This is a story about a bank robbery that goes wrong, the robber panics and takes hostage a group of people viewing an apartment in the building opposite.. When the hostages are released unharmed all that remains in the apartment is a gun and a pool of blood, the robber has literally disappeared into thin air. Except it’s not just a story about a robber taking hostages then mysteriously disappearing, so if that’s the only kind of book you like to read this may not be for you. That’s just a tiny part of the story, it’s about so much more than that. It’s about people being idiots but doing the best they can and sometimes that just isn’t enough. It’s a book that’s well worth reading, it will make you laugh and it will make you cry. The people in the story, the robber, the hostages and the police are all human beings doing what they can to make the best of their lives, but after this day life will change for every one of them.
A few years ago I read Backman’s “Man Calle Ove” and I loved it so much I recommended it to everyone, a boy at the school where I worked borrowed it, brought it back and complained it made him cry, it made his mum cry and it made his dad cry. That’s what a good book does for you. Since then I’ve read everything Backman has written and although I’ve thoroughly enjoyed them, because he has such a good eye for human frailty but is never judgemental, nothing was as good as Ove. Until this one. I’m now going to message that boy and tell him to pre-order “Anxious People” because here is another wonderful story about a group of people who have done the right thing and done the wrong thing as we all do. Some of them are instantly likeable, some aren’t, but somehow by the end of their story you’ll be rooting for them all. And yes I cried at the end, except the next sentence made me laugh and then I cried again before laughing again. . Backman does that to me.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
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“We’ve created lives where we can watch other people crash into the wall but still hope somehow we’re going to pass straight through it”. This quote from Backman’s latest novel encapsulates the core of this story - we are all living a life in which hardships are common and he goes further to normalize the notion of reaching out to others in these difficult times. This quirky story centers around a hostage situation at an apartment showing, but reaches beyond that to show what others will do for the people they love and the unequivocal important of human connection. Through his incredible characterizations, witty anecdotes and raw honesty, Backman reminds us that we must not judge others before we truly get to know them.

Ok. Amaxing. I've come to expect a lot from Bsckman. But this book. These people. These feels. It is a short read, but i just didn't want it to end. Beautiful, interwoven stories of the lives of a group of people unexpectedly tossed together by circumstances. Get this book. Get a glass of wine and some pizza (trust me). Take the day off and tell everyone to go away and savor it.

I hope you’re not reading this review before reading this book. Bc you should go into this thing blind.
It’s a book about idiots that made me so mad and then made me cry so hard. It was perfect. If it’s not the best book I read this year - it’s awfully close.

*Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to offer my unbiased opinion*

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A fun moving novel. If you loved A Man called Ove you will enjoy this one. Interconnecting characters that come together. Several surprises a long the way. Stresses the ripple effect when someone commits suicide,

"This is a story about a bank robbery, an apartment viewing and a hostage drama. But even more it's a story about idiots. But perhaps not only that."
I always enjoy Backman's work's and this may be my very favorite now! (yes, even more than "Ove") This delightful tale of a group of people caught up in an unusual circumstance yet all unraveling delightfully together is a JOY to read! Somehow, the author brings out the very best of the human condition in this work and it is funny, and sad and very, very real. One of my favorites of the year!!

Fans of Fredrik Backman will enjoy his latest book, seemingly the story of a hostage situation, but actually the story/stories of the anxious, quirky and endearing characters who find themselves involved in this unorthodox "crime." Like other books by the author, the story is sentimental in a way that stops just shy of being sappy, and its charms outweigh its implausibilities. A slow starter for me, but I enjoyed this novel more and more as it unfolded, and think I would appreciate it even more upon a re-reading. 3.5 stars, with many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Desperation can lead many to unwise decisions and dim-witted actions, and that is, in part, what this story is about, but it’s also about so much more. It’s about a bank robbery, or rather an attempted bank robbery, which fails since the bank robber fails to notice that the bank does not carry cash. It is a “cashless” bank.

Fleeing, but only after being mocked by the twenty-year old bank employee, because at that point running out of the bank seemed the only option to preserve one’s dignity – if any dignity remains at this point – the bank robber who did not actually rob anything ends up fleeing into a building, running up a flight upstairs and into an open viewing for an apartment up for sale, which is occupied by seven people. Well, eight once the bank robber arrives. An older couple who spend their time renovating / flipping homes for profit, as well as something to do together in their retirement years. Two women, a couple who are expecting their baby to be born at any moment, and seem to bicker just for the sake of … bickering. A woman, whose only interest in the apartment seems to be the distant view from the balcony, a view of the bridge. Another woman, one who has lived a long life and seems lost and somewhat alone even within this group of people. Oh, yes, and a rabbit – or a man partially dressed as a rabbit, anyway, as part of a ploy to dissuade potential buyers from wanting to buy this apartment.

