![Anxious people by Fredrik Backman – A book review]()
Drama, review |
Anxious People by Fredrik Backman is one of the most anticipated and well loved book of the year 2020. I have had some great and a few not so good experiences with Backman’s books. Read my book review of Anxious People to know how it fared on my scale!
About the book
Book Name: Anxious People
Author: Fredrik Backman
Genre: Fiction – Drama
Characters: The bank robber, Roger and Anna Lea, Zara, Linnart, Estelle, Ro and Julia, Jim and Jack.
Setting: Sweden
Plot Summary
When things go spectacularly wrong, a bank robber tries to escape by entering into an apartment across the street. In a moment of panic, the robber ends up taking everyone there as hostages.
And the hostages being the apartment viewers scheduled in by the realtors. Unfortunately for the bank robber turned hostage-taker, the eight people in the apartment end up being the worst hostages ever.
They are anxious puddles themselves, they do not fear the gun nor the robber, they fight among themselves and they even order pizza for dinner. They even are worse at helping the police capture the bank robber.
Did they succeed in catching the robber? Did these anxious people hold themselves together until the end? Read Anxious People by Fredrik Backman to know more.
Book review
I have read Backman’s few other books and I can safely say Anxious People is very different from them. Anxious People is not a story of a person, it is about people and their quirkiness and their insecurities. It is about them looking out for a connection.
Anxious People is filled with well written and warm characters that will stay with you long after you finish reading the book. As the author correctly says, the book is full of “idiots” and yet you will adore them.
I loved how the author maintained the mystery/puzzle element throughout and the writing style helped it work. For some the writing style might seem slightly odd to get into but you will grow to love it, as I did.
What worked for me
- Anxious People was dark and hilarious and at the same time, it pulls the right strings of your heart.
- If you like Ove from A man called Ove, you are gonna love Estelle. In fact you will love all these characters.
- I loved Backman’s outlook into the human nature and struggle to fit in and be loved.
What may have been better
- The writing style is kinda odd. So if you find it hard to get into, give it a chance. You might end up loving it.
Content warning:
Suicide, Attempted suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Depression, Hostage crisis
Bottom line
Anxious People by Fredrik Backman is an endearing and hilarious book that will surely make you laugh out and even tear up at places. Another fabulous book by Backman!Man called Ove, A by Fredrik Backman
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![Anxious people by Fredrik Backman – A book review]()
Drama, Review Shots, Romance |
You know I usually say I never read a book when everyone is talking about it, right? But I am here to show you that I have read some books at the right time. And of course, I forgot to review them right then, which is quite like me of course.
So in our new episode of review shots, let me tell you about books that were not on my TBR and I read them only because of the hype. Well, that never turns out quite well, does it?
Books that I read only for the hype
Book Name: Everything, Everything
Author: Nicola Yoon
Genre: Fiction – Romance, Young Adult
Characters: Madeline “Maddy” Furukawa Whittier, Oliver “Olly” Bright, Pauline Furukawa Whittier, Carla Flores
Setting: Los Angeles, California, The USA
This YA took the Twitter world by a storm and I got the book almost immediately to read it.
Maddy led a very sheltered life all through her life due to her illness. She has never stepped out of her house in years and her mother and her nurse are the only one she interacts with. Them and her book blog. Until a new family moves to their next house.
I liked the book and would have loved it even until for the twist at the end, which I didn’t see coming at all. I normally would love to be thrown off, but this twist was kinda ‘trying too hard’. I also didn’t like the theme that ‘love conquers all, even illness’ that kept surfacing.
I loved reading the story, for the cutesy cheesy love story but it didn’t win my approval.
Book Name: Turtles All the Way Down
Author: John Green
Genre: Fiction – Romance, Young Adult
Characters: Aza Holmes, Davis Pickett, Daisy Ramirez, Mychal Turner, Noah Pickett
Setting: Indianapolis, Indiana, The USA
You all know my beef with John Green.
This book had everything that the book world is talking about and needs now. Turtles All the Way Down has #Ownvoice leads, one of whom suffers from mental illness and a mystery the leads had to solve in relation to their parents. Sounds all good to me.
Yet I could not relate to the characters at all, nor did I buy their ‘love story’. Did I mention this book had an absentee parent as well? I know lots of people loved this book but for me it ended as a so-so read because of these reasons and more.
I wanted to like it more than it deserved any way. And probably will stay away from John Green hereon.
Book Name: My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry
Author: Fredrik Backman
Genre: Fiction – Drama
Characters: Elsa, Granny, Alf, Britt-Marie, Kent, Ulrika, Lissete, George
Setting: Sweden
Oh I loved Backman’s other book A Man Called Ove and I started reading this one almost immediately. But it took me more than a month to finish this 350 and odd pages and I will tell you why.
The precocious ‘almost eight’ years old Elsa has just lost her grandmother to cancer. Her grandmother was also her best and only friend, who kept her safe at night with the tales of the Land of Almost-Awake and the Kingdom of Miamas.
Now she is set with the task of handing over apology notes to the wacky characters in their apartment for her grandmother’s past and getting to know more about them and her family as well.
I liked the concept of the book and how the little girl learnt to deal with all the changes and new people in her life. I loved many of these characters and their sub plots. But the book totally went over my head when it came to the imaginary land and its people.
Maybe there is a reason to why I don’t read fantasy much.
Bottom – line
Of course I don’t regret reading them at all. But I wish I hadn’t tried as hard to like them and gave up when I should have. Well, lesson learnt. Maybe.
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![Anxious people by Fredrik Backman – A book review]()
Drama, review |
Are you looking for a feel good and easy read? For the first time ever, I am not gonna spoil you with choices, confuse the heck out of you or load your arms with books that would last for a year. Pick A man called Ove right now and get reading.
About the book
Book Name: A man called Ove
Author: Fredrik Backman
Genre: Fiction – Drama
Setting: Sweden
Characters: Ove, Jimmy, Adrian, Parvaneh, Sonja, Rune, Nasanin, Mirsad
Plot Summary
Ove is a mean, grumpy and opinionated old man, who looks forward to the day he would join his late wife, Sonja. He even attempts to take his life to end his misery. He does not take well to the modern life and hates people. His life turns around when his new neighbor backs his trailer straight into his garden. Despite his apparent displeasure and cantankerous behavior, he seems to be forever helping his pesky neighbors and a cat that would not get out of his way.
The story alternates between his current life which doesn’t seem to be in short of amusing incidents and a life that had lived before he lost everything he loved. What happens to this grumpy old man when he unwillingly meets his messy neighbors, forms the rest of the story.
Book review
A man called Ove is one of the heartwarming books that would bring a smile to your cold heart. I could not help grinning at the instances when his neighbors took it upon themselves to become his friends when he took elaborate measures to avoid them.
Ove reminded me of those ‘get off my lawn’ characters, who hate everything around them, yet have a sense of civic duty and moral obligation to be right.
One can understand his becoming a misanthrope when life kept kicking him down relentlessly but again, he has been ‘an old man’ for ages. I loved that Ove and Sonja seemed made for each other, – she outgoing and cheerful and him wary and bitter.
Things that worked for me
- I loved the main characters and the characters in the sub plot, who were all well developed.
- I loved the warmth and sunshine all through the story.
- It is an easy read, perfect if you are a new reader.
Things that didn’t work for me
I can’t think of anything. It was perfect!
Bottom-line
I know the book has been receiving raving reviews for a while now, and I am probably too late to join the party, but here I am. Don’t we all love a bittersweet tale that makes you feel mushy every time you read it? If yes, read A man called Ove, right away.
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