I don't know if I can articulate how much I loved this book. Louisa is a young woman, who has been dealt shitty circumstances throughout her short life. A chance meeting changes her life and the lives of those she meets. This book had it all - the laughs, the tears, the hope, the despair. I loved watching both timelines play out and how they ultimately intertwined in this beautiful novel. Backman remains the king of pulling on my heartstrings while providing thought-provoking and beautiful 5 star reads.

A little worried that this will make me seem dead inside, but I didn't care for the present-day timeline. The dynamics were strongest and most urgent in the past, and so the present just felt watered-down and repetitive. This book is sodden with its message--one that is certainly true and meaningful, but not one that I felt had to be hammered home.

That being said, the love between our four friends is playful and palpable. I enjoyed my time with them! Backman always writes with heart and skill, and so I will keep coming back to his work.

A literal masterpiece. I bought the physical book on release day. I devoured this book. This is my second Fredrick Backman book. I had high expectations and he exceeded them. This is easily one of the best books that I've read this year. Backman's characters are so vividly drawn that they feel like real friends—flawed, funny, stubborn, and heartbreakingly human. What makes My Friends truly special is how it balances humor and heartbreak with such grace. One moment you're laughing out loud at a perfectly observed quirk; the next, you're holding back tears at a line so honest it cuts right through you. Whether you’re already a fan of A Man Called Ove or Anxious People, or new to Backman's work, My Friends is a must-read. It’s not just a book—it’s a reminder of the deep value of friendship and the ways we hold each other up, even when we don’t know how to say it out loud. Thank you so much for the ARC!

Another fabulous read by Backman. The parallel between Louisa and the artist and the divergence of their story is absolutely beautiful. 10/10 read.

This was actually my first book by this author and I can finally say I understand what all the hype is about! He has such a way of writing characters that come to life and emotions that you feel. This was a really sweet, heart warming, and tragic story. I was hooked the entire time. I loved the unique way the story was told to us. Highly recommend!

LOVED IT!! If you are a Backman fan you will love it. If you are a BEARTOWN Backman fan you will love it. It might seem from the general description that it would lean more Anxious People--but this is a story of misfits and community and family and the myriad ways they find us outside of traditional boundaries. It is a story of a small town and its pull on people who might need to leave to survive. It is a story of connecting with people when you don't know what to say. "Art is what we leave of ourselves in other people." SOooooooo good! Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for the ARC and the opportunity to share my review.

Another five star read from Fredrick Backman! My Friends reads like poetry with heart wrenching descriptions and characters that jump off the page. A coming of age story that’s an ode to friendship, love and art. Four friends from a small town form a friendship illustrated in a world famous painting. When Louisa, an aspiring artist, notices the three small figures in the painting she is determined to learn the story behind these figures.

I can’t say enough about Backman’s writing - he eloquently puts feelings into words and describes flawed and funny characters so well. Such a beautiful story about a found family and broken people told by a flawed narrator on a journey of healing.

Emotional, brilliant writing with dialogue that is funny one moment and gut wrenching the next. A must read for 2025, perfect for fans of Elizabeth Strout. Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for the advanced reader’s copy.

There is a reason why I say that Fredrik Backman is my favorite author. No other author can make me laugh, cry, and think so deeply about my own life all in one sentence. The way he writes is so very emotional and real that I was choking back tears within the first few chapters. I connected deeply with the characters in My Friends..their past, personal development, and emotions, all felt like someone I know has experienced or have experienced myself which made the book even more powerful. This book was a beautiful story about friendship and found family that I will forever cherish.

Thank you so much for this ARC. I am sorry for how long it took me to post this review but I am very grateful for this chance to read my new favorite Backman book.

Fredrik Backman has a talent for crafting stories that are equal parts heartbreaking, heartwarming and hilarious. My Friends is no exception.
We meet Louisa, an 18-year-old homeless artist who, despite immense loss, radiates with wit and an infectious spirit. Her chance encounter with a famous artist leads to a precious gift, one that not only changes her life but also introduces her to Ted. Their connection takes us on a remarkable journey through Ted's childhood, revealing the emotional origins of this extraordinary gift. Backman's signature blend of sarcasm, humor, and deeply lovable characters shines through every page. This book made me laugh out loud, and also broke my heart. My Friends made me reflect on the complexities of childhood, growing up, the joy art can create, what it means to be a parent and simply a human in this messy, beautiful world.
If you loved Beckman's other books you will enjoy this one as well.
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

My Friends was promising. I have enjoyed Fredrik Backman's novellas on audiobook in the past. I enjoy his quirky writing style. Sadly, I had a hard time with this book. I found it hard to follow.
I plan to reread this at a later date, as I didn't hate it and have enjoyed other works by the same author. Maybe, Fredrik Backman's writing style is more suited as an audiobook for me.