Eventually, there will be two policemen, a father and his son, who will wander into this story, a story that may change them, as well.

Inside this story that is filled with many comic moments, some of Backman’s wonderfully wry wisdom seeps in, a perception of what makes people do the things they do, as well as what sometimes breaks them. Sometimes it’s a cycle that repeats, and occasionally someone reaches out a helping hand, and that’s all that is needed to let them know that they matter, that their heartbreaks and their happiness matter. To know that someone is listening, and actually hears is a powerful weapon against the kind of pain that leads to destruction, that just leads to more pain.

Backman, once again, has taken seemingly unrelated puzzle pieces of human beings and put them together a little at a time until the full picture slowly takes shape. As always, a puzzle is an ever evolving picture until the last pieces are strategically, correctly placed, and you view the finished work of art and smile, knowing Backman is a master of his craft and has never let you down.


Pub Date: 08 Sep 2020

Many thanks for the ARC provided by Atria Books (thank you, Ariele!)

#AnxiousPeople #NetGalley

I have read and enjoyed all of Fredrik Backman's books however this was not one I enjoyed. I read half the book and have not finished it. So many characters and they are all depressing. The story jumps around and it is hard to see where everything is going to connect and make sense. I may try and finish reading this at another time .
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I am a fan of Fredrik Backman and this is another good read. It is a study into people and human nature. When a bank robbery goes wrong the the robber crashes a real estate open house the "hostages" are an unusual group. Always great characters in his books this is no exception. You feel empathy for several of the unusual people who populate this story. I enjoy books that are character driven and this one surely is. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

"He was my echo. Everything I do is quieter now,"

It's line like this one that make Frederick Backman a true artist. He is a master of words. Every time I read a book by him, I am impressed by his literary skill. Anxious People is brilliantly written with many other insightful lines that ring so true.

While this is not going to be my favorite Backman book, it still ranks as one of the better books I have read this year. It took me about a third of the book to adjust to the narrative technique. Backman goes back and forth in time and often writes in a second person point of view that takes some getting used to. Once I acclimated to it, it did not impede my enjoyment of the story. The characters also take some time to grow on you. They all seem quite unlikable at the start of the book, to the point of being annoying. I found myself wondering if any of them were going to have redeeming qualities. However, in true Backman style, he develops the characters slowly and exposes their true qualities gradually. In the end, I had changed my mind about most of them.

The plot is very intricate and sometimes to hard to follow, but it seems that is done on purpose. The author wants the reader to be confused along with the police officers. While it frustrated me at time, I appreciated it in the end when everything came together. Backman has a real talent for weaving his story elements together in a complex pattern that somehow, in the end, seems so simple when you look back on it.

Backman does not disappoint. I will continue to read anything he writes, and I feel that other readers should do the same.

Fredrick Backman never disappoints! The way he hooks his reader right from the beginning is magical, his words are poetic, and the ending will leave you shocked and possibly in tears.

I'd like to thank NetGalley, Fredrik Backman, and Atria Books for the advanced reader's copy in exchange for my unbiased review.

I was so excited to read Fredrik Backman’s new book, since I have read many of his and was excited to be lead into a new adventure created by his brilliant mind. And I was not disappointed!

It is a tale of a bank robber who accidentally stumbles into an apartment viewing (while trying to avoid the police) and takes a group of people hostage.
What next?
How does the bank robber handle this situation?
How do the hostages handle this situation?
How do the police handle this situation?
Well…. It’s a pretty complicated, entertaining, and heartwarming story. And you’re going to love it!
During the telling, the reader gets to meet, and develop an intimate relationship with, all involved: the bank robber, all the hostages, and the two policemen. The details become intertwined with each other as your heart goes out to each and every one of these people. The story twists and turns as facts are revealed and circumstances evolve.
This description may sound kind of vague, but I just don’t want to give anything away.
This story is very intricate, put together piece by piece in a way that only Fredrik Backman could bring into existence. You’ll feel a range of emotions: sadness, happiness, joy and despair, but most of all “Hope.” The feeling that when people get together and start to care about each other, anything can happen!
I hope you enjoy this one as much as I did! I highly recommend it!

“This is a story about a bank robbery, an apartment viewing, and a hostage drama. But even more it’s a story about idiots. But perhaps not only that.”

This is a story about love, navigating complex relationships, being there for your person. It is a story about hope and resilience. It is a story about empathy, compassion, and meeting someone where they are. It is a story that we all need to read right now.

With his wry wit and deeply connected storytelling, Fredrik Backman has produced a work of fiction that is funny, heartfelt, and emotional. I want desperately for this to be turned into a play brought to life by equally talented stage actors. It is one of the best books I have read, certainly this year, if not ever.

