Fredrik Backman has a specific way of writing, meandering and non-sequential, with story-altering life lessons and morsels of truth thrown in occasionally. In My Friends, you can expect an emotional rollercoaster and plenty of wisdom about friendship and chosen family. Truth be told, I was underwhelmed by the current story and didn't feel a strong connection to the two main characters. I LOVED the past story and wish the book would have been more of that. But that's just not how Fredrik Backman rolls.

Years ago, four teenagers carrying their own hardships spent a summer on a pier, forging a great friendship—a true love story.

Those warm, fleeting days were captured forever in a single painting that would go on to become world-famous.

Fast forward to the present day: Louisa, a teenager raised in the foster system and weighed down by grief, breaks into an art gallery to get a closer look at that painting. For years, a postcard of it had been her anchor—something she clung to through hard times.
Without spoilers, Louisa crosses paths with two people tied to the painting at a critical moment for all of them.

What follows is a masterclass in storytelling about friendship, coming of age, surviving grief, and learning to bear being human.

It’s a heartfelt, artful meditation on the enduring power of creativity, connection, and finding beauty even in life’s messiest moments.

My Thoughts: 4 Stars, A Few Notes

I loved this story from the start—but full disclosure, it took me months to finish. Why? Because every time I picked it up, I immediately started crying.
Backman hits the emotional notes fast and hard here—sometimes a little too hard.

It’s beautiful, but at times it felt almost like emotional manipulation. Like, HOW am I crying this hard at only 10 percent in?

That said, it’s not all grief and heartbreak. There’s a good bit of humor woven through, too.
I’d laugh out loud on one page, and find myself crying on the next. Only a writer like Backman can pull off that kind of emotional whiplash.

There are passages that are breathtakingly poignant—lines that capture something so essential about grief, friendship, or simply being human. While the dialogue felt a bit cheesy at times, the writing overall is so heartfelt and sincere that you can’t help but love it.

This is the kind of story you feel in your gut—the kind that lingers long after you’ve finished.

Bottom line: This book will emotionally waterboard you—and somehow you’ll thank it for the privilege.
If you want something raw, emotional, and beautifully messy, this one’s worth the hype. Just check the trigger warnings—and maybe stock up on tissues first.

Thank you to @NetGalley and @AtriaBooks for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I went in blind with this book. I have read a few Fredrik Backman books but not all of them. This book, this book I everything. Sad, funny, heartbreaking, uplifting, a true gift. The main character? Could it be the painting? A painting that brought 4 friends together? That brought a young teenage girl into the mix. This is a story of long stories, how a painting was made, how the artist got famous, and how this artist changed the lives of those around him. I could not put this book down. It was an emotional roller coaster of ups and downs. So much sadness, yet the characters prevailed. I have already placed holds at my library for 5 different co workers, this book is a must read!

*I received a copy of this book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this opportunity*

<I>These were our bodies, and they were small, far too small, because they couldn't contain all our love.</I>

Sometimes books are hard. Sometimes books are easy. Sometimes they make you laugh, or cry, or ponder, or feel. Sometimes, and only the very best ones do this, they change a part of your chemistry. They peel back a layer and allow a little glimpse into another world, another life, another way to be. They remind you what it means to be young and in love with life, they remind you how lucky you are to be alive and well, they remind you to be thankful for what you have experienced or haven't experienced.

I always feel a little raw after reading one of Backman's stories, and MY FRIENDS is no different. Fredrik Backman has an uncanny ability to tell a story around an idea; and at the heart of this story is what it means to love. Not in a romantic sense, but the marrow deep love you have for your childhood friends, your parents, your children, the helpless bird you find in the grass and decide to nurse back to health, your kindred souls.

This book will give you as much as you let it, and dear friend, I hope you approach it with an open heart and mind.

I’m not even really sure how to rate this book to be honest. It feels like a story about absolutely nothing but also absolutely everything. The writing is stunning - it is poignant and meandering but also hits you right in the heart. I laughed out loud so many times and also felt so deeply for these characters. This was really beautiful and quirky and moving.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

As always, obsessed with Backman and how he compiles a story. I love his work and will always gravitate toward any new books he releases.

WOW!!! this was quite a story so unique. I couldn't get enough of the main characters Joar, Ted, Ali, Luisa, and of course the artist; these kids will live in my heart always. This story was impactful and the strength that all the characters posses is so admirable. The more i read the more i wanted to know!. An adventurous summer equals a lifetime of changes. I couldn't stop laughing at the shenanigans these kids would say in this book, i also cried a lot comes with the territory with such a wonderful story. This is quite a book and my first read from this author i highly, highly recommend it!!

