Wow. Just wow. I've loved many of Backman's books, but I think this is my favorite. This book had me tearing up and laughing...and highlighting like crazy!
My Friends is the story of artists, of lost souls, of friends who save each others' lives. It is a beautiful character study that is done with humor and raw emotion in a way that will stick with me for a long time. It follows Louisa, a teenager, as she meets Ted, who knew her favorite author. And Ted tells the story of their friendship as teenagers and across their lives.
I cannot describe it in a way that does it justice, so just read it!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this copy in exchange for an honest review.

"I love you and I trust you" -- Fredrik Backman is definitely one of my favorite authors by now. The way he can make you laugh and cry in the same story is an experience like no other. The characters in My Friends are so relatable and I got so close to them, that now after I'm finished I feel like I can never be the same without them. I felt part of their story, a story about love, friendship and the power of art. Highly recommend it!

Fredrick Backman has quickly became one of my favorite authors this year.
My Friends is a story that jumps between two timelines. One in the present and the other from 25 years in the past. Backman knows how to capture the emotions of what it’s like to be human. This was a story about friendship and human connection. Once again, Backman shows that he can write about the human experience like no other, no matter the age. This was brilliant and a must read.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

First I want to thank Atria books for the advanced readers copy! I was so anxiously waiting for this book and was excited to hear I was approved for the early copy.

In general, I am a plot girly. I enjoy books with a plot and then good characterization. Backman's books are some of the only stories where plot is secondary and the primary focus is the characters and their relationships. And I adore his books for that! He excels at developing characters and their relationships, as well as tugging at your heartstrings along the way. His subtle (and sometimes not so subtle) foreshadowing was reminiscent to the Beartown trilogy. I loved Louisa from the moment we meet her and her journey with Ted is so heartbreaking and uplifting at the same time.

Backman, I love you and I trust you!

"Our breath consists of 80% nitrogen, 20% oxygen, and 100% anxiety"- "Rich people only notice mirrors in a room" - "Men have nothing to be afraid of when they are adults" - If you are into social commentary and you love characters that are all connected and influencing each other, My friends is the book for you. Whether you are a teenager, adult, youn adult, middle aged, you will love this book and feel represented!

This was a wonderful read and Fredrik Backman's beautiful writing shines yet again. I do think this could have been edited down a little bit more.

Fredrik Backman is one of my favorite authors of all time, he is my auto-buy author. He has a wonderful ability to write so wonderfully. He has a unique writing style that is instantly recognizable.
This book is a beautiful portrayal of friendship, trust, sacrifice, vulnerability, and love.
The writing is really fast paced and interesting. I really enjoyed reading the book.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

“It’s hard to listen to the end of a long story. Especially if you have a really important question that you don’t dare ask.”

Gah this book is perfect. I could have read double the pages about these characters, but Backman does such a an amazing job of pacing and character development. Top read of the year for me right now.

I needed a Backman book in my life. I have enjoyed every single book from this author and this was no exception. This book was so good for my soul. This wonderful story was truly a joy to read and deserves all the stars.

He’s done it again! This man can make words magical. There is no one like him and I’m absolutely thrilled to give his latest book, My Friends 5 amazing stars!

A story of childhood friendship that is so real and full of love during the ups and downs of being a teenager. I fell in love with the friendship group. My heart melted at how they were all there for each other. Not in loud moments or big words, but in actions and sayings that only they understand. A book about love, family, grief, kindness and the power of having a friend and learning to be a friend.

I knew to expect greatness with a new Backman but wasn’t prepared to be THIS destroyed. I adored every character because they had such depth. The sheer number of amazing quotes will make this one of the best books ever.. By the end of the book I truly felt like these were my friends too. It’s worth it to have your would crushed to read this one.

Would you believe that this was my first Fredrik Backman novel? I have heard such great things, but I knew that I would be emotionally ravaged. I was not wrong.

Louisa, an aspiring artist, has run away from her foster home following the death of her only person. She breaks into an auction to see her favorite painting. After being chased out, she runs into the artist, who is dying. He leaves her the painting, and she ends up joining his friend, Ted, on a trip to return to their hometown. Along the way, Ted tells the story behind the painting and the important people in the artist's life.

This is a poignant look at friendship through childhood and beyond.

The writing is staggeringly beautiful. I took my time reading it because I did not want it to end.

Thank you to Atria Books and Net Galley for the ARC. All opinions are my own,

Fredrik Backman does it again. This book was incredible. My Friends tells the story of a girl who discovers a painting and is drawn into the lives of the complex characters depicted in it. The novel explores themes such as friendship, family, love, coming of age, wealth, and grief in such well written and reflective ways. Backman’s writing is amazing and he made me laugh, smile, and cry. The character development is so strong that I felt like I was part of the friend group. These characters and this story will stay with me for a long time. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

A beautiful and very moving book. How can you not weep for the abandoned, abused and alone children in this novel? The book moves between the summer the four friends are fourteen and twenty-five years later. The bridge between the two time periods is a piece of art created by one of the four friends. The painting eventually ends up with another character central to the story, Louisa. So much has been lost, so much has changed, but true friendship, art and love remain. The characters are complex, but inspiring in their fight to be human for each other. There is enough here to make you cry and laugh out loud.

