“𝕀 𝕝𝕠𝕧𝕖 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕀 𝕓𝕖𝕝𝕚𝕖𝕧𝕖 𝕚𝕟 𝕪𝕠𝕦.”

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4)

There are so many quotes I highlighted in this book and love, but I don’t have the final copy to compare to, so I’m unsure if I can share them.

A big theme in this book is grief, and grief has not been a stranger in my life lately, and I felt seen and moved by so much of what was written here.

Backman writes such beautiful prose— but he also made a few too many fart jokes in this one for my liking. I get it was a running bit, I didn’t love it.

If you love a character-driven story, this is the one. There was one chapter I thought was written in a very strange way, it confused me, and I think it was supposed to, but it just threw me for a loop. I don’t want to say too much because i don’t want to post any spoilers, but if you’ve read it and want to know, DM me.

For someone who loves Backman I still have a backlist of his to get through, which is honestly very exciting

Fredrik Backman does it again. I loved all things about this book. I grew attached to the characters and the plot held my interest throughout the book - two things that are a must for me. Many thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for this ARC.

Backman is one of my favorite authors and this book did not let me down. This is a tender story about friendship that has moments of both wonderful humour and heartbreaking sadness. It is set in two time periods, present day and 25 years earlier - when four impoverished teenagers became friends and together, they made sure the one that was a talented artist (KimKim) got noticed. In present day another young talented but troubled artist meets KimKim, and her life is changed. The story moved slowly at times, but it always moved me, and I really enjoyed it. Thanks to NetGalley for the digital advance reading copy. 4.5/5

A new Fredrik Backman book is always something to celebrate. And this remains the case with his new book My Friends. It took me a few chapters to get pulled into the story. However, once I was, I was firmly committed to learning the story of the four friends told by Ted to Louisa as they traveled.
Backman's writing is always "just right" for the specific narrators. Writing dialog and a story from 14-yr-olds' perspectives and getting it "spot on" could only be written by an author like Backman. The description of the friendships just evoked what a gift it was for these kids in their otherwise very tough childhoods. I also loved how bits and pieces were revealed throughout the story, making me want to get to the end to learn the entire story.
The book could have been edited a little tighter. While all of the stories taught the reader something new about these kids, some of them did come across as very meandering and slowed down the pace of the story. And then the ending was a surprise and not at all what I was expecting!
I enjoyed this book immensely. I highly recommend it for the summer since much of the book focuses on the last summer the friends all spent together. Readers who have loved Fredrik Backman's previous books will love this one too!

My heart!!!!

As someone who has always asserted that I do not have a favorite author, I think it's time to admit that has changed. There is something so, so special about Backman's writing. Every couple of pages, I find myself staring at a wall, muttering f**********ck. I go from laughing to crying to questioning my life in a matter of seconds. His stories pierce my soul, and it takes days to recover.

My Friends is no exception. I lost my very best friend in the whole world when I was 20, and she, too, was an incredibly talented artist. I could relate so heavily to remembering summer as the best time of my life, and the struggle of moving on and getting older as you get farther and farther from that time. I don't know how he does it, but Backman nails what it means to be human. We all have our faults, we all have our secrets, we all have our regrets, and that is what makes life so beautiful.

In short, this book is incredible, and it was an honor to read it. Thank you, Backman.

5⭐

Thank you to Atria for providing an ARC for attendees of @bookhuddle ‘s Victoria Retreat. Frederick Bachman did it again. This book had the perfect mixture of witty banter and gut punching life lessons. The characters felt so real, I didn’t want the book to end. I’m usually someone who reads fast to get to the dialogue, but I found myself savoring every word. I highlighted several sentences that I will treasure rereading.

My Friends is a heartwarming, insightful look at friendship and human connection. Backman’s signature humor and empathy shine through, making the characters feel real and relatable. Some parts are deeply touching, while others bring a gentle laugh.

A well-crafted, engaging read that earns 4 stars. Perfect for anyone who appreciates thoughtful storytelling about the bonds that shape us.

Classic Backman! Loved this story about heartbreak, friendship, and figuring out the meaning of life. It has all of the elements that draw readers to his writing time and time again. Loved it.

