Fredrik Backman's books are always brilliant and his latest, "Anxious People" is no exception. This is easily one of the best books I have read this year! On its surface, it is a story about a bank robbery and hostage situation gone wrong, but it really is so much more than that. It is a story about people doing the very best that they can in this indifferent and cruel world. It is both heartbreaking and heartwarming. Once again Backman created a cast of quirky characters with whom the reader can't help but identify and fall in love. The prose is witty and entertaining, but also serves to make the characters seem alive and completely human. It is not an easy read, and truthfully should be read slowly as to savor every word, but it is so worth the work! I don't often reread books, but I will read this one over and over again.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher., and the author for the incredible opportunity of reading an advanced digital copy of this phenomenal book in exchange for my honest review. I anxiously await Backman's next novel!

I am beginning to think Fredrik Backman can't miss. I loved this book, just as I've loved all his books. His writing is beautiful and he always gets to me.

Did not think I would enjoy this, but characterizaction and dialogue are on point. Funny and at the same time an examination of human dynamics, Anxious People is hard to put down. Not much of a mystery as we already know who did it, but seeing how unrelated lives come to together to remedy a situation is the real gift to the reader. Well written...looking forward to more from this author.

I've had this book for weeks but have been nervous to read it because my Ove love runs deep I was sure I'd be disappointed. While I did not love this one as much, it was still one of my favorite reads this year. Backman is a masterful storyteller, weaving together timelines and viewpoints in a truly marvelous way.

I wish I could come up with the best words for this book, but it’ll never compare to the genius writing contained within the chapters of Anxious People.

The description of a bank robbery gone wrong sounded funny, and definitely entertaining. But I wasn’t ready for the many nuggets of wisdom that Backman delivered throughout. The still and thoughtful moments about what it means to be human really caught me by surprise. His writing is funny in one sentence then suddenly hits you with a brilliant statement of love, loss, family, and even depression.

There were some tough subjects, specifically about suicide, that were hard to read but I appreciated the elegance and grace with how he handled it. My favorite character, in fact, was quite obnoxious and confident but slowly reveals to a psychiatrist how troubled she truly is.

Anxious People is so much more than a “bank robbery gone wrong”. It is an introspective view of what makes us human, about our fears and hopes. and how fragile our lives can be. I highly recommend this book to anyone that is a fan of beautiful writing and unique stories.

Thank you @Atriabooks and #netgalley for my advanced e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

I've loved everything Backman has had published in English and [book:Beartown|33413128] is one of the best books I've read over the last 5 years.

Unfortunately this one was a huge disappointment. It took me over 2 months to finish it, which is simply a testament to the author's previous work that I kept going. He has taken this book into the farcical and it read much more like [author:Jonas Jonasson|3222554] than Backman. I'm all for humour, but this became like a weird cringeworthy slapstick comedy.

I did like the story in some ways. How the different characters backstories were reveled and some of the connections between them. But that is not enough to sustain a novel.
I did get a little teary at the end reading his acknowledgements and I can only assume he wanted to write a novel about mental health and suicide without it being emotionally draining. So instead he attempted a comedy. It just didn't work for me.

I will read more of his books because everything else he has written is fantastic. And we all deserve a second chance.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

I have mixed feelings about this book. I have read other Fredrik Backman books and really enjoyed them. This one, I didn't quite know what to make of at first. While the banter was clever, it was a bit tiresome and I felt that I was reading a play rather than a novel. I didn't care much for the characters....until the last 1/3 of the book. The latter part of the book was really heartwarming and heartfelt and I ended up really enjoying the end. There is a lot for book groups to discuss in this one.

Anxious People By Fredrik Backman

Rating 5 / 5 Stars

Publication Date - 9/8/2020

** Thank you to Netgalley, Atria Books, and of course, Fredrik Backman, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

When I saw the opportunity to read Anxious People early for reviewing I was ELATED. Backman is one of my favourite authors, one who with every book he releases becomes better and better. I am so glad I went on a binge of his books a few years ago. Anxious People only adds to his amazing portfolio. The hype is all 100% accurate and expected with Backman.

