Reviews with content warning for Suicide attempt - Anxious People

"It's always very easy to declare that other people are idiots, but only if you forget how idiotically difficult being human is." was the first quote within this book that came in like a shot. Short and powerful with enough punch to carry its meaning.

Anxious people seems like an ordinary story, but quickly turns into a mystery play where a bank robbery turns into a hostage situation at an apartment viewing. It took a huge amount of getting used to this book because everything seemed very complicated. You were given a lot of information where you didn't really know what to do with and especially seemed very confusing. I had to slog through the first few chapters, whether or not even until halfway through the book. This mainly is because I didn't really know where the author was going. As the story ended it took on an incredibly beautiful and fun meaning, namely that everyone has their own story and personality where we can never say for sure what decisions someone makes are so "random" or "thoughtless". Also that we are all in some way affected and connected to each other. So beautiful!!! I have indicated an awful lot of things in this book.
It is very unfortunate, though, that we never knew who the "bank robber" is. I really thought that as the story progressed that this was precisely the climax that was being worked towards, but still all the messages Fredrik Backman throws at you linger.

So to conclude this review nicely with some wisdom: "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."

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irenelpynn's review

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hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.0

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marguar's review

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emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

My first book of the new year!!! It feels a little harsh giving this 3 stars, it’s more like a 3.5. It was just a liiiiiittle too sentimental at times - spoke directly to the audience just a little too much, for me personally. My heart softened a lot when I read the acknowledgements. I can understand writing the kind of book you really need to read. Honestly, the acknowledgements made me tear up more than the book itself did - gave me a whole new apprehension for it. Maybe that’s not the best way to read but hey, it’s a new year!!

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_fallinglight_'s review against another edition

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challenging emotional lighthearted reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.5

I don't care for books where the author keeps telling me how to perceive things and his way is the way. All these people are unbearable and I don't give a frick about their struggles. What you gonna do about that, Backman?

Giving it 2.5 bc for 65% of the book, I wasn't too aggravated by the writing style and it was even compulsively readable with all the hostage situation and who is the bank robber mystery going on–even if I was finding the characters grating and not relatable at all, which isn't usually a complaint I have towards characters but relatability, empathy seemed to be a pertinent factor for this book. But then, it kept beating the point over and over and over and over the head I got so incensed! I finished the book out of spite bc I'd already spent so many days on it, might as well see how this man wrapped this story up. It's so bad though. Fourth rate Dickens stuff. Oh, and the humor is intolerably bad, too.

Sincerely, an anxious person.

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bearybooky's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Book should be tagged lgbtqia

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san_dra's review

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funny hopeful reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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strawhat_kd's review against another edition

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funny inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

Anxious people drew me in from the first few pages with Fredrik Bachman's writing choice. The book jumps you around through different perspectives of each character, peeling back layer after layer until you uncover a really endearing story. Every one has their own motivations for being at an apartment showing when a bank robber storms in and holds everyone hostage. Over the course of the book, you learn about each character. I enjoyed the fact, that in the early stages of the book, a large portion of the characters are unlikable. But, by the end, you end up loving most, if not all the characters. This was the perfect read for me after finishing books with heavier topics. A palate cleanser if you will. It was funny, it was moving and was a feel good read for me. Some of the events are little unbelievable, but they don't take away from the heart of the story.

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modryzamek's review against another edition

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dark funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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