Fredrik Backman has such a singular voice his writing could only be his. While breaking your heart, he brings you joy. His truths are simple, resonant,"I trust you." A dying noted artist sells everything to be able to purchase the first painting that encapsulated his summer with four friends, and then gives it away to a young homeless woman after seeing her graffiti. Told in dual timelines, we learn about the friends, the painting and their last summer together. Thanks to netgalley and Atria for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Most people don’t even notice them—three tiny figures sitting at the end of a long pier in the corner of one of the most famous paintings in the world. Most people think it’s just a depiction of the sea. But Louisa, an aspiring artist herself, knows otherwise, and she is determined to find out the story of these three enigmatic figures.

Twenty-five years earlier, in a distant seaside town, a group of teenagers find refuge from their bruising home lives by spending long summer days on an abandoned pier, telling silly jokes, sharing secrets, and committing small acts of rebellion. These lost souls find in each other a reason to get up each morning, a reason to dream, a reason to love.

Out of that summer emerges a transcendent work of art, a painting that will unexpectedly be placed into eighteen-year-old Louisa’s care. She embarks on a surprise-filled cross-country journey to learn how the painting came to be and to decide what to do with it. The closer she gets to the painting’s birthplace, the more nervous she becomes about what she’ll find. Louisa is proof that happy endings don’t always take the form we expect in this stunning testament to the transformative, timeless power of friendship and art.

“I love you and I trust you.”

This book is absolute perfection. Without a doubt, Fredrik Backman’s best book yet. I’ll think about these friends for years to come.

My Friends is out now. (Pub date: 5/6/25)

Thanks to @netgalley and @atriabooks for access to this book in exchange for an honest review.i

I liked and appreciate My Friends. Tender and funny and tragic, this book was full to the brim with the human condition, though I found it almost too much of a good thing. The story of four friends who had a remarkable, perilous, wonderful summer fifteen years ago. Now one of them has died, and left eighteen-year-old Louisa a gift. Louisa is a fledgling artist, and has run away from her group home, when she meets Ted, one of the four friends. The book finds Ted relating their long ago summer, while he and Louisa take a journey together. I’m being intentionally vague, because most of the tension arises from plot points that would be total spoilers if I’m more specific.

Backman creates good characters, and I felt like I really got to know Ted, Louisa, and the others. He writes with a fair amount of humour, but it’s humour with a tinge of sadness, and the pages of the novel are steeped in hardship. The four friends of old, and Louisa now, have lived very difficult lives. Backman is a master of writing beautiful sentences that capture the tragedy and wonder of human life.

It was about half way in that I started to think, however, that the humour and tragedy were becoming a tad repetitive, and the pace had slowed. It was so good, but a little too much of it all, and I wonder if paring some of the dialogue back and tightening the plot would have been of benefit. As the book entered its last chapters, though, I became entranced once again, and it ended strong. I liked some of the choices that Backman made for his characters, and I also enjoyed Backman’s focus on art.

Though this is not my favourite Backman book, I think it will appeal to his fans, and I do feel glad that I read it.

Holy Shit!!! My heart has been put through the wringer, y'all.
How does Backman do it?
How does he make ordinary people so incredibly extraordinary?
How does he manage to use words that make the mundane sound beautiful?

I had the wonderful privilege of meeting him in FL, and trust me when I say, he certainly doesn't speak this way in person. LOL! He's the most adorably awkward mess live, which made him even more endearing.

For the life of me, I don't know why I waited so long to pick this one up... Backman's one of my favorite writers, for Pete's sake! Maybe it's because deep down I know that when it's finished, it's finished. And once it's finished I'll have to mourn the loss of these characters yet again. HIS characters, those unassuming ordinary people who he always manages to quietly wrap around my heart in the best possible way.

I absolutely loved everything about My Friends!

The second book I read by Backman.. and ugh, his writing is just so beautiful. He has a humorous way of dealing with heavy topics. While reading My Friends, you will go on a rollercoaster of emotions - you'll smile, you'll laugh, and you'll cry. The amazing thing is that I found myself often relating or understanding how the characters felt, although I have not had the life experiences they had. In a way that shows you that we are all just humans trying our best in this life, and true friendships can keep you going.
We follow two main characters, their friendships, a painting of a sea that has a deeper meaning. We get a dual timeline, heavy topics, and most of all, an incredible book! I got the eARC, but I am looking to get the physical copy because there are just so many lines I do not want to forget!

Thank you so much to Atria Books for the gifted book!

