Thank you to the publisher for providing a free ARC of this book.

I adore Fredrik Backman. Everything he writes is imbued with some sort of magic. He doesn't just write stories, he creates people and places that are so beautiful you long for them to be real. This book was no exception.

I loved every single character. I YEARNED for each person to get what they needed out of life, what they deserved in order to be happy. Because if THIS group of people can be happy, so can everyone.

I laughed, I cried, I was surprised and heartbroken. But as always, I finished the book feeling lighter. That I learned something new about life and love and anxious people. Absolutely fabulous book and author, and I recommend this book for EVERYONE.

Thank you to @atriapublishing for accepting my persistent plea for an ARC. Pub Date: 9.8.2020

Fredrik Backman is one of my favorite authors. If he had a Fan Club I'd be the President. He doesn't have one- I just checked. So maybe I could be the Founder...

Oh my heart- he did it again. ANXIOUS PEOPLE was an absolute gem. This story was packed with so much emotion. I found myself alternating between bursts of laughter and bouts of tender tears. Backman has this way of simply, yet poignantly unraveling the layers of what makes us human. He shines a light on how the small, seemingly insignificant ways we connect with each other can ultimately be big, life changing moments. He takes this group of quirky, flawed individuals and orchestrates them into a unexpected community. Sigh- it was such a satisfying reading experience.

ANXIOUS PEOPLE is one of those unicorn books for me- compelling writing that supports a captivating story with well defined, memorable characters. Win.Win.Win.

A failed bank robber walks into an open house....⁣
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No, that’s not the beginning of a joke. It’s the premise for Fredrik Backman’s new novel, Anxious People (who else can relate to this title?🙋🏻‍♀️)⁣
That bank robber inadvertently holds the 7 people viewing the apartment hostage and those anxious people end up having a lot more in common than they could ever have imagined. ⁣
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It is a book about humanity and connection; our basic desires, fears, emotions that ultimately bring us together. ⁣
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I was so anxious (haha) to read this and I was not disappointed! I genuinely loved this book. So much. Filled with tons of humor, hope and heart that we have come to expect from all of Backman’s books. I read this in one day and felt so many emotions as the story came to a close. I may have even given my reading device a little squeeze 🤗 (is that weird?)⁣
My (very) anxious self is so grateful that Backman gave us this story. Another incredible book by a one of a kind author!⁣
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Thank you to @netgalley, @backmansk and @atriabooks for the e-ARC! ⁣
✨Pub date 9/8/20✨⁣

Quintessential Backman. I haven’t met another writer who so deftly takes us from the ridiculously funny to the raw ache of pure human emotion in the space of a page. Or a paragraph. Or a sentence. We have the lovable characters and the almost unbelievable plot lines that Backman readers have come to expect, along with the absolute sense of well-resolved good read when we turn the final page. Another winner, for sure.

OK, so according to the author, this book is about a botched bank robbery, an apartment open house, and a hostage situation. That’s it. And most everyone in the story is an idiot. Again, author’s words. Does this sound like a must-read to you? No? It certainly doesn’t to me either. But I read it because I have faith in said author to deliver a great story no matter how boring the premise. Did I like it? Yes, I did. I actually loved it. And I loved it enough to put it in my potential “best book of the year” category (which only has one other book in it so far).

Wow, this author. Fredrik Backman sure understands the human struggle. The struggle to survive, to connect, to love, to do the right thing by others, and to just live a decent life. He could take an empty room with white-washed walls, beige carpeting, no windows, and two people and turn the scene into a Pulitzer prize-winning novel. And he does it with humor. Ridiculous humor—my kind of humor. I laughed out loud many times during this story but cried throughout the last several chapters, which served brilliantly as the epilogue.

Early on I read one of his novellas. I think I gave it a two-star rating. What the hell was wrong with me then? I never reread anything, but I’m going to reread that novella and see what I think of it now. More than 2 stars worth, I’m sure.