This story focuses on an apartment open house. We meet eight strangers, all with their own quirks and faults. When these eight are taken hostage by a wannabe bank robber, they are forced into a situation one only has nightmares about. Suddenly, their own individual issues are not the core of their being. Through the pressure of the situation, the eight strangers open to one another, finally revealing long-hidden secrets. This boils over as the robber has to decide - turn himself in or deal with these insufferable people for a moment longer.

I ADORED THIS BOOK. One of my favourites of 2020 for sure. Backman has done it again - providing a wonderful writing style that gives you all of the feels for every single character. The novel flows perfectly as it jumps from the present to backstories, secrets, and the reason for their being at the open house, to begin with.

Bravo!

Since I normally enjoy Fredrik Backman’s quirky writing style, I was looking forward to reading his new release Anxious People. For the first part of the story, I wanted to rename the book Obnoxious People. Other than the two police officers, I didn’t like any of the characters. I wasn’t getting the “comical nature” of the book. Then about half-way through, the somewhat unreliable narrator gave a plot twist that changed the direction of the story. Afterward, I started to enjoy this convoluted tale more once I realized why the characters had been so flighty in the first part of the story.

In a small Swedish town, a bank robber attempts to rob a bank (but only for enough money to pay rent), but the bank is cashless and the robber gets no money. The bank robber runs across the street and stumbles into an apartment viewing. The bank robber locks the door and holds the people at the viewing hostage. Eventually, the bank robber frees the hostages. When the police enter the apartment, the bank robber has vanished into thin air.

The novel starts with the hostages being interviewed by a young police officer, whose father is also his partner. The interviews are all quite difficult, and the witnesses seem like total idiots. As the story progresses, we learn the backstories of the bank robber, the hostages, the police officers, along with the psychologist of one of the hostages and the bank teller. These honest stories of ordinary, anxious people are the heart of the novel. Each of them asks themselves “What is love?” and “What would you be willing to do for love?”. Once the mystery of the disappeared bank robber is solved, the novel then provides the reader with the happily ever after stories of the characters..

Thank you to Atria books and Netgalley!!!

“It hurts just so much at times, being human.”

Anxious People is a bank robbery, of sorts, gone awry. But it’s really about the people involved in the hostage situation, of sorts. Neither the robbery nor the hostage situation is what one might think before they’ve started this amazing read. And you’re going to stumble across, as Backman puts it, a bunch of idiots. But it’s going to make you cycle through all the emotions along the journey.

“Then we try to find a way to convince ourselves that that will just have to...be enough. So we can live with our failures without drowning.”

This book is witty, it’s smart and beautiful, and I found myself highlighting so many things as I went along. I don’t want to say much more for fear of spoiling what is sure to be one of your most favorite books this year. But I laughed out loud at some moments, and then my eyes filled up during others. You must read this book, it’s fantastic. Thank you, Atria Books, for sending this gem along.

Thank you Simon and Schuster and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book.
I would definitely recommend this book. The book begins with a bank robbery gone awry and the bank robber taking a group of people hostage. There were parts of the book that were a little slow for me but once I got to know the quirky hostages I was hooked.

I would read anything by Fredrik Backman. I think he is one of my favorite authors of all time and this new novel was no different.

Frederick Backman is known for his witty and insightful prose. In Anxious People (such an apt title for these uncertain times), he does not fail. Leading the reader in one direction he aptly changes course just as we think we know where the plot heads. This makes for a fun read. Perfect for fans of this prolific and talented writer!

This book was delightful, from the beginning to the end. I love the characters and how their flaws are so realistic. Their interactions both inspired me and gave me pause to think about my own place in this crazy world. This was a quick read but, by no means, does that mean it was fluff. Meaty and thought-provoking! I highly recommend.

This book is great! Would definitely recommend. Loved this book, the characters and the writing are so amazing! I will definitely read more of this author. Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

This was one of my most anticipated fall book releases. This is now one of my favorite of his books. I laughed. I cried. I rooted for all of the motley crew of characters. It’s a comedy about a bank robber and a hostage situation that turns out to be so much more. I just wanted to hug all the characters by the end. Mental health, depression, anxiety, OCD, suicide, grief, substance abuse, divorce, loneliness... all these were covered in an approachable way. As a mental health professional, I love seeing these topics normalized in books.

Thank you for the opportunity to review this book.