Title: My Friends
Author: Fredrik Backman
Pub Date: May 6, 2025

I have read so many of Backman's books and one thing that is always consistent is his absolutely stunning writing. He has a way with words that many, even many authors, don't have. There were so many times that a simple sentence knocked the wind out of me! I had to re-read so many sentences/paragraphs just because I couldn't fully grasp the depth of his imagery in one take.

This story was very original and I loved how it focused not only around teenagers, but also how heavily art focused it was. I was struck by the beautiful writing, cared deeply for the characters, and was interested in the story/plot itself.

There were times where I was a little confused where the story was going and where it lulled a bit plot-wise, but the writing and my commitment to the characters kept me going! I do think this one could have packed a stronger punch for me if it was trimmed down, but I also understand that a lot of the details were necessary for the individual characters and their journeys.

Overall, definitely one I'd recommend to a general audience!

This was my first Backman novel since completing the Beartown series, and I’m happy to say, I remain a huge Backman fan! I really think he is just such a beautiful, talented writer, and he really knows how to create compelling storylines and characters. He really has such an incredible ability to tap into human emotion and experience.

This novel has big themes of art and friendship, life and death. It goes back and forth between a group of teenagers in the past and a young woman in the present. While the very serious themes at times were heavy and sad, Backman balanced this out with lots of humor and in particular, the fart jokes were unmatched. 😂

You will laugh, you will cry, but without a doubt, you must certainly read this one.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Atria books for sending me an advanced reading copy of this book (my very first ARC!) in exchange for an honest review.

Wherever you think this book is going… you are wrong. Backman is a master at words and understanding human connectivity. Thank you, Netgalley, for allowing me an arc.

This book will be marked as one of my favorites just like Beartown, and his other books.

4.5 Stars

Fredrik Backman will forever be one of my favorite authors. In his quirky way, Backman explores grief, friendships, and the power of art. Few authors can make a reader laugh and cry all in the same page but Backman does it with such ease.

Louisa, an artist, has just turned 18 years old and is out on her own after growing up in foster care and group homes. Her best friend, Fish, has died and she is all alone as she embarks on a mission to see her favorite painting at an auction. It's a painting that she's only seen on a postcard that she has carried with her for years. The painting shows the sea and a tiny image of three friends sitting on a pier. Not many notice or pay attention to the three figures, but Louisa has been focused on them for years, curious of their stories. When the painting is unexpectedly put in Louisa's care, she embarks on a journey to learn the story of this painting while also finding herself and her place in the world.

While this wasn't my favorite Backman story, it was certainly a heartwarming story and I really liked it. Thank you to Netgalley and Atria books for the advanced digital review copy.

Thanks to Atria for the gifted copy of this book!

You want to read this for... Backman's heartfelt storytelling.

"Adults always think they can protect children by stopping them from going to dangerous places, but every teenager knows that's pointless, because the most dangerous place on earth is inside us. Fragile hearts break in palaces and dark alleys alike."

About the book: Louisa is on the brink of adulthood, ready to escape the foster care system and become an artist. She holds tightly to a postcard of a famous painting of three tiny figures at the end of a long pier by C. Jat, and fate would just have it that one day, she'll get to learn the painting's entire story.

My review: What a blessing to be able to read this man's books. Fredrik Backman writes with such heart and is just able to evoke so much emotion through his storytelling. In MY FRIENDS, Backman takes the story of a modern-day teenager, forces her together with a shy, exasperated, and somewhat curmudgeonly 39-year-old, and tells the story of a group of friends from long ago, bringing in heartache and sadness, loss and gain, and art and hope. And what a picture of friendship it is. This story is truly just so lovely that I slowed my reading pace to savor it. Please put it on your TBR.

"Art is what we leave of ourselves in other people."

This is going to be one of my favorite books of the year. I love Backman's writing style- there is so much humor, while also being so sentimental. This book made me laugh, cry and feel every emotion in between. You really do feel a sense of childhood nostalgia, and can relate to the characters and their group of friends. I loved the relationships between all of the characters and how you felt part of their group. I loved this book so much!

I absolutely adored this book. I have read every single one of his books and I think this one might be his best one yet. He has such a way with words and I can't even come close to describing the way his writing unfolds so beautifully, it's just something you have to experience for yourself through his books. This book is a story about friendships and the importance of having your people, even if they come in the most unlikely ways. I found myself crying, laughing and then crying some more during this book, never wanting it to end!

All the stars for this one.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC, all opinions are my own