Backman's writing is a cozy blanket, a warm fire, a hug; it is seeing a friend after a long time and picking up right where you left off. For me, Backman is the ultimate comfort author and this book, these characters are up there with Beartown for me. Raw. Complex. Heartbreaking and heartwarming. Exquisite.

Louisa inherits a famous painting of three tiny figures sitting at the end of a pier and becomes determined to uncover their story. Twenty five years earlier four teenagers named Joar, Ted, Ali and a quiet artist with a hidden talent found comfort and belonging in one another at that same pier. As Louisa travels across the country chasing clues from their summer of laughter and loss she discovers how friendship and art can transform lives in the most surprising ways.

This is the type of book you savor, each line offers something for your soul. Fredricks writing can feel chaotic, which reflects real people and thoughts. I didn't not want to miss anything I was present in each momentThis is the type of book you savor. Each line offers something for your soul. Fredrik’s writing can feel chaotic, which mirrors real people and real thoughts. I did not want to miss anything. I was present in every moment.

It hurt to read about these young kids’ lives. They were forced to grow up early and chose to be selfless in a world that only offered selfishness. I think a conversation with Fredrik would reveal how beautiful his view of the world is, and how you can take experiences so harrowing and so tragic and use them to amplify your own journey in life. Joar’s forgiveness despite his heartbreaking childhood is humanity at its truest. I am usually not one to like time jumps and double timelines but here they were seamless. The frame story device in which Ted tells Louisa what happened twenty five years ago and takes us into the past was masterfully done. I will cherish this book forever.

Thank you Backman, Atria Books and NetGalley for giving me my first 5 star read of the year.

My Friends is the quintessential Fredrik Backman book. It takes a seemingly mundane circumstance and turns it into a masterful reflection on life, love, friendship, and legacy. Backman has a distinct writing style that is both simple and profound. I was crying within the first few pages of this book, and off and on as I read the rest of it. His books are such a tremendous gift, encouraging all of us to be more empathetic and showcasing the humanity in every person. I don't want to spoil anything because this is a book best experienced. Please just read it.

Ugh.. @backmansk squeezes my heart with everything he writes. This is another masterpiece by my favorite author. It’s a coming of age story of one combined with reflection of younger years of others. Dealing with loss, definition of love and accepting the messiness of life. I highly recommend it.

I was delighted to get this copy of Fredrik Backman's new book. I've enjoyed every book I've read by Backman and I had no doube I would enjoy this one as well. I was not disappointed - this is a 5 star read!

Description:
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 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 town, a group of teenagers find refuge from their difficult home lives by spending their days laughing and telling stories out on a pier. There’s Joar, who never backs down from a fight; quiet and bookish Ted who is mourning his father; Ali, the daughter of a man who never stays in one place for long; and finally, there’s the artist, a boy who hoards sleeping pills and shuns attention, but who possesses an extraordinary gift that might be his ticket to a better life. These four lost souls find in each other a reason to get up each morning, a reason to dream.

Out of that summer emerges a transcendent work of art, a painting that will unexpectedly be put into eighteen-year-old Louisa’s care. As she struggles to decide what to do with this bequest, she embarks on a surprise-filled cross-country journey to learn the story of how the painting came to be. The closer she gets to the painting’s birthplace, the more she feels compelled to unleash her own artistic spirit, but happy endings don’t always take the form we expect in this fresh testament to the transformative power of friendship and art.

My Thoughts:
Backman astounds me with the depth of his characters. I fell in love with the childhood friends and then with Louisa as well. These children came from rough backgrounds but their friendship never died. The roles Joar, Ted, Ali, and KimKim played in each others lives and their friendship is nothing short of profound. This is probably the most meaningful book on friendship I have ever read. The book is an emotional read and I was wholly and totally absorbed throughout. I loved it!

Thanks to Atria Books through Netgalley for an advance copy.

A huge thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for an advanced reader copy of My Friends by Fredrik Backman in exchange for my honest review.

Excellent, excellent story, and my favorite of his so far.

I loved how the story effortlessly flowed and unraveled.

Well done!

This had all the ingredients that usually blow me away but for some reason? I was pretty bored, sadly. It took me about two weeks to read it, continuously putting it down as it hadn't hooked me. Other readers assured me it would pick up and to hang on, that it would be worth it. I don't know, maybe this one just didn't find me at the right time. I didn't hate it, ended up giving it 4 stars because I highlighted tons of passages and absolutely adore how Backman can write characters so beautifully but again - it just didn't swallow me up.

That said, if you're a Backman fan, love extremely character driven novels spanning decades of deep rooted friendships, you should pick this one up. I hope you love it! Maybe someday I'll try again....

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read in exchange for my honest review.