No author can direct an arrow directly to my heart like Frederik Backman. His new book is an ode to childhood, friendship, and art. I fell in love with the characters and found myself cheering them on audibly. I cried, I smiled, and I was emotionally depleted by the end of the book. I expected this from Backman, and he delivered.
If you are already a Backman fan, this book's vibe is more akin to the Beartown trilogy than his other books. In other words, it was heavier on the heart. If you're new to Backman, buckle up for an emotional and rewarding journey.
One of the more remarkable features of this book is how well Backman captured the essence of being 14 years old. It amazes me how he can depict universal truths.
Triggers: There is a lot of trauma in this book - the trauma of poverty and domestic violence, so beware.
Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an electronic version of the book in exchange for a review.

This might be my favorite Fredrick Backman novel so far! A beautiful coming of age story with the quirkiness you expect from Backman. Will definitely recommend to everyone. It's one of my favorite books I'd read so far this year!

A poignant exploration of friendship, grief, and art. Backman's latest novel weaves the stories of four teenagers who form a bond immortalized in a painting. Decades later, an aspiring artist seeks to uncver the painting's origins leading to unexpected connections and revelations.

Fredrik Backman is a master of the flawed, funny, and completely lovable character. My Friends is a beautiful story of friendship and chosen family told by a broken narrator to another equally broken young girl ultimately healing parts of each other.

I'll begin by saying that Fredrik Backman is an auto-buy author for me, and I have greatly enjoyed all (four) other books I've read by him. For some reason, My Friends just didn't quite have the same effect. As expected, there were moments where Backman's charm and humor made me laugh out loud, and several moments in the book tugged on my heartstrings. But much of the book felt like someone writing in the style of Fredrik Backman. It felt like he was leaning *too* hard into the whimsy and the charm and the aphorisms, like maybe his editor had told him, "You know all these things people love about your writing? Do it MORE. Do it BIGGER." And, as a result, the plot and character development seemed to suffer. I've always loved Backman's characters. It's what he does best. And while I did care about this (very large) cast of characters, I didn't feel as emotionally invested in their stories as I usually am. Maybe there were too many characters. Maybe their characters arcs were just a little too flat. I so wanted to love this one, but I would encourage anyone who is reading Backman for the first time to maybe try something from his backlist first.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for my advanced copy.

I absolutely adored this book! It's typical Fredrik Backman. Simple writing that so acutely explains big ideas in ways that made me reread paragraphs over and over again. I fell in love with these characters, and my heart hurt for them constantly throughout this story, but, as Backman always tends to do, the ending was hopeful and wonderful. I'm constantly amazed by Backman's ability to weave storylines and concepts together. This one will stick with me for a long time, especially this quote:

"Yet the most remarkable thing about losing a parent is that you don't even need to miss them for their loss to be felt. The basic function of a parent is just to exist. You have to be there, like ballast in a boat, because otherwise your child capsizes."

Infinity stars.

I FREAKING LOVED THIS ONE!

I truly don't know how to describe Fredrik Backman's writing besides just stating he is a genius. It's lyrical, poetic, witty, heartbreaking. I mean I can't even begin to tell you how many "one-liners" punched me in the gut. The way he weaves a story together belongs in a museum right next to the artist MC's painting in this story.

Every time I review one of his books, I truly don't feel equipped to put what I feel into words. He just makes you THINK AND FEEL SO MUCH. This story revolves around a single painting, and somehow Backman brings a past and present timeline together around this painting, and makes it beautiful.

If you've read Backman before, you know that his characters will become your friends. And these in My Friends, certainly did.

Read if you love:
-Backman's writing style
-slow burn, character-driven novels
-dual timeline
-emotional reads
-the Beartown series
-quirky characters
-summer nostalgia

This is out now! I think it'd be a great book club pick this summer if your group tends to enjoy literary fiction!! Lots to discuss and pour over.

This book is truly amazing. An exceptional tale of four friends and their impact on each other through a snapshot of a few years.

Fredrik Backman's "Beartown" trilogy are books that I recommend to people on a regular basis, for its beautiful community of characters and witty, effervescent writing, and so when I saw a new novel coming our way, I knew I had to request it and dive into a new Backman world. Like the characters in the "Beartown" trilogy, Louisa and Ted all but leap off the page. They are instantly engaging, and wholly endearing, from their quirks to their faults. The tale of friendship and loss that Backman weaves around both of them, and the friends they have loved and lost, is exquisite, but also laced with such goodhearted humor, that I could not put it down. I can't wait to start recommending this one to patrons.

This was my first Fredrik Backman and will not be my last! He is a brilliant storyteller. There were fantastic plot, twists, character development, friendships, and so much more. It was also profoundly sad in so many ways but also hopeful. I would definitely recommend this one with the note that there is a lot of language and some lifestyle choices added in that I didn’t find necessary to the plot. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.