An omniscient narrator frames this odd day for us readers, along the way making observations about the human condition in general: “You can always tell by the way people who love each other argue: the longer they’ve been together, the fewer words they need to start a fight” (p. This book is about anxious people, but they are anxious for various reasons, and the problems they are facing have a surprisingly wide reach so I think most readers will be able to relate to one or more of the characters. My Thoughts Author Fredrik Backman, photo by Linnea Jonasson Bernholmĭon’t let the title of the book put you off, reading it will make you feel good. There’s also a naked man dressed in a rabbit’s head, but that’s just one of the many surprising treats you have to look forward to in this wonderful mess of people and plot. Estelle is an aging senior who simply wants to make people comfortable, while Roger and Anna-Lena renovate and flip apartments to distract themselves from the lingering problems within their marriage. Ro and Julie are pregnant with their first child, arguing more than ever and worried about whether or not they will be good parents. Zara is a prickly wealthy woman who is suffering from a traumatic event that occurred over a decade ago, struggling to come to terms with her guilt and offending lots of other people along the way. We get to know each one of these hostages, as well as the bank robber, as the novel continues over one day. Unfortunately they dive into the wrong apartment, because this particular place is open for a real estate viewing. Meanwhile, the hostage-taker actually meant to rob a bank, but the bank they entered was a cashless bank, so realizing their mistake they ran into an apartment building across the street to hide. These particular police officers are father and son. Two police officers are investigating a hostage situation where all the captives were released safely, but the hostage-taker is nowhere to be found.

I’m going to recommend it to everyone I know, and I can’t wait to tell you why you should read it too.

Good books sell well because they are good! I finished reading the super popular Fredrik Backman’s Anxious People about 15 minutes ago, and I’m so buzzed to talk about it I know I’ll hammer out this review nice and quick. Is my reading palette less refined for loving a bestselling book? Should I be embarrassed that I easily jump on book bandwagons with the rest of the world? Maybe some fellow book critics see it that way, but I certainly don’t.

Fredrik backman anxious