Advanced copy provided courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Trigger warnings: suicide, anxiety disorder, death

Backman really nailed what it’s like to be anxious with his new book, with humor and lots of heart. The characters were quirky and the story was good. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free copy in exchange for review.

4.5/5

Father and son police officers investigate a hostage situation. An attempted bank robber has accidentally held a group of people viewing an apartment at an open house, after trying to rob a cashless bank. As the hostages are finally released, the bank robber can't be found. What follows is a deeper look into the lives of eight interesting strangers, spliced with interview transcripts, and scenes from the hostage situation- all packed with the whip smart dialogue that I look forward to whenever I read Backman's books.

But it's not really about the bank robbery, or the hostages. It's about how adulthood is just about doing your best. Giving a little grace to others, taking chances despite your assumptions, and how that can change lives.

Fredrik Backman has a gift for giving his readers the most interesting group of characters and delicately weaving them all together. Some you know are connected right away, but other ties are revealed along the way. Zara may be my favorite of all the characters, but it is a seriously difficult choice, as all of them are chock full of personality. Jules and Ro bicker like my wife and I do.

This book was funny, smart and engaging. I stayed up way too late to find out how everything turned out for all of the characters. It was just the escape from reality I needed. I don't think I've ever not loved a Fredrik Backman book, but this one goes up near A Man Called Ove- my favorite book. 5/5 stars

This book releases in the US on September 8th. I've already pre-ordered my own physical copy to re-read.

I was provided an ARC by the publisher, Atria Books, via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

*will post to Instagram on publish date!

I have always loved Fredrik Backman's style and tone of writing, and this book did not disappoint. The witty and insightful observations to human behaviour, a skillful weaving of a story and a satisfying reveal at the end.

This will definitely be a top 10 book for me this year!!

I have now read all of Mr. Bachman’s books and have enjoyed them all. This book had me engaged from the very beginning.

There are a handful of characters and they are all well developed. He is a genius when it comes to portraying people, their emotions, their habits, their “quirkiness”.

This book reminded me of a Seinfeld episode. There are lots of things going on involving most of the usual cast and they don’t all get tied together until the end. I knew that there were underlying connections but I didn’t really guess all of them until they were revealed.

As you know from the quite extensive blurb this is “ a poignant comedy about a crime that never took place, a would-be bank robber who disappears into thin air, and eight extremely anxious strangers who find they have more in common than they ever imagined.”

I took a lot of notes about things that made me laugh but to share them would ruin the surprise for you, the new reader. I have never been so amused while learning lessons about life.

“Everyone inside the apartment had their own complexes, their own demons and anxieties: Roger was wounded, Anna-Lenna wanted to go home, Julia was tired, Ro was worried, Zara was in pain, and Estelle . . .well . . .no one really knew what Estelle was yet. Possibly not even Estelle”

Along with the narration of the events taking place there are also pages of interviews. After the event the police are trying very hard not to personally implode as they interview the hostages who really weren’t hostages!!! Why are they being so uncooperative????

This book is best gone into blind, you won’t understand how incredibly well written it is until you immerse yourself in the story.

If you have read any of Mr. Bachman’s books before, BUY THIS BOOK. If you have never read any of Mr. Bachman’s books, BUY THIS BOOK.

There are some serious issues dealt with along with the lighter tone of the novel including: divorce, lack of leadership, father-son relationships, betrayal by someone you love, psychological problems including thoughts of suicide.

I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through NetGalley
It is set to publish on September 8, 2020

Will post to Amazon upon publication

I know I'm going to be in the minority by not giving this book 5 stars because Backman is such a popular writer right now, but I had such a hard time getting into <i>Anxious People</i>. I loved <i>A Man Called Ove</i> and <i>Beartown</i> but I really struggled getting started with Backman's latest book, which takes place in a small apartment in small town right before the New Year. The story switches between perspectives of the eight people being held hostage by a very inept bank robber, the bank robber, and the police officers trying to solve the mystery of what happened to the bank robber after the hostages were freed.

The book was just too emotional overwrought for me. It hits with heavy emotions from the very beginning and continually hits you over the head with intense emotions on every single page. It made reading it almost exhausting at some points, especially with The Big Life Lessons that were peppered throughout.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

This story is mostly about idiots and a failed bank robbery and an accidental hostage situation.

Right off the bat we get to know so much of the story, but it isn’t until the end of the book that we see how everything weaves together.
It’s almost like a painting-by-numbers project, where we sometimes wonder why we colour certain fields in that exact number and question how it will all make sense, but at the end we are left with a masterpiece.

This is exactly how reading “Anxious People” felt like. Backman draws us in with his superb characters, their little quirks and oddities. At the end you find that everyone is an idiot of some sort, but loveable idiots nonetheless.

I may have cried once or twice and definitely lots at the end.

Favourite book I have read this year for sure!