If you or someone you know is struggling, help is available. Speak with a counselor today, available 24 hours. 1-800-273-8255. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.

An apartment viewing unexpectedly turns into a hostage situation, but of a very unusual kind. There is a pistol, but there is no blood; in fact there are pizzas and firecrackers. The eight strangers, open up to each other while they wait for this situation to resolve which eventually leads to a unanticipated but deeply touching climax.

I admit, and I am sure in minority here, this isn’t my favorite Backman. He does what he is best at, untangle the complexities of human emotions with efficacy and weave in together multitude of emotions without creating a clutter. He only can talk about parenting, globalization, capitalism, economic crisis and mental health, all together in a chapter in context of a hostage crisis. What I didn’t catch up to was the pace of the book, they first half didn’t have the grip on my that his previous works have had. The climax did make up for most of the disappointment though.

I really liked how he played with the word “Stockholm”. It is a euphemism for hope, despair, envy and unknown. It obviously is also a syndrome that victims of hostage crisis may suffer. He blends all this together beautifully in the narrative; and it camouflages to express many things succinctly. The reader has the task to ponder to associate meaning with it.

I loved it! I absolutely loved it!

I suppose it was about what causes anxiety in people in today’s world. But what it was really about was helping others become their best selves. It was about encouraging each other; it was about accepting one another (warts and all); it was about solving one’s own problems or needing and accepting help from others to do that; it was about humanity – timeless humanity – in the midst of inhumane situations. At the same time there was a lot of humor and a tremendous amount of depth.

The flow of the story was definitely hither and thither – even a bit hurky jerky. But then that’s the aspect of life the story was depicting. Things don’t always go smoothly nor the way we plan them. Even though at times the style made it a bit difficult to follow, I appreciate the author’s genius in giving the storyline the same insecurity as the life it was portraying.

Excellent character development.

I received a review copy of this book from Net Galley and the publisher, Atria Books, in exchange for an honest review.

You know the saying, "Be kind. You never know what someone is going through"? Anxious People by Fredrik Backman is the epitome of that saying.

Backman is a master storyteller. He has a way with creating these characters that feel three dimensional and touches on heavy themes with a slightness of hand, rather than smacking you over the head with it. Subtlety is Backman's strength and I am always here for it.

I am a die hard Backman fan, so of course I enjoyed Anxious People. I love how he is able to touch on so many topics with a slew of characters that are relatable. The reigning theme of Anxious People is that we are all struggling with our own internal battles. Even someone who is composed and seems to have it all together, has their own things they are struggling with. Each character brought their own set of issues and this bizarre "hostage" situation ended up being a cathartic experience for all of them. We live in a day and age where everyone's lives are plastered all over social media. And not their "real" lives, the parts of their lives they choose to share. Not many people share the hard, ugly parts of their life, so all we see is this happy, go lucky façade that you can't help but compare yourself to. Anxious People breaks down the façade and tells us the story of how we all have a struggle in common and connecting at that level can be lifechanging.

This book has no shortage of characters: Jim and Jack, the father/son law enforcement duo, Ro and Julia, wives who are expecting their first child and searching for the perfect apartment to settle into, Anna-Lena and Roger, empty nesters who use house hunting and flipping apartments as a way to stay connected, Estelle, a sweet elderly woman who misses her husband, Zara, a complicated business woman who is a cynical as they come, the real estate agent who is as bizarre as they come, the bank teller who is "held up" and experiences a pretty traumatic situation, but uses sarcasm to avoid dealing with it, and Zara's therapist, who wants to connect with Zara and make a difference in her life.

It is easier than it seems to keep track of all of these characters and their internal battles. That is what I love about Backman. He is able to throw a ton of literary characters at you, but in a way the reader can keep up with. I really enjoyed each of these strange, anxious people and how real and relatable they all were.

Backman has done it again! He has to be a great observer of people. He always seems to nail human nature! This one will hit even closer to home for some. These characters have feelings we have all felt at one time or another. I love how he weaves the lives of these seemingly unrelated people together so (seemingly) effortlessly. There are a lot of characters in this book but it was surprisingly easy to keep them all straight.

As always, I will be eagerly awaiting the next book by Fredrik Backman.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book.