Ⓑⓞⓞⓚ Ⓡⓔⓥⓘⓔⓦ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
𝕄𝕪 𝔽𝕣𝕚𝕖𝕟𝕕𝕤
𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐤 𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗺𝗮𝗻
Pub Day: May 6, 2025

It is no surprise that this story is about friendship between young teens that goes above and beyond the norm.

Fredrik Backman has a way of immersing the reader deep into the story, wrapping you in the emotions of his characters. He does this seamlessly in My Friends, connecting this rare childhood friendship to an eighteen-year-old girl and a painting from the past, now worth a great deal twenty-five years later, when the teens are now adults.

Each child suffers from issues with themselves, their families, or both and reacts in their own way to them. The story encompasses abuse, alcoholism, foster care, and death and how these things affected this group of teens.

I was enamored with this story. So much so that I’m having difficulty describing how I felt as I read it.

It’s heartfelt. It’s sad. It brings together the past and the present in an extraordinary way.

It shows children's vulnerability and how their hardships change them so they can survive and protect themselves as best they can.

My Friends is a haunting, deeply thought-provoking tearjerker that took over my consciousness, immersing me in the characters’ lives. In my opinion, writing that can do this is exceptional and well worth the time.

💕Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing me with this ARC ebook in exchange for an honest review.

My Friends started off slow for me, but once it found its rhythm, I was completely hooked. Fredrik Backman has a gift for writing humanity in all its messy, tender glory, and this book is no exception. As someone who loves stories about childhood friendships, this hit all the right notes with nostalgic, bittersweet, and full of emotional honesty. The character development is phenomenal—some of the best I’ve ever read. These characters felt like real people, and by the end, I didn’t want to let them go. Absolutely unforgettable.

Is this the book of the year?
Did I cry numerous time?
Is this a beautiful portrait of love?

The answer to all: YES.

Perfect. Chef's kiss. 5 stars. A+ Bravo.

My Friends by Fredrik Backman
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“Art is so big, so unfathomable, that it teaches us to mourn for strangers.”

My Friends beautifully encapsulates the vitality of childhood friendships and how they shape us as people. Throughout this novel, I felt like the only thing stopping me from sobbing was the constant smile on my face. Does that sound strange? If you’re familiar with this author– it probably makes perfect sense.

📖 A famous painting of three figures sitting on a pier unexpectedly falls into 18-year-old Louisa’s possession. Louisa has loved the painting her entire life and sets out on a cross-country journey to finally learn how this painting came to be. She uncovers a story of four teenagers 25 years ago whose friendship is powerful enough to change her life.

This is my new favorite Backman novel. The storytelling is brilliant– a dazzling testament to the power of art and friendship. It’s tragic and heartbreaking, yet so joyful and full of laughter that it’s completely worth any pain. These characters felt like my friends and their storyline was nostalgic and completely enrapturing. The connections between characters is stunning, and the experience of the reader is cleverly mirrored through Louisa’s POV. I absolutely loved this book– I know it will become a comfort read for me and likely one of my favorite books of the year.

Thank you Atria Books for the opportunity to read this advanced digital copy!

This is my first book by this author. His books are always so highly recommended and I never get around to them so grabbed this one right away. It took me some time to get used to the writing style and I nearly put it down to read something else in case it was just my state of mind. I figured, one more chapter and soon I was completely captivated by the story, by the characters, by the sorrow, by the laughter, by the absolute beauty of the authors words and how they felt raining down on me. I have so many passages that cried out to be highlighted, hitting home so much, so unexpectedly. The story of friendships that seem to stand the test of time, even if they don't last forever. Such a beautiful story that needs to be savored and loved. "How lucky were they?" Even when it felt like more pain than any young kid should ever have to deal with. How lucky they were.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. My Friends by Fredrik Backman. Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for this advanced reader copy. What a moving novel! People really love Backman. I often have mixed feelings as sometimes the books are just too long. This one was too long in my opinion, but I was happy to travel along with these characters. We meet Louisa in the present day. Aging out of foster care, she’s adrift. The only constant she’s had in her life is the love of a famous painting. This painting is of the sea, but if one looks very carefully, there are three teenagers, laughing hysterically. Louisa wishes she had those type of friends. We journey back 25 years and find out about those teens and their very troubled home lives. Thank goodness these young people have such great pals. Then Louisa is lucky enough to make the acquaintance of one of those teens (now an adult), and her life is changed forever. This is a book about friendship, loyalty and the memories that keep us going in difficult times. Thumbs up! Publication date is May 6th, so check it out! #books #bookstagram #whatiread #bookgram #reading #netgalley #advancedreadercopy #fredrickbackman #goodreads #bookworm #thumbsup

Fredrik Backman has a wonderful way with words. He expertly develops memorable characters, adds levity with his dry humour and sprinkles his stories with many wise tidbits to give you food for thought, all while stirring up your emotions with his unique storytelling ability.

