Anxious People: A Novel

5⭐️ I love Backman’s writing style. It’s easy to read yet full of meaning. It’s witty and funny and emotional. The author is amazing at creating deeply developed characters using so few words, and this book is no exception. The perception of the human experience is thought-provoking and emotionally driven through the writing and was overall a really enjoyable read for me! I thought the story was unique and had a few twists and turns in the story that I wasn’t expecting. It was nice that the story was literary fiction with a hint of mystery. While I can typically predict the ending of a thriller with plot twists, I didn’t see the ending coming of this book which was very unexpected and SO appreciated on my end! Overall I liked the story and if I was rating on vibes alone I would probably give it a 4, which for me is still a positive rating and a “yes” recommendation. It wasn’t my absolute favorite book but I did still very much enjoy it. I do rate on the writing though and only consider vibes a little bit, and I can’t find any fault in the writing so it is a 5 for me! Ultimately, if I were an editor of this book, there isn’t a thing I would recommend to be changed in the writing or story/character development, so it obviously has to be 5-stars! THE CHARACTERS Backman excels with his understanding of human nature and unique character development. Each character, from the hostages and the bank robber, to the police officers, to Nadia the psychologist, all had different backstories and personalities that contributed to their actions and the readers understanding of the story. It’s shocking that over ten uniquely different characters were so well developed (and all of which had some form of personal growth too) in only 336 pages, while an entire plot was also taking place. The reader is able to relate to every single one of the characters in some way, and I think that’s one of the best parts of this book. Each character’s quips and takes on humanity, anxiety, grief, and sacrifices we make for our loved ones makes the reader feel connected to these characters. Backman truly makes the reader feel seen through his character development. THEMES The bridge being both a physical and symbolic theme in the book was really smart of the author. As it was a place of trauma for some but a way for others to forge connections with others, the reader was able to see that the story did end up being a bridge bringing people together. Some of the authors takes on anxiety and grief were also very deeply woven into the narrative and character development, which I thought was very meaningful and again, made the reader feel deeply connected to the people in the story. These themes are experienced by everyone throughout life, and the way they are included in the book makes them approachable while they feel accurately depicted as well. QUOTES: “This book is dedicated to the voices in my head, the most remarkable of my friends. And to my wife, who lives with us.” “This story is about a lot of things, but mostly about idiots. So it needs saying from the outset that it's always very easy to declare that other people are idiots, but only if you forget how idiotically difficult being human is. Especially if you have other people you're trying to be a reasonably good human being for.” “Deep down, in memories that we might prefer to suppress even from ourselves, a lot of us know that the difference between us and that man on the bridge is smaller than we might wish. Most adults have had a number of really bad moments, and of course not even fairly happy people manage to be happy the whole darn time. So you would have tried to save him. Because it's possible to end your life by mistake, but you have to choose to jump. You have to climb on top of somewhere high and take a step forward. You're a decent person. You wouldn't have just watched.” “The truth? The truth is that the bank robber was an adult. There's nothing more revealing about a bank robber's personality than that. Because the terrible thing about becoming an adult is being forced to realize that absolutely nobody cares about us, we have to deal with everything ourselves now, find out how the whole world works. Work and pay bills, use dental floss and get to meetings on time, stand in line and fill out forms, come to grips with cables and put furniture together, change tires on the car and charge the phone and switch the coffee machine off and not forget to sign the kids up for swimming lessons. We open our eyes in the morning and life is just waiting to tip a fresh avalanche of "Don't Forget!"s and "Remember!"s over us. We don't have time to think or breathe, we just wake up and start digging through the heap, because there will be another one dumped on us tomorrow. We look around occasion-ally, at our place of work or at parents' meetings of out in the street, and realize with horror that everyone else seems to know exactly what they're doing. We're the only ones who have to pretend. Everyone else can afford stuff and has a handle on other stuff and enough energy to deal with even more stuff. And everyone else's children can swim. But we weren't ready to become adults. Someone should have stopped us.” “The truth of course is that if people really were as happy as they look on the Internet, they wouldn't spend so much damn time on the Internet, because no one who's having a really good day spends half of it taking pictures of themselves. Anyone can nurture a myth about their life if they have enough manure, so if the grass looks greener on the other side of the fence, that's probably because it's full of shit.” "I didn't say that money was happiness. I said happiness is like money. A made-up value that represents something we can't weigh or measure." “The whole thing is a complicated, unlikely story. Perhaps that's because what we think stories are about often isn't what they're about at all. This, for instance, might not actually be the story of a bank robbery, or an apartment viewing, or a hostage drama. Perhaps it isn't even a story about idiots. Perhaps this is a story about a bridge.” “They say that a person's personality is the sum of their experiences. But that isn't true, at least not entirely, because if our past was all that defined us, we'd never be able to put up with ourselves. We need to be allowed to convince ourselves that we're more than the mistakes we made yesterday. That we are all of our next choices, too, all of our tomorrows.” “But maybe you've had the occasional really bad idea, too. Maybe you deserved a second chance. Maybe you're not alone in that.” QUOTES: THE CHARACTERS “Just before the bank robber came in she had been busy refreshing her browser to find out if two famous actors were going to get divorced or not. She hoped they were, because sometimes it's easier to live with your own anxieties if you know that no one else is happy, either.” "Do you know what, Zara? One of the most human things about anxiety is that we try to cure chaos with chaos. Someone who has got themselves into a catastrophic situation rarely retreats from it, we're far more inclined to carry on even faster. We've created lives where we can watch other people crash into the wall but still hope that somehow we're going to pass straight through it. The closer we get, the more confidently we believe that some unlikely solution is miraculously going to save us, while everyone watching us is just waiting for the crash." “Do you know how many men like you every single woman on the planet meets every day, who think that every thought that pops into your tiny little male brains is a lovely present you can give us?"

