, addiction and death) that eventually dragged the plot down for me. Not because of the content itself, but because the repetitiveness of it wasn’t adding anything new to the plot. It didn’t ever really build the characters more for me—just added more to their surface. Ali added a much needed spark about 1/3 of the way through and I really appreciated the scenes with Ted and his brother.

I’ve been trying to put my finger on why Beartown worked better for me and this one doesn’t. It also didn’t shy away from darkness and explored themes of violence and grappling with identity. However I think it greatly benefited from being a series. Characters were able develop initially in a more pointed story and then the world expanded in subsequent novels. The adult perspectives throughout the Beartown series and in Anxious People also provide a contrast that I think is missing for me here.

Many people already seem to love this one and if you are a fan of his previous work/are in the mood for a bit of a tearjerker I’d recommend checking it out.

really well written book that was really anticipated. i'm so hyped to say that this one is INCREDIBLE! the vibes are immaculate, the story is great, and just... A+. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

Absolutely fantastic story, I think my favorite of Backman’s ever. I loved the nostalgia of friendship and youth. Beautiful.

It is always a bit nerve-wracking when one of your favorite authors comes out with a new book because expectations are so high and you don't want to be disappointed. I am happy to report that this book absolutely measures up to the very high bar that I have for Backman. He remains, in my opinion, the finest writer of human nature living today. I can't tell you how many times I went from laughing to crying and back again while reading this book. The characters are wonderful. The deeper currents of the meaning of love, friendship and art run through this amazing story. I can't wait to listen to the audio version too - and then I won't have to try to read words through my tears. This book is for anyone who knows what it is like to find "your people" in this crazy world we all inhabit. Five shiny stars for Backman's latest!

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Atria Books for an advance copy of this book for review.

4.5 rounded to 5 stars

Four teenagers and one summer that changed everything. Then a painting that emerges 25 years later starts the cycle all over again. It is within that cycle, we the reader, get to know these teens and their lives. The damage adults can do and the friends that help you deal with the life you've been given is explored through some canny storytelling going between now and then.

Louisa is a teen ready to age out of group care and accidentally becomes involved with an apparently homeless man. Or so she thinks. When she becomes entangled with that infamous painting, it leads to a cross country trek where she will learn all about that summer, the sea, and those teens.

I read Backman for his characters and My Friends has no shortage of characters with which to bond with and cry over. But what was a constant and moved me the most in this story is how anxiety is depicted with such accuracy. One beloved character, Ted, is consumed with anxiety and low self-esteem from the earliest mention. He is also one of the teens, now an adult decades later from that last summer of childhood, set on a task he agreed to at the deathbed of the artist.

Friendships, hardships, meanness and love are a truth we all are living. Having a core group of people who love, trust, protect, and accept you is a gift we all want and perhaps the best happy ending we can have. Those are what I expect from a Backman Novel and My Friends was no exception.

Thank you to Atria Books for an early electronic copy via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

MY FRIENDS is a classic Fredrik Backman story - beautifully written and at turns hilarious, sentimental, achingly sad, and yet somehow still hopeful. The characters and story will stay with you and the tale unravels in a way that delivers surprises and unknowns. Ultimately a satisfying journey.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for the opportunity to read and review MY FRIENDS.

Fredrik Backman, can you do no wrong? I love you and I trust you. (You'll get this when you read it, which you must).

Backman writes about grief and family and friends like no other. His beautiful words sometimes are so often just perfect for the feeling he is trying to convey. I will forever read everything Backman writes, and this book didn't change my mind about that. I loved the characters- all of them. I loved the quirky premise.

My Friends releases May 6, 2025, and I highly recommend preordering or adding it to your library's holds list right now.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Fredrik Backman is one of my favorite authors and this book is a perfect example of why. The way he shares a story with such raw and real emotions is unlike any other. This book made me both laugh out loud and sob. It is a testament to art, creativity, life, death, hardships, happiness, grief, and mostly an ode to friendship. Each of the characters is so real and so relatable, but each in different ways. The way this books explores friendships—between children, teens, adults, and spanning generations is so deep and moving. My Friends will be a book that sits with me for awhile and might even be my favorite book of the year, even though it’s only February when I’m reading it. If I could give this more than 5 stars, I would. Adored every second of it.

"I love you. I trust you."

Louisa, 17, soon to be 18, is an aspiring artist with a deep fascination for the painting The One of the Sea, created by the renowned artist C. Jat when he was a child prodigy. The painting depicts three small friends sitting at the end of a pier, and Louisa has always dreamed of seeing it in person and uncovering the story behind these characters.