This story is chock full of fascinating characters, 12 in all, I believe. Most of them are misfits—anxious misfits, and it was so captivating to follow them through this essentially one-day story. All at the same time this book is compelling, heartfelt, inspiring, and ridiculous.

I can’t write well enough to really give this novel its due. Just trust me when I say you need to read it. It will be good for your soul.

Thank you Net Galley, Atria Books/Simon and Shuster, and Fredrik Backman for allowing me to read an ARC of this book. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.

Much love for Backman’s latest novel, Anxious People! ⠀
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The novel centers on a police investigation into a hostage situation committed at an apartment open house. As the police unravel the story, you get to know each of the hostages, and the person who was holding them all hostage, through Backman’s beautiful prose. As we’ve all come to love and expect from this author, the novel provides such unique insights into human nature. It captures what it means when a secret or something from our past comes to haunt us, and how we can each save one another, even in the most “anxious” of times. ⠀

I loved the mystery element to this book, and all of the twists along the way. There were a couple of things that happened that surprised me so much, I had to flip back to the beginning to make sure they made sense (they did!). I also loved the classic Backman storytelling, with the elements of humor and honesty that make us all love him so much. If you’re a fan of his past work, this one won’t disappoint. Be sure to pick it up this September!⠀

Anxious People revolves around a bank robbery gone wrong that leads to a hostage situation elsewhere which also goes wrong. The story follows Fredrik Backmans’ expertly executed tradition of stories hidden within the main story. There are lessons to be learned from his writings.
This book is about life, relationships and the choices we make. It is beautifully written with characters I adored.
The writing switched back and forth from the past events to the investigation but it does so flawlessly. I enjoyed this book tremendously, and recommended it to anyone looking for a “Enduring Read”. This book is one to purchase an extra copy of, as you will want to share it as a gift.

Thank you Netgalley and the editor for allowing be to read the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Anxious People is another winner from this author, filled with memorable characters and quirky plot twists. The story has a bit of a mystery element, but it is definitely an unusual one. Each character is slowly developed over the course of the novel, until the reader comes to see them fully - something that Backman really does well. Though it is a bit more complicated than some of his other titles, I think this would appeal to readers who enjoyed the heartfelt, community-as-family element of A Man Called Ove. Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for early access so that I can promote this to library patrons!

The people are certainly anxious! This is a fun and quick read, I had a few chuckles outside in the sun enjoying this sort of wacky story. There are many quirky characters and bumbling inspectors all with wild notions of others and crazy perspectives. A number of people are viewing an apartment for sale, most with arterial motives and wild ideas, when a "bank robber" appears and hold them hostage. The story contains interviews with the police of each of the perspective buyers, quite the farce. Loved the anxiousness of all the characters. Thank you #NetGalley#AnxiousPeople#AtriaBooks

Brilliant! I love Backman. This one is clever and heartwarming and so damn funny. The worst hostages ever. 😁

Was this book about a bank robbery? Idiots? Anxiety? Human connections? Love?

This book has filled up both my left ventricle and my right atrium. They are full to the brim with blood and disgusting, warm fuzzy feelings. I closed this book and I felt HOPEFUL for humanity, which is really saying something considering what’s currently going on in 2020. I find myself completely exasperated every day with humans I come in contact with in real life. This book made me stop and think, “Hey, maybe have some patience with people?” What a concept!

Basically, a bunch of strangers become “hostages” when they get stuck in an apartment with a very confused “bank robber.” They initially all seem quite impossible. A bunch of idiots, truly. Watching them all interact and form bonds was a pure delight. Jack and Jim are two cops who are put to the task of interrogating these fools to find out what actually went down in the apartment during the “hostage situation.” Every character brought their own slew of quirky behaviors. There was one character who I would’ve loved to push into an active volcano, but for the most part I found myself slowly starting to understand and root for the rest of them as the story went on. (Estelle, I love you so much, babe).

