Fredrik Backman, you've done it again… more review to come on "Anxious People"!

This book absolutely takes the Goofy Award™ for a novel that manages to be both ridiculously unserious and profoundly touching. There's a hostage situation... but it's anything but straightforward. A collection of characters find themselves held captive in an apartment, representing a little slice of society with a mix of ages, jobs, orientations, and personal struggles. On the surface, most of them seem to have nothing in common, but as the story of *Anxious People* by Fredrik Backman unfolds, ...

This is the most hilarious book I've read!A bank robber on the loose stumbles into an apartment building across the street. Spotting an open door, he sees an apartment showing in progress with prospective buyers inside. He ducks in, hoping to gather his thoughts, but quickly realizes these are the absolute WORST hostages imaginable. Meanwhile, the small town's police are closing in on the bank robber's trail. Will they catch him and figure out his identity?Anxious People is incredibly relatable,...

The thing about "Anxious People" by Fredrik Backman is that it's cotton candy-level, cavity-threatening, headache-inducing sweet, and simultaneously very sad and real and filled with the most upsetting things about being alive. A real whirlwind. If you're in the right mood for this book (which I was when I started it), then it's a whimsical, amusing, life-affirming journey to becoming an optimist. Perfect for anyone looking for feel-good book reviews. But if you're not (which I suddenly shape...

“Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree.” Oh my gosh. Like most Fredrik Backman books at this point...I'm at a complete loss regarding how to tell you that **Anxious People** is, quite frankly, **the best thing I've read all year.** Seriously, this is a book review you need to pay attention to!I'm just overwhelmed by the sheer goodness of this book...and if I were to try to summarize it...It would be:Failed bank robber takes o...

Oh my god, what an absolute gem this turned out to be. It's quintessential Fredrik Backman—quirky, heartwarming, and utterly uplifting. On the surface, *Anxious People* is a story about a bank robbery gone completely sideways. The bank robber, having epically failed at robbing a bank, bursts in on an apartment viewing and proceeds to take a group of unfortunate strangers hostage. This group of mismatched folks, each lugging around their secret fears and past mistakes, slowly open their hearts t...

2 - 2.5 StarsOkay, I know I'm in the minority here, and I'm totally aware of it... All I can say is, Fredrik Backman can seriously write (though I already knew that). And he can really nail characters. Knew that too...The problem? I just didn't actually like any of the people in *Anxious People*. Or the plot, for that matter.Now, I'm not saying I always have to adore every character to enjoy a story. But when I not only dislike them, but find them completely obnoxious? And I think the plot is ri...

DNF at 15%. The author is trying way too hard to be witty and quirky while delivering some "deep message," but it just comes off as neither funny nor appealing. The similes are overkill, like comparing children to kites (you hold on tight, but the wind carries them off anyway) or saying fog is "like someone setting fire to ghosts" (has he even *seen* that happen?). My eyes were practically doing gymnastics. The witnesses to the bank robbery are behaving in such an unrealistic and bizarre way (s...

Fredrik Backman's *Anxious People* hit me right where I don't want to be hit, in the part of me I don't even know *how* to talk about. He gets how we feel at our lowest, during our biggest and smallest disappointments, grief, and moments of despair. But instead of dragging me down, he lightens my heart because we aren't alone in these feelings. There's humor in how we feel, and there's hope in the low points. This book made me laugh, and I absolutely loved it. If you're looking for funny book re...

Don’t miss the TV series adaptation of Anxious People on Netflix! But let me tell you, the book is still so much better! I picked Anxious People as my best fiction novel on Goodreads in 2020! It came in second place, and I adored "Midnight Library" too. But Anxious People still holds a special place in my heart! It remains my favorite fiction read of that year! Good news: This amazing story is being adapted into a Swedish series. And fingers crossed, I hope Netflix buys this limited series so we...