Twenty-five years earlier, in a coastal town, four teenagers escape their troubled lives by forming a close-knit friendship. Their bond grows stronger as they navigate their 14-going-on-15 summer, marked by the scars of grief and challenging circumstances. Fredrik Backman captures the essence of what it’s like to be 14, where the lines between friendship and infatuation blur. Ted, serious and introspective, eventually becomes a history teacher, tasked with telling their story. Joar is rebellious, humorous, and headstrong, while "the artist" sees the world through a unique lens, capturing the beauty of their shared laughter on canvas. This summer gives rise to a remarkable piece of art and an artist the world has yet to fully appreciate.

The painting ultimately ends up in Louisa’s hands, sparking her journey across the country with Ted to discover its origins—and perhaps, gain insight into how to move forward with her life. Through alternating timelines, we follow Louisa, who has inherited this significant artwork. The artist, having spent his last bit of money to reclaim the painting, passes it on to Louisa, a grieving foster child, after a chance encounter in an alley. As Louisa and Ted travel together, Ted shares the story behind the painting, while Louisa’s thoughtful questions and keen artist's eye help her understand more about the painting—and life itself. Recently mourning the loss of her beloved friend Fish, Louisa faces the daunting task of continuing without her partner in crime. Ted, though from a later stage in life, understands the power of love and connection.

This is a story about how we view and value art, what defines an artist, and the depth of friendship and loyalty. Each character is deeply flawed and carries their own sadness, yet they remain loyal to those in need, even to their own detriment. The painting’s frequent description in the narrative created a vivid image in my mind, and I couldn’t help but feel a bit frustrated by the cover preview showing only the teenagers’ legs beneath the sea, as I longed to see the painting itself.

In this book, I fell in love with the beautifully crafted characters—Louisa, Ali, Joar, Ted, the artist—and their personal growth. These are people who have faced hardship but rise to meet it in their own remarkable ways.

A huge thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for providing an Advance Readers Copy in exchange for my honest review.

Fredrik Backman has done it again—he’s broken my heart, but in the best way possible. His books always have that perfect mix of humor and heartbreak, and this one is no exception.

At its heart, this is a story about friendship—the kind that’s messy, complicated, and completely unforgettable. I laughed and I cried and then cried some more.

Bittersweet, beautiful, and full of heart—4.5 stars!

If you want to feel the full range of human emotions, this book is for you! Fredrik Backman does it once again, making me laugh, making me cry, and filling me with a sense of hope.

How do you go about describing the most beautiful, riveting Backman book you have ever read? My Friends was everything I desired and more — the story telling was absolutely impeccable and I haven’t stopped thinking about it since I finished.

I’m so sad it isn’t out yet, but once it is, run out immediately and grab it. I have a feeling this will be my favorite book of the year.

Exquisite stream of consciousness ramblings wrapped up with Backman style wisdom that will leave you feeling all the emotions. These characters will take you on a journey of friendship, belonging, and finding small moments of joy and meaning in this mixed up world we live in. Get ready to reminisce about your own childhood adventures and friends as you follow along with these characters through two timelines full of shenanigans, art, and everything life throws at you.

Reading a Fredrik Backman book you expect a bit much. That's why we pick it. We want that. So what happens when after waiting for the next novel you read it and you don't get that emotional punch in the gut that you were looking for? You feel bereft. Yes, this story has all the typical Backman characterizations- deep emotional connections, well developed and lovable characters, and a life affirming tone. But something was missing. I kept expecting a more convoluted plot like Anxious People.

I'm so glad that I am an outlier given the number of 5 star reviews, and thrilled that people are getting the reading experience that I was hoping for.

This book is a complete masterpiece! I love Fredrik Backman's books and his characters. By the time I finished this book I felt like his friends were my friends. The character development was so deep.. This is a fairly long saga spanning a few decades but it never gets boring or drawn out. This book will make you laugh and cry. I highly recommend this book! Thanks to @NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

1.5 Stars

I really wanted to love My Friends like so many others, but unfortunately, I just couldn’t finish it. The story felt overly silly, the characters grated on my nerves, and the writing style didn’t work for me at all. I typically enjoy Fredrik Backman’s emotional depth and humor, but here, it felt more forced than heartfelt.

I know this is an unpopular opinion—almost everyone seems to be raving about it—but I just couldn’t connect with the story or its characters. Maybe it’s a case of the wrong book at the wrong time, or maybe it just wasn’t for me. Either way, I’ll be sitting this one out.