My favorite thing about this book was that it forced me to take a good look at how quickly I often judge people. I’ll be honest, when I first read that some of our main characters were cops, my eyes rolled so far back into my head I thought I was going to strain my optic nerve. There were a lot of jabs towards millennials and the youths™ in the beginning as well, which also bothered me. I was worried I wasn’t going to like this book. But I kept reading. And laughing. And gasping. And falling for these idiots. Listen, I think most of us are just trying our best. Yes, there are exceptions. There are a lot of people who are not trying at all. But there are so many more that are. It’s important to focus on that. It’s important that we keep trying to find our people. This book made me want to keep looking for mine.

It’s five stars from me. I’ll definitely be recommending this book to friends and patrons of the library.

Thanks to Atria Books and Netgalley for sending this ARC to me in exchange for an honest review.

This book is about a bank robbery, or is it? The author uses a hostage situation to delve into human relationships, especially those life circumstances that make us do things that only an idiot would do in hindsight. Backman has a unique way of wording the actions of the eleven characters and their thought processes as they deal with what life throws in their path. A better understanding of the circumstances of others helps to put life in perspective, and realize we've all made bad choices. We are all just anxious people trying to do life one day at a time.

I’m thrilled to see so many new titles from my favorite authors this year. Backman is back with another story that illuminates the human experience, prompted by his own struggles with anxiety. It may be a surprise to many readers that the roots of this story also go back fifteen years to when Backman was shot in the leg during a robbery. a bank robber locks himself in with an assortment of bank patrons. In his new novel, an addled bank robber takes a motley assortment of strangers hostage at an open house. Anxious People touches in turn on each of those strangers, the father-son police duo sent to their aid, the would-be bank robber, the realtor, a therapist, and the long-ago event that connects them all. Part locked-room mystery, part examination of human behavior, I think fellow Backman fans will be pleased with his latest.

I want to thank NetGalley, the publishing house, and the author for allowing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Frederik Backman. What a talent! I read "Ove" and just adored it. This one is different although still very much in this writers style. He has the ability to write humorous stories about very serious topics. It's difficult to explain his books - "You see its a sweet, funny book, but it's about idiots and suicide and hostages." But it's also about love and forgiveness. In a time where the US (and world really) is so divided, this book gave me comfort that we are all more or less the same inside. Most of us worry about money, marriages or relationships, loneliness at some point in our lives or another, missed opportunities, sacrifices made, and especially mistakes that have been made.
This was a good lighter, humorous read that left me feeling a little lighter inside and with a little more hope for the human race.
We can't show half stars but I'd give 4.5 if I could.

I’ve read most of Backman’s titles but I just did not get this one at all. Not what I’ve come to expect from this author.

I’ve read and enjoyed several Backman novels, but I had a hard time with a big slice of this one, as I’ll explain.

Poor Jim and Jack, father-and-son police officers, are investigating a failed bank robbery-turned-hostage-situation, which ended with the release of the hostages and the disappearance of the perpetrator. Much of the book is taken up with their interrogations of the hostages. Almost all the interviewees are either extremely rude to Jim and Jack, treating their questions as if they’re offensive or nonsensical, or they argue among themselves or go off on self-absorbed tangents and passive-aggressively don’t answer questions. Each interview is like some kind of obnoxious 21st-century version of the “who’s on first” comedy routine. The problem for me is that I can’t stand this type of humor. Jim and Jack are so unfailingly polite to these jerks, which actually just made me more annoyed, since I couldn’t help thinking that maybe these people wouldn’t be such jerks if somebody straightened them out. But I know that a lot of people enjoy this type of humor, maybe even the majority, so I kept going.

Putting aside the patter that was obnoxious to me, there is much to like in the book. At bottom, it’s about being human, and how that can be a source of so much pain but also happiness. And, as usual in a Backman book, the end is full of schmaltzy uplift. (For some people, that is an affirmation, for others it may be a warning.)