This book is not what I would normally choose to read. It was a book club pick, and I admit to not being thrilled with the prospect of reading it. However, beyond the discussion and getting to know other readers through the shared experience of reading a book, the whole point of book club is to stretch into genres and authors you wouldn't otherwise try. On the whole, I'm very glad that I had the chance to read this book. Anxious People has delightful characters and a creative plot that is pieced together like a puzzle. Much like finding all of a puzzle's edge pieces first to determine it's layout, you have to be willing to stick with the story long enough to get a feel for the shape of it. The story, though funny, is rather far-fetched and the characters seem combative with each other at the start. However, Backman, who frequently breaks the fourth wall to address the reader and relate the story to them, makes it clear that the story is meant to be unbelievable and successfully manages to convince the reader to "go with it." With that, it's easier to suspend disbelief and, instead, focus on how the characters connect (or don't connect) as Backman weaves backward and forward in the story timeline. The end result is an immensely satisfying conclusion in which all of the pieces finally form a whole. There is nothing wrong whatsoever with this book, though I doubt that I would read it again mostly because it's not my usual go-to genre. It might put off a less committed reader (if they were not honor bound by book club to finish it). The structure of the plot jumping back and forth is integral to this story, but I can see how it might not be enjoyable for readers who enjoy a linear timeline. However, my interest is now peaked regarding Backman's other books, and I have already arranged for a watch party with my book club of the 2015 Academy Award nominated film made from his first book, A Man Called Ove. Favorite Excerpt: “The truth of course is that if people really were as happy as they look on the Internet, they wouldn't spend so much damn time on the Internet, because no one who's having a really good day spends half of it taking pictures of themselves. Anyone can nurture a myth about their life if they have enough manure, so if the grass looks greener on the other side of the fence, that's probably because it's full of shit. Not that that really makes much difference, because now we've learned that every day needs to be special. Every day.” Since it's not a book I'd likely keep on my shelf, I cannot give it my highest rating. Nonetheless, I would definitely recommend Anxious People to readers who love a sentimental story with clever characters and plot organization, and I would likely also suggest it as a "palate cleanser" for readers who need an uplifting shift out of their genre ruts. The message of this story is sweet and valuable for any reader willing to give it a go. Backman perfectly balances the ridiculousness of the story with just the right amount and timing of humor.

My first Fredrick Backman book. After reading this, I bought two more books of the same writer.

It’s such an amazing book takes you through different emotions one second you’re feeling deep for the character the next unexpectedly laugh out loud. Love it from start to finish. must read

it took a while to get int this but gradually , as the themes started to appear, it became clear that it was a very good book with many wonderful lines and some deeper messages which made for a very readable and enjoyable read. have immediately bought another of his books which is always a good sign and is not lightly done.

It’s not often you accidentally find a treasure of a book. What story telling, what character building, what plot. Tears in my eyes from laughter … and suddenly not. One of the toughest but warmest stories I’ve encountered.

Good read! Well written and touching Easy to read and makes you think a while It’s a story about life itself