His latest book, My Friends, is a coming-of-age novel about a group of teenage friends who feel like outcasts but who have found family with each other. Through flashbacks, Backman weaves a story around these misfits that reveals their individual struggles and the support and amazing bonds they build together. There is also a modern storyline that occurs 25 years in the future that involves a famous painting, its connection to the group and how it brings another lost soul into their lives.

This is a poignant tale that explores important themes, including tragedy and how it impacts our lives. His characters are believably and understandably flawed, and Backman shows readers how the bonds we make early in life can continue to help us, mold us and protect us when life gets hard.

Poignant, nostalgic and thought-provoking, if a bit meandering and slow moving, this is a story that took me a bit to get into but will hit readers in their heads and hearts and will possibly encourage them to reach out to their own teenage friends.

This book - and its absolutely gorgeous cover - hits stores May 6th from Atria Books.

Disclaimer: Thanks to Atria Books for the complimentary advanced digital copy of this book which was given in exchange for my honest review.

<b>*** This review was posted April 28. 2025 to my blog, FB, IG, StoryGraph and Indigo.ca **</b>

Subtitle: I love you and I trust you.

Okay, so I am still in a book hangover from this weekend. This was the second of 2 five star books I read and I'm almost scared to start another book because how can they compare with such perfection? So many times I stopped to reread a sentence or two to ponder or laugh about it. So many times I felt the angst of the author spilling forth this tale of friends, long ago and now. The characters all had heavy emotional loads to carry but their stories were told with such bittersweet descriptions. It is almost as though it pained the author to let these things happen to his characters. To balance this all out was intense love and support from each of the characters. This book is the definition of "found family" in all respects. The only part I had issue with was how Ted sounded so darn old when he was only 39! He sounded like he was 59 or 69! My favorite part was the concept about telling stories and the differences between the teller and the listener. But, I'll let you discover that gem for yourself, because you need to read this book!

This is a beautifully emotional story about friendship and love, skillfully told across two timelines: the present day and 25 years ago, when four of the main characters were 15. The characters feel incredibly real and relatable, and I found myself laughing out loud at their interactions throughout the story. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this advanced reader’s copy.

This by far, was my favorite Backman book to date. The way he wove this story in duel timelines and left a little bit of mystery in the story until the end was absolutely inspired. The amount of quotes and insights in this had me highlighting more than I ever had in a book. My Friends had it all. Emotional depth, found family, and a little bit of mystery and romance as well. A wonderful story of finding "your people" more than once during your life and the impact those people can have not only immediately, but years later.

A must read book. Definitely a top ten book of 2025 and of all time. Frederik Backman has done it again and with the beauty and quirkiness that is so beloved.

My Friends won me over right away. It was fast paced from day one with characters that are flawed but so enjoyable and they blend together perfectly. The plot is simple, yet, that’s the best part because then the characters can shine and tell the story. I’m not sure there’s anyone better at doing just that.

We meet Louisa right away. She’s mired in grief and life that’s been difficult so far, even at 17. She meets a man in an alley for a few brief moments and her life changes forever. What happens next saves Louisa and sets her on a trajectory that was meant to be while meeting a group of friends that teaches us all.

Advanced reader copy provided by Atria and NetGalley but all opinions are my own.

My Friends is a nostalgic, beautiful story about everlasting friendship and love through hardship and survival. His words are so profound as he tells the story of a friend group in the past and present. The characters feel real and are relatable and human. They are resilient and kind and incredibly witty. They all face huge challenges but find solace in each other. The story is emotional and heartbreaking but nostalgic and though provoking. I loved this book and Fredrik Backman has become one of my favorite others.

Thanks to #net galley for the digital Arc!!

Love, love, love! Backman does it again. He had a way of sinking you right in to the storyline and making me feel like I was there with Louisa as she unveils all that is to come from the artist and his friends. Ted is an amazing character that has a lot of layers. It takes time to get to know him, but he’s amazing. Every new chapter of book keeps you wanting more and wanting to see where these characters go. There were sad times, but also happy! Thankfully there was enough happy to balance things out. I loved this book!