My rating is largely based on my personal distaste for the type of humor in the book. For those who have a different taste, this could be an enjoyable read throughout.

Somehow, every Fredrik Backman book seems to be a lighthearted, fun, easy read that, in reality, is filled with deeply philosophical, emotionally charged wisdom. In Anxious People, we meet a motley group of folks who are viewing an apartment, a failed bank robber, and a father-son police team, all of whom have their own anxiety-ridden stories that become expertly woven together to make a whimsical story about human nature.

Anxious People throws a group of strangers together under unusual circumstances at an apartment showing, right after a bank robbery gone wrong. In a quirky, staccato, voice, this book is written in true Backman style. Each character is quite distinctive from the other characters and will have you feeling both amused and empathetic as they delve into their individual lives while being held hostage by a hapless burglar. What can I say? This author draws me in with every book he writes and leaves me feeling good when I put the book down for the last time. Thank you to NetGalley for the advance read copy, it was a joy to read.

Being an anxious person, I wanted to pick up the latest book by Fredrick Backman. This is the second book I’ve read from this author after Beartown. I enjoyed the social commentary about the difficulties of adulthood. I was surprised by the author’s ability to make you sympathize with a bank robber. It was interesting to read about the relationship between the father and son cops and their interviews with the witnesses. At first I wasn’t sure where this book was going or what its purpose would be in that it simply seemed to be an exploration of different people. Every single person in this book was so unique and quirky. I liked how the characters connected with each other in various ways. As a prospective new home owner, it was funny to read all the banter between the hostages about the housing market and the intricacies of selecting and bidding for a home. The writing was clever and quick-witted. The whole plot was rather comical and humorous, however, I can see how some readers will find this book to be depressing too. About halfway through there is a reveal I wasn’t expecting in terms of who the bank robber was, and you could see the hostages becoming attached to their captor (hence why Stockholm was mentioned repeatedly). Everything wrapped up nicely with a positive and hopeful ending.

5 Powerful Stars

“Anxious People” is a thought provoking, heart-wrenching, comical novel that leaves you in wonderment. It’s Fredrik Backman at his best. At its heart, this book deals with human connection and the impact people have on each other. It showcases Mr. Backman’s talent in an entirely new way and it is another reminder as to why he is one of my favorite authors.

Fredrik Backman is an author who has an innate ability to capture the human spirit, get under his characters’skins, and relay his characters thoughts and feelings in a way that makes us feel as if we know them, as if we are friends with them and at times, as if we are them.

“Anxious People” is different from Backman’s other novels, there are no quirky curmudgeons like Ove or Britt-Marie and there are no Benji’s. This story features a Bank Robber, a Hostage Situation, a Real Estate Agent and an entire cast of other extremely complicated characters. This is a character driven novel and it delves into the trials and tribulations of each individual whose lives are affected by the situation that they are in. I had no idea what I was in for when I dived in - what I will say is that each and every character will steal your heart. It’s that thing called human connection.

Within just a few minutes of reading this, tears pricked my eyes and I knew from that moment on that this book was special. It is wild and crazy and unlike anything you’ve ever read. At times you will be exasperated and yet you will keep reading. One minute you will be laughing and the next you will be in tears. For me, it happened and happened often.

Once again, Fredrik Backman does something special here and I’m so very grateful for it.

“Anxious People” is a must read and it will most certainly be on my Goodreads Best of List for 2020. This novel reminded me that everything I do can potentially impact others and therefore, I must think before I act. It also reminded me how important human connection is and how grateful I am for the relationships I have built with all of you. Though times are difficult right now, I am thankful that we have each other. I wish you all good health, peace and safety. Namaste.

A huge thank you to Ms. Ariele Friedman at Atria Books and NetGalley for the arc. Thank you also to Fredrik Backman for continuing to write such incredible words. You inspire me.

Published on Goodreads on 5.9.2020.